Should I transplant into better soil now or wait?

dark006

Member
My seedlings are on day 12 in Jiffy seed starting soil. I just found a grow shop (after I planted in the Jiffy soil) and bought some FoxFarms Ocean Forest for my transplant into final growing pots. One seedling is about 4cm and has 3 sets of leaves, the other three seedlings are around 3cm and have 2 sets of leaves. Should I transplant my seedlings into new (same sized) cups with the FoxFarms soil or is the stress not really worth it?
 

ow.douglas

Well-Known Member
What size pots did you start in? If it's a Solo cup that's one thing if it's a 3 gallon pot that's another.
 

Pipe Dream

Well-Known Member
You don't actually have to replace the soil. Just wait until the soil dries out and turn it upside down and usually it will slide right out and than repot into a larger pot with premoistened ocean forest. I would also continue to germ in the starter soil and repotting into the of.

Assuming your using small pots of course.
 

dark006

Member
They are in solo cups now. I don't want to go into a bigger pot yet as I'm limited in size (rubbermaids). I would like to grow the plants much bigger (and more roots) in the solos before I go into the final 1/2 gal pots. I know that isn't ideal for the healthiest plant, but like I said, I have to keep an eye on size.

Right now I feel like they are growing really slow and it would make me feel a lot better about them if I knew they were in good quality soil when in their earlier stages of life. I'm water like every 2 days as the soil is drying out quick. I think I have too many holes in the cups for aeration. Holes around the cup on the sides and 6 holes (pen tip sized) on the bottom too much??? I might be able to solve a few problems (poor soil/drying to quick/growing slow) with one move of getting them into the OF. What do you think?
 

Pipe Dream

Well-Known Member
well I don't understand the space limitations if they are going into the pots anyways you know what i mean. They might be getting rootbound already and that's why the growth is slowing. The seed starting soils are very light and airy to promote strong root groth I transplanted from 16 oz solo cups after about 2 weeks personally and had the same issues, slow growth and the roots were ready. If you insist on keeping them in the pots your going to need to apply a fertilizer not replace the soil which would be almost impossible.
 

dark006

Member
Yeah, I understand. I guess what I'm worried about is getting root bound in my final pots.... I think they might be root bound in the current solo cups because about a week ago I had 2 seedlings in each cup so I transplanted one from each into new cups (so I have 4 cups total, 1 in each) and when I took them out the single root was almost as tall as the cup already. So this is most likely my problem for slow growth? I bought some Superthrive today so I think tomorrow I'll do a transplant and add some nutes.
 

Ledhed

Well-Known Member
If your final pots are only half gallon pots, you're screwed regardless. You want those babies in at least three gallon pots to get any kind of size from them. You will also have healthier plants that are much less likely to get rootbound. Half gallon pots are way too small for a plant to live a healthy, happy life and give you any type of reward for your labor.
 

dark006

Member
What about other people who do rubbermaid or pc grows? They can't fit 3+ gallon pots in there. I was planning on putting two of the 1/2 gal pots in there, but I guess I could just go down to one 3 gal (if I can fit it). The set up is two 22 gal rubbermaids stacked and measures out to 24"L X 19"W X 35"H. Here are some shots of them and the cup.....too many holes?



 
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