Winter Woman
Well-Known Member
I didn't want to go up into my attic looking for my old text books. I would love to tell you what I studied at MSU, but I am just one of a handful of women who studied in my field. And I like to stay under the radar.
It is commonly known that plants that get just a little extra roots in a pot does increase top growth. Since I studied it I know that it works. The problem is that they can become spindly if roots do become bound, not good. For an example, if you so to a greenhouse and you see, say, Saliva in starter trays. Some plants are smaller, stouter, looking incredibly healthy but not flowering, yet and are slightly root bound. That is the plant you want to buy. Then there are the ones that catch your eye they are blooming away. But, if you look closer at them you'll see that they are spindly and root bound. We have all seen that in a greenhouse. It is blooming because it thinks that it has to flower because without transplanting it will die so it is kicking in so that it will reproduce-not good at this stage. But, people think this is good because it is flowering, it is flowering because it is stressed.
An actual healthy plant at this stage would have just green growth on top, that plant will grow much better. Setting itself up for taller, healthier, stronger plant. Potting up keeps the plant in a stage of being just slightly root bound, which is good for top growth.
I do pot up. I won't do it any other way.
On another note, I have never understood why someone would think that stressing a plant will make it stronger. Drying a plant out too far reduces turgor creating the potential for wilt. Thereby weakening the plant and a weak plant is more susceptible to diseases and the affects of pests.
Anyway, it's a plant. It will either grow or die and there is always the next time. Also, using a too big of pot in the beginning will give you a good root system, but the top growth will take much longer to develop that's all.
If you want proof nose around MSU's online library it is a wealth of information.
Edit: I do not want to say that I know everything, because I don't. I have learned much from some people on this site. Especially about lighting. But, I have seen people intentionally give out bad advice. So you must take what I say however you see it. But, if you look around in the different university websites I'm sure you'll find the answer you are looking for.
It is commonly known that plants that get just a little extra roots in a pot does increase top growth. Since I studied it I know that it works. The problem is that they can become spindly if roots do become bound, not good. For an example, if you so to a greenhouse and you see, say, Saliva in starter trays. Some plants are smaller, stouter, looking incredibly healthy but not flowering, yet and are slightly root bound. That is the plant you want to buy. Then there are the ones that catch your eye they are blooming away. But, if you look closer at them you'll see that they are spindly and root bound. We have all seen that in a greenhouse. It is blooming because it thinks that it has to flower because without transplanting it will die so it is kicking in so that it will reproduce-not good at this stage. But, people think this is good because it is flowering, it is flowering because it is stressed.
An actual healthy plant at this stage would have just green growth on top, that plant will grow much better. Setting itself up for taller, healthier, stronger plant. Potting up keeps the plant in a stage of being just slightly root bound, which is good for top growth.
I do pot up. I won't do it any other way.
On another note, I have never understood why someone would think that stressing a plant will make it stronger. Drying a plant out too far reduces turgor creating the potential for wilt. Thereby weakening the plant and a weak plant is more susceptible to diseases and the affects of pests.
Anyway, it's a plant. It will either grow or die and there is always the next time. Also, using a too big of pot in the beginning will give you a good root system, but the top growth will take much longer to develop that's all.
If you want proof nose around MSU's online library it is a wealth of information.
Edit: I do not want to say that I know everything, because I don't. I have learned much from some people on this site. Especially about lighting. But, I have seen people intentionally give out bad advice. So you must take what I say however you see it. But, if you look around in the different university websites I'm sure you'll find the answer you are looking for.
