Changing container size, am I making too large a jump in size? What to do re soil?

So it looks to be time to move to the next size container for my inside grow.

They are now 25 or so days old under a flouro light. They were started in dixie cups and about 10 days in were then moved to 3 quart containers where they now reside.

Seems that some people feel that they should now go into a 2 gallon container and after that go into a 5 gallon container but that info seems to be contradicted elsewhere.

Sure would be nice if I could just jump from the current 3 quart size container to the 5 gallon size (and be totally finished transplanting), does that sound OK to do?

I have been using the fox farm ocean soil and fertilizing every other watering, do I "re-use" the soil they have been growing in so far and add the new soil to it or just start with all fresh soil? The soil isn't cheap so I don't want to waste it but will if it matters.

And lastly, how high do I fill the bucket (let's say the 5 gallon size), about an inch from the top or lower than that?

Thanks for the great forum and SUPER help!

I have done this and it works alright. I would only do it this way if you are only planning on vegging another two weeks or less. The roots will stop growing shortly into flower as the plant focuses on producing bud. So it all depends on when you are flowering. If you are going to veg another month or more I would move them to the 2 gallon and then the 5 gallon in three weeks. GL.

Also, I pack mine right over the top as I pack mine loose for better drainage and it will shrink with watering.

Newz682 said:

So it looks to be time to move to the next size container for my inside grow.

They are now 25 or so days old under a flouro light. They were started in dixie cups and about 10 days in were then moved to 3 quart containers where they now reside.

Seems that some people feel that they should now go into a 2 gallon container and after that go into a 5 gallon container but that info seems to be contradicted elsewhere.

Sure would be nice if I could just jump from the current 3 quart size container to the 5 gallon size (and be totally finished transplanting), does that sound OK to do?

I have been using the fox farm ocean soil and fertilizing every other watering, do I "re-use" the soil they have been growing in so far and add the new soil to it or just start with all fresh soil? The soil isn't cheap so I don't want to waste it but will if it matters.

And lastly, how high do I fill the bucket (let's say the 5 gallon size), about an inch from the top or lower than that?

Thanks for the great forum and SUPER help!

Click to expand...

you can start in the biggest pot available, a lot of times the size of the pot is why they dont start in a big one. For me my veg cab is way smaller than flower so i have to transplant but ideally if you can avoid transplant than avoid it. If your area allows you to start in big pots and not have things spaced out too much do it. Every time you transplant you stress your plant period regardless of what people say. You can start in a big pot and it should harvest sooner because it didnt have the stress slowing down the grow from the transplant.

what do you mean re-use? when you transplant the entire plant, roots, and starting soil should come out in one piece....if not than its not time to transplant. You will put the whole plant with existing soil into the new pot and fill in the sides with new soil. Fill the bottom of your new bot with enough soil so that when you place the plant in the new pot the top of the plant is even/flush with the top of the pot or one inch below. I go all the way to the top bc watering lowers it a little bit every time.

TIP: You can usually just put your old pot right into the new pot to see how much space you need to fill. before you even start transplanting.

TIP: YOUTUBE.

The main problem with too big of a pot is overwatering. If you have a dinky root structure and put it in too large of a pot you will have lots of dead soil space just holding water because the roots cant get to it, or arent capable of uptaking that much water yet. This will suffocate your plant. Make sure you have good drainage, and do not water to excess until the roots are developed.

And yes you can start a clone/cutting/seed in your 5 gallon bucket with FFOF....i use FFOF and it is a little hot and sometimes burns a few leafs on a clone but within a few days it is blooming, FFOF and all of their nutes kick ass.

Remember every time you transplant into FFOF cutback on nutes, their are nutes in that soil for up to 4 weeks

guy incognito said:

The main problem with too big of a pot is overwatering. If you have a dinky root structure and put it in too large of a pot you will have lots of dead soil space just holding water because the roots cant get to it, or arent capable of uptaking that much water yet. This will suffocate your plant. Make sure you have good drainage, and do not water to excess until the roots are developed.

Click to expand...

agreed, when using fresh small clones or seeds i also dont water the big pot with full water capacity....i will only put water in the area where you know the roots are, no sense to waste the nutes on the perimeter of the pot just yet...meaning if you know the plant is only in about a 6 inch diameter only water that area and work your way out as you see the plant grow

Hmmmmmmmmm.