How to ensure a smooth transplant?

papa canna

papa canna

Well-Known Member
I have transplanted solo cups dozens of times. Solo cups are easy being that they are small and flexible. How do I go about transplanting from a 1 gallon plastic pot to a 2 gallon plastic pot (and then from a 2 gallon to a 7) without my dirt falling apart and messing up my roots?

The last time I transplanted from the 1 gallon into the 2 gallon it was a mess. My dirt balls falling to pieces etc. Maybe I needed better established roots. But it is worth noting that those were not healthy plants. and they did die soon after. Not due to the transplant.

Should my soil be wet so that it holds a better shape? how do you do it?
 
Always establish a good rootball and that means it comes out in one pot shaped go. I wait till its semi dry, one its easier to release and not break up and secondly its going to be watered in at transplant so that works out perfectly.

1 to 2 gallon seems a bit tight and fiddly.

I emphasise the fully established rootball.
 
Kingrow1 said:
Always establish a good rootball and that means it comes out in one pot shaped go. I wait till its semi dry, one its easier to release and not break up and secondly its going to be watered in at transplant so that works out perfectly.

1 to 2 gallon seems a bit tight and fiddly.

I emphasise the fully established rootball.
Click to expand...

How can I be certain my rootball is established? I planned on transplanting from 1 gal into 2 gal after 2 weeks of time. I thought that should be plenty of veg time to fill a decent root ball.
 
papa canna said:
How can I be certain my rootball is established? I planned on transplanting from 1 gal into 2 gal after 2 weeks of time. I thought that should be plenty of veg time to fill a decent root ball.
Click to expand...

Roots should have filled out the soil and have circled the bottom of the pot a few times if not a few more. Roots hold the soil compactly, there is no mess or loose soil lumps falling off.

This is just the standard basic least stress way.
 
papa canna said:
How can I be certain my rootball is established? I planned on transplanting from 1 gal into 2 gal after 2 weeks of time. I thought that should be plenty of veg time to fill a decent root ball.
Click to expand...

At 8-10 days after a trans. The roots are just nicely moving into the new soil. So, that means that at 14 days. The roots have not yet gotten to the point that King has mentioned.

Personally, I prefer to trans, before the roots have grown too much around the bottom edge.....time wise for what I like in moving 1 gallon up, is approx 3 weeks.

I strongly suggest you skip the 2 and go into a 3 gallon from a 1. More space, remember that bigger roots mean bigger yields.

As far as "stress" goes. Unless you beat the shit out of the roots or trans too early. I have not seen much "stress" from transplanting. (I know guys who take a box cutter and slice the edge and bottom of the root ball 2-3 times and have no real problems. The idea is to get the roots to expand faster with new finer growth).
The real trick to more and stronger roots is to simply use a Kelp extract after and periodically from there, in your feeding. The use of kelp meal in building soils or even adding some kelp meal to prebuilt soils (water the soil and let it sit covered for at least 2 weeks before use.) It has been found by college studies that the use of Kelp can increase root growth by as much as 170%..

Better now?
 
Dr. Who said:
At 8-10 days after a trans. The roots are just nicely moving into the new soil. So, that means that at 14 days. The roots have not yet gotten to the point that King has mentioned.

Personally, I prefer to trans, before the roots have grown too much around the bottom edge.....time wise for what I like in moving 1 gallon up, is approx 3 weeks.

I strongly suggest you skip the 2 and go into a 3 gallon from a 1. More space, remember that bigger roots mean bigger yields.

As far as "stress" goes. Unless you beat the shit out of the roots or trans too early. I have not seen much "stress" from transplanting. (I know guys who take a box cutter and slice the edge and bottom of the root ball 2-3 times and have no real problems. The idea is to get the roots to expand faster with new finer growth).
The real trick to more and stronger roots is to simply use a Kelp extract after and periodically from there, in your feeding. The use of kelp meal in building soils or even adding some kelp meal to prebuilt soils (water the soil and let it sit covered for at least 2 weeks before use.) It has been found by college studies that the use of Kelp can increase root growth by as much as 170%..

Better now?
Click to expand...

They 2 gallon isn't my final pot, so it shouldn't matter what size I move up. A couple weeks afterward and I'll be in a 7 gallon
 
papa canna said:
They 2 gallon isn't my final pot, so it shouldn't matter what size I move up. A couple weeks afterward and I'll be in a 7 gallon
Click to expand...

YES, it does make a difference/matter! A jump from 1 to 3 to 7 is much better then putting them into 2's...

You'll have a better root ball size to deal with the 4 gallon jump. They will be stronger and take less time to use precious growth energy on filling root space vs. plant growth....

Understand?
 
I'm here to share what limited knowledge I have, and learn from others. I consider wild growth as my model, where transplanting does not exist. I go from solo cup to 10 or 15 gallon fabric, 2 plants per pot. They appear to grow slowly because it's mostly root growth for a few weeks. But then it pays off. Less work for me. Less stress for them. Huge healthy plants. I'm fortunate I'm not cramped for space.

I agree let them get nearly totally dry. I sometimes sit a dry pot on a wet towel for a day or two so roots search out the moisture before a thorough watering.

If you are convinced yield is better because of multiple transplanting, please explain. Happy to learn!
 
Father Ramirez said:
I'm here to share what limited knowledge I have, and learn from others. I consider wild growth as my model, where transplanting does not exist. I go from solo cup to 10 or 15 gallon fabric, 2 plants per pot. They appear to grow slowly because it's mostly root growth for a few weeks. But then it pays off. Less work for me. Less stress for them. Huge healthy plants. I'm fortunate I'm not cramped for space.

I agree let them get nearly totally dry. I sometimes sit a dry pot on a wet towel for a day or two so roots search out the moisture before a thorough watering.

If you are convinced yield is better because of multiple transplanting, please explain. Happy to learn!
Click to expand...


I guess its subjective as some do well in larger pots with smaller plants but the method should follow similar principles.

A small pot has a quicker wet/dry cycle hence better growth environment. More than pot size id look at your mediums aeration and compaction abilities.

Thus we form a repeatable cycle :-)
 
Father Ramirez said:
I'm here to share what limited knowledge I have, and learn from others. I consider wild growth as my model, where transplanting does not exist. I go from solo cup to 10 or 15 gallon fabric, 2 plants per pot. They appear to grow slowly because it's mostly root growth for a few weeks. But then it pays off. Less work for me. Less stress for them. Huge healthy plants. I'm fortunate I'm not cramped for space.

I agree let them get nearly totally dry. I sometimes sit a dry pot on a wet towel for a day or two so roots search out the moisture before a thorough watering.

If you are convinced yield is better because of multiple transplanting, please explain. Happy to learn!
Click to expand...

I don't transplant for yield per say. It has more to do with managing my roots to damp soil ratio. I use to go from solo cup right into 7 gallons. Which isn't doing my roots any favors when it comes time to water
 
papa canna said:
I don't transplant for yield per say. It has more to do with managing my roots to damp soil ratio. I use to go from solo cup right into 7 gallons. Which isn't doing my roots any favors when it comes time to water
Click to expand...


I hope the grows getting better dude, positive vibes for it :-)
 
I line my pots with weed block fabric that shit u roll out under mulch in your yard, from solo cup to final home. Makes transplanting a breeze.... i also as side note drill shit out of the container then its kinda like a homeade air pot
 
Huckster79 said:
I line my pots with weed block fabric that shit u roll out under mulch in your yard, from solo cup to final home. Makes transplanting a breeze.... i also as side note drill shit out of the container then its kinda like a homeade air pot
Click to expand...

I have also drilled out my pots. Not sure how I would feel about the fabric though. But I bet it would make for a nice easy transplant
 
papa canna said:
How do I go about transplanting from a 1 gallon plastic pot to a 2 gallon plastic pot
Click to expand...
You don't. Unless your planning on root pruning, but it doesn't sound like you are. Im sure you already know this, but a well established root ball in a 1 gallon pot transplants very well into a 7 gallon pot.
 
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