Transplanting hydro to soil. Can I break roots to remove perlite?

Hi. We had a situation with a grow and had to move indoor hydro plants to outdoor soil. Anyways, my grow buddies did not remove the perlite from the plants in fear of damaging the roots. We packed soil at the bottom and at the top with the perlite and roots in the middIe. I have soaked the pots 1 to 2 times a day and the plants end up drooping almost dead in the late morning. I am concerned that root rot and other fungus will grow because of the constant water in the soil. I've been removing most of the perlite with water and my hands and I may lose about 10 percent of the root system when i would transplant. What I want to know is, how much of the root system can come off of the plant without her being damaged?

Don't be scared to hurt your girls, they are weed after all so they can take a beating.

Why are you watering them twice a day?

Johnny Lawrence said:

Why are you watering them twice a day?

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Because most of the pot contains the perlite. So we have two over soaked layers of soil with a dry perlite patty in the middle. A McFuckingProblem with Cheese.

If you have to remove some roots it's no big deal just remove some vegetation to match...

harveylitup said:

Because most of the pot contains the perlite. So we have two over soaked layers of soil with a dry perlite patty in the middle. A McFuckingProblem with Cheese.

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Then the perlite in the middle is also moist. I'm guessing that you're over watering.

Next time dunk the root ball in a bucket of water and gently "massage" the perlite off with your hands. I've done this in reverse before - removed soil in this manner to move plants to hydro.

bigger container, moe dirt less water, take clones first...

Sounds like a hempy bucket. And only water that once a day.

Once I accidentally ripped 80% of roots off a plant, it sat there in a limbo looking state. 2 weeks later it started growing again. .
So you don't want perlite in your new soil?

Cx2H said:

Sounds like a hempy bucket. And only water that once a day.

Once I accidentally ripped 80% of roots off a plant, it sat there in a limbo looking state. 2 weeks later it started growing again. .
So you don't want perlite in your new soil?

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THIS. Make a Hempy bucket (also called a Dutch bucket) put her in with just perlite and water it with ferts once a day. Let the runoff drain into the ground.

I water my hempy buckets every 3 days with 1/4 strength nutes.no need to water every day.

nmibud said:

I water my hempy buckets every 3 days with 1/4 strength nutes.no need to water every day.

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You don't NEED to, but you'll get mad growth with frequent watering. It keeps the water in the bottom reservoir fresh and aerated. I water mine 6 times a day using a small pump. I add nutes or PH'd water to it when the small reservoir it drains into gets low, keeping the PPMs at 400-500, and I dump it out frequently. Another week and I'll up the PPM's to 600:

http://imgur.com/a/lxr1R

Three days of growth.

Why not just go full hydro?That's the object of using hempy,to keep it simple.

nmibud said:

I water my hempy buckets every 3 days with 1/4 strength nutes.no need to water every day.

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it really depends on the size of the bucket, but with a 3 gallon bucket every 3 days is typically good

I often use 2 litre pop bottles, as such they need feeding everyday

.....but why only 1/4 nutes?

nmibud said:

Why not just go full hydro?That's the object of using hempy,to keep it simple.

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It IS simple, a bucket and a pump w/timer and a small runoff container is all I have.

nfhiggs said:

It IS simple, a bucket and a pump w/timer and a small runoff container is all I have.

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hempy is even more simple (and more forgiving)..... just a bucket with hole, no pump or timer required

I've planted them in the 3" mesh cup. Perlite surrounding the cube. Planted the cup about a half inch below the soil. One male developed and I pulled him.

Bright white tap root coming out the side of the mesh cup. Kinda makes me want to experiment with a 2" glob of perlite below the seed. Seems it's a dryer space.

ISK said:

hempy is even more simple (and more forgiving)..... just a bucket with hole, no pump or timer required

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LOL - the pump and timer just saves you a little effort if you want to do more frequent watering. Just a labor saver is all. Hempy is really the exact same thing (as a Dutch bucket). There is absolutely nothing "unforgiving" about it at all. If a pump or timer fails, I just hand water as often as I wish - JUST LIKE A HEMPY.

ISK said:

it really depends on the size of the bucket, but with a 3 gallon bucket every 3 days is typically good

I often use 2 litre pop bottles, as such they need feeding everyday

.....but why only 1/4 nutes?

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I use Dr Earth nitro big and golden bloom,I run 100% cob leds and that strength seems to work for me.I also use kelp and bat guano and wood ash.

The best way to grow is to use the method that works best for you,learn from you mistakes.There is no wrong way but I have seen a few that make you wonder.

Where the fuck did hempys come into the convo? Way to derail a thread....

Dig it up, flush out the perlite from the roots, sprinkle dirt into the wet root ball, replant. The dirt will help wick moisture into the roots.

Or just water in small amounts, a few ounces, every day until the plant starts perking up. It'll take a week or two for it to re-acclimate .