transplanting

so is the best time to transplant is before the lights go out

it really doesn't matter, a careful transplant is not going to affect the plant that much.

the chihuahuan desert

But what if we arnt very experienced...? what would the explanation for why it might be better to transplant right before you give it darkness? And a question iv always had is do the roots have a faster groth rate when the leaves are not absorbing light? (Darkness).

transplanting is just not that difficult or hard on the plant. first prepare the new pot with watered soil with a hole in the middle to accommodate the new plant.

then squeeze the pot with the plant gently (if its flexible of course) to loosen the soil. while cradling the plant gently in one hand turn the pot upside down and gently shake. usually the whole plant and soil will come out in one piece. i usually loosen the dirt ball a little to help roots break out into the new soil and then simply place in hole and add additional dirt as needed.

What should i do if when im sliding the soil out of pot and beacase its wet at the bottom it crumbles/ exposes roots?

you want it a little wet because if it's bone dry the soil will come apart too much. roots will get exposed, and you want them to, because those are the roots that will grow into the new medium the fastest.

A reprint of my standard transplanting sermon:


Oh .. you want to know about transplanting.
　
Ok, well if like most people you began your seedlings in a plastic cup or some small container you soon found that you have to repot into something larger because the plant’s roots are running out of room to grow in.
　
The below soil mass/area/size of a plant is very nearly always close to being equal in size to the above soil mass/area/size of the plant. Because they take such different shapes it is hard at times to imagine that being the case but it is.
　
Once roots begin to circle a pot the plant is under some degree of stress. The longer the circling is allowed to continue the worse the stress the plant is under becomes. Among some of the problems root-bound plants can have are stunted growth, stretching, smaller and slower bud production, needs often watering, is easy to burn even if using low percentage nutrient solutions and wilting.

For future reference .. when you repot follow the following steps.
　
Select the pot size you will be transplanting into. (I suggest growing in nothing smaller than 5-gallon pots and I normally use 7-gallon pots and I start out my plants in them and never repot.)
　
Allow the soil in the pot your plant is in to dry out and slightly pull away from the sides of the pot.
　
(The following applies if you are right handed. If not reverse the hand position/use instructions)
　
Partially fill your new larger pot with quality soil so when you insert your plant into the new pot and fill in around the rootball the top of the soil will be at the correct level.
　
Pick up your old pot with your left hand.
　
Place your right hand on top of the soil with the main stem between your first and second fingers.
　
Gently tap the edge of the pot on a countertop or a workbench or something similar. The entire rootball should slide out in one piece, possibly with a slight amount of soil loss, but no damage to or loss of roots unless the plant was so root-bound that the roots had grown through the drain holes. If that is the case clip them first.
　
Your plant and rootball are then securely held in your right hand. Inspect the rootball and if it is tightly packed/twisted/root-bound slightly score/cut the edges of the rootball and also slightly score/cut the bottom of the rootball.

If you do not score/cut the root-ball that the roots will want to continue to follow their circling pattern and their growth progression both down and to the sides into the fresh deeper soil will be much slower. Each cut root will push out new roots and they will go both out and down into the new soil.
　
Place the plant into the new pot.
　
If the surface level of the old rootball is to low or two high remove some soil or add additional soil.
　
Next fill in around the edges between the rootball and the sides of the larger pot.
　
Water thoroughly to cause the soil to settle without compressing it too much by packing it down by hand. If needed add additional soil and water again.
　
Normally plants will undergo very little to no shock when transplanted in this manner but it would not be an injudicious thing to do to use a product like SuperThrive or something with the same general properties because they will reduce plant stress helping them to overcome it quicker and easier. If plants are transplanted while in flower, something that should only be done if absolutely necessarily, if SuperThrive is used use the minimal amount and only use it once. SuperThrive prolongs flower life in ornamentals by slowing down the flower aging process. It will do the same in cannabis plants extending the length of flowering to reach maturity/ripeness.