Why start into a small cup after germination instead of the permanent pot?

Hello everyone, I have been reading and reading , like I haven't done in a long while. One answer I have yet to find is why exactly do you start your seedling after germination into a small Dixie cup for example then transplant again to the larger permanent growing pot? Why can't you just place the germinated seedling directly into it's permanent home? Wouldn't this reduce stress to the plant specifically in it's early age?

It seems as though all the major growing tutorials or documentaries I've read or seen have indicated this. To start off the seedling in a small container before transplanting into it's permanent home. My logic says the best would be to use a rock-wool to germinate the seed and transplant to it's permanent home directly. Is it a measure to control the size of the plant? Can you control the ending height of the plant by starting it in a smaller grow medium? Is there a difference in how the roots form if you start in a smaller container then transplant into a bigger permanent home between if you start the seedling in it's permanent home from the get go?

I apologize for all the questions. Just trying to be thorough in my research. If anyone can shed any light on my query please share your thoughts. I appreciate before hand your time and consideration.

Stay Green.

Few reasons, first you need the cup or small pot to contain seedling soil whereas the final home would use stronger potting soil. Also drainage is much easier in a small cup plus the roots can easily drain a small cup over a massive container, that is until there large enough too. Lastly i would say a root ball develops better if allowed to form in a small container and work upwards size wise over roots in a big container that are just gona grow in a straight line to the edges and hardly work there way into a lot of the middle or soil in the centre of the pot.

Allways repot up from small to large and use seedling soil for seedlings and small veg plants. Peace

yea its for the roots so you get more and stronger roots.

If you don't want to repot look into DWC

Kingrow1 said:

Few reasons, first you need the cup or small pot to contain seedling soil whereas the final home would use stronger potting soil. Also drainage is much easier in a small cup plus the roots can easily drain a small cup over a massive container, that is until there large enough too. Lastly i would say a root ball develops better if allowed to form in a small container and work upwards size wise over roots in a big container that are just gona grow in a straight line to the edges and hardly work there way into a lot of the middle or soil in the centre of the pot.

Allways repot up from small to large and use seedling soil for seedlings and small veg plants. Peace

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So in fact this makes the roots stronger in a way and places them in a better position to absorb the center nutrients located in the middle of the grow medium as well as the higher temps there. Transplanting correctly would be the key to success in this case to not cause unwanted stress to the plant, specially the roots. Although I see in your wording you use "massive" as the latter container; what if the grower decides on a short bushier plant, would you then say that a "medium" size pot can hold both seedlings as well as be the permanent home? In a more stealth project I would prefer to not transplant at all if possible because I want to control her height from the get go. Would this be a viable option for a medium to small size plant? For example the LowRyder genome, they don't need massive pots as the end homes I would imagine so in their case can you use a single pot home after germination and still get good end results?

stronger root structure, and ( speaking from my own experiance) the big pots are just that...To big as opposed to using the red cups, being able to stick 6 or 7 cups under one 2 bulb floro.....

AWnox said:

So in fact this makes the roots stronger in a way and places them in a better position to absorb the center nutrients located in the middle of the grow medium as well as the higher temps there. Transplanting correctly would be the key to success in this case to not cause unwanted stress to the plant, specially the roots. Although I see in your wording you use "massive" as the latter container; what if the grower decides on a short bushier plant, would you then say that a "medium" size pot can hold both seedlings as well as be the permanent home? In a more stealth project I would prefer to not transplant at all if possible because I want to control her height from the get go. Would this be a viable option for a medium to small size plant? For example the LowRyder genome, they don't need massive pots as the end homes I would imagine so in their case can you use a single pot home after germination and still get good end results?

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Hey bro all the ideas suggested will work its just overwatering is hard to avoid in a big container if the roots arent sucking much and you soak too much of the soil. Trust us dude repot up from a small cup with seedling soil to a medium container if thats all your doing with potting soil.

Of course throw a seed in a massive container, once it comes to terms with the high nutes and grows a bit and you learn how to water correctly all will be cool and since the soil contains a lot of nutes you wont need ferts for ages.

Just practise what is the required way for ease of growing but dont stop yourself from doing it another way as long as you understand a few principles like watering a small plant with small root system in a massive pot. I still advise developing that root system, upon repot the roots will hold all the soil together and you just grab the stem, pull it outa the pot and place in new soil and this causes no stress whatsoever.

My biggest pots are 7inch across for final flowering and repot once from 4inch pot to these 7inch pots. Hope this helps. Peace

smokey mcsmokester said:

stronger root structure, and ( speaking from my own experiance) the big pots a re just that...To big as opposed to using the thwered cups, being able to stick 6 or 7 cups under one 2 bulb floro.....

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This guys gotta point too, youll get more seedlings in cups under a light than in big pots, well said dude. Peace

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'll keep your advise and repot. I'll germ the seeds the ole fashioned way with a paper towel or as described in the HIOMGB and then transplant to a small pot then repot to the medium and final container. For me it's about the the quality and not quantity, I only want one (or two) good plant for my medical needs.

Thanks again for the feedback. Looking forward to sharing results. A lot of people are being helped through pain because of everyone's collaboration. Sharing is caring my friends. Specially knowledge.

I use 16 oz Solo cups for the germed seeds. I use the CLEAR cups INSIDE a colored (red or blue) cup, so I can lift it out and see the root structure and progress. But do NOT use clear cups on their own, you don't want the roots to see the light.

does anyone use the peat moss discs to start a seedling? I have some but it seems everyone recommends small party cups.

it does not benefit the plant to transplant..you ideally want the tap root to grow as long as possible with a seed so you would be better off starting in the container it will finish in ...but that is just not possible if you have to start 30 seeds under t5's that is just not gonna happen if you want 3 gallon pots....but clones lack tap roots so i doubt it matters as much but the roots still hit the side of the cup and ball up