What size pot should I move to from 4in pot ?

[southbayLA154]

I have some clones tht have been in 4 inch nursery pots for about a week , what size pot should I transplant up too ?
Would a solo cup be fine ? I think it’s just big enough need to check tho ..

or go just straight to 1 gallon? Here some pics

 

[Herb & Suds]

I would wait a bit plenty of room for growth yet

 

[southbayLA154]

I would wait a bit plenty of room for growth yet

what if the roots are already hitting the bottom of the pots , should I still let them go about a week in those 4inch ? What size should I go to when time comes? Maybe just go with the 1 gallon then

 

[Herb & Suds]

what if the roots are already hitting the bottom of the pots , should I still let them go about a week in those 4inch ? What size should I go to when time comes? Maybe just go with the 1 gallon then

Roots always hit the bottom of pots
Root bound is almost nonexistent
I have fifteen inch plants in beer cups
Just wait till you get a real nice root ball

 

[xtsho]

You have plenty of room for growth in those pots.

2.5" x 2.5" nursery pot.

 

[Shaded420]

Call me crazy. I would have transplanted out of that pot a week or two ago and into a 1gallon. I watched a video recently about some smart old guy talking about root structure and he said that when a plants roots get formed/start to coil and wrap around the bottom of a pot that the roots PERMANENTLY stay that way. It is very hard for them to space out and grow as they would have if not being "pot bound" for so long. This was the guy who invented his own version of the air pot.

Found the video:

Kinda boring and bland but gets the point across.

This was a plant that I had in a 4" nursery pot for about a week. You can already see the wrap and coil starting to happen.



My plants have started off in 4" starter pots, within a week moved to .5 gallon pots, and then within a week and a half or so moved to 5 gallon pots. I am now having to water every day.

 

[Herb & Suds]

Call me crazy. I would have transplanted out of that pot a week or two ago and into a 1gallon. I watched a video recently about some smart old guy talking about root structure and he said that when a plants roots get formed/start to coil and wrap around the bottom of a pot that the roots PERMANENTLY stay that way. It is very hard for them to space out and grow as they would have if not being "pot bound" for so long. This was the guy who invented his own version of the air pot.

Found the video:

Kinda boring and bland but gets the point across.

This was a plant that I had in a 4" nursery pot for about a week. You can already see the wrap and coil starting to happen.

View attachment 5083743

My plants have started off in 4" starter pots, within a week moved to .5 gallon pots, and then within a week and a half or so moved to 5 gallon pots. I am now having to water every day.

Nearly every nursery expert would disagree
Google teasing roots to transplant

 

[Shaded420]

Nearly every nursery expert would disagree
Google teasing roots to transplant

I have seen/read about root teasing. I'm not sure how I feel about it. On one hand I feel like touching your roots at all is a bad thing, and on the other hand I haven't had enough time to try or compare methods myself. Definitely worth more research and trial runs

 

[Herb & Suds]

I have seen/read about root teasing. I'm not sure how I feel about it. On one hand I feel like touching your roots at all is a bad thing, and on the other hand I haven't had enough time to try or compare methods myself. Definitely worth more research and trial runs

Well I chop mine with a machete
Never had an issue

 

[Shaded420]

Well I chop mine with a machete
Never had an issue

...I'll start with a butter knife! lol

 

[xtsho]

Just break the roots up some. I do it all the time. I treat cannabis plants just like I do with starts I put out in the garden. If the roots are too rootbound I break them up sometimes tearing of some. I never experience any transplant shock.

As for root size you don't need a ton of roots to grow big plants. The roots are used to take in nutrients and water. If you provide that properly a small root mass can support a very large plant. I've already posted photos as proof.

 

[Shaded420]

Just break the roots up some. I do it all the time. I treat cannabis plants just like I do with starts I put out in the garden. If the roots are too rootbound I break them up sometimes tearing of some. I never experience any transplant shock.

As for root size you don't need a ton of roots to grow big plants. The roots are used to take in nutrients and water. If you provide that properly a small root mass can support a very large plant. I've already posted photos as proof.

So having a larger soil mass just provides more of a buffer for you to provide sustenance? I've always understood that pot sizes controlled plant size to a certain degree as well no?

Surely two plants given the same environment one in a solo cup one in a 5 gallon pot - the 5 gallon pot plant would be larger?

 

[xtsho]

So having a larger soil mass just provides more of a buffer for you to provide sustenance? I've always understood that pot sizes controlled plant size to a certain degree as well no?

Surely two plants given the same environment one in a solo cup one in a 5 gallon pot - the 5 gallon pot plant would be larger?

It's tricky growing in small pots and most won't be able to pull it off.


In a 1.75 liter pot before I transplanted to a 3 gallon pot. The plant was around 7 ft tall. Most people wouldn't be able to keep the plant healthy so a 5 gallon would be better. But I can grow larger healthy plants in a 1 gallon pot than many can grow in a 5 gallon. But I've been growing in small pots for years. I don't recommend it unless you know what you're doing. It's best for most to just stick with the traditional pot sizes.

 

[Herb & Suds]

So having a larger soil mass just provides more of a buffer for you to provide sustenance? I've always understood that pot sizes controlled plant size to a certain degree as well no?

Surely two plants given the same environment one in a solo cup one in a 5 gallon pot - the 5 gallon pot plant would be larger?

Not exactly I have gotten anywhere from 1.25 to 4 ounces in a three gallon with minimum veg and done the same in a five although fives typically stay on the high end
The larger pots make watering better
But the real addition in weight comes from longer veg times

 

[Shaded420]

Not exactly I have gotten anywhere from 1.25 to 4 ounces in a three gallon with minimum veg and done the same in a five although fives typically stay on the high end
The larger pots make watering better
But the real addition in weight comes from longer veg times

Yeah I'm noticing that this round as well. First time using 5 gallons and for about a week the top growth was pretty stagnant. But holy they've started to take off now that root ball is filling out

 

[Pimpjuice9906]

Call me crazy. I would have transplanted out of that pot a week or two ago and into a 1gallon. I watched a video recently about some smart old guy talking about root structure and he said that when a plants roots get formed/start to coil and wrap around the bottom of a pot that the roots PERMANENTLY stay that way. It is very hard for them to space out and grow as they would have if not being "pot bound" for so long. This was the guy who invented his own version of the air pot.

Found the video:

Kinda boring and bland but gets the point across.

This was a plant that I had in a 4" nursery pot for about a week. You can already see the wrap and coil starting to happen.

View attachment 5083743

My plants have started off in 4" starter pots, within a week moved to .5 gallon pots, and then within a week and a half or so moved to 5 gallon pots. I am now having to water every day.

Why not start an auto in a 5 gallon to start?

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Just break the roots up some. I do it all the time. I treat cannabis plants just like I do with starts I put out in the garden. If the roots are too rootbound I break them up sometimes tearing of some. I never experience any transplant shock.

As for root size you don't need a ton of roots to grow big plants. The roots are used to take in nutrients and water. If you provide that properly a small root mass can support a very large plant. I've already posted photos as proof.

You use salts though correct?

 

[PadawanWarrior]

So having a larger soil mass just provides more of a buffer for you to provide sustenance? I've always understood that pot sizes controlled plant size to a certain degree as well no?

Surely two plants given the same environment one in a solo cup one in a 5 gallon pot - the 5 gallon pot plant would be larger?

If you're growing organically definitely the bigger pot is gonna kick the little ones ass. I'm in organic soil and I prefer to start in the bigger pots as soon as possible. I take little clones and put them straight in 15 gal pots.

5 weeks ago I got 4 clones and put 2 in 1/2 gal FFHF, and 2 straight to the 15's. It's crazy the difference after 4 weeks. I think I posted pics here somewhere.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Yeah I'm noticing that this round as well. First time using 5 gallons and for about a week the top growth was pretty stagnant. But holy they've started to take off now that root ball is filling out

Ya, when you start them in bigger pots it doesn't look like they're growing much at first because they're concentrating on growing roots. But once the roots hit the sides of the bigger pot the shit takes off.

 

[xtsho]

You use salts though correct?

When I grow in coco. Soil I do organic.