 |
Mar-14-2008, 09:56
|
 |
CultiModerVatorAtor
|
|
Join Date: Nov-15-2005
Posts: 17,089
|
|
|
The importance of a continuous canopy: It's all about EFFICIENCY, baby!
I wanted to write a thread about efficiency.
We often see new growers planting a seed into a huge pot 'to avoid transplanting', assuming that the act of transplanting is traumatic to the plant.
So first off, I'd like to say... IT'S NOT! As long as you do it correctly, the plant will benefit from a correct transplant schedule.
So, why do we transplant? There are several reasons, and you should understand the theory behind all of them.
First up is the plant's ability to use all the soil moisture in its pot. A plant that is MUCH too small for its pot can't get to the corners of the pot with its small root system, and as a result, moisture may sit and stagnate, causing root rot, anaerobic/reducing conditions in the soil, and unwanted interactions between fertilizer components. A plant too LARGE for its pot will use water so fast that you can't keep up with watering, and any slight changes in the soil chemistry can lead to wild pH fluctuations.
Second, the soil itself changes over time, as particles break down, buffering ability is used up, and nutrients are leached out by the activity of roots or flushing action. Old soil in a pot will get to a point where pH changes (usually drops, since most commerical media are peat-based and peat haas a natural pH around 5.0-5.5). As larger pieces of soil material break down, the interstitial spaces between them also get smaller, and the soil holds water very differently. Drainage starts to slow, and the roots again end up sitting wet and stagnant.
Third, and this is what I want to show pics of, plants potted in large pots simply don't make effective use of either light or space. The goal of an indoor or greenhouse grower is to maintain a continuous canopy so that no light is lost to the soil surface. This is illustrated in the pictures attached, and called 'supercropping' in the nursery world.
First we see a flat of vegetables sown directly into a tray. This is broadleaf sage BTW. These will be pricked off into their own pots shortly.
Next, is some young heirloom tomatoes "Mortgage Lifter" sown in nursery 6-pax.
Next is cannabis given the same 6-pax treatment.
Then we have a bunch of cannabis seedlings that have been potted-up to 3" pots.
Finally, some vegging cannabis in 6" pots.
Notice that the space BETWEEN the plants under the light is always minimized!
|
Mar-14-2008, 10:07
|
|
CultiModerVatorAtor
|
|
Join Date: Nov-15-2005
Posts: 17,089
|
|
|
This applies equally to from-clone plants as well
Not only seedlings should be treated this way. Any plant, regardless of propagation method, should be allowed to get just a hair rootbound, then allowed to dry out a bit, before gently upending the pot while supporting the soil and stem with a flat hand, rapping it on the bottom, and letting the intact rootball slide out.
Shown is what your root ball should look like when you transplant.
The next pic is a bunch of clones that have just been potted into 2.5" peat pots and can be carried around in a tray and stuck wherever there's a 1x2 foot bright spot in the grow room. I do the hardening-off during this period; the ones with domes are a week 'younger' than the ones without.
Next, is those same clones given a week or so of veg time to establish a healthy root system and stuck under a HPS1000 to grow on and flower- I don't want to re-pot them until they NEED it, so they are still in those little pots! lol
Finally, 2 pics of a flower room that shows new arrivals, month-flowering plants, and a few large retired moms in the back corners blocking off those dark edges of the room.
|
Mar-14-2008, 10:20
|
|
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Jan-26-2008
Posts: 55
|
|
great post  very informative, i wondered about starting in 4" pots versus jiffy cubes but i think you answered my questions  |
Mar-14-2008, 14:37
|
 |
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Apr-21-2006
Posts: 1,629
|
|
|
excellent job....are those one gallon pots your flowering in or bigger?
__________________
" knowledge is not power, knowledge is potential power"
"those who follow the herd step in SHIT"
|
Mar-14-2008, 14:42
|
|
CultiModerVatorAtor
|
|
Join Date: Nov-15-2005
Posts: 17,089
|
|
|
Those are 1 gallons that fairly recently-rooted clones are flowering in.
In the background, retired moms are flowering in 3 gallon squares.
|
Mar-14-2008, 15:17
|
 |
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Feb-18-2008
Posts: 129
|
|
|
so its ok to have them standing close together, a friend said to do that too, because the plants race each other to get the light which makes them grow faster.
thanks stinky, always with the good info.
|
Mar-14-2008, 16:03
|
 |
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Sep-30-2007
Posts: 1,492
|
|
I totally agree, letting the plants get rootbound before transplanting really seems to make them enjoy the larger environment more. And it really helps when trying to get them out of the smaller pots... you don't have clumps of soil falling out everywhere and disturbing underdeveloped roots.
Great post! I'd rep ya for it (like you really need more reps anyway  ), but I gotta spread some around first.
__________________
"In order to become "old & wise", you must first be young & stupid." -?
"Switch to 24/0 light schedule and don't worry... about a thing... every little thing... gonna be all right." -StinkyAttic
"It can be a fine balance between 'ok...I need to water later today' and 'shit...I should have watered yesterday.'" -Rusty Trichome
"I know it was just a typo, but you wrote "Marital Arts," instead of "Martial Arts," and that makes for a very hilarious paragraph!" -Dragonrider
|
Mar-14-2008, 18:25
|
 |
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Jul-31-2007
Posts: 2,560
|
|
|
Great post stinky. So what in general are your recommended repotting intervals and what size pots should be used?
|
Mar-15-2008, 08:04
|
|
CultiModerVatorAtor
|
|
Join Date: Nov-15-2005
Posts: 17,089
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by killerweed420
Great post stinky. So what in general are your recommended repotting intervals and what size pots should be used?
|
Okay well I wish I could give precise times but this is something that you have to get a feel for yourself.
Light, temps, strain, water, medium, drainage/lightness, food, CO2, humidity all impact how the plants' roots will spread out in the pot they are given. You will learn over time how fast your plants grow into their homes. I would definitely recommend re-potting every 6 weeks or less, so choosing a pot that your plant will fill with roots in a month is a good start.
I go from 2oz per cell 6-pax to 3" pots to 6" quart pots to 3 gallon pots with from-seed plants.
I go from rapidrooters to 2.5" or 3" pots to gallon pots for flower for from-clone plants running SOG, or if given 2+ weeks' veg time, there is another re-pot step up to 3 gallon pots at about week 3 of flower, when stretch is ended and I can tell the ultimate size of the plant. |
Mar-15-2008, 09:13
|
 |
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Sep-27-2007
Posts: 1,121
My Mood:
|
|
Nice info, Stinkster.
All the way up to 1 gallon pots, I slide out the plant from the pot to check the root conditions. Slide back into pot when done checking.
Using care, it's never caused a problem. (unless I drop the darned thing, lol)
Quick, easy, no guesswork.
Last edited by Rusty Trichome; Mar-15-2008 at 09:16.
|
Mar-15-2008, 09:37
|
 |
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Apr-09-2007
Posts: 772
|
|
|
|
Mar-15-2008, 15:20
|
 |
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Feb-26-2008
Posts: 54
|
|
|
Many thanks, this post along with so many more have helped out so much, and in the perfect frame of time no less.. Also everytime I read CultiModerVatorAtor it makes me crack up.. Good stuff.. Hope all is well with everyone on this saturday..
Peace
J
|
Mar-16-2008, 09:35
|
 |
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Jun-27-2006
Posts: 7,894
My Mood:
|
|
Ok ok.....I'll do it with smaller pots now.....you've convinced me. Thanks VERY much for adding ANOTHER HUGE CHORE into my already complex life. 
__________________
Operation Redwood Tree Log
http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-log/...ml#post1823978
"Your deeds show your character."-StinkyAttic
Nintey-three percent of what I say is brilliant, factual information and seven percent is complete bullshit. Have fun deciding which is which. 
|
Apr-04-2008, 20:49
|
 |
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Nov-22-2006
Posts: 933
My Mood:
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by stinkyattic
... or if given 2+ weeks' veg time, there is another re-pot step up to 3 gallon pots at about week 3 of flower, when stretch is ended and I can tell the ultimate size of the plant.
|
This is one thing I've never been clear on. From this part of your post you imply that the roots continue to grow throughout the flowering period. Is this, in fact, the case? Is there a time when the roots do not grow anymore?
I've always re-potted before flowering and then allowed a couple of weeks veg thinking that's enough time for the roots to spread out into the pot. |
Apr-07-2008, 12:55
|
|
CultiModerVatorAtor
|
|
Join Date: Nov-15-2005
Posts: 17,089
|
|
|
Roots continue to grow throughout the plant's life. They grow fastest when they have fresh, light soil to grow into. If you give too large a pot, they just keep growing- it can even appear the the plant is just SITTING there not doing much, but all the action is underground. There's a balance you have to find between root and shoot growth.
|
Apr-18-2008, 03:50
|
|
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Apr-09-2008
Posts: 41
|
|
|
Thanx stinky good thread
|
May-15-2008, 01:33
|
 |
Registered+
|
|
Join Date: Apr-14-2006
Posts: 3,851
|
|
|
OK, I'm convinced enough to at least give it a try. Makes sense to me. So crazy it might just work. Thank you stinky, and Weedhound for giving me the heads-up.
(walking to the closet to unearth some youngsters)
__________________
 Everything I say in this forum is completely true, and should be construed as fact. I do smoke weed, and sometimes I eat it. Not only that I sell it, along with every other drug known to man and a few that aren't. Everything I do is 100% illegal, and I condone others breaking the law. All pictures that I post are not taken from the internet, but are of my own illegal operation. Also, I speed and don't come to complete stops at stop signs. |
May-24-2008, 19: | |
:hippy :
