Conflicting information on transplanting autoflowers

[klh528]

When do I transplant these autoflowers? My experienced friends told me to wait until they are atleast 6 inches but the only consensus seems to be when the first leaves reach the end of the cup. Furthermore, I've been reading people are saying to transplant autoflowers earlier. The plants are 9 days old.

 

[Galgrows]

Well they don't have much root structure right now to hold the soil when you turn it over to bring it out of the cup. I transplant mine on the second set of leaf showing. But i don't use big solo cups i use small little 2x2 cups cause they can form a better root ball and there less likely to loose soil on there fragile roots. I do you those solos for my photos and let them grow leaf outside the rim they to me are tougher plants. Good luck

 

[Newty]

I've not grown Autos so I can't speak from experience but I was always told that you should not transplant Autos but to start them right in their forever home.

 

[Phyto]

I transplant autos all the time, if done carefully there's no issue. I'd let what you have get one or two more sets of leaves, then let them dry back a bit and transplant them, fluff out the roots, but be gentle and try not to break too many.

 

[klh528]

I transplant autos all the time, if done carefully there's no issue. I'd let what you have get one or two more sets of leaves, then let them dry back a bit and transplant them, fluff out the roots, but be gentle and try not to break too many.

what do you mean by "fluff" out the roots?

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I'm sure it's okay to transplant autos when they're just past the seedling stage. That would be after they've grown leaves with three leaflets. It's just not good to transplant them twice or more like photos often are.

 

[Phyto]

what do you mean by "fluff" out the roots?

Don’t just pull the plant and root ball out and plant it, as it will continue to grow within the rootball, but the roots won’t spread out quickly, break the soil/roots up gently, fluffing it out in the new hole.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

Don’t just pull the plant and root ball out and plant it, as it will continue to grow within the rootball, but the roots won’t spread out quickly, break the soil/roots up gently, fluffing it out in the new hole.

I can't say I've ever heard of that. I always keep the root ball intact. I usually don't let the plant become rootbound, though. Perhaps that might help if the roots are tightly packed. I know some growers cut off some of the roots, but I've never done it.

 

[Phyto]

I can't say I've ever heard of that. I always keep the root ball intact. I usually don't let the plant become rootbound, though. Perhaps that might help if the roots are tightly packed. I know some growers cut off some of the roots, but I've never done it.

I used to be the head Gardner at a private college, and finally had to jump my crew, because they would take the plants out of the containers and just put them in the hole, a lot of them didn’t make it, or didn’t grow well. When I pulled them up the roots had not grown into the surrounding soil, they were growing in circles in the rootball, once they started to fluff out the roots the survival rate and growth rate increased a lot!

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I used to be the head Gardner at a private college, and finally had to jump my crew, because they would take the plants out of the containers and just put them in the hole, a lot of them didn’t make it, or didn’t grow well. When I pulled them up the roots had not grown into the surrounding soil, they were growing in circles in the rootball, once they started to fluff out the roots the survival rate and growth rate increased a lot!

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind the next time I transplant.

 

[Newty]

Don’t just pull the plant and root ball out and plant it, as it will continue to grow within the rootball, but the roots won’t spread out quickly, break the soil/roots up gently, fluffing it out in the new hole.

I always transplant when the soil is a little dry and when I flip the cup and slide the plant out, most of the soil falls from around the roots, freeing them.
I've always done it this way so I don't have to handle the roots directly.

 

[Stokes]

I transplant autos all the time, if done carefully there's no issue. I'd let what you have get one or two more sets of leaves, then let them dry back a bit and transplant them, fluff out the roots, but be gentle and try not to break too many.

Benefit of transplanting autos? Not being argumentative, if theres actual benefit to it in their short life cycle id definitely start doing it.

 

[klh528]

Benefit of transplanting autos? Not being argumentative, if theres actual benefit to it in their short life cycle id definitely start doing it.

I have a 2x2 grow space. and live in the midwest. I started 4 auto seedlings and 1 feminized. The feminized will stay inside while the 4 auto flowers will go outside. I dont want to fight with the fall conditions on my first grow.

 

[Phyto]

Benefit of transplanting autos? Not being argumentative, if theres actual benefit to it in their short life cycle id definitely start doing it.

Certainly you can plant in the final container, but the benefit of transplanting, as I have found, is that autos can be finicky, particularly in respect to overwatering, and it’s hard to water a tiny plant in a big container without overwatering (or under watering). We all know that if autos stall it’s difficult to recover from. I’ve done it both ways, transplanting and not, but in my experience transplanting once seems to work out better.

 

[budsofgeorgia]

well the way i see it is there is not a right way or a wrong way just a whatever works for you way

 

[Kamisama]

U can stun auto when transplanting. Usually it should be in final container already, sooner the better.
I was also transplating (into octopot) last time auto and they end up growing like crazy next days and was already 4+ weeks old (due to cold weather outside). Easier LST as I ve tilted it in final container and I ve used mycorrhizae, bacterias to lessen stress.

 

[Galgrows]

Don’t just pull the plant and root ball out and plant it, as it will continue to grow within the rootball, but the roots won’t spread out quickly, break the soil/roots up gently, fluffing it out in the new hole.

BS man i disagree don't handle the root ball where'd you hear that it's wrong. The shit people say on these forums

 

[Beazy]

Don’t handle rootball ?!?!? I’ve cut the sumbitchin rootball down by over half n repotted in same size pot with fresh soil to fill what I whacked off with zero issues. Definitely not gonna hurt em by loosening the rootball a bit

 

[orggrwr]

Have transplanted more than a dozen autos in the last few years, a few that were fairly root bound. Never had any problems even if they needed a little fluffing. Just be gentle and they do fine.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

A few random thoughts about transplanting:

I've had root balls fall apart and the plant grew okay. I've even removed the soil completely a few times (when I thought bad soil was the reason for slow growth).

It's best to wash your hands before handling the roots.

Slide the root ball on to a trowel to keep it together. Doing so also makes it easier to plant.

Transplanting is an opportune time to add mycorrhiza enhancing products to the soil, often at the bottom of the hole.

Watering the area between the root ball and the new soil is beneficial.