keeping mother plants

[gudkarma]

i have known female plants i am keeping as mothers.

while i am in week 5 (maybe 6) of veg, i transplanted these ladies from large solo cups to 1 gallon containers a short time ago.

in the garden tonight, and shooting for maximum growth so i can start taking cuts, i noticed the mothers in 1 gal containers needed transplanting again... & i didn't think it would be so soon.

no problem... i am on the ball.

my question : what is an ideal pot size for a mother plant?

5 gallon buckets with a beefy plant inside may be a tad to tall for my space.

3 to 3.5 gallon?

rather than stepping up in incriments, i would prefer to transplant one more time... best size pot for a 6' space... taking away some height for the 250w MH light & considering the top (leading) edge of a larger (taller) container & i have about 4' to 4.5' to play with.

also, while the mother lives in her new (larger) container is it prudent to trim back the roots on a regular basis?

looking for container & mother plant maintenance tips.

thanks

 

[waayne]

If you want short wide bushy mom's an you have height
issue's try to find really wide container's, you can go shallower an really wide to get a wider bushier plant profile.

 

[gudkarma]

thanks for the quick response...

i feel a great sense of urgency because i don't want to curtail growth in any way.

my op is in three large cabinets... 6' x 3' x 6'

becaue i am a cloning fool, my method is SOG.

i undestand what you're saying ...but wide isn't gonna cut it... i seek uniformity.

i like those black, semi thick, plastic, garden store style planters because i can arrange & maximize space easily.

best size?

maintenance tips please.

 

[norcal215]

i have 28 moms....... running them in #3 smart pots had em for over a year....... good luck

 

[gudkarma]

i have 28 moms....... running them in #3 smart pots had em for over a year....... good luck

good to know.

you do any occasional root trimming?

 

[norcal215]

no need to do all that those pots do that for you

 

[gudkarma]

right. smarts pot & air pots.
they air prune.

not using them.
but...

after some light research, i am thinking that with more traditional planters and long term mother keeping one will need to do an occasional root prune.

once i move up to 3 to 3.5 gallon i can't go any bigger so i am trying to get the game plan down tight.

thanks.

 

[norcal215]

im telling you get smartpots they are everything they claim to be if your worried about it go up to the #5 pot it is nearly impossible to have you plants get root bound in these pots and these pots are squatty they are wider than tall

 

[gudkarma]

i'll look into that ...definitely

thanx

 

[Prest1]

I read an intresting article the other day (possibly here or other such forum). Type Bonsai Moms/Mums into Google and it should come up. Havent done it yet, but it definatley looks less hassle than my previous way.

 

[PotentEnigma]

I read an intresting article the other day (possibly here or other such forum). Type Bonsai Moms/Mums into Google and it should come up. Havent done it yet, but it definatley looks less hassle than my previous way.

Whoever you are 7 year ago person... Thank you. Lol.

 

[Douglas.C]

I second the bonsai mums. Look up "OT1 bonsai" and you'll find what you're looking for. You can keep 12 mums under a 4' two lamp flourescent shoplight. Each mum will put out about 25-50 cuttings a month. ;)