Best Way To Grow Better Root System?

Lethidox · Dec 14, 2018

i got 3 plants in 2gal smart pots and i just checked they have some roots maybe 3-5 coming out the bottom already.

got new lights coming in on monday and was planning to transplant as well on monday but wondering if it would be a better option to let it grow more in the 2gals maybe a week more before potting up to 5gals or better to transplant on monday?

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no roots on the sides yet and im watering every 4-5 days. i try to wait until 5 days because i have a tendency to over water but it can get watered in 4 days. im giving them about 5 more weeks of veg in the 5gals before flipping and adding more microrizhae when transplanting.

MIMedGrower · Dec 14, 2018

I use the watering frequency to time my transplants.

When they need water every 2-3 days I transplant up.

You can pick the plant up out of the pot by their main stem. You know you have a good root ball when it holds the pots shape as you pull it out.

Lethidox · Dec 14, 2018

MIMedGrower said:
I use the watering frequency to time my transplants.

When they need water every 2-3 days I transplant up.

You can pick the plant up out of the pot by their main stem. You know you have a good root ball when it holds the pots shape as you pull it out.

XD after i read this i tried to pick the biggest one up by the stem. plant came right out of the soil just the plant. guess they need more time? soil is pretty dry as well should be watering it today or tomorrow at least. so in this case let them go more in the 2gals?

MIMedGrower · Dec 14, 2018

Lethidox said:
XD after i read this i tried to pick the biggest one up by the stem. plant came right out of the soil just the plant. guess they need more time? soil is pretty dry as well should be watering it today or tomorrow at least. so in this case let them go more in the 2gals?

Wow sorry about that.

I didn’t think to write it but I also didn’t think you would just yank her out of there.

Have to press around the pot to loosen the dirt and roots. Then press up the bottom of the pot to break it free.

Some advice everyone should follow. Take advice here with a grain of salt. Then research and learn for yourself.

Did you re plant it? If you are careful she will just keep growing.

I have pulled small plants too early and all the dirt fell away from the roots. Still just place it in the new pot and carefully backfill.

Also the plant is usually 2/3 bigger than the pot when I transplant.

Here is a plant going up from a 1 gallon to a 3 gallon pot.

Lethidox · Dec 14, 2018

MIMedGrower said:
Wow sorry about that.

I didn’t think to write it but I also didn’t think you would just yank her out of there.

Have to press around the pot to loosen the dirt and roots. Then press up the bottom of the pot to break it free.

Some advice everyone should follow. Take advice here with a grain of salt. Then research and learn for yourself.

Did you re plant it? If you are careful she will just keep growing.

I have pulled small plants too early and all the dirt fell away from the roots. Still just place it in the new pot and carefully backfill.

Also the plant is usually 2/3 bigger than the pot when I transplant.

Here is a plant going up from a 1 gallon to a 3 gallon pot.

View attachment 846856 View attachment 846857

i didn't pull it all the way out just like half an inch above surface. it's in smart pot so i don't think that method will work for me anyways lol. pretty sure i have to roll down the pot to transplant unlike in plastic pots that easily works.

no i didn't transplant i watered them only one looked like it started to droop and pots didn't feel very moist. i got a few days left until lights come in which im waiting for to think about transplanting. other then that i could leave em in it isn't a big deal just worried because i am planning to veg for at least 5 more weeks before flipping and if they took root pretty good in just 3 weeks in these 2gals i figure the 5gals won't take long to feel.

it all varies on the height though. i can only grow so much when it comes to height. and i can also only LST so much due to only having 1 light. pretty much stopped LSTing already and going purely for height i figure it will take 5 weeks depending how good they grow under these new lights to flip. going from a 75w ( advertised ) to a 375-380watt actual draw.

i heard like the roots wanting to snap but im sure they are fine did it on the strongest plant that has gotten abused the most it hasn't shown any major signs of stress thus far.

JWM2 · Dec 14, 2018

Why would you do that? Lol. Here’s a tip for next time. Squeeze the pot around the bottom and sides so the dirt pulls away from them slightly before yanking on the main stalk. That way it’ll pull out without yanking your plants out of the soil. I do this to check on the root system from time to time. Best to do it when it’s dry so it doesn’t weigh much.

Lethidox · Dec 14, 2018

JWM2 said:
Why would you do that? Lol. Here’s a tip for next time. Squeeze the pot around the bottom and sides so the dirt pulls away from them slightly before yanking on the main stalk. That way it’ll pull out without yanking your plants out of the soil. I do this to check on the root system from time to time. Best to do it when it’s dry so it doesn’t weigh much.

Wanted to see if it would lift up the edges are loose. It's okay it's not as bad as it sounds

1diesel1 · Dec 14, 2018

I usually transplant under these conditions

MIMedGrower · Dec 15, 2018

Wow! That is some roots there!!!

It’s another example of different styles both working well for their individual grow situation.

I like to water every three days at peak flower. So I learned to transplant when they were needing water at or sooner than 3 days.

Also I learned from my plants that they grow the fastest at the level of roots I’m showing and will push out a new set of leaves right after they are watered in to the new pot with fresh soil mix. From the relatively long dry cycle in the beginning the seedling cup and the 1 gallon are densely packed with roots and mostly out of nutrients. I don’t like to fertilize in veg. Just new soil for nutrients. About 2-3 weeks each step under flouresent t-5’s.

Did this one tonight.

I will let them grow for about 5 days to a week and then into the flower room.

Final mature flowering plant will average 24”-30” tall and 2-3 feet wide. I can’t go bigger than that with my low ceilings.

Sorry for the long post. Being on here lately really has me thinking about my grow. I had problems for a while and have returned everything to the way I did it when I had the best results. Which is really from my first two grow books and modified as I found out stuff. Lol.

It’s appreciated guys. Love seeing everyone’s setups and results here. :-)

Lethidox · Dec 15, 2018

thanks for the help yea i think with that whole mess that i did it's best to let them all relax in the 2gals for maybe a week longer 2 max. i wouldn't be surprised though the plant i did it to got heavily harassed over the grow. super cropped, topped super early, too much nutrients, etc.. she is still going hard. i even transplanted it early and no shock at all. from solo cup to the 2gal.

i don't see much roots out the bottom but i do see a few i see a lot at the surface though i can dig like half an inch and already hit roots. the sides are kinda loose too so idk if they are going to even poke through the sides

Buzzer777 · Dec 15, 2018

MIMedGrower said:
Wow! That is some roots there!!!

It’s another example of different styles both working well for their individual grow situation.

I like to water every three days at peak flower. So I learned to transplant when they were needing water at or sooner than 3 days.

Also I learned from my plants that they grow the fastest at the level of roots I’m showing and will push out a new set of leaves right after they are watered in to the new pot with fresh soil mix. From the relatively long dry cycle in the beginning the seedling cup and the 1 gallon are densely packed with roots and mostly out of nutrients. I don’t like to fertilize in veg. Just new soil for nutrients. About 2-3 weeks each step under flouresent t-5’s.

Did this one tonight.
View attachment 846898 View attachment 846899 View attachment 846900

I will let them grow for about 5 days to a week and then into the flower room.

Final mature flowering plant will average 24”-30” tall and 2-3 feet wide. I can’t go bigger than that with my low ceilings.

Sorry for the long post. Being on here lately really has me thinking about my grow. I had problems for a while and have returned everything to the way I did it when I had the best results. Which is really from my first two grow books and modified as I found out stuff. Lol.

It’s appreciated guys. Love seeing everyone’s setups and results here. :)

If you punch some holes in those plastic pots, they will act as air pots and stop most of the root circling..actually flowered a male in one to get pollen.

Monster762 · Dec 15, 2018

Start in smaller pots. You’re on point with mykos. It def helps roots. I almost bind before transplant. These bound in 2 weeks.

They are less than a 1 gal pot they bound though.

I finish em in 3-5 gallons.
I like to have a lot of perelite n mykos in the mix. I mix mykos straight in the whole soil mix. I use one big scoop for every 3 gal soil. Not 5 like they say. Also I feed skunk labs microbe complete 1/2 strength and half as often as they say to. But my roots grow real good. I do want to see brighter white though but h202 to add oxygen kills the microbes. Lack of air is my little bit of yellow. I use fabric pots but start by binding solo cup size then I go to my shy of 1 gallons or 1 gals. then once they root that off to the final pot. This still all happens in less than 30 days. I run a staggered harvest. And usually I run out of space in veg box before I have room in flower tent.

Monster762 · Dec 15, 2018

Buzzer777 said:
If you punch some holes in those plastic pots, they will act as air pots and stop most of the root circling..actually flowered a male in one to get pollen.

View attachment 846902 View attachment 846904

This is the circling? I usually get this in the plastic with no holes in sides. Is it better to not have them circle around

Buzzer777 · Dec 15, 2018

Monster762 said:
This is the circling? I usually get this in the plastic with no holes in sides. Is it better to not have them circle around

A little is good..too much and the plant becomes rootbound which is NOT good.

MIMedGrower · Dec 15, 2018

Buzzer777 said:
If you punch some holes in those plastic pots, they will act as air pots and stop most of the root circling..actually flowered a male in one to get pollen.

View attachment 846902 View attachment 846904

Neat. I have seen growers reccomend that before.

I don’t think it would stop the root circling. The pot is completely dense with roots once they start circling the outside it’s time to uppot. I don’t want the soil to dry out faster. The dry cycle is what creates a fuller root ball. The roots search out through the drier soil for moisture and nutrients a few days or more between waterings as they develop.

Buzzer777 · Dec 15, 2018

MIMedGrower said:
Neat. I have seen growers reccomend that before.

I don’t think it would stop the root circling. The pot is completely dense with roots once they start circling the outside it’s time to uppot. I don’t want the soil to dry out faster. The dry cycle is what creates a fuller root ball. The roots search out through the drier soil for moisture and nutrients a few days or more between waterings as they develop.

The root circling is not stopped as in a cloth pot, but it is slowed down dramatically..I started using them to be able to keep my vegging plants in smaller containers before the go to flower..I need space..Works!
Plants on the left WERE in those little pots..on the right those 2 are still in the small pots..When I up pot..they go ballistic, as they do when they leave the Solo cup..Yep..Watering is much more often, but that's ok with me (retired)

chemistry · Dec 15, 2018

The idea behind potting up is to make the tap root spiral it's current pot and cast off herring bone roots. Then the same with the next pot until it reaches it's biggest final pot. This creates a bigger plant with more roots and an ability for more uptake of nuits, as apposed to a plant left to make it's own way, and produce one tap root with only a few herring bone roots and not as much of a canopy.

Monster762 · Dec 15, 2018

Buzzer777 said:
The root circling is not stopped as in a cloth pot, but it is slowed down dramatically..I started using them to be able to keep my vegging plants in smaller containers before the go to flower..I need space..Works!
Plants on the left WERE in those little pots..on the right those 2 are still in the small pots..When I up pot..they go ballistic, as they do when they leave the Solo cup..Yep..Watering is much more often, but that's ok with me (retired)
View attachment 846914

Yeah I got some (4) 2 weeks in flower I think are about bound in 4 gal bags of coco. Feeds twice a day Even though supposedly small pots good with coco. It looks as if they are drying up top. Keeping em watered right is a pain. I’m trying a scrog
first attempt at it (scrog) so I can’t really flush or water heavy. No drain pan in tent. I’m thinking of buying a big dog kennel tray. Cheaper than the 2-300 for an actual drain pan. I need 2. 4x4 trays.

Some healthy plants there. Can clearly see they’re happy too.

MIMedGrower · Dec 15, 2018

Buzzer777 said:
The root circling is not stopped as in a cloth pot, but it is slowed down dramatically..I started using them to be able to keep my vegging plants in smaller containers before the go to flower..I need space..Works!
Plants on the left WERE in those little pots..on the right those 2 are still in the small pots..When I up pot..they go ballistic, as they do when they leave the Solo cup..Yep..Watering is much more often, but that's ok with me (retired)
View attachment 846914

Cool. They look very healthy and beautiful too so your method works wonderfully. :-)

Monster762 · Dec 15, 2018

chemistry said:
The idea behind potting up is to make the tap root spiral it's current pot and cast off herring bone roots. Then the same with the next pot until it reaches it's biggest final pot. This creates a bigger plant with more roots and an ability for more uptake of nuits, as apposed to a plant left to make it's own way, and produce one tap root with only a few herring bone roots and not as much of a canopy.

Yeah I’m eating nutes up. 3 x as much as previous grows. Cause they want feed water only they get light colored quick. Looking kinda dry like i can’t get enough moisture to em. Not the pots the actual plants look dry.

Best Way To Grow Better Root System?

Best Way To Grow Better Root System?

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