Why do people transplant twice?

[weed420420420420420]

Why do people start with a solo cup. And then a more medium sized pot. And THEN the ground. Why not just start with the second thing?

 

[Garbage_bear]

I think it is just to make a nice root ball.

 

[Neuro]

Why do people start with a solo cup. And then a more medium sized pot. And THEN the ground. Why not just start with the second thing?

It's because plants will grow faster in veg in smaller containers. Planting directly in your final pot adds a week or two to your veg cycle.

 

[Maxwax]

and to keep a better handle on watering and transpiration. Im not doing it but Im only using 3 gallon pots.

 

[mancorn]

If you use regular seeds you don’t want to plant males in your ground plots. Since you can’t sex until plant is much larger than cup size you need to transplant into 1 or 3 gal.

 

[mysticepipedon]

Why do people start with a solo cup. And then a more medium sized pot. And THEN the ground. Why not just start with the second thing?

It seems like roots don't fully explore the soil when you put a small plant into a large pot.

 

[mancorn]

Young plants are also delicious treats for the critters. It’s a lot easier to cage up multiple potted plants then protecting individual plants in the ground. And easier to protect from spring weather. Putting up one cover is easier than covering each individually.

 

[Dr.Green55]

 

[Pushrod Monkey]

It's because plants will grow faster in veg in smaller containers. Planting directly in your final pot adds a week or two to your veg cycle.

Bingo! We have a winner.

 

[dean1963]

Bingo! We have a winner.

so ,if i have this correct, you want the roots slightly root bound? i'm a newb so forgive me if that was a dumb question.
even with autos?

 

[BurnzYzBudZz]

so ,if i have this correct, you want the roots slightly root bound? i'm a newb so forgive me if that was a dumb question.
even with autos?

Autos plant directly into pot they are staying in. Totally different ball game. I always transplant my photos just before rootboune. In my experience, root bound creates unneeded stress for the plant. Happy grows

 

[mancorn]

There’s no reason to have root bound pots, nor do smaller pots increase plant size. OP is talking about plants in the ground, which basically have unlimited pot size.

 

[weed420420420420420]

Ya I think I'm just gonna start in 1-3 gallon. I dont need giants. More root less plant is fine with me.

 

[mancorn]

Ya I think I'm just gonna start in 1-3 gallon. I dont need giants. More root less plant is fine with me.

What’s your weather like? If it’s warm and dry, big pots aren’t a problem. You have to be careful if you’re in a wet colder environment. If you have a seeding in a 3g and it gets rained on and you have a cold snap, it might take several weeks for the pot to dry out (and growth will really stall).

 

[weed420420420420420]

Gonna start them indoors 18-6. Then around may or june sometime just put them in the ground nice and ready.

 

[mancorn]

Gonna start them indoors 18-6. Then around may or june sometime just put them in the ground nice and ready.

No idea of your grow space or setup, but there’s a big difference in floor space (light coverage) between 10 solo cups and 10 3g pots.

 

[mjab702]

I start in solo cups, as soon as the leaves span over the edge of the cup I move it into a 1/2 gallon pot, once the leaves span the edge of that pot they go into 5 gallon pots. I seems easier to water for me....I have not had a watering related issue since I started doing this. I also have not had any stall plants doing it this way.

 

[BurnzYzBudZz]

Gonna start them indoors 18-6. Then around may or june sometime just put them in the ground nice and ready.

2 gal black pots. They’d be ready for transplant outdoors without being rootbound.

 

[weed420420420420420]

point taken about the light space. i'll figure it out.

 

[weed420420420420420]

sounds like the right compromise.