Outdoor grow gone pearshaped - How to recover from poor root development from over-h20

Here is what happened from the beginning. Started from seed, transplanted into 4 inch pots with just seedling mix, plants were doing great. Later transplanted into 1 gallon plastic pots with Happy Frog and a bit of coco coir, when transplanted roots were abundant and bright furry white. In the 1 gallons I had them under T-5 lights. Next transplanted into 3 gallon grow bags with NOTHING but Recipe 420 - BIG mistake I now understand, sadly I cannot undo it. Plants where very healthy in the 1 gallons, when I transplanted the roots where covering the sides and bottom and bright white. I put them in the 3 gallon bags and packed them down with recipe 420.

The recipe 420 alone was way to hot (nutrient rich), and packed tight so very poor aeration. subsequently the plants got nute burned, I did not really understand what was happening so I kept watering which led to over-watering, which led to poor root health and poor root growth. When I took them out into the sun the plants became stressed easily. I figured out I had over-watered and tried to let them dry out a bit, but then we had a heat wave, and with the intense sun and heat they are looking pretty bad, sorry I don't have pics, but they the leaves are showing heavy signs of stress, drying, brown spots, and plants are droopy. I have finally transplanted them into 100 gallon smart pots with 60% recipe 420 and 40% aeration Ready Grow, so the soil in nice and airy.

My questions are:

1. Can these plants recover fully and thrive - to do this the key is root growth, how can I get the roots to get healthy and grow?
2. Now that they are in 100 gallon pots should I water more liberally? Can they be over-watered still?

Did you harden the plants off before putting them in the Sun? Meaning did you introduce them to limited sunlight for a few days before putting them directly in the Sun?

This practice usually ensures a better move outdoors. Going from a T5 to the Sun is a huge change.

I believe your plants can likely recover, I've certainly done worse things to plants and they survived.

But I don't have much advice on how to go about it in 100 gallon containers. In the ground, I would just top dress with some compost, water well, and wait and see. I imagine you'll have to do the same.

I guess you could use a root stimulator, like roots excelurator or something like that, to get roots nice and healthy, and using all 100 gallons of soil.

Damn man, hope you recover, that's rough.

^ what TL said about hardening off. If your soil structure is good, you can water them everyday if needed and not overwater, because it will drain. Get some shade on them during peak heat wave hours until they settle in.