The Real Truth about Rootbound and Transplanting
- Thread starter Zaehet Strife
- Start date
MonkE
Member
Didn't read through much of this but I'll add that plants in less soil will need to be watered/fed more frequently.
I grow Thai strains a lot which have 14+ week flower times. With a 1 month veg I've been able to grow these strains out fine in under 2 gallons of soil from start to finish with great yields.
If by "doing everything right" you meant "I followed all the cookie cutter instructions perfectly" then that's probably the issue. You need to adapt and practices to the specific plant your growing and it's needs. Sounds like your "rootbound" plants probably just needed more food. The more roots u have the less space for stored nutrients you have.
I grow Thai strains a lot which have 14+ week flower times. With a 1 month veg I've been able to grow these strains out fine in under 2 gallons of soil from start to finish with great yields.
If by "doing everything right" you meant "I followed all the cookie cutter instructions perfectly" then that's probably the issue. You need to adapt and practices to the specific plant your growing and it's needs. Sounds like your "rootbound" plants probably just needed more food. The more roots u have the less space for stored nutrients you have.
why do ppl argue n use bad language "it only proofs how uneducated u r"
i can only conclude u r kids on here using playground language.
every strain is different, different medium produce different results
i use to grow in soil n girls get root bound pretty fast, now im trying coco with no root bound.
i can only conclude u r kids on here using playground language.
every strain is different, different medium produce different results
i use to grow in soil n girls get root bound pretty fast, now im trying coco with no root bound.
cannabiscultivation
Active Member
this is rootbound
Harrekin
Well-Known Member
Nope, lots of roots does not equal rootbound.
Lots of roots twisting around the sides of the pot, interlocking and becoming a solid ball is rootbound, literally "bound roots" which will not grow new roots unless broken up.
I had a plant in a tiny container for far too long and transplanted without breaking up the rootbound cup-shape of roots.
When I harvested I wondered why the plant had done so badly, and found most of the soil completely unused with that tiny cup shape of roots still in its cup shape (a few tiny roots emerged, not enough to support the then added size of the plant tho.
Now I use 10L Airpots from seed to harvest.
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
A rootbound plant usually is stunted too. This is rootbound with lots of spin-out and matting. 4.5 wks. in a 1 gal. pot:
Many of us including myself are using RootMaker products. For an annual, Griffin's Spin-Out is still my favorite.
UB
cannabiscultivation
Active Member
14wks in 1 gallon pot.
The plant yeilded about an ounce of thumb buds that were very dense....hard actually.
certainly stunted.
Harrekin
Well-Known Member
I looked for that Spin-Out stuff, garden centres here barely sell guano tho because their basically all retarded.
The Airpots work awesomely save for they dry out a little faster and can be difficult to rehydrate once they're dry.
A healthy 6 foot plant from a 2.2 gal pot ain't bad tho
colonuggs
Well-Known Member
i have a question... i transplanted my plants a couple days ago from 12 oz cups and they were rootbound! i let the soil dry before transplanting so when i took the plant out it was stuck together in the shape of the cup.. i just put that directly into my new pot with soil.. am i fucked? or will the plant still grow
cannabiscultivation
Active Member
still grows
I believe rootbound is definitely a cause for concern. I have a plant exhibiting rootbound symptoms as we speak, I just have to deal with it because its in a 5 gallon bucket as we speak. but I have been treating her the same as I have since I put her in ther bucket. shes a monster but I just have to leave her because I have nothing bigger to stick her in. She is exhibiting the yellowing in the lower leaves, some rusting, some curling upwards of the leaves at the new growth. it not possible that im underfeeding cause her clones don't look like this at all. rootbound will affect growth absolutely. I personally am experiencing it as we speak. great post man!
70's natureboy
Well-Known Member
thinn, does your plant look like the one in post #106? I think it would have to be that big to be rootbound; and then it would be almost harvest time anyway. A big plant like that is going to need a lot of feed imo.
I believe it is bigger.....from top of coco to the top shoots it is 37inches at 8 days 12/12. It is more than that at the width...when the lights come back on at 6 ill snap a shot. I clean her up maybe 2-3 times a week but the yellowing still continues in the oldest fan leaves they just die no matter what. I have been adding a little more nitrogen to the mix lately and am now seeing signs of semi nitrogen abundance as the lower leaves are getting darker but its working its way up.
P.S.
She drinks about a gallon and a half before I get runoff and is usually 90-100% dry the next day
This is a 5x5 tent for reference, you can see this thing is about 18 inches from touching the other side.
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
It's fine although it might take more time rooting into the new medium. Next time carefully pull the spin out at the bottom off the rootball or use a knife and make a few cuts, vertically. With such a small container I usually just pinch away part of the rootball at the bottom. With a large pot I make 4 vertical cuts 1/2" into the rootball top to bottom.
UB
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
That's too much maintenance. You need to tighten up the mix, BUT, the fact that it consumes so much water is an excellent sign - means the plant is very healthy with a robust rootball and foliage wicking off the moisture. Under such conditions, you can't give a plant too much water. NEVER let it go thru a dry cycle. Keep it moist.
There's been many a time I've taken a handful of dry silty clay powder, dropped it into a pot, and watered it in just to cut down on the chore of having to water twice a day. IOW, trying to close up the soil's pores a bit. Coco is not only too expensive for this here boy but too porous.
UB
streets8r88
Well-Known Member
Hm dry silty clay powder. You always have great advice Ben. I like the idea, where would you get dry silty clay powder?
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
From my yard.
NietzscheKeen
Well-Known Member
Try Diatomaceous Earth, you can get it in stores. I add it to my soil mixes. When wet it has the same affect as silty clay but won't turn into a brick when it dries. It's also a potential source of calcium.