Can I transplant in late veg stage?

[tess]

Hello, I have grown outdoors successfully in a raised bed for several years. This year I grew in pots on the deck to maximize sun exposure. It has not been a fun experience. I am currently dealing with pests. But my question is, I think at least one of my plants has outgrown it's pot. Here are the details.

It is Blue Dream clone
58 " tall and quite full
soil mix
in a 30 litre pot (8 gallons, 17" diameter, 17" tall)
Late Veg stage
suffering right now from fungus gnats, just started treating with Neem oil

I am feeding my plants the Dutch Science Nutrients

I was told the pots I had would be big enough, but I think they are becoming root bound. I can see roots above the soil line, and with one of the pots the water drains through quickly. They also dry out very fast.

Should I transplant into larger pots before they go to flower? They are already stressed right now. I could wait till I hopefully clear up the bug issues, but I am really worried ....

Thank you for any advice.

 

[Rexer]

Hello, I have grown outdoors successfully in a raised bed for several years. This year I grew in pots on the deck to maximize sun exposure. It has not been a fun experience. I am currently dealing with pests. But my question is, I think at least one of my plants has outgrown it's pot. Here are the details.

It is Blue Dream clone
58 " tall and quite full
soil mix
in a 30 litre pot (8 gallons, 17" diameter, 17" tall)
Late Veg stage
suffering right now from fungus gnats, just started treating with Neem oil

I am feeding my plants the Dutch Science Nutrients

I was told the pots I had would be big enough, but I think they are becoming root bound. I can see roots above the soil line, and with one of the pots the water drains through quickly. They also dry out very fast.

Should I transplant into larger pots before they go to flower? They are already stressed right now. I could wait till I hopefully clear up the bug issues, but I am really worried ....

Thank you for any advice.

Hi Tess!

While I'm not a soil grower, some should be by soon to help. In the meantime, do you have a picture that is recent that you can upload? Thanks!

 

[bobrown14]

I up can all the time right before I put plants in flower.

Fungus gnats are easy. Put a fan on the soil line - that keeps the gnats from laying eggs in the soil. Poof they gone.. they dont fly very well so the fan moves them along they cant reproduce without soil.

8 gal pots should be enough soil for indoor flowering.

How long have they been in the 8gal pots?

Take a pic and post it.. sounds like you vegged too long. They going to get REALLY big in flower.

 

[donkeyjunk]

58 inches is fine for a 30 litre pot. But is this straight up and down or have you been- topping, fimming,supercropping ?
The literage of your pot will govern the overall yield of your plant, so rather dependent on the situation of your plants, whether to up a pot size or two.
As for the gnats, if you put a layer of diatomaceous earth on top of the soil they can’t get through to lay eggs nor climb out of the soil when hatched
Dj

 

[Nunyabiz]

If they're staying outside then 8 gallon pots are wildly too small especially if its plastic and not fabric.
If its plastic 8 gal and its staying outside until October then id transplant into at least 30 gallon fabric pots minimum.
Transplant into good soil with 30% aeration.
And water for 3 weeks with BTI such as Gnatrol and fold 3 yellow sticky traps into tents and place on top of soil

 

[tess]

Thanks everyone... omg I'm feel awfully stupid. These are big plants. I knew the pots would not be big enough. I hope it's not too late to save them.

I will order the 30 gallon fabric pots.

Big question about soil. I have a huge bale of this stuff: Sunshine® Mix #4 - Sun Gro Horticulture

Could I use that in the new fabric pots? Should I mix it with soil? Or not use it at all??

Here is a photo of 2 of my plants. There is three all, about the same. I know they look sad.

 

[tess]

If they're staying outside then 8 gallon pots are wildly too small especially if its plastic and not fabric.
If its plastic 8 gal and its staying outside until October then id transplant into at least 30 gallon fabric pots minimum.
Transplant into good soil with 30% aeration.
And water for 3 weeks with BTI such as Gnatrol and fold 3 yellow sticky traps into tents and place on top of soil

Thanks so much. I added in another post with pictures above. I also asked questions about soil.

 

[Roy Growin]

Thanks so much. I added in another post with pictures above. I also asked questions about soil.

Hi @tess - can you put a tray of something under the pot to give the roots somewhere else to go?
Vermiculite, clay pebbles, perlite - anything - and use it like a res NFT style?

 

[tess]

Hi @tess - can you put a tray of something under the pot to give the roots somewhere else to go?
Vermiculite, clay pebbles, perlite - anything - and use it like a res NFT style?

I was thinking about cutting out the bottoms of the pots and sticking them into a raised bed that I would still have to assemble. Or just cutting the pots away and planting them directly into the raised bed. What is NFT? I do have a bale of peat moss and perlite. Now I am thinking of ordering fabric pots and doing a complete transfer that way. I live in the woods. The only place with enough sun around my place is on the deck. That is why I decided to try growing in pots. But feeling confused on best course of action.

 

[Roy Growin]

I was thinking about cutting out the bottoms of the pots and sticking them into a raised bed that I would still have to assemble. Or just cutting the pots away and planting them directly into the raised bed. What is NFT? I do have a bale of peat moss and perlite. Now I am thinking of ordering fabric pots and doing a complete transfer that way. I live in the woods. The only place with enough sun around my place is on the deck. That is why I decided to try growing in pots. But feeling confused on best course of action.

Any of the above, just give the roots some space and they'll make their own plans
Nutrient Film Technique - a constant source of moisture in a thin film, allowing the roots lots of oxygen too
So 3" of perlite given maybe a Litre a day evenly spread will not pool, simply forms a moist film of nutes/water on the medium and the plant gladly sucks up any excess
Root bonanza

 

[tess]

Any of the above, just give the roots some space and they'll make their own plans
Nutrient Film Technique - a constant source of moisture in a thin film, allowing the roots lots of oxygen too
So 3" of perlite given maybe a Litre a day evenly spread will not pool, simply forms a moist film of nutes/water on the medium and the plant gladly sucks up any excess
Root bonanza

Thanks again for your advice. Do you know if this stuff will work for either the pots or the raised bed? It says it is a growing medium, it was kind of expensive, but it has nothing in it really. I've never used anything but soil mixes.
Sunshine® Mix #4 - Sun Gro Horticulture

 

[Roy Growin]

Thanks again for your advice. Do you know if this stuff will work for either the pots or the raised bed? It says it is a growing medium, it was kind of expensive, but it has nothing in it really. I've never used anything but soil mixes.
Sunshine® Mix #4 - Sun Gro Horticulture

No, I'm not familiar with that product so I don't know, sorry

 

[013]

dayum that’s pretty honking big for just 8 gallons -yup by all means go large with Mr. Nunyabiz suggestion

Sunshine is good but it’s not a supersoil think Sunshine is more like Pro-Mix HP just a peat base, with perlite, lime & maybe mycos but no added nutes which is preferred. Nft is going to require pumps and shit - if you are new grower just put ‘em in dirt and water them when they need it, no need to re-invent the wheel here. Edit to add when I say put them in dirt - I mean a well made soil not something you experimented with cuz that seldom ends well. Then complete a few regular grows and have full jars stored in the cabinet then you can venture out more

if it’s just fabric pots then yes raised bed is great dig a hole and soften the soil up real good - roots will grow right thru fabric but not the part of the grow bag that is exposed to light. I’ve been saying it all along smart pots do not air prune - they light prune so cover them with good soil mix and roots keep on trucking. Now if plastic or terra cotta then yeah remove the container it’s not going to hurt if the roots get a little scuffed up. I score roots with sterile knife on big plants and obviously that a photoperiod that has gotten huge so not much concern of transplant shock

 

[Nunyabiz]

I think you would be better served with a Clackamas Coots soil recipe.


1 Part Oly Mountain Fish Compost or best aged compost you can get.
1 Part Sphagnum Peat Moss
2/3 Part Pumice
1/3 Part Rice Hulls
5% Pre-Charged Bio Char

Acadian Kelp Meal @ 1/2 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Crustacean Meal @ 1/2 cup Per Cubic Foot
Terviva Karanja Cake @ 1/2 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Brix Blend Basalt @ 2 Cups Per Cubic Foot
Gypsum Dust @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot
Oyster Flour @ 1 Cup Per Cubic Foot

 

[donkeyjunk]

Might want to have a look at lollipopping soon, get rid of all the aged underneath growth and create a bit of air flow, it’s looking pretty dense in the middle

 

[Smokyherbs]

Hello, I have grown outdoors successfully in a raised bed for several years. This year I grew in pots on the deck to maximize sun exposure. It has not been a fun experience. I am currently dealing with pests. But my question is, I think at least one of my plants has outgrown it's pot. Here are the details.

It is Blue Dream clone
58 " tall and quite full
soil mix
in a 30 litre pot (8 gallons, 17" diameter, 17" tall)
Late Veg stage
suffering right now from fungus gnats, just started treating with Neem oil

I am feeding my plants the Dutch Science Nutrients

I was told the pots I had would be big enough, but I think they are becoming root bound. I can see roots above the soil line, and with one of the pots the water drains through quickly. They also dry out very fast.

Should I transplant into larger pots before they go to flower? They are already stressed right now. I could wait till I hopefully clear up the bug issues, but I am really worried ....

Thank you for any advice.

I'm actually thinking about growing in a raised bed. Have some extra wood laying around. You wouldn't have any pictures, would you?

 

[bobrown14]

Now that I've seen the plants. The original question about up-potting.....

Going to be a pretty good challenge with plants that size.

You need a helper. No way you can up can without a few extra hands.

When I have plants big and need to transplant.
1 person holds plant upside down the other person pulls off the old can carefully then one hand on the btm of the rootball and the other on the main stem at soil line and quickly flip onto your new soil you have ready and then backfill top off with more soil.

FYI: Typically you wanna be in final containers before the beginning of August before the stretch starts.

For your soil mix - +1 on Coots mix.

Can use it for several years without much amending.

 

[tess]

I'm actually thinking about growing in a raised bed. Have some extra wood laying around. You wouldn't have any pictures, would you?

The trees around my raised bed grew and created too much shade. I now have other things growing in it. But, all I did was take off the top layer of grass, built a form out of 12" wood, filled with a soil mixture of peat, black earth, compost. I made it long enough to grow 4 plants with lots of space between them. I had amazing healthy plants. Next summer I will find a new location for a raised bed and use the soil recipe shared in this thread.

 

[tess]

Now that I've seen the plants. The original question about up-potting.....

Going to be a pretty good challenge with plants that size.

You need a helper. No way you can up can without a few extra hands.

When I have plants big and need to transplant.
1 person holds plant upside down the other person pulls off the old can carefully then one hand on the btm of the rootball and the other on the main stem at soil line and quickly flip onto your new soil you have ready and then backfill top off with more soil.

FYI: Typically you wanna be in final containers before the beginning of August before the stretch starts.

For your soil mix - +1 on Coots mix.

Can use it for several years without much amending.

Thanks for the tips. My fibre pots should be here tomorrow or Friday. I can't image someone being able to hold the plant and pot upside down for me, but we'll try. Maybe lie the pot of its side at the edge of a table while supporting the plant and slide it out and into the prepared fibre pot? Or, maybe I can find an implement that will cut the plastic pots away. (I will never let this happen again.)

 

[tess]

58 inches is fine for a 30 litre pot. But is this straight up and down or have you been- topping, fimming,supercropping ?
The literage of your pot will govern the overall yield of your plant, so rather dependent on the situation of your plants, whether to up a pot size or two.
As for the gnats, if you put a layer of diatomaceous earth on top of the soil they can’t get through to lay eggs nor climb out of the soil when hatched
Dj

I had some Diatomaceous earth do did as you suggested, thanks. I topped the plants once when they were young, but that is it. I use the entire plant (minus big fan leaves and stems) for making butter. I am not sure what fimming or super cropping means.