Messing With Roots on Transplant..OK?

[NUG-JUG]

...What are people's thoughts on de-tangling the roots a little bit when transplanting? Sometime when you're up-potting a lot like you can't quite keep up and some just get a little root-bound. I've transplanted somewhat root-bound plants without touching the roots, and they sometimes grow down, and don't spread out their roots. I've 'de-tangled' roots once, and I think I over-did it since they went through shock (droopy leaves for awhile).

I think when done to just a few roots it's ok, but if you're knocking dirt off, then it's too much. Wonderin what yall think about this..?

Peace, NJ

 

[JackTheGrower]

Somewhat delays things until the soil and plant reconnect with bio-activity.

Kelp helps transplant shock.

 

[jaykush]

how rootbound are we talking, like roots circling the pot?

 

[NUG-JUG]

how rootbound are we talking, like roots circling the pot?

Yea say the roots have started circling should I pull them out to help them grow out more?

 

[rick shaw]

Gently with your washed hand,using your fingers pull gently. Your plants will love you.Kelp,thiamine(B-1) are great ways to lessen transplant shock,think about it, cloning and trans are the most traumatic events in there lives

 

[bonsai]

Gently detangle the outer root ball using a chopstick or similar start at the bottom and only pull down. Cut any snapped or rotted roots with a sterile blade. Bonsai growers have done this for hundreds of years on plants more delicate than mj

 

[milehighmedical]

.

 

[supermanlives]

i do it all the time. when i go from 16 oz cups to 1 gal i break apart the bottom rootmass that is in circles slightly and gently getting rid of the dirt.then repot. cant say if there is actually a benefit from this . but i am happy with my rootballs

 

[Mud Man]

Somewhat delays things until the soil and plant reconnect with bio-activity.

Kelp helps transplant shock.

nice JTg<<


Thanks to help from peeps on here,,,i use the mick / mycorrhizal fungi . i drop the smallest amount into the hole, i do as you have said, break the bottoms ever so slightly, little squeeze.very gently, with washed hand to let a few hang and dangle. Pop her in,,,then.ph 6 ishwater to let the roots 'bond' connect ..I do my transplants just before night time 18-6 to let them chill all night and recover,,, most are standing to attention in ze morning.... my transplants are always good this way.. good luck.

 

[pearlemae]

I rough up the root ball of everything I plant be it MJ or a tree. It doesn't hurt the plant, in fact it will encourage new root growth. I have never had any transplant shock, and I don't use Superthrive either but using it will not hurt at all.

 

[Pinball Wizard]

i do it all the time. when i go from 16 oz cups to 1 gal i break apart the bottom rootmass that is in circles slightly and gently getting rid of the dirt.then repot. cant say if there is actually a benefit from this . but i am happy with my rootballs

so...if I let them get really rootbound in 16 oz cups?...I would cut off a lot of feeder roots and maybe slice the rootball? ...before transplanting into 8 inch pots?

I done that on vegging plants going into flowering....worked great.
Never thought about it on small plants...

 

[pearlemae]

All you have to do is gently break up the roots. I will reach in to the ball with my finger tips and gently pull the roots loose then plant it. You can whack the roots hard and not hurt th plant. I repot my mother by cutting them back hard and removing two thirds or more of the root ball them come back vigorous and strong.

 

[blwd67]

Has anyone trimmed roots on a regular plant, not bonsi mom?

 

[NUG-JUG]

First of all thanks for all the input on this..what I thought was maybe a yes\no question.

JTGrower- Thanks for the tip! I use kelp meal in my mix. The plants that got shock always recover, but I'd like to avoid that 'bummed out' period...AACT\ACT helps them get through it well...

Sorry I should clarify the shocking also happpened to plants that didn't have any 'baking time' for their mix, just teas until they snapped out of it.

rick shaw- You're right. I've thought about this before. What other time are you F#$!ing with them more than transplant\harvest?
(organic of course forget hydro OCD nonsense)

Bonsai- I'm fascinated by bonsai trees. I'm scared to cut roots, although you're right that it's been done to weaker plants. I think I can tickle the roots out with my fingas. Chopsticks are for Pho...

milehighmedical- What's up man. Out of the plants that get no 'root massage' many grow well, still fill the pot, just some don't.

MudMan- The owner of one of the most reputable 'grow stores' in Colorado told me "I never add myco to grow holes that's for trees"...I should've said 'I am growing trees'..

bwld67- That's what I'm talking about. Transplanting regular plants not mothers..Although I welcome info on that also. I mean 4in. to 1-2 Gal., 1-2 gallon to 5,7,10..etc....not old mother plants specifically.

 

[blwd67]

I was asking because right now mine are in tall skinny containers and are most likely going to be root bound before I can even put them in flower. I have such small sqft that I cant really use anything much larger. I was wondering because I might have to transplant them but when doing so cut off some of the roots at the bottom, so as to fit them in their new pots. Or find something a little bigger but not much wider...

I think bonsai moms are just the coolest, though. I remember my grandfather had the coolest bonsai jap maple when I was a kid. It looked like an ancient tree except it was only like 10" tall. He had all kinds of little rocks and stuff that were covered in moss, looked like mini boulders. I would love to have a tiny bonsai mom just as a house plant haha, take cuttings every couple months and flower those out.

 

[Mud Man]

grow them treees big homie

 

[growingcrazy]

I knock off about 40-50% of the soil when I transplant. I just gently break it apart and try not to harm any roots. Of course some get damaged but I have had no problems from this. I will take some pics at the next transplant.

 

[guest2012y]

Mr. Greengenes saws off the bottom with a bread knife if I remember....and he's a pro at what he does with cannabis.
I choose to loosen them up quite a bit on a gentle level. I have previously done it as instructed by professional gardeners in the average horticulture world and it seems they are a bit slow to respond to the new pot after a good rip through with the fingers as they do. Considering we are pushing cycles where time is of the essence......Jack's post nails it. But I think most of these ideas presented work just fine.

 

[NUG-JUG]

Hey Capt! I agree that a little gentle pulling is good. What's the purpose of cutting the roots? Is it to fit them in smaller pots. Or do the roots respond like tops and split? Making twice the roots...

 

[GeorgeSmiley]

I've messed with some root pruning.... it really let these take off at transplant..... at least that's the impression I get. I shortened 10 of these last round due to the root bound and they were too tall for the 10 gallon smart pots so I hacked the bottoms off. I mean nothing bad happened lol