How and When to Transplant Your Cannabis

when to transport your cannabis plants

In the wonderful world of weed cultivation, a significant number of practices and growing techniques are utilized with the aim of producing the best quality yield. And one such practice is transplanting. It is a known fact that containers play a role in the early stages of plant development and transplanting is a practice that helps to ensure that the size of a container is not allowed to halt the growing capacity of the plant.

Now if the plan is to plant outdoors in a large space, then there might not be too much need for emphasis on transplanting as the large space affords the root network to expand and reach enough depths needed to facilitate growth. However, it is also common knowledge that growing of cannabis from smaller pots affords the needed benefit of carefully controlling growth problems unlike in a large space where roots are prone to losing a large number of nutrients to the soil, smaller pots ensure that the plants make the most of the nutrients available. Growing in smaller pots also gives the advantage of faster growth and allows the grower to get the most out of the plant.

Why should I transplant?

When growing cannabis in small pots, the root network of the plant penetrates the soil and reaches to encompass the available space available in the soil. This space is readily limited by the amount of soil present which is in turn determined by the size of the container. When the plant continues to grow in a space that is not enough to sustain its growth, the root network entrenches into every available space producing a state that is known as root-bound. The restriction in access for expansion of the roots ultimately reduces growth of the cannabis and affects yield. Which is why it is important to transplant and it is even more paramount to know how and when to transplant your cannabis as wrong timing can make or mar your grow operation.

When should I transplant?

The purpose of transplanting is already defeated if transplanting is done late as root bounds tend to cause root rot, stunted growth, nutrient deficiency, discoloration of the stem which ultimately means the yield is lost. This is why it is important to know exactly when to transplant. Early transplanting ensures that the plant is allowed to grow freely and continuously. As much as transplanting is done to ensure the growth and sustainability of the plant, it cannot be overemphasized however that transplanting causes significant strain and stress on the plant which in turn means there should be a limit to the number of transplants before harvesting is done. A total of two or three transplants should be adequate to pose less stress to the health of the plant.

Knowing when to transplant involves being able to identify significant markers and indicators that suggest that the plant is already in need of a transplant to a bigger container. Some of such necessary indicators include

Root development; protrusions out of the soil and perforations are common signs to indicate root bounds. Also darkening and discoloration of the roots are things to look out for too.

Growth problems; signs of stunted growth in a container indicate limited space which in turn affects the health of the plant.

Plant size; before showing stunted growth a cannabis plant that needs a transplant will have outgrowths of the root and a suitable gauge can be the number of leaves sets or number of nodes.

Watering; coupled with the growth indications, evidence of plants drying out too quickly after being watered are also signs of a need for a transplant.

Planting with a smaller pot avoids the risk of waterlogging and root rot which is common to planting directly into a bigger pot meaning that it is important to know the right time for transplanting. When transplanting from a smaller pot to a larger container, it is important to ensure that the subsequent container is at least two times bigger than the previous container.

How should I transplant?

The matter of how to transplant applies more to the conditions with which the transplanting process takes place as that is what will save the plant from transplant shock that is commonly attributed to transplanting to a larger space. When transplanting, it is important that it is done carefully so as to ensure that it does not affect the health of the plant. Transplanting also needs to be done in a clean environment as cleanliness ensures that the plant is protected from infections that can be detrimental to the health of the plant. The time of transplanting is also important as excess light that is common during the day is sure to affect the plant and so the best time to transplant is at night due to reduced light.

The process of transplant majorly involves transferring a plant from a previous container to a new one which means that the medium in both containers is important during the process of transplanting. The soil of the pot from which the plant is to be transplanted must be made moist by watering a day to the transplanting so as to ensure that the soil allows the transplanting exercise. The new pot likewise must not be overpacked with the soil system so as to ensure that it does not affect the drainage of the soil and damage the root systems being introduced.

During the transplanting process, the pot has to be carefully flipped over to ensure that the root ball is removed without stress from the soil and introduced into the new medium which already has a hole to collect the plant and must be watered to ensure that the plant gets acquainted properly with the new system. Slow growth is a common reaction that initially follows transplanting before the plant fully recovers and moves towards optimum produce and returns.