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Potting Up Sizes

Do keep in mind that I am 2726 miles north of your current location so there are some pretty big differences between your grow environment and mine - namely the temperature. I'd imagin that you can get away with potting up to the largest pot available from seedling and limit the watering. I'd guess that the rootball would stay warm and your plant will grow. That doesn't work in my area. The OP's question was if he could go from cell to a 6" 1 gallon pot. If I were to do that I'd end up with a slime covered pot and a stunted plant because the pot would stay wet far too long (especially in coir), and the cold rootball would stunt growth.

On the other hand, if I keep the pot size reasonable and allow the plant to develop a little more before I move them to larger pot I'm able to balance things out. I use the general rule of thumb whereby I double the pot size every time I pot them up. When I do it this way I end up with a rootball that is large enough to utilize the nutrient solution effectively while still watering daily at first, then move to multiple times a day as the plant develops and fills the pot. The plant stays a manageable size and I avoid slime and mould altogether. It also allows me to put a nearly fully mature plant out to soak up the sun for the 90 days I get for a grow season. I've also noticed that there is definitely an upper limit to the pot size for my region. If I follow the above method I can get away with a 3G fabric pot. Anything larger means my plant spends most of it's time developing roots and growing the upper rather than putting out pods.

Neil
 
Repost from my Glog, but I ordered some last night. I might still go to solo cups first, then to the 1 gallon after that. We'll see I guess, trial and error.

"Also pulled the trigger on 100 1 gallon pots from eBay. Got them for $39.50 with free shipping. Couldn't find them locally for less than $1 per pot. Ended up going with green instead of black, just think the green looks a little nicer. Should be here next Friday."

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Nice score on the pots. I've never grown in the quantity that you are. I think my largest number was close to 35, but that was when I first started and had the room. I've moved twice since then and I'm limited to getting things started early in the spare bathtub and doing what I can to control them until plant out. Even then I have to transport them back into the house every now and then during the cold nights at the begining and end of the season.

Neil
 
Not having a lot of room, basically a 2x4 foot shelving unit, I start in coir plugs first week of February.
 
I transplant into 3 inch round pots after second set of true leaves appear, and that is where they grow until plant-out third or fourth week of May.
 
Yes, they are all quite root-bound by then. But once in the ground, they do quite well, most at four to five feet tall. I had a 6-foot 8-inch Jigsaw last season.
 
Blister said:
Do keep in mind that I am 2726 miles north of your current location so there are some pretty big differences between your grow environment and mine
I would agree for much of the time - but my grow is similar to yours, in the fact that our winter is roughly the same as your summer. I believe that we have some very comparable overlap. Not trying to make an argument, just saying that I have the same issues that you do, believe it, or not. (at least for part of the season)
 
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