About to prune back for overwintering, but unsure whether to trim the roots back and repot in smaller containers. If so, how can you change the soil without there being air pockets?
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soil How do you change the soil?
- Thread starter Bigwelshprop
- Start date
I guess through soaking and tapping the pots on a surface they will fill up and I would need to top fill.
I never used to prune back plant or roots for overwintering but after last years aphidocalypse I decided to go that route this year. I trimmed mine back 3 weeks ago both plant and root and put them into much smaller pots. I trimmed off all the leaves as well as I'd seen people do this and without leaves there's less chance of aphids since no leaves for them to suck on. I was worried that they wouldn't do well with no leaves but here it is 3 weeks later and those babies have got leaves and buds everywhere (need to trim them already). I didn't worry about air pockets, just pruned back the top quite a bit and then trimmed the roots to match the amount of top growth and stuck em in a smaller pot under t8 lights in the basement. I'm also able to overwinter many more plants this way than when they were in 5 gallons bags/buckets.
I would cut back the tops and roots if your going to put them in smaller pots to over winter. As for air pockets depends how dry your soil is your using, you don't want to dry or wet, but I would soak the pot and tap it to get all the air out, that is if you have soil that wont get water logged. I did that with my Yellow Bhut and it's doing great. You might not have to water it again for weeks but that's ok. LOL Also f you get wilting after you re-pot it then you Might have an Air pocket that needs fixed ASAP. Personally I wouldn't transplant peppers with out watering them.
Thanks, thinking about this now, I think I would have been cutting the tap root if you hadn't said. That's the thickest one that goes straight down, right?LordHill said:
Indeed. What I do is get some quality potting soil (with slow release nitrogen). Don't get the ones with 8 weeks nutriënt.
Than get prune the overwinter candidate back; all leafs can hide pests. Only leave some for photosynthesis. CHECK for aphids!
Now dig out the rootball. Tap on it to remove as much old soil as possible. Than rinse the empty rootball in a bucket of slightly warm water (prevent coldshock). This gets rid of any potential nematodes, eggs, larvae.
Than crush any chunks of potting soil and pull apart fibrous material like coco and peat. It's a great assignment for the Kids while daddy recovers with an ice cold beer. Note that this step is not mandatory, but eases rooting and helps refreshing the soil the next time. I usually add some perlite as well, to improve drainage.
Than put a layer of very loose potting soil in a pot. Hang the roots in the pot and gently mix them with thd soil. Push the rootball in gently. Than fill up the sides and use you fingers to fill any air pockets. Cover all and fill the pot up. Put a 1/2" layer of dirt on top (dries out faster, prevents bugs from laying eggs in it). Slightly (!!) compress the soil. Don't crushed the air out.
Water without nutes and put in a well lighted spot.
I don't agree with CAPCOM on air pockets though. Air pockets can result in salt buildups when liquid ferts are used. Especially when they are in those pots for a long while. This potentially results in inexplainable spring deaths when you increase the nutes. Especially baccatums and praetermissums are subceptible to this.
Important; in the coming days keep checking THOROUGHLY for aphids. Kill on sight. No time? Get Kids and reward with candy. If you neglect to do this - you lose. When there is a aphidcalypse, prune back all leafs, desinfect with pyretrin (don't skip soil) add a new layer of dirt to cover any eggs and hope for the best.
Than get prune the overwinter candidate back; all leafs can hide pests. Only leave some for photosynthesis. CHECK for aphids!
Now dig out the rootball. Tap on it to remove as much old soil as possible. Than rinse the empty rootball in a bucket of slightly warm water (prevent coldshock). This gets rid of any potential nematodes, eggs, larvae.
Than crush any chunks of potting soil and pull apart fibrous material like coco and peat. It's a great assignment for the Kids while daddy recovers with an ice cold beer. Note that this step is not mandatory, but eases rooting and helps refreshing the soil the next time. I usually add some perlite as well, to improve drainage.
Than put a layer of very loose potting soil in a pot. Hang the roots in the pot and gently mix them with thd soil. Push the rootball in gently. Than fill up the sides and use you fingers to fill any air pockets. Cover all and fill the pot up. Put a 1/2" layer of dirt on top (dries out faster, prevents bugs from laying eggs in it). Slightly (!!) compress the soil. Don't crushed the air out.
Water without nutes and put in a well lighted spot.
I don't agree with CAPCOM on air pockets though. Air pockets can result in salt buildups when liquid ferts are used. Especially when they are in those pots for a long while. This potentially results in inexplainable spring deaths when you increase the nutes. Especially baccatums and praetermissums are subceptible to this.
Important; in the coming days keep checking THOROUGHLY for aphids. Kill on sight. No time? Get Kids and reward with candy. If you neglect to do this - you lose. When there is a aphidcalypse, prune back all leafs, desinfect with pyretrin (don't skip soil) add a new layer of dirt to cover any eggs and hope for the best.
Exactly. When i leave that thicker center root unharmed i can butcher everything else without issue. The only time i cut that root the plant looked ok for about 3 days, then the leaves all fell off and the stem dried up. Sucked, but fortunately that was a plant i chose specifically as a practice run lolBigwelshprop said:
Side note: i found that wooden skewers for cooking (chopsticks basically) work great for loosening dirt in the root ball
Interesting. I know of a method for homogenizing clone growth, to pinch the "taproot" (main root, there isn't a tap root in the traditional sense). I have not tried it, but perhaps the method relies on the youth of the plant. I did lose one old mum this year after a root pruning, and have been a little more gentle and observant since. I assumed it was a root infection, but after reading this, am thinking otherwise.
FWIW, a soft bristle paint brush will clean roots epically. Just finished a "bonch-tree/overwinter" and it worked wonders, "cutting" almost an inch of soil with each pass down the root ball.
FWIW, a soft bristle paint brush will clean roots epically. Just finished a "bonch-tree/overwinter" and it worked wonders, "cutting" almost an inch of soil with each pass down the root ball.
I'm assuming from the question is that you have had problems with air pockets? Then you are using the wrong soiless mix. You don't usually use soil, that is a naturally occurring material in nature (this is the soil scientist's and most agronomist's view). Potting soil is not usually actual soil (it was a long time ago). This is not usually used because of disease and insects, and it's does not usually have the ideal texture. There are exceptions, and you can produce a good potting soil in your garden or nearby with compost etc. But most use soiless mix - many many options are out there. I like Sunshine Mix 4 - with my own additives. You might not have that available? It's found at nursery supply places (call nurseries and find out where they get their supplies) in large bags and is very economical. You want this to be light and friable - not clumpy - and if so you won't have large air pockets. Small ones are actually good - really small, and roots need oxygen.