Going big to soon?

**The Resin Man** · 24-09-11, 03:37 PM

Hi all, I was starting a new grow and was wondering whether starting my 4xLSD seedlings straight to pot is a bad idea. I'm using 15litre airpots with plagron bat mix.

**Poet** · 24-09-11, 04:05 PM

Start them off in small pots to allow the root ball to form, I would start them off in 2L pots to start, then into 6L and then into their final 11L pots, that would be with a 5-6 week veg. And dont start them in bat mix, it's way too hot for them, get a light mix soil or seedling soil.

**The Resin Man** · 25-09-11, 10:02 AM

Sorry to ask but why so much pot switching?

**Pugz** · 25-09-11, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by Poet

Start them off in small pots to allow the root ball to form, I would start them off in 2L pots to start, then into 6L and then into their final 11L pots, that would be with a 5-6 week veg. And dont start them in bat mix, it's way too hot for them, get a light mix soil or seedling soil.

@OP Not being funny but read the replys

Your lucky poet hasent seen this yet

**Woody J** · 26-09-11, 01:13 PM

I usually start seedlings in party cups.
I use a clear cup for the soil, which I insert into another cup I have taped over to block the light.
This way, I can lift the "working cup" out and see the root mass forming, once it starts circling the cup, I transplant into a 1l or 2l pot for the next couple of weeks.

This is so I can regulate watering and/or feeding. It also saves space under lights and is much easier to move around if needed. I am also only using the substrate I need to. If I went straight into an 11l pot and the seed dies after a week, thats 11l of compost I will have to clean & recycle needlessly.

Between 7 & 10 days before flowering, I take any cuttings I need and repot into final pots, normally 11l but have been known to use up to 40l for large sativa's. 11l is good for 6 weeks veg & 8 weeks flower.

Hope this helps.W

**The Resin Man** · 27-09-11, 08:22 AM

Woody your a legend, instead of writing sarcastic comments like some you've given me some very very helpful material to go off. Have you ever used airpots? Or batmix on previous grows?

**The Resin Man** · 27-09-11, 08:44 AM

Typical, the cups on the water cooler at work are white, gonna have to purchase them rather than "borrow" LOL

**Tabbatha** · 27-09-11, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by The Resin Man

Woody your a legend, instead of writing sarcastic comments like some you've given me some very very helpful material to go off. Have you ever used airpots? Or batmix on previous grows?

I use batmix all the time. Trust me, if you put your seedlings into it they'll almost certainly die after 3 days. As Poet says, it's way to hot for them.

I now use John Innes seed sowing compost for seedlings. Even JI #1 is a bit too hot for most of them.

**Poet** · 27-09-11, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by Tabba

I use batmix all the time. Trust me, if you put your seedlings into it they'll almost certainly die after 3 days. As Poet says, it's way to hot for them.

I now use John Innes seed sowing compost for seedlings. Even JI #1 is a bit too hot for most of them.

I just give up sometimes Tabbs.

**Tabbatha** · 27-09-11, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by Poet

I just give up sometimes Tabbs.

Horse. Water.

**The Resin Man** · 27-09-11, 09:02 AM

Hope its "sometimes" soon.

**Tabbatha** · 27-09-11, 09:06 AM

Dude.. we're trying to help you (at a time cost to us). If you want to ignore the advice that'll save your seedling from a quick death, and then be cranky about it then good luck with your girls on your own.

**The Resin Man** · 27-09-11, 09:15 AM

Sorry but that woody guys post just made more sense to me. I didn't understand what hot meant as in too much nutrients. I'm not being cranky and I DO appreciate your advice.

**Tabbatha** · 27-09-11, 09:38 AM

Ok fella. 'Hot' means too strong in nutrients.

Batmix is fliiping awesome for plants, but it'll kill seedlings because it's nutrient level is SO high that young seedlings will die from being over-fed. Only bigger plants over 2 weeks old (ish) can cope with it. However, after that, they'll thrive in it and won't need to be fed any nutes for about 4-6 weeks.

**Grandad** · 27-09-11, 09:46 AM

young plants actually do better with slightly restricted root system, helps it get leaves grown quicker if its not growing massive roots at the same time.
this is only until it gets established.

**Tabbatha** · 27-09-11, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by Long John Silverhaze

young plants actually do better with slightly restricted root system, helps it get leaves grown quicker if its not growing massive roots at the same time.
this is only until it gets established.

Didn't know that. How long do you reckon to leave them in their seedling pots before planting into final pots?

**trumptummy** · 27-09-11, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Tabba

Didn't know that. How long do you reckon to leave them in their seedling pots before planting into final pots?

Long as you want?.. I kept a plant this summer in about a 4inch across pot for months and months. It started to get pretty fucked in regards to nutrients (nitrogen def it looked like) but I chucked it some 20-20-20 ferts and it picked right back up again. I have a pic of the rootmass somewhere it's pretty funny..