by Jorge Cervantes
Transplanting
Transplant clones before they are too big for their containers so they can continue rapid growth. Restrained cramped root systems grow sickly, stunted, rootbound plants. Signs of rootbound plants include slow, weak growth and branches that develop with more distance between limbs. Severely rootbound plants tend to grow straight up with few branches that stretch beyond the sides of the pot.
To check for a restricted root zone, carefully remove the root ball from its pot to see if roots are deeply matted on the bottom or ringing the container. A somewhat dry root ball is usually easy to remove from the pot. The more rootbound the plant, the easier it is to remove. Plants must be sufficiently rooted to withstand being yanked out of the pot!
When growing short plants that reach full maturity in 90 days, there is little need for containers larger than three gallons (11L). A large mother plant will need a large pot if it will be kept for more than a few months.
Water the clones until water freely flows from the drain holes. next, fill containers full of growing medium and saturate with water.
Carefully turn each container upside down and tenderly shake the intact root ball into your hand.
Carefully place the rot ball into a pre-made hole in the growing medium inside the larger container.
Gingerly pack more potting soil around the wet root ball and water the transplanted seedlings heavily with a fertilizer solution containing vitamin B1 which will easy transplant shock.
Add a little more growing medium if necessary. Use a screen to diffuse light if plants are in a small room. It will take them one to four days to recover from transplant shock. Start fertilizing with a mild fertilizer mix two or three days after transplanting. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. If transplanting rockwool cubes into soil, do not let the cube stay too wet or roots will not grow into soil. Keep the humidity around 70-80 percent and the little ladies should perk right up and show signs of growth in a few days.
Once the first clone is transplanted and watered, move to the next clone and repeat the process. After you get good at each step, you complete tasks in batches. Move the transplants to the perimeter of the HID garden for a day or two until they recover and show signs f growth.