Maximizing Cannabis Growth with Timely Transplanting

Size Matters!

Transplanting cannabis plants at the right time: If you start your cannabis plants in a relatively small container, your seedlings or clones will grow faster when transplanted into a larger container. The reason behind this is that the roots of a small cannabis plant find it easier to receive the correct mixture of air and water when they are in a smaller container.

Keep in mind that if you want to avoid transplanting your plant entirely, there’s no harm in initially planting your young cannabis in a larger container from the beginning; just be aware that they might grow a bit slower compared to starting in a small solo cup for the first few weeks. Also, the amount of water needed for watering a small pot is much less compared to a larger pot.

Seed to Final Container: When and How to Transplant

• Begin by planting your seeds or getting clones. Use a seedling plug/cube or germination station. If you’re using the paper towel method to sprout seeds directly, skip to step 2.
• Once you see roots coming out the bottom of the seedling plug or cube, transfer your young plants to a solo cup with holes for drainage. When the leaves reach the edges of the cup, it’s time to move them to a bigger container to prevent the roots from getting cramped.
• Move your plants to a 1, 2, or 3-gallon pot as soon as they grow their first 3 set of leaves in the cup.
• When your plants double in height, it’s time for the final transplant into their permanent container. Avoid transplanting after the flowering stage begins, as plants can double or even triple in size during this stage, we don’t want to stress them by transplanting again.

Tips for Easy & Stress-Free Transplanting

• Water your cannabis plants a couple of days before transplanting. This helps the soil stick together but still makes it easy to slide out.
• Fill your new pot with potting mix, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) at the top for easy watering without spillage.
• Dig a hole in the middle of the new pot that matches the size of your old container.
• Slide a butter knife around the edges of the old container to loosen the root ball.
• Avoid grabbing the plant by the stem; use a flat hand to turn the container upside down and gently tap the root ball out.
• Place the root ball into the hole you created in the new pot.
• Add extra soil if needed for a flat top.
• Gently pat down around the roots to press everything together slightly.
• Water your plant right after transplanting.
• Make sure your plants are in their final container at least 1 week before switching to the flowering stage.
• Avoid transplanting during the flowering/budding stage to prevent stress and impact on yields.

Remember, take it slow and be gentle during the process!

What Size Should Your Final Pot Be?

This depends on what size plants you planing to grow, since bigger plants require bigger containers, while smaller plants grow faster in a relatively small container. For the best results, you need to match the size of your plant with the size of your container.

A general guide is to have up to 7 liters per 30cm of height. This isn’t perfect, since plants can grow in various ways, and some may be short and wide instead of tall. But this is a good rule of thumb.

So if your final (planned) plant size is…

• 36cm – 7-10 liter container
• 60cm – 10-15 liter container
• 90cm – 15-20 liter container
• 120cm – 20-25 liter container
• 150cm – 25-30 liter container

Would be good to go.