Outdoor HELP: Transplanting Auto's

[streikr]

Just like to start with saying Hi as i am new to AFN, and im loving it so far.

I am just about to start my third batch of Autos over the past 6 months.. My first auto's i buried direct in ground as i read autos didnt like to be transplanted. Although my germination rate was low, my surviving plants grew rapidly and yielded bountiful buds. My second run at autos i tried starting them off in a propagator and then when the babies where ready for direct sunlight i transplanted them into their 3 gallon pots which they remained in for the rest of the grow. I had 3 types of strains (ak47 auto, Samsara Adrenaline Shot and Sweet Seeds Big Devil #1). All plants were stunted in growth with only my big devils growing over 30cm in height (they grew about 50-60).
The question is with my new grow (3 SS Big Devil #2, 5 Nirvana Short Rider, 3 La Diva) should i plant them direct and risk low germ or propagator them, assuming last time the transplant didnt cause the stuntage.

 

[streikr]

Thanks for the advice buddha man.. Although im going to keep them in pots.. so should i get a smaller pot with the bottom cut out to put inside the bigger one? Have my seedling mix in the smaller pot and my fert soil with 6.5 ph in the bigger one?

 

[riz]

Some auto's like to have a deep tap root, my ak47's will stunt once they are at the bottom of the pot, i plant directly in final pots but if i was going to do a larger non femmed batch i would get some extra deep narrow pots to start in but get them potted up after a week above soil.

If yer in the UK greens horticulture do a nice tall narrow square pot about 1 litre.

 

[streikr]

yea i think that is where i went wrong with my ak's... I live in SE Australia and i have never seen pots of that shape, im heading to the nursery tomo so i will have a look. Thinking of doing the bag technique straight in the ground for my bigger plants (big devil #2). Might start them at home in .5 litre pots in seedling mix with peat moss and perlite and then cut out the bottom of the pots and put into the bags.
What's your thought on that?

Practice makes perfect

 

[riz]

Well loads of people do it but didn't work for me. Just don't leave em too long in tthe small ones before cutting the bottom off.

 

[namvet]

I germanate mine between damp paper towels,and when you see the tap root,I plant directly into the final grow media.Idon't see any advatage to starting them in small pots and moving them, this causes stress and in some cases cause the plant to suffer. I use 3 gallon pots with pure peat moss and perlite mixed with a little clean sand and this seems to work well. Good luck and keep growing.

 

[streikr]

cheers for the response.. only reason i would start in smaller pots is because im a guerilla grower and like to nurture my babies while their young

 

[riz]

Cut the bottoms and tops off of some 2 litre bottles and wedge the middle back into the base.might be worth putting a slit up the central part and wrapping the whole lot in dark tape to keep lights off of the roots, then when yer out and about ye can just cut the tape off, unwrap the bottle from the roots and drop into yer moist hole

 

[namvet]

to thai buddaman Good idea, i was just going to post your idea but you beat me to it.