How and When to Transplant Cannabis

By giving roots more space to stretch, you’re setting your plant up for stronger branches, fuller buds, and overall better health. So, if you want your cannabis to thrive, transplanting at the right time is essential.

Why is Transplanting Cannabis Important?

Transplanting helps cannabis develop larger, more sturdy root systems to anchor the plant and access more nutrients, which leads to stronger growth and, ultimately, bigger yields. Roots will naturally grow until they fill up the entire pot. When they reach their limits in a small pot, they start circling and become rootbound, meaning they’re all tangled up with nowhere to go. Moving them to a larger container prevents this, allowing roots to spread out, absorb nutrients, and develop a robust structure that supports your plant’s growth.

When to Transplant Cannabis Plants

Your plant will give you clear signals when it’s time to move to a bigger pot. Keep an eye out for:

• Roots poking out of drainage holes: This is a sign that roots have outgrown their space.

• Slowed growth: If your plant isn’t growing as quickly as before, it may be out of room.

• Yellowing or wilting leaves: Leaves that lose color or wilt could mean the roots are stressed.

It’s best to transplant during the vegetative stage, giving your plant time to bounce back before flowering.

Best Time of Day to Transplant Cannabis

The best time to transplant is in the morning. This gives your plant a full day of light to settle into its new home and start recovering. Avoid transplanting late in the day, especially if growing outdoors, as cooler night temperatures can add stress.

How Often Do You Need to Transplant?

When starting with a cannabis seed, after it has been successfully been germinated and planted for the fist time, generally needs just one or two more transplants all the way through to harvest. Moving it too often may cause slight delays or stress, but leaving it in a small pot too long leads to rootbound issues, which can be more frustrating for the plant and the gardener. A common schedule for photoperiod plants is one transplantation early into its vegetative growth period and then once more before flowering. Autoflowers, on the other hand, often do best when planted directly in their final pot as they have less time to get over transplantation stress.

Choosing the Right Size Pot for Your Cannabis?

Cannabis plants need different pot sizes as they grow. Here’s a rough guide:

• Seedlings: Start in a 1-gallon pot.

• Vegetative Stage: Move to a 3-5 gallon pot.

• Flowering Stage: Large outdoor plants may need 7-10 gallon pots.

This gradual increase in pot size helps avoid issues with overwatering while giving roots the space they need at each stage. It is also remember that there isnt a one size fits all situations here and to always assess the available space you have for your plants. Especially as they tend to double in size in the flower stage!

Why Not Plant Cannabis in the Biggest Possible Pot?

While it might seem easier to start with a large pot, cannabis roots do better with gradual space increases. A massive pot can retain too much water, leading to overwatering, nutrient build-up, root rot, and other issues. Slowly sizing up allows roots to fill out each container, promoting healthy growth without overwhelming them.

What Type of Pots Should I Use?

Pot choice matters more than you might think. Here’s a quick overview:

• Fabric pots and Air-Pots:

  
  These “air-prune” the roots, which reduces root circling and promotes healthy growth.

• Plastic pots:

  
  Affordable and effective, but ensure they have good drainage.

• Clay pots:

  
  Less common but stable for outdoor growing; be mindful of their weight.

If you’re growing indoors, fabric pots are usually a great choice for promoting healthy roots.

Can You Dig Up a Cannabis Plant and Replant It?

Yes, you can, though it’s best done early in the plant’s life cycle to minimize stress. If you need to move a plant growing in the ground outdoors, do it carefully. Using the span of the plant’s biggest branches as a guide, dig around the rootswithout disturbing it, then transplant following the same steps for moving to a larger pot.

How to Transplant Cannabis

1. Preparing Both Old and New Pots: Fill the new pot with enough soil that the transplant will sit comfortably at surface level, with room to grow wider and deeper.. If the pot doesn’t have drainage holes, add some for proper water flow.

2. Removing the Plant from the Old Pot: Gently squeeze the sides of the old pot and hold the plant at its base. With one hand supporting the base of the stem (like you’re giving the place where the stem and earth meet a high five, with the stem between two of your fingers) and one hand on the pot, turn the whole thing upside-down and carefully remove the pot from the plant, keeping the root system and surrounding soil intact.

3. Placing It in the New Pot: Turn the plant right-side up as you gently place the roots and their soil into the hole you made in the new pot. Fill around it with soil, pressing down with flat hands around the stem to ensure roots are well-seated while avoiding compacting the soil.

4. Watering and Settling in the Plant: Give the plant a light watering to help the soil settle around the roots. This encourages the roots to start spreading into their new space.

Is It Better to Transplant Plants Wet or Dry?

Generally, it’s best to allow the soil in the old pot to become slightly dry bit not too dry for it to crumble, which makes handling easier. The soil in the new pot should be moistened to help the plant settle with minimal shock.

Size of Pots for Indoor and Outdoor Plants

• Indoors: Start with a 1-gallon pot, moving up to a 3-5 gallon pot for vegetative growth, and 5-7 gallons for flowering.

• Outdoors: Begin with a 3-5 gallon pot for young plants and move up to 7-10 gallons (or larger) for flowering.

Each growing environment has specific needs, so adjust based on your setup and goals.

What About Transplanting Autoflowers?

Autoflowering cannabis plants have a set growth timeline and don’t rely on light cycles, so they’re more sensitive to transplanting. It’s best to start them in their final container, typically a 3-5 gallon pot, to avoid disrupting their rapid growth.

Can You Transplant Autoflowering Cannabis Seedlings?

While possible, it’s not ideal due to their short lifecycle. Start autoflowers in their final pot to avoid transplanting and reduce the risk of stunted growth.

How Does Transplanting Affect Autoflowers?

Transplanting an autoflower can slow its growth, as they don’t have time to fully recover like photoperiod plants. If transplanting is necessary, do it once, early on, to limit any setbacks.

Understanding Rootbound Plants

A rootbound plant is one whose roots have filled the container, wrapping around themselves. This can lead to:

• Reduced nutrient uptake

• Slowed growth

• Lower yields

Prevent this by transplanting when roots start to peek out of drainage holes or growth slows significantly.

Plan Ahead to Avoid Transplanting

Planning your final pot size from the start can save time and stress for you and your plant. If growing outdoors, consider preparing a large container right away or, for autoflowers, transfer to the final pot as early as 10-14 days after the first true leaves appear. This minimizes extra transplanting steps and helps keep your plants healthy.

Cannabis Transplanting Aftercare

After transplanting, go easy on the nutrients for a few days to avoid shocking the roots. Keep the soil moist and monitor the leaves for signs of stress, like wilting or yellowing. If you notice any issues, give it time; most plants bounce back after a few days.

Pro tip: Transplanting is a good time to add beneficial microbes to your plant’s rootzone.

Conclusion

Transplanting cannabis may seem intimidating, but with the right timing and care, it’s manageable. Following these steps will keep your plants happy and healthy, setting you up for a productive grow. Just remember: a little planning goes a long way, and your cannabis will reward you for it!

Happy growing!