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Imperialboy
- Senior Member
- Posts: 138
- Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 11:11 pm
How to Know When To Transplant to Larger Container
If you're using containers and pots you can look at the roots like clear material. How will you tell when you need to move from 4" to 1 gallon to 5 gallon to 15 gallon and so on? When the roots are taking up the space?
Imperialboy, that is going to vary, depending on the plant. I believe you plan to grow tomatoes and some herbs and, maybe, some Japanese maple trees. Is that correct? Some plants, like the tomatoes, can go from a small pot into a quite large pot, and they'll do just fine. They grow a large root system, and the roots grow pretty fast, so they do well in larger containers.
Other plants ... some of the herbs, perhaps ... might need to be treated a little more carefully. If you move them to too large of a pot too soon, the soil can stay too wet and the roots will rot. That kills the plant. Sometimes, you can tell when a plant is ready to be moved because you'll be able to see the tips of the plants roots begin to grow out of the drainage holes.
Another way to tell is if the plant seems to look sort of wilted too soon after you have watered it. That's a danger sign, though, because it can also mean that the plant has been overwatered and the roots are dying.
One way to tell for sure is to simply remove the plant from its pot and look at the root ball. Be very gentle when you do this, and it won't harm the plant at all. If the plant is in a plastic pot, you can loosen the plant by gently squeezing the sides of the pot. Then, holding the pot in your hand so the plant is horizontal with the floor, gently tap the edge of the pot against your other hand until the root ball slides out of the pot. Be sure it slides into your hand, not onto the floor! If the soil begins to crumble as you loosen the plant, then it's too soon to remove it. It's fine in the pot it's in. If the roots are visible and are beginning to grow around and around the inside of the pot, it's probably time to put it in a larger pot.
Here is a picture of roots just beginning to grow out the drainage holes. This plant will soon need a larger pot:
[img]https://www.thctalk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/bubble_008.jpg[/img]
Here's a picture of a plant that needs a larger pot immediately:
[img]https://www.abutilons.com/images/rootbound.jpg[/img]
Other plants ... some of the herbs, perhaps ... might need to be treated a little more carefully. If you move them to too large of a pot too soon, the soil can stay too wet and the roots will rot. That kills the plant. Sometimes, you can tell when a plant is ready to be moved because you'll be able to see the tips of the plants roots begin to grow out of the drainage holes.
Another way to tell is if the plant seems to look sort of wilted too soon after you have watered it. That's a danger sign, though, because it can also mean that the plant has been overwatered and the roots are dying.
One way to tell for sure is to simply remove the plant from its pot and look at the root ball. Be very gentle when you do this, and it won't harm the plant at all. If the plant is in a plastic pot, you can loosen the plant by gently squeezing the sides of the pot. Then, holding the pot in your hand so the plant is horizontal with the floor, gently tap the edge of the pot against your other hand until the root ball slides out of the pot. Be sure it slides into your hand, not onto the floor! If the soil begins to crumble as you loosen the plant, then it's too soon to remove it. It's fine in the pot it's in. If the roots are visible and are beginning to grow around and around the inside of the pot, it's probably time to put it in a larger pot.
Here is a picture of roots just beginning to grow out the drainage holes. This plant will soon need a larger pot:
[img]https://www.thctalk.com/gallery/data/500/medium/bubble_008.jpg[/img]
Here's a picture of a plant that needs a larger pot immediately:
[img]https://www.abutilons.com/images/rootbound.jpg[/img]
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Imperialboy
- Senior Member
- Posts: 138
- Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 11:11 pm
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Imperialboy
- Senior Member
- Posts: 138
- Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 11:11 pm
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Green Mantis
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 931
- Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 6:52 pm
- Location: Alberta, Canada zone 1a
Imperial Boy.........I have to agree with you, I have learned more about plants on this site, than I ever could have known through hundreds of books.! The people on here are awesome! So helpful. I recently bought a few little plants, from wal-mart, and after doing what Kisal told you and me to do, ( lift the plant up to see if it rootbound) I found everyone of them to be. So I have been doing a lot of transplanting lately. I know ( again thanks to kisal) this is the wrong time of year, but those plants wouldn't have made it much longer, being so rootbound. So hopefully they will grow and be OK. I have to say, I love this site! 