neighbours - originally overpotted - transplant advice

[Saturn]

Afternoon everyone,

we have another transplanting question, we're growing for RSO and these 2 plants (strain unknown) were planted by the patient a little before we came. They were overpotted, close together and dry. We were nervous about hurting them as they also had a cake cutter around the stems of both (apparently to keep moisture closer to roots) - it's odd but there you go. They're sturdier now and we removed the cake/ cookie cutter today.

We're growing under 1 x CFL - plan to use 2 later on. (no other lighting options available here)

Now the problem is they are too close together and (i think) starting to compete. Is it too late to transplant to separate pots? Are the roots probably too entagled? Can I do anything to reduce the root damage if i do transplant? Can they flourish next to each other like this?

Also - they are approx 1 month, is their growth on the slow side? (i know this is a tricky question without all the details)

thanks a million!

[Royal Nugs]

I can all but guarantee they're tangled up.

The growth is decent for 1 month, a little stretched. I'd definitely separate them asap. You'll have to decide which you want to keep in case they're too tangled up and can't be transplanted. Just kill one and keep the roots in there. You can get an enzyme to help decompose the dead roots.

Hope this helps.

[Saturn]

Thanks Nugs, We'll have a go at separating but be ready to give up on one.

[LuckyAcres]

Separating them will be a work of patience. Try first pulling them apart oh so gently. If that doesn't work, run them under gentle water removing slowly the soil which will help separate the roots. Gentle is the key here. Good luck! Then you have 2 bare root plants. I've done it a couple of times at work on different plants and it worked. Def some post transfer schock but they survived.

[Saturn]

Thanks LuckyAcres - we'll have a go at separating them - i wish i had started this before but we were nervous about the shock killing them altogether. Would it be worth trying to separate them in a bowl of water to tease apart the roots without the tap??

[LuckyAcres]

Yes the bowl is a great idea. You got the idea, tweak as needed. Let us know how it goes, take pics, make a tutorial out of it even

[Karlee]

Do you need both plants? if not just cut one out you'r right on the start of training and if you transplant again it will be longer for that.

You can do it but sets you back some.

[rockman]

Agree that the sooner you give them their own space, the better. Still lots of growth potential, provided you do the separation as gently as possible. Good luck! 🌿🌿

[Saturn]

We have oil until approx sometime in Jan - the autos should be ready for March so in a way no we don't need both but i'd prefer to keep to put some oil in store for future so we don't have a shortfall like we're facing in Feb.

[Saturn]

well... today was d day for one of them. we tried to separate as gently as possible but one stayed together nicely and the other came out definitely missing a chunk of roots.

Result is - shorty looks ok (roots with v little damage), lofty had a bad time - 1 hour later becoming veeeery drooooopy.

Soil is still no good - tight and hard as per other posts, although I added some aggregate to aid drainage.

What do you think? Also should I trim lofty of that upper growth (or "top"? - i know nothing about plant training - it's the next mission)

Otherwise it's wait and see i guess.

thank you all so much for all your help
cheers!

[Jibblerjoe]

It will be OK, positive vibes. Lot of stress, but given time day or 2 probly bounce back. Give it a lil less intense light, will be less stressful on plant.

[Jibblerjoe]

Don't over water now .

[Saturn]

thanks very much, we watered after transplant - not so much that there was flow from the bottom as the pot felt real heavy and the soil seems to hold quite a lot of water.

positivity - whenever we go to see "the babies" we sing something (I'm on an Everley Brothers moment now)

[Jibblerjoe]

Water is good at transplant.just make sure it's not still wet when next water. After you transplant, less intense light till they perk up, then it's back normal.

[rockman]

Lofty would probably recover much more easily if you removed some of the growth she was supporting with roots intact. And you would also be helping to train it to a more compact shape at the same time.

[Saturn]

so a wee trim off the top? - maybe to the bend on the stem?

thanks!

[rockman]

Yeah, I would top it right at the bend, then the side shoots will take over the forward growth once roots start regenerating. Looks like there's enough leaf area left if topped this way to give her some strength to recover.

[Saturn]

Magic - thanks a mill rockman

[Saturn]

You folks are awesome

[rockman]

Curious...once these two are growing strong and need repotting, what are your plans for soil and pot size, as well as nutrients if soil doesn't have enough on its own?

[Saturn]

all good questions rockman - Soil and nutrients are a worry, i've just started composting - so that wont be ready for a while but have also been making nutrient teas for watering. But there is no soil availability beyond what we can go and dig up - we went to a place where they grow plants/ flowers to sell and managed to get some different soil - it's drying now to remove pests, but it's not much better than what we already have.

Pot size - i'm in the dark really, we have 40 litre pots - a bit larger than the 25 litres i've seen recommended.

However the one big advantage of where we are (almost makes up for all the disadvantages) is that we can grow outdoors from March /April and we have a massive terrace 1 floor up - hopefully the smell won't carry too far (again I'm new to this so not sure). But the sun is strong and the terrace is awesome).

Any advice gratefully received.

cheers

[rockman]

Not to be too nosey, but are you saying you are not able to go online and order something like the Kind soil, Fox Farm growing mediums, or specific cannabis growing soil?

[Saturn]

absolutely right - no point ordering via internet as the postie will keep it and we will 100% never see it

[rockman]

That really sucks! The new soil that you bought...how bad does it look? I'm kinda struggling to think of a workable solution for you, other than going to that garden center and get a better quality product, or check to see if they have any garden nutrients to sell, maybe they have perlite to improve the bag soil, doubt they would have coco coir product (even then you would need to obtain nutrients). Maybe some other forum member has more advice. Your garden soil, can that be used?

[Saturn]

Hi Rockman, thanks for your help here - it's difficult here and we're trying to grow basically without the support of any shops because the country we're in has no shops/ garden centres to speak of. We went yesterday to a grower in the hope they could give us something and they did but it's not too different to our garden soil.
No perlite, no potting compost, no specialist soil, no available shop bought nutrients or fertiliser. We make it from something or go without. We were able to buy plastic pots and a thermometer but that;s it.

I'm putting holes on the sides of the pots for extra ventilation, ~I'm hoping the nutrient tea will keep the plants topped up and fed and that the compost will help when it's ready. I'm hoping to use one of these plants for cuttings/clones when they're bigger as they are our high THC plants.

we're composting all our banana skins for higher potassium, ash/ manure for phosphorus for the flowering stage.
nitrogen is easier to find thankfully.

its tricky but we'll get there

[rockman]

Wow, you're in a strange spot (New Zealand?) with your inability to get supplies. However I'm glad to hear your knowledge of compost, organic nutrients and teas. It sounds like you might pull this off using mother nature's gifts. And you probably have sense of how to grow cannabis......maybe from GWE? If not, there's lots of good reading there Keep us updated always, and hopefully this will work for you! 🌻

[Saturn]

I'm just feeling my way - but the guidance and advice from GWE has been great - fingers crossed for big harvests and healthy plants

[rockman]

Definitely routing for you Saturn! 🌱 I made up an organic supersoil last summer following closely the recipe on GWE. Plants seemed very happy with it. For this summer's grows I plan to mix my own recipe using lots of compost and worm castings (I raise worms for their very valuable poop). I think if you use what you have as you described, and closely monitor the plants for any signs of nutrient shortages, you will succeed. I do have a curiosity about your plans for sufficient light with the CFLS. I also use those, and have needed to increase the number and wattage as my babies grow and demand more.
Again, best wishes....keep us posted! 🌸

[Saturn]

Thanks Rockman! -