Small root ball

[69Bill70]

I'm growing in 5 gallon buckets and food and water are right. When I harvest I notice the root balls are small and just below the surface of the soil. The plants don't get a s big as they should be. I germinate the seeds and then plant them directly in the bucket. Am I doing something wrong?

[Gingerbeard]

Root grow to just under the surface. Roots can grow on the surface. Roots called 'buttress roots' can grow from the plant stalk to the surface.
What is a small root ball? How do you know how big your plants should be? Have you grown before, that you might know what to expect?
What is your medium? What is your light? What are 'right' food and water?
Auto, fem, or photo?
There isn't a lot we can say without pictures.

[Gingerbeard]

Could be you have amazingly humongous plants and root balls of dwarf strains grown in adverse conditions. You never know.

[Rwise]

Further what did you do to let the soil breath in those 5 gallon buckets?

[Speedygreen]

Less water more air to the roots. They'll have to expand to find more water. So you're lacking a proper dry back before feed/water

[Bluey]

Bill might be growing under a 1 watt reading light for all we know