Questions From a Noob

My plants are about three weeks old and will outgrow their current pots very soon. They are growing near my home at the moment but are going to be transported to a more suitable location. I just have a few questions first...

1. Should I transfer the plants into progressively larger pots or go ahead and transplant them directly into the ground? I'm thinking in the ground do to better camouflage/cover, but if they will grow better out of ground then I will do that.

2. Should insecticides be applied as needed after becoming affected or as a precautionary measure? Also, would you recommend a homemade organic insecticide (a pepper, garlic, and dish soap tea) or a commercial fungicide/insecticide from a home improvement store?

3. I'm trying to keep this as simple as possible for my first time, but I've read that rooting hormone is easy to apply and is very hard to over apply. So, should I go for it or skip the hormones?

4. Where the heck do you purchase the cheap black plastic pots? It seems that Lowe's and Walmart only want to sell the expensive clay or other decorative pots.

5. Any other recommendations? I've already purchased a blood meal fertilizer (which I have not applied yet) and a pH meter. Is there anything I'm missing that I need or are there any simple additions that could help my chances?

Thanks in advance

Here are my answers to your questions. Others here may see things differently. If so listen to them.

1) Each has it's advantages and disadvantages. Plants in pots have one big advantage. You can move them. If you have a totaly safe spot with good dirt, in the the dirt is the way to go. Much better yield, more room for roots, and less trips to water. Also in ground plants are in the envionment the way nature intended.

2) Keep your eye on them and tackle any problems as early as you see them. As problems occur try to fix it with natural methods. If those do not work, go to store bought remidies. The only exceptions I can think of where store bought is better is slugs/snails.

3) Skip the hormones.

4) Any plant nursery should have them. Our Lowes here have them, but they are in the back of the store. Ask around. They are easy to find.

5) Each grower you ask will have a different answer. This site has a fantastic archive. Go back and every question you ask will have many specific answers. No offence intended, but its not like you are the first one to take this ride. Most of your questions have been asked and answered here many times over.

Good luck.

...and his advice is sound. But he's right in that there are many here with differing opinions, and you have to be able to find what works for you (but has also likely worked for many others!).

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Originally Posted by kayaker1

My plants are about three weeks old and will outgrow their current pots very soon. They are growing near my home at the moment but are going to be transported to a more suitable location. I just have a few questions first...

1. Should I transfer the plants into progressively larger pots or go ahead and transplant them directly into the ground? I'm thinking in the ground do to better camouflage/cover, but if they will grow better out of ground then I will do that.

2. Should insecticides be applied as needed after becoming affected or as a precautionary measure? Also, would you recommend a homemade organic insecticide (a pepper, garlic, and dish soap tea) or a commercial fungicide/insecticide from a home improvement store?

3. I'm trying to keep this as simple as possible for my first time, but I've read that rooting hormone is easy to apply and is very hard to over apply. So, should I go for it or skip the hormones?

4. Where the heck do you purchase the cheap black plastic pots? It seems that Lowe's and Walmart only want to sell the expensive clay or other decorative pots.

5. Any other recommendations? I've already purchased a blood meal fertilizer (which I have not applied yet) and a pH meter. Is there anything I'm missing that I need or are there any simple additions that could help my chances?

Thanks in advance

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For my own humble opinions on the above:

1) Many belive that transplanting them a few times before getting 'em into three or five gallon pails (or the ground) helps build a better rootmass. I think they're right, and so I usually re-pot me goils four or five times on the way to 'final size'... and once I crop out my current girls, I'll be re-vegging 'em a la Rusty's Method.

2) Stay away from most insecticides as far as you can. Remember--you're going to be smoking the stuph, and many things in the commercial pest-control arena aren't good fer yer lungs. REally. If you must use something, neem oil (with a bit o' Dutch Master Penetrator/Saturator) can help make your plants unpalatable to the bugz.

3) I concur on the rooting hormones. You shouldn't need 'em unless you're taking clones for your next crop. Look up cloning techniques on the board--there are many good tutorials.

4) Any major gardening centre should have the cheapie pots you're looking for. A more interesting quest would be to see if you can get something suitable for free. I am currently getting mega-amounts of four gallon (white) food-grade buckets from a commercial bakery near me, for free. I can make 'em "black" (light-tight) with either cheapie paint, or cheapie aluminum tape. I like cheap.

5) Basically, the most important things to watch for are excessive heat, and over/under watering, as well as over/under feeding. If your PH going in is consistently 6 to 6.5, you're good for soil. If your ambient temp ranges from 72-82f, you're fine (though 77-78 is considered optimal). If your leaves start to droop/yellow for no reason, the plant is probably root-bound, and needs a transplant. Don't let yer temp stay higher than 95f for any length of time, or you'll kill 'em (or certainly hurt 'em). Don't ask me How I Know This. :(

Hope this helps!