Root(s) or Leaves? Timing Soil Transplant Using Rock Wool?

Indoor Growing
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#1

Howdy all…

If you started some seeds in rock wool cubes then moved them into a soil grow, would you move them/transplant with the first sign of leaves or would you wait until you saw roots coming out of the bottom or neither?

Last time I waited until I saw roots, which is well after the leaves and stretch start happening. It seemed like a small amount of time really, but a waste none the less… This time, in the next couple hours, i’m seeing leaves pop from the cubes, so they are going into soil. Then when the roots first leave the cube they go straight into soil. Burn is a small concern, but it doesn’t really add up to me.

I think leaves is fine? Trivial really, just a high thought. Thoughts?

Cheers

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#2

They will be fine. Why do you think they will burn?

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#3

Because in the past I’ve always had an amount of growth that looked like it would absorb nutes more easily during transplant. Plants just looked larger and with multiple leaves and roots extruding from the cube. So that was the sign to move to soil, but now I’m like, that’s stupid. Doesn’t add up…Few leaves showing, put her home.

#4

Mostly it has to do with the way I’m germinating seeds as well. In a cup with soil works fine too, so i guess it’s really a question more if it’s significant to shortening the veg time, in which case, i’d say yeah, by a couple days.

#5

Just don’t over do it, you should be fine. I always hold off at the beginning on feeding, than start very lightly. Your tap water is usually fine (no chlorine) depending of ppms. Here at the house I have around 125ppm from the faucet for seedlings. If using R.O I make a base of silica and cal mag to around 125ppms and ph to 5.5. I use only this for at least a week. than I start with around a 1/4th strength dose. I only mention this because of the concern for burn.

#6

I’m confusing it. My stoner thoughts made up some crap in my mind that it would burn, but the sane me kept me in check. I just worded it wrong. So, i’m not concerned with burn or anything. I don’t do much to my tap water. I only let it sit for a while before I use it. I was pH’ing but it seemed redundant and pointless. After this grow, the remaining soil is going to the house plants and I’m jumping on the NoTil train.

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#7

I always wait with rockwool cubes till roots protrude. Rockwool has a tendency to “suck” humidity out of soil and I want to prevent suffocation of roots. Many times it can kill a plant to put it into pot too big that with high volume of wet soil doesn’t simply dry out. That is primary reason. Second I want to “bury” plant little bit.

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#8

What about 6x6 cubes coming from Hydro to soil?