Root Pruning for Better Organic Results

[kingofqueen]

I have been reading about people growing organically getting yields as good as hydro by using root air pruning methods via air pruning pots.
Any one employing these methods yet ?

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

Yup, Airpots are amazing. One of the biggest innovations in the nursury biz in the last twenty years.

 

[jaykush]

check this thread out

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=86175

 

[grapeman]

I do all my vegging in air pots. The difference in the root structure is quite amazing.

From there, I just go to a standard pot with my flower soil and call it a day. I suppose if I wanted to grow plants over 4 feet, I would use air pots for flower also. But IMO, just the improved root structure going into flower makes a big difference.

I got 'em on sale some time back for $2.20 shipped. I use the smallest one for vegging. I veg about 16", more or less.

 

[kingofqueen]

Cool info ! And thats what I was thinking vegging in air pots then flower in regular pot.

 

[DocLeaf]

We are still waiting to test one! Had one in my hands a few months back,, but someone else took it to experiment with...

root pruning is normally employed when plants become root-bound,, so it will be interesting to see how these pots make split ends... and regulate root growth.

 

[VerdantGreen]

hmm ive always wanted to use these but my flowering pots have to be strong enough to get lifted about a lot and have a scrog screen screwed to them.

vegging in smart pots sounds like a good plan. my flower pots are big and the plants never get rootbound in them anyway - in fact i probably waste soil but plants that never get rootbound tend to stay happy so it's probably worth it.

VG

 

[NUG-JUG]

I do all my vegging in air pots. The difference in the root structure is quite amazing.

grapeman- This is a good idea. Since the roots are growing so much in veg you're getting your money's worth out of the pot. Then in flower you've got a nice root mass ready to go...

 

[guest2012y]

hmm ive always wanted to use these but my flowering pots have to be strong enough to get lifted about a lot and have a scrog screen screwed to them.

vegging in smart pots sounds like a good plan. my flower pots are big and the plants never get rootbound in them anyway - in fact i probably waste soil but plants that never get rootbound tend to stay happy so it's probably worth it.

VG

I tried a couple air pots once but they didn't hold up to the lifting and moving so well. The plants actually get more damage from moving around than being stuck in a plastic pot.
I'm going with the large plastic pots as well V. They get everything they need all through a cycle with zero problems,and since I'm recycling the soil I don't think it's much of a wasted space if some plants don't utilize all of what's in the pot.
With large gardens where moving plants around in confined spaces is a must,air pots don't cut it.
If I had a bigger space where I wasn't moving plants......there is an increased possibility for me to use them in that situation.

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

Aren't you guys talking about Smartpots (the bags) being hard to move? The Airpot I have is only about 3 quarts, but it's very stiff and durable. I move my plants constantly and I figured the Smartpots wouldn't handle that too well.
Here's what I'm calling an Airpot?

 

[DHF]

Yeah Mr GG.....There`ve been several companies copy the smart pots since they`re basically comprised of a certain type of landscape "erosion prevention" fabric......but....

The Airpots focus root pruning toward the holes in the hard plastic enclosure they`re made of , while the sp`s allow rootzone breathing/evaporation without compare through the entire makeup of said individual bag although they will require more juice for optimum yields IME ........

I tried a free sample of the airpots and they indeed did prune roots , but the smart pots allowed my rootzones to breathe constantly throughout the makeup of the container`s fabric compared to the trapping of moisture from the airpots and the time taken to get back to dry enough as the sp`s were at the same moment in time.........

Takes more feed with the fabric bags but they worked well for me........

Peace.....DHF.........

 

[kingofqueen]

I was hoping to here if anyone had tryed smartpots(fabric) versus airpots(rigid). How did it work GreenJeans?

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

Unfortunately, I haven't tried the fabric airpots, but I'm watching a local friend use them now. His bags seem to be doing ok, but I really like the smartpot. I messed up first time and used my normal mix with lots of rocks and sand, and it dried out too fast. Now, I use a water retaining mix with more coco and peat moss, and it (I think it's 3quarts) easily outyields my 1 gallon containers, maybe by double.

EDIT; Wow, I was smoking some serious! Reverse 'smart' and 'air' above.....

 

[DHF]

The fabric containers are smartpots..........The plastic containers are "airpots".........There are other copy`s of both , but ya`ll needta get tagether on what is what............

Peace.....DHF........

 

[kingofqueen]

Thats great to hear Greenjeans ! And useful info I was wandering if they would dry out faster.

 

[Stoned Crow]

EDIT; Wow, I was smoking some serious! Reverse 'smart' and 'air' above.....

Was the "serious" grown in smart pots or air pots?... SC

 

[grapeman]

I have tried both, smart and air pots. over several months I settled on wht I thought was the best bang for the bucks. I just use the smallest air pot for vegging. They move easily and hold up very well. The root structure that forms in the 3 to 4 weeks that they live in these pots are simular to an upside down tree, not spiraling whatsoever. Just a vastly improved root structure and a vastly improved root mass and size.

Smart pots were less impressive and presented the "moving" problem addressed above.

my 2 cents

 

[Zendo]

I've used smart pots, and 'root pots'. Root pots are just 'Roots Organics brand smart pots'. Neither ever posed an issue as far as moving plants goes, but the root pots are much sturdier, made out of a thicker material. They are also made from 100% recycled and are 100% biodegradable.

not quite sure about the "equals hydro yields" as I've never grown hydro.. My yields are fine though..

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

Heh, it was 'Chill Jill' actually Stoned Crow. CJ is a select F2 cut of Jack Herer X White Wizard, which is Greengene's remix of W.Widow. Chill Jill has a very pronounced amnesia effect, works especially strongly on the speech center of the brain so folks forget what they're talking about.

 

[guest2012y]

I have tried both, smart and air pots. over several months I settled on wht I thought was the best bang for the bucks. I just use the smallest air pot for vegging. They move easily and hold up very well. The root structure that forms in the 3 to 4 weeks that they live in these pots are simular to an upside down tree, not spiraling whatsoever. Just a vastly improved root structure and a vastly improved root mass and size.

Smart pots were less impressive and presented the "moving" problem addressed above.

my 2 cents

I guess I should have mentioned I've experimented with both. The Smart pots definitely took more damage than the air pots. I'm kind to my plants but I don't baby them.
Cool little deal as far as root development goes,but It just isn't really working for larger "chamber" gardening where shuffling 5 to 10 gallon pots around in a concentrated area every couple days for watering and plant maintenance is a factor.