Pot size and shape?

[Butte_Creek]

I agree with going into a large pot off the bat, and never having to worry about root bound. Indoors I'll go from red cup to 3gal smart pot(or 5gal if doing less plants).

I think it's not that using airpots/smart pots avoids plants from becoming rootbound, but that they avoid an unhealthy growing root ball that results from plants being in a plastic pot too long and spiraling etc in the bottom, as well as sustains a healthy root ball longer(in the case of mothers). Strain hunter is right that starting in the right size plastic pot will avoid a plant from becoming root bound, and probably result in not much of a difference between fabric or plastic. I do think that smart pots allow more oxygen into the medium, but if you know how to water correctly you shouldn't really have an issue with insufficient dissolved oxygen in your medium. Although maybe smart pots are a little more beneficial because they allow more oxygen to enter the medium when watering..?

I don't think either pot is better per se, as long as the grower knows how to correctly run his grow.

 

[vorzh]

Smart pots outside, plastic inside, IMO.

Outside in 100gal smarties, even if roots start to outgrow the pot they at least will come out the bottome and into whatever ground they're sittin on instead of spiralin up. Also, I love that you can water the smart pots straight from the sides through the fabric, makes even watering easier.

Never used true air pots, although getting intrigued by them lately..

 

[IwannatokeNbone]

give me more medium and u can keep all your fancy pots, more dirt, more life, more nutes more space to grow as the plant wants, having to water a plant 2-3 times as much so it can grow in a smaller container of which ill need to nute more isnt thrilling to me. if root pruning was so special fools would be picking up there near root bound plants n trimming the roots, some do but it certainly doestn domiante any threads, its a good idea i suppose when near rootbound though, im just not paying money for pots to do it, lift n clip or big pots for me.

 

[flat3ric]

Dunno, have you tried smart pots? They aren't expensive and are reusable. They have all the same 5-15 gallon standards. I think they do great things for the roots.

 

[Bob-Hope]

@SH i totally agree, but space at the time meant 3ltr Ap was the most practical, the issue of rootbound pots was solved by running drippers 3 times a day in a recirc system, but like you stated,was more of a fix to the problem,rather than addressing what had caused the issue in the first place.

Again your correct, the potting up was time consuming, and i have recently found to have been unnecessary, im just about to go from clone pots, to the pot the plant will finish in and im a little more optimistic after your advice, so thanks for that and ill let you no how it goes.

BoB.

oh and iwannatokenbone stf up. Your so full of shit its funny, go put builders sand in your coco theres a good chap.

 

[thing]

Damn, you guys all make very good points. To sum it up, the plastic pots seem easier for larger grows, the smart pots seem good for big plants and moms, and the air pots seem to produce really exceptionally nice root structure.

Fuck. Maybe I'll just use 18oz cups (with the dome, oh yea)to germinate/root clones, air pots to veg, and smart pots to flower. how does that sound? I can't decide.

 

[vorzh]

K.I.S.S

 

[thing]

Haha you tryin' to jinx me?

 

[Butte_Creek]

Choose one pot and stick to it. That three pot system sounds ridiculous and a little waste of time. Mainly because Smart pots and air pots are going to produce the same roots, they both air prune, no point in using both kinds at different times. I do like putting freshly rooted clones in red cups, and then I'll go into smart pot that is final size, but the only reason I do red cups is because they're easy to transplant out of and won't damage the fresh delicate roots. You could put freshly rooted clone into final pot size of any type t oo, skip the red cup. But I take lots of cuttings and it's easier to manage in those little cups.

 

[Strainhunter]

Choose one pot and stick to it.

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I do like putting freshly rooted clones in red cups, and then I'll go into smart pot that is final size, but the only reason I do red cups is because they're easy to transplant out of and won't damage the fresh delicate roots.
.........
But I take lots of cuttings and it's easier to manage in those little cups.

Sounds like you and I must have met in a previous life!

Here, I took a pic for you!

 

[L-Immortal]

Airpots for the win why? Well why use regular pots when you could just use grow bags same thing,cheaper and thow away when done so no clean up.

Air pot vs smart pot is the real question. What I say is it comes down to clean up. If you have a small 1-5k grow you could argue either ftw. If you are doing a 5 -50k I would say airpots.

Cleanup Cleanup Cleanup yeah you can break down airpots and be back up in a fair amount of time. With smart pots you have to machine wash and I aint putting all those thru the washer so they LOSE. Plus I like RIGID pots and smart pots are anything but...

Also sky is the limit with airpots, SAVE MONEY!!!! yeah I have seen grow ops with .8g airpots with coco and the plants are yielding 1.75-2.10 lbs per light. AND these are kush and cheese strains that are known as lower yielders. It really is up to you to try em all and find your nitch. Airpots hands down, spend the cash and buy the Ferrari, dont settle for the hyundai "aka" plastic pots

 

[Strainhunter]

.....

Airpots hands down, spend the cash and buy the Ferrari, dont settle for the hyundai "aka" plastic pots

For OUTdoor use - sure.

Indoor? Waste of $.

 

[Butte_Creek]

Hah nice strain hunter, that's a lot of clones!

Must spread rep...


But maybe the Hyundai gets better gas efficiency...

Lol

 

[Strainhunter]

........


But maybe the Hyundai gets better gas efficiency...

Lol

Dunno man...we got only (electric) Golf Carts here.

 

[supermanlives]

grow bags