DIY Smart Pots Tutorial

2 Legal Co · Aug 25, 2013

If you are going to do a bunch of pots.....

I use a Singer 3115.... It's an old Taylor's Machine from back in the WPA era.

Just an all metal Blackhead, with 1/2 hp motor, and a clutch. REAL simple machine, doesn't do anything but straight stitch and straight forward... no reverse even. And parts are still available.... if you ever need them.

Any of the old Blackhead singers last forever, because there is no plastic in them. Even an old Domestic machine, with the little motor and a foot pedal will do the job..... just a lot slower. The 3115 sews at up to 1640? Stitches per minute (watch your fingers).

Excellant DIY.
thx

By the way,,, the reusable grocery bags work well in that standard size. They seem to be made of a spun poly fabric. Waly bags are $.50 each... about the only thing I buy from them....For bags about the size/volume as a Homer bucket, they are hard to beat.

I made some canvas bags from some 'Cotton Duck' rems I had, but the canvas rotted out toward the bottoms before one run was done.... FYI.

I used both kinds on a bed of Perlite, as a water wicking system.

PARADOX · Sep 7, 2013

I doubt you could sew faster then i can lay a bead of glue down and press the two layers together. But im deff going with the sewing route regardless.. Looking into my options for thread right now.

big up!

Pangea said:
If sewing one should use the best synthetic thread possible. Natural threads will break down quickly.

I use gutermann upholstery thread.

I would also recommend the 8oz over the 6oz, though the 6 will work just fine.

Cheap new sewing machines can be had for $100-$200 bucks, and will work good.

I bet I can sew faster than one could glue, and anyone can learn within an hour how to sew as well, its very simple.

Rolls of 15' x 300' of Geotex can be had for around $500 - $600 bucks.

A 6'x2.5' piece of fabric will equate to a 30gal container as one takes into account the inside folded corners reducing the side height.

4500sqft per roll, would yield 300 - 30gal containers, for a savings of over $4000 vs smart pots.

or

3.5sqft of fabric per 5 gallon container will yield 1280 -1285 containers per roll, which is a savings of over $9000 vs buying smart pots.

2 Legal Co · Sep 7, 2013

For those following this. I used the reusable grocery bags as well this summer. .... Not the real deal in the GH. It seems they don't like the UV in the sun!

i ended up with the top ring and handles coming off rather easily after the harvest. Good News however, they held up well while in place. They may be just fine under the lights indoor however.

Just FYI

My one female (out of 4), is gaining weight and is now roughly 5' tall. Jilly Beans, and is smelling really good. One plant in the shed/GH is probably a good thing,,, maybe two, or three small girls? lol

great brozini · Sep 8, 2013

^^ Appreciate the update, and most definitely the OP! Thanks

PARADOX · Apr 4, 2014

Thought i would give this a BUMP..

2014 OUTDOOR is here

Have fun everyone!

Primalraindrop · Apr 4, 2014

tagged

Rolldaddy · Apr 4, 2014

Helpful tutorial. Good thread

CANNABEST · Apr 4, 2014

Thanks for sharing!

I'm Flounder · Apr 5, 2014

That's really awesome you are showing a diy smart pot, frankly I've built them myself and its not worth the time running to the hardware store to do any kind of reasonable sized grow. Buy em, fill em, plant.

PARADOX · Apr 5, 2014

It's worth the time when the nearest grow store is over an hour away. DIY FTW

Team Microbe · Apr 6, 2014

bump!

locoezon · Apr 6, 2014

Thank u very much..
I'm gonna make some smart pots for the autoflowerings plants!

Team Microbe · Apr 17, 2014

This thread is awesome for budget growers. I'd like to share my version with everyone:

45 gallon fabric pot

This is a bottomless fabric pot made of chicken wire and landscape fabric. I simply measured out 7' of wire and rolled it up, mending it together with some pliers. Then I draped the cloth over the inside and outside of the wire, zip tying it to the wire.

I use these in the swamps and on dry land. The swamp tubes are the same style but skinnier and taller, relying on a wicking action to get water to the plants. I'll secure the tubes to the base of the swamp with a green fencing post, tying them off to it to prevent from tipping over. I then use the same post to tie my plants off to mid-season. It's a great 2 for 1.

On dry land I just break up the earth beneath the pot, and fill in soil on top of that. After the roots out grow the 45 gal (which they will) they will easily be able to penetrate the earth without having to break through any thick sod. Hope this helps some of you with more ideas of how to do this, cheers :tiphat:

Mikenite69 · Apr 17, 2014

Awesome thread and a great way to save a whole lot of money. Thanks for this!

Bleiweis · Apr 22, 2014

Why does it have to be 6-8oz fabric? Can it be ligher?
I can currently get only 100g (3,5oz.) felt...would that work?

2 Legal Co · Apr 22, 2014

Bleiweis said:
Why does it have to be 6-8oz fabric? Can it be ligher?
I can currently get only 100g (3,5oz.) felt...would that work?

There are a couple of variables involved, making it difficult to say yea or nay.

Weight of the soil/growing medium.
How long will you expect to leave them in place?
How often will you need to move them?
Will the 'walls' be supported by wire?

Perhaps you could just double or triple, the material?
I've tried cotton duck/canvas (works good till it rots out lol), spun fabric, reusable grocery bags (they work well until the sun/UV rots them).

For a more permanent arrangement fabric supported by wire mesh seems attractive, but would need a 'base' IF you'll need/want to move them, I expect.

I see one contributor on IC has started to use metal 'stock tanks'. I'm thinking that they will present their own challenges however (headroom and portability?).

I've gone back to standard 'nursery pots', for most applications. But then I have not gone to 'living' organics either......

Truth be known... you might even have success with small opening 'hardware cloth', might not even need fabric at all? Or maybe one layer of the lightweight stuff you have available? Just thinking out loud. lol

Bleiweis · Apr 22, 2014

Well im going to keep them in my greenhouse...so not much moving involved i guess. By coincidence i found one provider that has both 200g (6,5oz) and 300g (9,5oz) geofabric for cheap. Those would be a better option i guess? The heavier the better? 200g vs 300g...any thoughts on that?
I didn't plan to support the walls-but would consider it if would be better for the overall result. I would basicly just have to make a frame so the shape of the pot would be firm? I could do that with wood also i guess?
Did you see a big difference when u went back to nursery pots? 5gallon smartpot vs. 5gallon regular pot...big difference in yield and other things?
I plan to veg. my plants in 7gallon (smart)pots for about 2months (they are currently in starter cups).

2 Legal Co · Apr 22, 2014

Bleiweis

Continuation of above.

You might even use plastic 'screenwire' with no fabric? I read somewhere here of someone using 1/2" welded wire 'hardware cloth', to line their 'grow holes', to keep the moles/rodents, away from their roots.

Spending too much time here can cause confusion and consternation! lol And much experimentation as well. 'stoner thinking' this a.m.

2 Legal Co · Apr 22, 2014

Bleiweis said:
Well im going to keep them in my greenhouse...so not much moving involved i guess. By coincidence i found one provider that has both 200g (6,5oz) and 300g (9,5oz) geofabric for cheap. Those would be a better option i guess? The heavier the better? 200g vs 300g...any thoughts on that?
I didn't plan to support the walls-but would consider it if would be better for the overall result. I would basicly just have to make a frame so the shape of the pot would be firm? I could do that with wood also i guess?
Did you see a big difference when u went back to nursery pots? 5gallon smartpot vs. 5gallon regular pot...big difference in yield and other things?
I plan to veg. my plants in 7gallon (smart)pots for about 2months (they are currently in starter cups).

You probably want something that's UV resistant.
As far as fabric weight, see variables above.
Wood frame? Why not as long as it's just a frame I suppose.
I haven't noticed much in the way of harvest changes.

Did one run with DWC buckets..... same difference, but shortened the finishing time by 2 weeks.

If your numbers are set I'd up-pot directly to final size....less chance of root damage etc...

PARADOX · May 17, 2014

Just made twenty 30 gallon pots so I can start plants and move them around a bit before being transplanted into the final resting spot mid summer. Pretty stoked for this year

DIY Smart Pots Tutorial

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