Smart Pots

[highsteppa]

check out www.rootmaker.com

IMO these are the best of the the root pruning containers. Some use air the others only allow feeder roots throught the container.

 

[Dignan]

Can someone tell a dummy (me) what the advantage is to "air pruning" roots? Does it make the roots turn around and go back into the center of the soil mass?

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Can someone tell a dummy (me) what the advantage is to "air pruning" roots? Does it make the roots turn around and go back into the center of the soil mass?

Dignan

Sort of. When the roots hit the edge, rather than turn down and begin their usual spin around and around the bottom of the pot, the root stops and then sends out lateral feeder roots and so your analogy is spot on, i.e. the center of the soil mass is completely enmeshed in the plant's root ball.

Using some of the compost teas to maximize the plant's uptake of nutrients, combined with solid organic growing methods, the results are well worth the effort.

One of the local grow stores can barely keep them in stock. Especially the #5 and the #7 sizes.

HTH

 

[Clackamas Coot]

check out www.rootmaker.com

IMO these are the best of the the root pruning containers. Some use air the others only allow feeder roots throught the container.

HighSteppa

I went to their web site and looked at several products. Which one are you referring to?

One of their certified growers (whatever that means) is a fellow member of one of the state arbor groups I belong to. I'm going to give him a call and see what his experience has been. I did go to his web site and there were some photos of his nursery and I could see that he was using any number of container types.

We grew heirloom apple trees for wholesale for several years and 'back then' we mostly used a burlap fabric that was used in the industry. Maintaining healthy roots was a constant issue and root-bound trees were the norm and not the exception creating growth delays when planted at destination.

These auto-prune products are far better for growing large shrubs & trees and I would assume smaller plants but at some point if you're not growing rather exotic plants for specialized markets, the cost per plant of the container probably makes them prohibitive at the wholesale nursery level.

For small gardens it may be the price per container has to be weighed against possible increases in yields as well as overall plant growth/health. But collective purchases from the manufacturers/distributors can keep those differences to a point where it is just another factor.

HTH

 

[sunnydog]

Ok, I've made two air root pruning pot prototypes

I've used weed barrier cloth and thread - that's all.

Weed barrier cloth won't rot and it easily lets air and water through - just like the other products we've talked about so far. And it runs through a sewing machine like a charm.

Both the weed barrier and the thread is synthetic - so no rotting pots around the corner, don't worry

I've made a square pot - 14x14cm and 20cm high. It holds ~4 liters.
I used a good layer of lava rock in the bottom.


I transplanted my VERY rootbound/circled Oldtimers Haze X Sweet Tooth #3 into it right away.


Also made a small round 9cm diameter, 20cm high pot for sogging.


Please ask if you wonna know something...


Well, gave my newly transplanted plant a good watering and had no spilling at all. The pot sides do get wet, but no water pouring through. You just need to wait for the soil to absorb the water properly.

The Superoots Air Pots seem perfect in this matter, as they can actually be dunk-watered with good results.

Very Cool.
Which way did you orient the weed block?
I think on way passes water,one way will not?

 

[swampdank]

the air pot folks have a good pitch a must say. now we need some ICmag folks to substantiate the claim. can anybody please tell me the cost of these things vs grow bags? i like the idea but if they cost a shit load it wont be worth it to me.

 

[Suby]

I'm interested, they make a bold but feasable claim.

JRW dude huge props for doing yar DIY thing, much respect

S

 

[Dignan]

Sounds great. But why do the roots, when they meet air, completely stop rather than turning down and heading for moist soil?

I'm definitely interested.

 

[ixnay007]

Sounds great. But why do the roots, when they meet air, completely stop rather than turning down and heading for moist soil?

I'm definitely interested.

If you read the superoots site, they say the air dries the root tip out, killing it, and then the roots do the same thing as the growing plant when it's topped, lots of lateral growth.

They also say the corrugated edge prevents the roots from deviating, as they would with a flat surface (I guess similar to the roots finding a rock, they just go around).

Seems fairly logical to me, but I'm not anything more than an amateur in horticulture..

 

[ixnay007]

Awsome! Please do

Unfortunately, they only sell them in packs of 50..

I'm going to see if there's anywhere that might sell smaller numbers.

 

[Guest]

Couldn't you just use a fiber pot instead?

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Sounds great. But why do the roots, when they meet air, completely stop rather than turning down and heading for moist soil?

I'm definitely interested.

Dignan

I haven't used the 'Air-Pot' product but I have used the Smart Pots which are made of a fabric. To me it looks like some of the liners that they use for pick-up trucks.

It does not hold water well at all. After a harvest it's a good idea to take the empty pots to a laundromat and put them into the wash cycle with a couple of tablespoons of OxyClean and select for 'Extra Rinse' if that's an option.

When the pots are finished washing & rinsing and you remove them from the washer you could not squeeze out even a tablespoon of water. This fabric also allows for a great amount of air movement in and out of the soil/root structure meaning lower temperatures. I keep ground-level fans to help accomplish this as well as fans hitting the leaves.

As far as how they actually work - that I don't know. When you remove the plant's root ball from the container you will not see any roots on the sides or on the bottom - it's really strange compared to traditional nursery containers. It just looks like a ball of soil and until you remove about 1" of soil from the sides you won't see any root hairs.

HTH

 

[C21H30O2]

Dignan

I haven't used the 'Air-Pot' product but I have used the Smart Pots which are made of a fabric. To me it looks like some of the liners that they use for pick-up trucks.

It does not hold water well at all. After a harvest it's a good idea to take the empty pots to a laundromat and put them into the wash cycle with a couple of tablespoons of OxyClean and select for 'Extra Rinse' if that's an option.

When the pots are finished washing & rinsing and you remove them from the washer you could not squeeze out even a tablespoon of water. This fabric also allows for a great amount of air movement in and out of the soil/root structure meaning lower temperatures. I keep ground-level fans to help accomplish this as well as fans hitting the leaves.

As far as how they actually work - that I don't know. When you remove the plant's root ball from the container you will not see any roots on the sides or on the bottom - it's really strange compared to traditional nursery containers. It just looks like a ball of soil and until you remove about 1" of soil from the sides you won't see any root hairs.

HTH

how is plant size, health yield compared to regular pots in your opinion?

 

[Clackamas Coot]

how is plant size, health yield compared to regular pots in your opinion?

C21H3002

No comparison at all. Commercial nurseries (some at least) in the valley here are switching to a number of 'auto pruning' pots because according to them they can achieve plant size increases of up to 40% because you're maximizing the amount of root mass.

Couple these pots with BurnOne's soil mixture along with compost teas to facilitate root growth and nutrient uptake and you have a very good growing system.

I pay $6.95 for a #5 SmartPot if I go to one of the 2 grow stores which carry this brand. If I buy them through one of the MMJ purchasing co-ops in this state then the price is $4.00 each. That's not all that much more than traditional plastic containers.

Another consideration on these types of pots is that you don't have a plastic surface that could allow for fungus & bacteria types that you don't want. When you completely saturate these pots (the SmartPots at least) the entire sides and bottom of the pot will show water/teas being pushed out at all angles. Great for flushing out your soil.

I will be trying the Air-Pot brand. I located a couple of used pots from a neighbor who switched to larger models from this manufacturer. He's growing heirloom pear & paw-paw trees (Why not, eh?) and he told me that he would never look back.

He originally started with the cloth type of auto-pruning bags but switched to the Air-Pot product because of the added support it provides the trees during shipping & planting by the receiver. Much healthier trees with these pots according to him. He's been growing nursery stock for over 30 years and isn't one to jump from one thing to the newest, brightest thing unless it works and works well enough to justify the added costs involved.

HTH

CC

 

[Dignan]

Cool stuff. Thank you.

dig

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Cool stuff. Thank you.

dig

Dignan

If you want to try out one of the SmartPots and are having trouble locating them in your area you can get them here at American Agriculture up in Portland.

They used to be called 'Halide of Oregon' back in 1983 when they first opened and changed their name about 10 years ago. They're just another goofy 'grow store' but they do carry these products at a fair price.

I'm certainly not recommending this store over another source you may find but it is a source for comparison if nothing else.

HTH

CC

 

[MoleMcHenry]

I did a little searching around for the smart pots and found this a site that has all of them for pretty reasonable prices. I found 25 1-gallon pots for $22.50! For people doing a sog, this would be perfect.
http://www.hort-enterprises.com/pricelist.htm#SmartPots

Also, this web site gives the dimensions of all the pots, for people like me who grow in small spaces.

 

[Cali smoke]

I ordered some 5 gallon ones, gonna use coco and plant these snowdogs and og kush (sfv) beans in them, we'll see how it goes.

 

[Suby]

After checking all these out I think I like the Airpots the best, just a guess but I like that you can take them apart and that they are plastic and not cloth.

Now all I need is a place to buy them in the right quantity say 10 x 2gallon and 10 x 5 gallon.

I`m seing coco written all over these pots but with the added aeration it might put soil up there with the coco in terms of aeration.

Suby

 

[jrw]

I can already now say that the cloth is a definate drawback.

They're so damn unstable.

I have ordered a lot of regular plastic containers in 1,4 liters and have the similar sized home made cloth pots ready. Side-by-side coming up.

All I need is to decide the strain and wait for space to free up in the cabinet

10x10x17cm

vs


Ø9 x 20cm

Suby, then you get the airpot and compaire that vs regular.

We'll have answers in no time.