What is your prefer type of growing container?

[#1cheesebuds]

What is your prefer type of growing container?

Do you prefer plastic, fabric or what. I currently use a mix of plastic and also fabric pots And I have mixed feelings about both.

Your opinions needed.

 

[goingrey]

Plastic "self-watering" (rez at the bottom and a fill up tube to the top).

Not that I don't believe in the benefits of a more breathable container like fabric or terracotta but it just makes life so much easier. Less frequent watering for one and when you do water it's quick and easy - just fill up the rez (if you want to, nothing stopping you from watering less more often, even from the top). And you can follow the waterline to see how the plant is drinking, less guesswork or weighing.

No air pruning but you will get roots growing into the rez.

The initial investment is larger but you can use the plastic pots for years and years.

 

[RobFromTX]

What is your prefer type of growing container?

Do you prefer plastic, fabric or what. I currently use a mix of plastic and also fabric pots And I have mixed feelings about both.

Your opinions needed.

I prefer fabric pots. They're great for preventing root rot and overwatering

 

[Switcher56]

^^ what @RobFromTX said ^^ + they root prune to provide "fine feeder roots"

 

[Three Berries]

I use plastic with good drainage. 3.5 gal so at the end of flowering they need a lot of watering. I generally set them off the pan with a spacer but when they really get thirsty I let them suck up from the runoff.

Use to use 5 gallon and but had a lot of unused soil. 3.5 is the same diameter but shorter. Helps with the 6' tent.

Don't have any overwatering or root rot problems. Watering is every 3 days to twice day sometimes. Depends on where they are at in the cycle and the ambient conditions.

 

[Kimes]

9L = 2.4gal

 

[Creeperpark]

I have used plastic for 100 years and still do today. The main reason is because of what happens to water potential when water pressure increases? Every time I water a plant, the pot becomes very heavy from the water pressure boundary from the plastic. That heavy water weight puts pressure on the roots forcing osmosis. The more the pressure from the water weight the more pressure to push the liquid to the top of the plants.

The problem with plastic pots is that it's easy to overwater or let the plants get too dry.

When the number of solutes increases, osmotic potential decreases, and total water potential decreases. When the pressure increases, water potential increases. Both of these can be used to decrease water potential in specific areas, forcing the movement of high potential water into various cells of the plants. Google

 

[Creeperpark]

Speaking of water potential, in late flowering, people like myself want to add more flowering nutrients to the soil to make bigger buds. However in late flowering when solutes increases, osmotic potential decreases. When osmotic potential decreases from lower EC mold will be less likely to appear because less water in the stems of the buds. Also, prolonged excess water weight pressure will also cause high potential water into various cells closing off the stomata transpiration causing mold. Less feed & water is best, in the end, using plastic..

 

[X15]

Plastic and fabric, both depending on needs. (in respect to healthy plants) Plastic for say #5s and down, must have ample drainage. Larger pots like 15 and up I like to use THICK fiber bags and now a days I like the liners some fabric brands have.

Creeper mention Osmotic Pressure and if You and your plants can get in a rhythm and you know how much your plants are taking up, then Man it’s off to the Races!
That’s a little harder to do as your pot sizes gets better though.

Exceptions to any of that would be due to plant health… if I want to try to save a sick one that say hasn’t been drinking much I’ll use a fabric pot to help get her running again.
Tip I learned way back from an old boss i had… He use to tell me consistency is everything but that alone won’t save you. Always keep some cards close to you and have a plan when things go astray.
So if I’m running #1 Plastics, I’m going to make sure I have some fabric 2 or 3s on hand in case something goes wrong… I can transplant them into a fabric to aid in bringing back to health.

Your soil blend could be more suited for one or the other, so that’s something that can be focused on a tuned.

Fungus Nat’s can become an issue with both but in slightly different ways. Just an example, Root bound in fabric can lead to a feeding opportunity. Esp healthy plants in THIN WALLED fabric pots, the roots will burrow into the fabric and surface in spots like the side walls.. But then we can battle with them in plastic if things get too wet and stay too wet.

Its a dance, how do you tango? Lol

Lately I have been pooping seeds and running my own clones so I’ve been using a mix, but Fabric 15 gals are my go to final home.