Why Doe
New Member
How stable is that tho? I'm thinking of maybe getting some cooling racks or making something myself
I think I'm done with Smart Pots
- Thread starter Blazer420
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- smart pots
upinsmoke365
Well-Known Member
Personally I kinda just water in circles from the middle out. Coco I am watering 1 1/2 quarts each day. If I wait 4 days takes about 3 quarts to get sufficient runoff. I am using a Rubbermaid tub to make my nutrient solution, and 1 quart mason jars. Simple paint replacement pans from Walmart for the runoff lol.
Why Doe
New Member
eloborate? You mean using those square paint things for a saucer? Asking because I'm looking for a way to keep my pots elevated.
upinsmoke365
Well-Known Member
General idea. There just replacement paint trays.
Why Doe
New Member
What kind of rack is that?
Why Doe
New Member
I'm kind of shooting myself in the foot with these pots because I'm limited with vertical space as it is...
upinsmoke365
Well-Known Member
Well I went to my garbage room on my apt complex. Its the side of a baby crib. I sanitized it before putting it in though lol.
KevinL
Well-Known Member
I use smart pots as well, and I love them so far. I did however have to get my watering style dialed in just right. I just water slowly, and make holes in the soil. Haven't noticed too much uneven drying so far, but it has happened some. I have them elevated with drip trays underneath to keep the bottom out of the run off water. Works like a charm. Although this is my first time using them, so farm I think the pros out weigh the cons.
AKGrower907
New Member
to avoid making craters in the top layer of the soil, and uneven drying, i use a watering spout,like in the movies, it has the reservoir and then the spout with a lid with holes for even watering levels, it looks exactly like a tea kettle, works great and it doesnt give me holes in the soil i have to fix,id recommend getting one, theyre like 5 dollars at the local walmart stores, i recently started using my smart pots too for my auto blueberries, i currently am running 8 2 gallon airpots from superoots, they work just the same too but get more air to the soil for faster growth. in the smartpots i did have to pack the shit out of the soil so it wont become unstable and go all over the place and it works just fine too.id recommend smart pots over airpots any day. big difference
Natedog420grows
Well-Known Member
I actually got yellow leaf septoria fungus on my 1st indoor grow using smart pots. I am now on my 2nd in the same space with new pots and soil. Only recently was I advised that I needed to raise my pots up out of the run off and let air get under them. Suddenly I realized my soil was actually taking forever to dry out. I also raised my heat into the low 80's to hopefully speed things up. I have some small plastic cups under my plants now which raises them by roughly 2". I was also told to use some rock at the bottom of the pot and also to mix in extra perlite from now on when potting.
Jackalope
Well-Known Member
Personally I dropped the fabic pot after the first grow. The main thing for me was it took 2 hands to grab each pot. I have to move plants all the time to water everything. Plus there was the watering thing to add to my dislike of them.
Kind of weird though. I recently upgraded all my pots. I was amazed that there are more options for fabric pots then there is for plastic. With so many of them out there you know there are going to be some shitty knock offs. I am even now trying to switch back to pots that angled walls. This helps to keep everything fully watered. I have noticed straight walled pots have the same tendencies to run down the sides leaving dry spots.
As easy fix to water running down the sides is to till the soil on top with your fingers before watering. Making sure the soil on the sides of the pot doesn't have a straight shot to the bottom.
Kind of weird though. I recently upgraded all my pots. I was amazed that there are more options for fabric pots then there is for plastic. With so many of them out there you know there are going to be some shitty knock offs. I am even now trying to switch back to pots that angled walls. This helps to keep everything fully watered. I have noticed straight walled pots have the same tendencies to run down the sides leaving dry spots.
As easy fix to water running down the sides is to till the soil on top with your fingers before watering. Making sure the soil on the sides of the pot doesn't have a straight shot to the bottom.
Nunyabiz
Well-Known Member
No other type of pot even comes close to the root growth fabric pots create.
I would never grow in any other kind of pot.
They just need to be raised a couple inches on a grate for airflow under the pot.
I would never grow in any other kind of pot.
They just need to be raised a couple inches on a grate for airflow under the pot.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
I love smart pots, and in my experience they all work about equally well, from the big brand names down to the cheap bargain by the bunch no name knockoffs. I am growing in 3 of the knockoffs right now, and having one of the best grows I have ever had.
I can tell by the amount of water I can get my plants to take during bloom, that cloth smart pots are far superior than hard sided containers as far as the strength of the root ball that I can produce. In a hard sided container I can never seem to force the plants to start taking more water in a shortened wet/dry cycle like I can with a smart pot and I would estimate that during bloom I can get the plants to take 50% more water than I can in a hard sided container.
As far as runthrough goes, there are a few things you can do that can totally prevent runoff out of the sides or quick flow through to the bottom. Pack the soil a bit more around the edges as you build the container. Water more slowly. If you take a little more time watering, you can easily get the water to go straight down, and not out of the sides. Try soaking the top surface of the soil with just a small amount of water, and then walk away for a few minutes. When you come back, apply twice that amount, and let it soak in. From here on out you should be able to water fairly quickly, without it coming out of the sides. I also try not to pick up my containers by the handles (if you have them) and if soil does get moved away from a side, tilling some soil at the surface into that area will definitely help.
Nothing in life is free. If you want to get the better rootballs that are possible in a cloth smart container, it takes a little more work in the watering department. You get out of life what you give. I treat my watering sessions as a little bit of zen, and I take my time to enjoy it. I will never willingly finish out in a hard sided container again... I just don't get the same yield that is possible in a smart pot.
I can tell by the amount of water I can get my plants to take during bloom, that cloth smart pots are far superior than hard sided containers as far as the strength of the root ball that I can produce. In a hard sided container I can never seem to force the plants to start taking more water in a shortened wet/dry cycle like I can with a smart pot and I would estimate that during bloom I can get the plants to take 50% more water than I can in a hard sided container.
As far as runthrough goes, there are a few things you can do that can totally prevent runoff out of the sides or quick flow through to the bottom. Pack the soil a bit more around the edges as you build the container. Water more slowly. If you take a little more time watering, you can easily get the water to go straight down, and not out of the sides. Try soaking the top surface of the soil with just a small amount of water, and then walk away for a few minutes. When you come back, apply twice that amount, and let it soak in. From here on out you should be able to water fairly quickly, without it coming out of the sides. I also try not to pick up my containers by the handles (if you have them) and if soil does get moved away from a side, tilling some soil at the surface into that area will definitely help.
Nothing in life is free. If you want to get the better rootballs that are possible in a cloth smart container, it takes a little more work in the watering department. You get out of life what you give. I treat my watering sessions as a little bit of zen, and I take my time to enjoy it. I will never willingly finish out in a hard sided container again... I just don't get the same yield that is possible in a smart pot.
Natedog420grows
Well-Known Member
I learned this 1 grow too late but at least I know now why my soil has always taken so long to dry out!
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
Its all in your growing style... although I run smart pots, I don't use risers, and I let my smart pot sit right down in the drip tray, essentially making the bottom of the container a hard sided pot.
That is ok, because the roots at the very bottom are not taking advantage of the air pruning much anyway, they are feeder roots and are perfectly content to populate that bottom couple of inches of the container. The advantage that I have with this is that any runoff that I produce is quickly sucked back up into the container, and I can get just a little bit more water into them at each watering because of this, than I could with a riser system which would also force me to cart off that excess water.
If you look at my current grow, a real barn burner if I ever saw one, it can be seen that this practice is in no way stunting my grow or causing my containers to "dry out" any slower, since we all know that it is not the air permeability of a smart pot that makes the water go away, it is the strength of the root system and the plant's ability to transpirate that water. A riser system would just force me to lose another inch or two of valuable vertical space and I don't see the need for it in my tent.
That is ok, because the roots at the very bottom are not taking advantage of the air pruning much anyway, they are feeder roots and are perfectly content to populate that bottom couple of inches of the container. The advantage that I have with this is that any runoff that I produce is quickly sucked back up into the container, and I can get just a little bit more water into them at each watering because of this, than I could with a riser system which would also force me to cart off that excess water.
If you look at my current grow, a real barn burner if I ever saw one, it can be seen that this practice is in no way stunting my grow or causing my containers to "dry out" any slower, since we all know that it is not the air permeability of a smart pot that makes the water go away, it is the strength of the root system and the plant's ability to transpirate that water. A riser system would just force me to lose another inch or two of valuable vertical space and I don't see the need for it in my tent.
Bud
Well-Known Member
Ive been following along from the start and would like suggest milk crates
cut down for size (plastic) as a spacer they work great. They can also b stacked
to get closer to the lights. I’ve stacked 3 crates high to reach proper height
when plants were small. As they grow I remove crates or cut in half to adjust
distance from lights. MHO
cut down for size (plastic) as a spacer they work great. They can also b stacked
to get closer to the lights. I’ve stacked 3 crates high to reach proper height
when plants were small. As they grow I remove crates or cut in half to adjust
distance from lights. MHO
I use pop crates there about 4 in tall don't need to be cut down like make milk crates can be stacked one on top of the other to help even out the canopy. I also cut out a bit on the bottom so I can slide a pan under there to catch the runoff when I water.
AdaminCO
Well-Known Member
Here’s my answer.
This keeps the roots out of standing water, but also allows the water to soak (wick) back up the sides of the felt since the felt still sits in trays.
I also did some research on different types of clovers to help with watering. The yellow (sweet) clover has a deep rooting system, so I added them to my “Abandoned Ladies” grow, and definitely see an improvement with how much water stays within the pots. I’ll add them to every grow from here on out.
This keeps the roots out of standing water, but also allows the water to soak (wick) back up the sides of the felt since the felt still sits in trays.
I also did some research on different types of clovers to help with watering. The yellow (sweet) clover has a deep rooting system, so I added them to my “Abandoned Ladies” grow, and definitely see an improvement with how much water stays within the pots. I’ll add them to every grow from here on out.
SherlokOhmz
Well-Known Member
I have had good luck using fabric pots on milk crates. I converted a plastic pallet to work as a drain tray, its only 5 inches tall but will hold up to 40 gal of runoff. It saves me a lot of work, never have to worry about spills and drains easily with the shop vac.
Tennessee Tim
Well-Known Member
I started using fabric grow bags/smart pots 25 years or more, ago as a commercial landscaper/grower/mini farmer. Not perfect for every situation, but nearly! Careful observation is necessary with all methods to prevent problems from arising. I have never had a problem if I monitor my plants and water thoroughly only as needed! I use trays indoors to help retain moisture reservoir (not a constant waterlogged)in the bottom inch or so, no problems with fungal diseases, indeed better than plastic or clay pots for most grows. Having said that, plastic pots are used by me for some situations, usually not enough "air bags"! Just don't water so often that the bottom of the trayed bag stays water logged! If you start out with too dry a soil mix you are more likely to experience dry/hot pockets. water your potting mix and wait 'til it is uniformly damp before potting or making additions of soil mix. You can grow outstanding mj in either containers. My experience is over all better with "air bags" for growing pot! 
Daily watering may or may not be needed according to temps, humidity, size of the bags/pots or the plants, and what they are sitting on(soil, concrete, wood, plastic, tray/reservoir, etc. ) 3 to 7 gallon for autoplants and 15 gallon up(to 50 gallons personally used)for photo plants. 
Myself, it is great growing in bags or pots if you watch for crusting ,waterlogging, excessive drying out, all other things aside, it doesn't matter that much! Be mindful that a large pot/bag grows bigger photo plants, sometimes outgrowing a tents limits! Fabric pots are even more preferred for longer growing perennial plants to prevent encircling roots and I just cut the bags off easily at planting time(2-5 years later common)! Remember, Auto watering systems can be problematic in several ways if not monitored very closely for problems with all types of pots! most small growers would do better without them!
