Habitants85
420 Member
Looking at ordering the right size planter for an outdoor grow. I only want to transplant once so what would be an appropriate size? 15 gallon? 20 gallon or is that too big? Thanks.
Planter size?
- Thread starter Habitants85
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Pbass
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty new and I've never grown outside but pot size theory is pretty transferable from indoor I bet. I grow in 2g and 5g pots, I get more output from the 5g but not 3g worth!
How big do you want them to grow? Will you ever have to move them? I'd say get the 20's and fill them where you need to grow the size monster you want. Pretty sure bigger is better pertains to this situation, but logic doesn't always win with growing weed. Some big brain will be along soon to help I'm sure. If not we'll poke someone. CHeers mate, gl!
How big do you want them to grow? Will you ever have to move them? I'd say get the 20's and fill them where you need to grow the size monster you want. Pretty sure bigger is better pertains to this situation, but logic doesn't always win with growing weed. Some big brain will be along soon to help I'm sure. If not we'll poke someone. CHeers mate, gl!
BooMtoLate
Well-Known Member
I grew in 30 litre fabric pots last summer, they work great. Kinda heavy if you have to move them.
Vapeman420
Well-Known Member
Bigger the pot, more room for the roots to grow = bigger plants and bigger yields! Do you have any restrictions? If not, I would get the biggest pot you can and stick them in there!
-Vape
-Vape
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
As the others have said, the larger the container, the larger the potential size of your plant. Your idea of only having to transplant once however will affect your grow more than anything else.
I believe strongly in the advantages of successively uppotting and I know that I can not grow the roots that I am able to achieve, nor achieve the early rapidity of growth (approaching hydroponic speeds) that I get, if I didn't have the ability to strictly control the watering cycle of my young plants. Because I start in small containers and then successively move up in size as the roots develop into a solid rootball, I maintain total control over how much water my plants are able to use, and this is not something you will be able to do if you place a small plant with an underdeveloped root system into a container much to large for it.
I suggest starting in no larger than 1 gallon containers. Move from there into a 3 or 5 gallon, and once you have maxed out the rootball in that one, move up to a 15 or 20. This will give your plant a rapid start and make her worthy of sitting in 20 gallons of soil. She will reward you well for all this extra work and your fast start so that you can take full advantage of the short window of outdoor growing time. Or, you can just start your plant out in a large container and try your luck at getting the roots to fill that container. There are a few growers out there with the skills necessary to do this... most new growers will not. Do yourself a favor and don't be lazy... uppot several times until you get into your final container. There are good reasons that this has been the practice for so many years and you really should not buy into the hype that surrounds the autoperiod plants where fast talking marketers try to tell people how easy it is to grow an auto and how it is proper to start them in their final container. It might be good marketing to promote these plants in this way, but it is not good gardening practices to follow this advice.
I believe strongly in the advantages of successively uppotting and I know that I can not grow the roots that I am able to achieve, nor achieve the early rapidity of growth (approaching hydroponic speeds) that I get, if I didn't have the ability to strictly control the watering cycle of my young plants. Because I start in small containers and then successively move up in size as the roots develop into a solid rootball, I maintain total control over how much water my plants are able to use, and this is not something you will be able to do if you place a small plant with an underdeveloped root system into a container much to large for it.
I suggest starting in no larger than 1 gallon containers. Move from there into a 3 or 5 gallon, and once you have maxed out the rootball in that one, move up to a 15 or 20. This will give your plant a rapid start and make her worthy of sitting in 20 gallons of soil. She will reward you well for all this extra work and your fast start so that you can take full advantage of the short window of outdoor growing time. Or, you can just start your plant out in a large container and try your luck at getting the roots to fill that container. There are a few growers out there with the skills necessary to do this... most new growers will not. Do yourself a favor and don't be lazy... uppot several times until you get into your final container. There are good reasons that this has been the practice for so many years and you really should not buy into the hype that surrounds the autoperiod plants where fast talking marketers try to tell people how easy it is to grow an auto and how it is proper to start them in their final container. It might be good marketing to promote these plants in this way, but it is not good gardening practices to follow this advice.
Just as @Vapeman420 asks, do you have any restrictions? Two examples that come to mind right away being is there a fence or wall you can't have the plants grow taller than? Will you have to move the container with the plant in it (a 15 gallon pot with moist soil could weigh 100 lbs)?
It seems to be easier to control plant height in smaller pots. Moving a large container could be done but it sure is a pain.
If you are thinking that up-potting involves more money than you want to spend for more pots one thing to consider is that (in the US as an example) Spring is coming and eventually people will be planting trees and shrubs that come in pots of all sizes. They end up on the curb come trash day. I have picked up black plastic 15 and 30 gallon pots this way. Stacks and stacks of 2 gallon and larger pots, so many that even a scrounger like me has to pass on them.
It seems to be easier to control plant height in smaller pots. Moving a large container could be done but it sure is a pain.
If you are thinking that up-potting involves more money than you want to spend for more pots one thing to consider is that (in the US as an example) Spring is coming and eventually people will be planting trees and shrubs that come in pots of all sizes. They end up on the curb come trash day. I have picked up black plastic 15 and 30 gallon pots this way. Stacks and stacks of 2 gallon and larger pots, so many that even a scrounger like me has to pass on them.
Pbass
Well-Known Member
Kodiak420
Well-Known Member
Hi @Emilya ,
Is there a "recommended" way to progress, for example I want to end up om 45 gallon fabric pots. Should I up-pot by 5 gallons each time, example seeding in cup, then to 1 gallon once roots develop, to 5 gallon then 10 gallon.... Or is that a little excessive? Outdoor grow, short season in Canada.
Appreciate your advice.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
3-5x the size with each step... there are no real rules though, just make sure to build the rootball at each step before hurrying to the next. Just do what logically makes sense to you with what you can get hold of.Hi @Emilya ,
Is there a "recommended" way to progress, for example I want to end up om 45 gallon fabric pots. Should I up-pot by 5 gallons each time, example seeding in cup, then to 1 gallon once roots develop, to 5 gallon then 10 gallon.... Or is that a little excessive? Outdoor grow, short season in Canada.
Appreciate your advice.
Hplar
Well-Known Member
I grow out side..I cut 55 gallon plastic barrels in half..I dont have to move mine so I get really nice plants..I'm in the maritimes and our grow season is short..but if your wanting to be able to move your plants if need be I'd go with garbage cans with handles....remember the bigger the pot the happier you will be at harvest timeHi @Emilya ,
Is there a "recommended" way to progress, for example I want to end up om 45 gallon fabric pots. Should I up-pot by 5 gallons each time, example seeding in cup, then to 1 gallon once roots develop, to 5 gallon then 10 gallon.... Or is that a little excessive? Outdoor grow, short season in Canada.
Appreciate your advice.
Got you !! wow - bet you get very good yields to say the least
Kodiak420
Well-Known Member
No mine wont move, 3 x 45 gallons, 5 x 30 gallons. And yes bigger pot means bigger plant. But if the plant is struggling to utilize the complete pot, you will have a reduction in growth for a time. And we need all the time we can get.
I've guerrilla grown outside for 25 years, and up-potting was not an option.
Nowadays no need to guerrilla grow, so back yard it is.
I was asking mostly for best experiences @Emilya , because her grows are what I aspire to.
As I am not super familiar with pot/fabric pot growing I figured I would ask.
Hplar
Well-Known Member
I grow out side..I cut 55 gallon plastic barrels in half..I dont have to move mine so I get really nice plants..I'm in the maritimes and our grow season is short..but if your wanting to be able to move your plants if need be I'd go with garbage cans with handles....remember the bigger the pot the happier you will be at harvest timeHi @Emilya ,
Is there a "recommended" way to progress, for example I want to end up om 45 gallon fabric pots. Should I up-pot by 5 gallons each time, example seeding in cup, then to 1 gallon once roots develop, to 5 gallon then 10 gallon.... Or is that a little excessive? Outdoor grow, short season in Canada.
Appreciate your advice.
Hplar
Well-Known Member
Last year was over a pound per plant
Kodiak420
Well-Known Member
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
keep in mind too that it is getting to be a two person job when you start trying to set a 10g rootball down inside a very large container. Don't go bigger than you want to handle... with a little extra vegging and smart watering you can get them to fill in.
Hplar
Well-Known Member
Once..I start with 2 gallon pots then into their summer home
Last year I grew plants in 3 gallon, 10 gallon, and a 25 gallon. Each size up and the plant has more room to grow. I struggled in the small space with those larger pots. This year, I have decided on 5 & 7 gallon pots for my limited greenhouse space. I will utilizing 10, 15, and 20 gallon for the ones outside in my main garden area where I have more space. I will be controlling size with training. I don't want monster plants honestly.
I have seen pictures of large plants in not very big fabric pots, set on good garden soil so that
the roots could grow through the bottom of pot.
the roots could grow through the bottom of pot.
