Should I Choose A Round Or Square Pot For My Plants?

I bought both and love the square pots, too bad they don't make them in 30 gallon although I did see a 30gal camoflagued grow bag today that was like $2 a solid investment for the Spring.
 
I don't think it makes a difference. Round can be beneficial in groups of 3. Square more beneficial in groups of 4. My rule of thumb is 250W per 3 plants so depending on your setup, round may be better.

Example...
IMG00291-20100812-2245.jpg


If I had 3 or 4 square ones, I'd need a bigger light source for this setup.

Square is better for inline lighting. Example...
IMG00090-20100627-0330.jpg


Now obviously no optimized in this case but you can see the soil difference to space required ratio in this photo.
 
I asked myself the same question, square or round? I am doing my first grow and I decided that square would be better because they can be pushed together and leave no spaces in between the pots like the round ones do. It only works when in early veg when trying to keep everything close under the light, as soon as they grow a little you have to spread them out and the pots aren't close anyway.

I have made an observation though, and I am wondering if it is unique to my grow or has anyone else observed this. I am growing 12 plants, two different strains. I did not buy pots as I have saved 5 gal buckets in anticipation of this grow. As I said I am growing 12 plants but I only had 10 square pots. I planted 5 of each strain in the square pots and 1 of each strain in round pots. The square pots have out performed the round pots by leaps and bounds! The round pots are actually standard nursery grow pots and they are black. The square pots (buckets) are all white except one, it is red.

The difference between the 10 plants, and the 2 plants, is remarkable. The 10 are very lush, very dark green, all the same height, and the trunks are as big around as my thumb. The 2 plants are somewhat stringy, they are very pale in color, they have half as many leaves, the trunks are half the size of the other 10, and they are both stretching about 3-4 inches taller than the rest. They have all been cared for exactly the same. Same lighting, same water, same temperature, same nutes, same everything!

If this had happened with just one strain, I would have thought that I just had some bad seed. The fact that it is the same with two strains does cause me to think that there may be a difference due to pot shape or maybe color. I am thinking that maybe the black pots absorb more light heat and it affects the roots, or perhaps the corners in the buckets cause the roots to grow in a different configuration? Or, maybe I just had two bad seeds from two strains and just happened to put the two bad seeds in the round pots.

Any thoughts???
 
Probably due to color. I had my first grow in round and square if you check the thread, but the white buckets will definitely hurt root growth! :goodluck:
 
Probably due to color. I had my first grow in round and square if you check the thread, but the white buckets will definitely hurt root growth! :goodluck:


Yes, white pots don't protect the roots from the outside light and that will ruin them before they get a chance to really get started.

I don't know if round pots or square pots make any difference to the grow. I think it just depends on how many you're trying to fit in a space. After all, you want to use up all of your space, so you will want to use the square pots in that respect.

But I usually grow in round pots - personal preference, I guess.
 
black plastic is best for growing either round or square. if you paint them use the Krylon "fusion" paint as the paint fuses to the plastic and won't peel off later.
 
bleach would probably work but you might want to spend some $$ on an organic cleanser just to be on the safe side. Bleach might leach into the plastic...I don't know that it will for sure, just being safe
 
Color of the pot/bucket is important as you need to chose a color that keeps light away from the root structure. Krylon makes a paint called "Fusion" that bonds with the plastic. Black is usually the color of choice.
 
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