any AIR POT or smart pot users out there?

GhettoGospel · Nov 7, 2011

Hi guys thanks for stopping by!

I'm considering getting some air pots or smart pots but one big question is bothering me..

I have looked around for the answer but cannot find...

I plan to flower in 2 gallon pots

Will i need to transplant?

If the roots growth gets "pushed" back inwards, this means i can start and finish in the 2 gallon pots? and have a very nice root ball for flower?

I'm bothered because i see some growers transplanting using airpots... starting from a small size then moving up to a larger size

does it make sense to plant into one big pot?

thanks for taking a look, i hope someone out there has the answers!! :wave:

Headbandf1 · Nov 7, 2011

Its just preference, I don't use an airpot until its a keeper.

But the Airpots dont turn the roots around the roots get air trimmed and branch out just like the top structure does. Both smart pots and airpots are different ways to get more air to the root zone.

It will be just fine planting in 2 gallon and taking thru to flower unless you're planning to grow trees

megayields · Nov 7, 2011

I used exclusivly 2 gallon smartpots in a 3 level vertical stadium, I LOVE them, I average 4-5 lbs every 70 days, works fine for me, in fact Im going to 100 gallon ones for next years outdoor crop.

Good luck!

GhettoGospel · Nov 8, 2011

Headbandf1 thanks for that knowledgeable post

megayields are your root balls nice and compact after harvest? thanks if you read this

RandyCalifornia · Nov 8, 2011

I use 5 gallon smart pots and go right from 3" into the 5's with great success all the way through.

megayields · Nov 8, 2011

my rootballs go right to the edge of the SP where they are "air pruned" ( a key feature of SP's), they dont just go to the edge of a plastic bucket and just go around the edges, the root mass is more distributed and larger to have better uptake of nutrients and water, these are the reason I use them.

Good luck GG!

Roof Berry · Nov 8, 2011

you can keep it in the 2 throughout if you want and it will do great. I prefer less plants with bigger pots, so whether i have it in a regular 2, or a smart 2, I will eventually put them in a smart 5

Bunz · Nov 8, 2011

Lets not forget that the smart pots also allow the plant to "breathe" thru the root zone. Oxygen in the root zone is a good thing!!!!

Bunz

lemonskunk420 · Nov 8, 2011

I use 1gal plastic bags until roots show threw the holes at the bottom.Then they go into 3gallon smart pot for the rest of veg until roots start growing out the bottom.Then they get fliped.I'll always use them from here on out,way better then plastic IMHO

growinthehills · Nov 8, 2011

I used to go from 4" pots or dixie cup straight to 3 gal smart pots with good results and super dense rootballs

Darkstarlive · Nov 8, 2011

I'm a long time smart pot user and I start my seeds in 4" square pots, then two weeks after germination I transplant to 1Gal smart pots until sexing and then transplant into 7Gal smart pots for flowering. I grow fewer large plants versus many small.
Air pots vs Smart Pots, its all preference.

resinryder · Nov 8, 2011

Been using 2 gallon smart pots with a coco/perlite mix from clone transplant to finish of bloom. No problems, no worries, no transplants and big yields. I'm sold on them.

Relentless · Nov 8, 2011

been using 5 and 7gal smart pots and i like em.. my yields havent really inceased since making the change from plastic pots or bags, but other things have changed as well..
Im running some 5gal and 7gal smart pots and a few 5gal bags right now..

touringfunkband · Nov 8, 2011

I start with 16oz beer cups and finish in 2 gallon smart pots using coco. I found airpots gave similar results but were too messy for my taste.

dramamine · Nov 8, 2011

Airpots and smartpots both give you an organized, more effective root system. The difference is obvious when you look at the rootball, which isn't a rootball, but a very organized network of fine roots. The large number of smaller, better organized roots spread throughout the whole pot without smashing up against each other. This allows you to run the same size plants in a much smaller container....so they really pay for themselves right away.

You mention nice compact rootballs, but the more compact it is, the less effective the root uptake. Roots smashed up against each other look cool in pictures, but have less exposed surface area. Both airpots and smartpots are well worth using.....

One other thing, I prefer airpots because they have an inch or so gap between the bottom of the pot and the floor, which allows for small amounts of runoff to remain without drowning roots. Really nice feature if you run coco. I've found that if you water slowly and deliberately the first couple of times after transplant, the 'water out the sides' thing is no longer an issue.
Also, you could make your own smartpots for dirt cheap or even use those fabric grocery bags...they all work essentially the same way.

cs70 · Nov 8, 2011

hi guys

hi guys

hi all :tiphat:

i wanted to share my expirience with airpots ,not smartpots
i use airpots 1 year already , and i love them i have 3 liters air pots and the girls feel excellent inside the pots ,the girls get 80cm tall around by harvest
i try 1 liter airpot from seed to harvest and its also work but u have too water everyday and also use more nutes to keep the girls happy
i try 7 liter airpots for same hight and size of the girls and no difference whatsoever just less frequent watering

but the diference is huge u can see the pictures
in hot countrys the airpots can be a pain in the ass because of many holes and the bugs can easy come inside ,on the bottom of airpots i put a 5cm hydroton layer to prevent water build up and less humidity
for me personally i will never use regular pots again and the airpots looks also cool hahahhahahaa
so here is my story
best regards :tiphat:

John Deere · Nov 8, 2011

dramamine said:
Airpots and smartpots both give you an organized, more effective root system. The difference is obvious when you look at the rootball, which isn't a rootball, but a very organized network of fine roots. The large number of smaller, better organized roots spread throughout the whole pot without smashing up against each other. This allows you to run the same size plants in a much smaller container....so they really pay for themselves right away.

+1

Beer cups to 1 G smart pots til they're done works great for me. No need for huge pots.

krunchbubble · Nov 8, 2011

smart pots are the biggest bullshit product ive used in years....

did a side by side with 3 gallon smart pots and 69cent pots, guess what did better? not the smart pots...

Dr.Seuscio · Nov 8, 2011

I have been using red cups till root shoot out the bottom and then transferring them into regular 1 gal but was thinking of switching to smart pots. However I caught root aphids and have been working for 3 turns to rid my garden of them, with out a total re-start. I worry bout them being able to transmit through the smart pots since you can’t really scrub them out.

How do you coco in smart pot users clean up or sterilize?

Granger2 · Nov 9, 2011

Krunchbubble,

You might want to inform all the commercial tree growers about your discovery. -granger

any AIR POT or smart pot users out there?

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