2 plants sharing 1 pot, bad idea ? why ?

[greenhead]

I'm trying to find out any disadvantages of 2 plants sharing 1 grow pot.

The plants would be the same strain, and there would be a wall in the middle of the grow pot, so each plant would have it's own half of the pot to live in.

I can see the disadvantage if there was no seperation between the two plants and the roots starting growing into each other, but what, if any problems could somebody face if they put two plants in the same container ?

The reason I'm asking is because I'm trying to decide what to transplant my current 4 plants into next. I'm not ready to move them to their final containers yet, but I do feel the need to transplant soon, and I have a few 3 gallon pots lying around, so I figured maybe I'll put two plants into each 3 gallon pot for the time being. I was originally going to put each plant into a 2 liter soda bottle for the time being, but they will have more space to grow if they shared a 3 gallon pot. Also, I would be able to start some LST'ing on the plants in the 3 gallon pots, that would be harder to do if they were in 2 gallon soda bottles.

Is this a bad idea ? If you think it is, then please tell me why. Worst case scenario, I can always pick up some new pots, but if there is no problem with 2 plants sharing 1 pot, then that would save me a half days time (travelling to the hydro store etc.)

This is only until I weed out the males from the females. Then I will transplant the females into their final containers.

 

[Blunted22]

if you got it seperated thee only realdisadvatage is probally space for lightign unless you gonna scrog or lst them. I would thing they would fight each other alot and if you got one bigger then the other one might suffer in yeild.

 

[Guest]

If there is solid separation then you should be good. I once grew in one container but I did it only with strains I have dialed because if one has a problem as far as health wise chance are the same plant it is sharing the container with will as well. Also your right, the roots will fight each other for available nutrients and it could easily **** up your feeding schedule...So if there is SOLID separation (no water leaking into the other side) then go for it, if not it might end up more of a hassle but it is hard to say.

 

[greenhead]

if you got it seperated thee only realdisadvatage is probally space for lightign unless you gonna scrog or lst them. I would thing they would fight each other alot and if you got one bigger then the other one might suffer in yeild.

Thanks for the reply ! Yeah, I was planning on doing some LST'ing to them. It would be harder to LST them if I move them to 2 liter soda bottles.

 

[greenhead]

If there is solid separation then you should be good. I once grew in one container but I did it only with strains I have dialed because if one has a problem as far as health wise chance are the same plant it is sharing the container with will as well. Also your right, the roots will fight each other for available nutrients and it could easily **** up your feeding schedule...So if there is SOLID separation (no water leaking into the other side) then go for it, if not it might end up more of a hassle but it is hard to say.

Thanks for the reply ! Yeah, I guess you're right about the seperation being extremely important. If I can find a way to really seperate the two sides (no leakage or anything at all), then I might go for it. If not, I'll just pick up four 1 or 2 gallon pots for the time being. I need to weed the males out from my grow cabinet before I can move up to the final pot size. Thanks again.

 

[kmk420kali]

Yes...there is no reason to put them together...go to a local nursery, and you can get 5 gal pots for like a quarter each...(The used ones...) and since it is your first grow, and you sound rather unequipped...buy some tomato plants...so they think you will be getting supplies for your future "Canned Tomatoes"..

 

[greenhead]

Yes...there is no reason to put them together...go to a local nursery, and you can get 5 gal pots for like a quarter each...(The used ones...) and since it is your first grow, and you sound rather unequipped...buy some tomato plants...so they think you will be getting supplies for your future "Canned Tomatoes"..

Thanks. It's actually my second grow, but I'm growing more plants this time and I have a limited space to work with.

I don't think that I look like somebody who would ever grow tomatoes, so I'm not sure if that would work for me. The last time I was at the hydro shop, I was walking around with a ruler and measuring all their pots, to see which ones and how many of each would fit in my tiny cabinet. I always pay for my gardening supplies with cash, so I'm not really too concerned about what somebody in a nursery or gardening store would think about my purchases. I'm not careless either, but I'm certainly not worried about picking up any sort of gardening supplies.

You're right though, the best thing for me to do is just pick up four more pots (probably 2 gallon pots for now), I was just trying to be lazy I guess. I blame the weed for making me that way.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[professordank]

screw the pots. use grow bags, they're cheap. And as for putting the plants into the same container, it's just a bad idea unless you are DWC. Even with limited space, if you are not getting more than 12' of plant in a 3.5'' pot, LST'ing or otherwise, it is seriously time to revise your nute selction/levels.

 

[greenhead]

screw the pots. use grow bags, they're cheap. And as for putting the plants into the same container, it's just a bad idea unless you are DWC. Even with limited space, if you are not getting more than 12' of plant in a 3.5'' pot, LST'ing or otherwise, it is seriously time to revise your nute selction/levels.

Grow bags probably wouldn't work for me, since the way I plan to LST is to tie rope to the pots. The pots have to be somewhat stable. As for the two plants in the same pot, yeah, I've given up on that idea now, I was just trying to save myself a trip to the hydro store or some other gardening place. I'm not going to take any chances, and I'll just pick up 4 new pots.

The reason for transplanting was mostly for LST purposes, I haven't begun it yet, it wasn't because of any growth issues really. The plants I currently have growing on week 3 seem to be doing ok for right now.

 

[Guest]

There is a reason not being discussed here,an important reason.For the same reason you dont want to put a new cutting/seedling in a 3 gal pot,you also dont want two plants in the same oversized container.Potting up during growth is an important part of indoor container grows,utilizing available media in a finite container is paramount.Starting in a small 4 inch container,letting that rootball fill that container,then potting up is proper indoor technique.Depending on pheno,my clones will be six-ten inches tall before I pot up to 1.6 gal.I'll veg them to a height of 30 inches or so before potting up to 3 gal to flower.When I harvest depending on pheno I'll get 3-6 ounces.Had I potted the cuts directly into the 3 gallon I'd be lucky to have 2 oz. at harvest.I know this to be fact.A small seedling/cutting in a large container will not utilize the media properly,the roots will grow along the sides of the container often right out the drainholes!You have a big empty space in the middle of the container that should be full of roots equalling more flowers,thats how the ball bounces.Planting 2 seedlings/new cuts in a big pot will result in poor yield from each even if the roots dont become all entangled.In nature there will be a dominance issue also,one will dominate the other for media and food/water

 

[greenhead]

There is a reason not being discussed here,an important reason.For the same reason you dont want to put a new cutting/seedling in a 3 gal pot,you also dont want two plants in the same oversized container.Potting up during growth is an important part of indoor container grows,utilizing available media in a finite container is paramount.Starting in a small 4 inch container,letting that rootball fill that container,then potting up is proper indoor technique.Depending on pheno,my clones will be six-ten inches tall before I pot up to 1.6 gal.I'll veg them to a height of 30 inches or so before potting up to 3 gal to flower.When I harvest depending on pheno I'll get 3-6 ounces.Had I potted the cuts directly into the 3 gallon I'd be lucky to have 2 oz. at harvest.I know this to be fact.A small seedling/cutting in a large container will not utilize the media properly,the roots will grow along the sides of the container often right out the drainholes!You have a big empty space in the middle of the container that should be full of roots equalling more flowers,thats how the ball bounces.Planting 2 seedlings/new cuts in a big pot will result in poor yield from each even if the roots dont become all entangled.In nature there will be a dominance issue also,one will dominate the other for media and food/water

Good info, and I agree with what you said about gradually potting up. I'm only on my second grow, but I transplanted four times on my first grow, each time moving to a slightly larger pot, and that seemed to work good for me. I plan to transplant 4 times on my current second grow also. The 4 plants are currently in their second pot so far. When I started this thread, I was trying to figure out what size or kind of pot to put them into next, since I cannot move up to the final size yet, because of my grow space limitations.

 

[Storm Crow]

I grow in 19 gallon tubs. Here's what I've found. If you use identical clones that are the same size, no problem. With seedlings, often one will out grow the other, but sometimes they do OK. If the larger plant shades out the smaller, the smaller will be less mature. When this happened during my last grow, I just harvested the big one and let the little one go a bit longer. It was OK, but I'll try to stick to clones next time when I'm doubling up. Intertwined branches are a drag to deal with during harvest- that's the only real downside I've found. Plants grow in the wild with roots intertwined, so the fact that you have 2 plants in a tub isn't a problem as long as there is enough ferts. It works for me. Go for it if you want to. - Granny

 

[HeadyPete]

I am about to throw two different LUI clone phenos (one SweetTooth, one Ortega) into one rubbermaid bin and we'll see how she goes.....

I am LSTing and vegging big, so I imagine the roots will fill the container...

My bud SCROG'd with a few LUI cuts in one recycling bin and had no issues with yield whatsoever. He packed the space with beauty budz.