homemade smart pots DIY

[redbudduckfoot]

im using a bunch of older/used smarties(5 and 10 gallon) in a nearby cedar swamp. in regards to any issues, a couple scoops of pulverized dolomite lime spread around each pot does the trick. also cut the bottoms out of around 20 10gal plastic grow bags and they are working out great.

i am working on making (12) 20gal, 4'x8"x8" fabric grow "troughs" for my next 2k bare bulb
stadium. then 4 blumats per trough, gonna be epic. currently doing (14) 3gal smart pots in my 3-sided 1k stadium. on day 20 of flower. the growth on the chem Ibl's is astounding.................

mad props MAINA. have you noticed all the new SP's are coming with handles? time to upgrade the thread homey!

 

[Good_KarmA]

hmmm, could I use chicken wire instead of garden fence?

 

[Bud Sweat]

My maina pots are kicking ass...heres a blue cheese from seed. This is sitting in a swamp, havent watered once this season despite drier and hotter than normal temps.

 

[kjz71521]

d.i.y Potz

d.i.y Potz

Yes, this is just what I was waiting for. One day I was in home depot and I kept on staring at this same material.

Im a micro grower and now I will be able to get maximun rooting space with some custom tlo organic bedz....heckAhYea fellow greenthumbs, thankz for tha answer brother.

 

[The Revolution]

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a lot maina and everyone else who contributed. Im dedicating a lot of plants to the marshy fens, and swamps this season. Im expecting a dry summer, and this should save my ass and help me with that field of dreams this season. Going big this year. Putting everything Ive learned over the last 13 years of outdoor growing, and going hard in 2012. Anyone have luck building these smarties with chicken wire in place of the more rigid wire fencing? I can pick up chicken wire much cheaper. Also curious how many are using promix in their pots, and what amendments yall use inside the pot? Other than putting crushed lime down under the pots, are u doing anything else to the native soil or peat in the swamps?

 

[redbudduckfoot]

of course it will work. when i make them, i dont keep the wire in the fabric; its just a template. i make mine really quick. dig a spot out 6", put the 18" diameter 1' tall template, make it overlap 1" on each side, staple. remove wire mold, turn inside out. fill with soil mix. go to the next hole. its real easy when i drag my fiance around, 4 hands make it a snap.

have a good one!!

and no, i do not put a bottom in mine. no need to, my plants dont move.

 

[The Revolution]

redbudduckfoot- Can you go and explain a bit more about how you construct your pots? How do you secure the ends, and do they keep their shape well after removing the wire? You mentioned staples.. Do u just use a staple gun or like a desk stapler? Lol

Sorry for all the questions. I was able to find the fabric at dollar general, 3ft x 45ft rolls for $5. Im not sure if its as thick as the smart pots, but I also picked up some rolls of chicken wire. The chicken wire is 36" x 50 ft. I had originally intended to cut it in half make 18" tall pots. Ive decided to wrap the fabric 18" tall around and leave the other 18" of chicken wire sticking up above the pot to protect the plants from deers and other critters. This should work out perfect for me. Im going to start construction today, and will throw up a few pics once I have my prototype together

Thanks everyone for the great idea.

 

[The Revolution]

Built this real fast today.. Curious if anyone has any input. It took a bit longer as i didnt have zipties on hand, and had to use wire to stitch it together.. The fabric seems a bit thinner than what others are using.. The cage ontop is to keep critters away from the plants when theyre smaller.. I think i will build a few others without the cages as I dont plan to plant into these smart pots until the plants are bigger. At the point, animals should leave them alone. Without leaving the extra cage ontop I would be able to double the pots I make. Let me know what yall think. I will put together a few more today.

Using a volume equation this one is roughly 26 gallons.

 

[hup234]

put the liner on the inside of the chicken wire so the dirt doesn't just blow it out...otherwise very clean.


ps. i know it's harder to line the inside,but if it was easy women and children would do it...

 

[The Revolution]

thanks hup.. Thought something didnt seem right.. I need to get some zip ties before I go any further with this.. Also decided to just cut them at 18" and not leave the extra cage on top/ The plants wont go out until theyre established neways, and animals dont usually fuck with them once they start stinkin...

Thanks again..

 

[SilverSurfer_OG]

I highly recommend coco coir as the main ingredient in yer mix. Can be brought in as bricks and rehydrated on site. It holds heaps of oxygen and will really lighten up that swamp sludge!

Another bonus of this style of growing is much earlier flowering. I get bud up to 4 weeks earlier using this method. This is because the upper roots in the "bag" get hot and this triggers early flowering. Very useful if like me you get wet autumns... also because wetlands are breeding grounds for mould.

 

[Hanisov]

2 SS OG:

regarding coco - I intent to use it for my "2012 swamp operation" operation, but not as a part of my mix (I am using worm humus & bat guano only in air pruning - fabric pots - root pouches brand) but as the fabric pot support - compressed coco shall de-compress in the water (swamp) as it will suck as much water as it can hold... then, fabric pot (with above mentioned mix) will be sitzen on coco, so then fabric pot (or its contents to be precise) shall suck in the water from the coco... am I right ?? Because then, I will just throw some coco in the swamp, placing fabric pot on it... and after 2 months of flowering just cut down the flowers (as the plants shall be auto watered by swamp water which it will suck from the coco beneath it)...

regarding early flowering - based on my observations (however, my experience is since 2009 only and so far strictly indoors) - I learned that my plants just loves the root pouches I am using (aka fabric pots aka air-pruning pots) - my understanding is that plant roots are not limited as they are in plastic pots (they breathe better, drain / aerates better, roots temps are superb for the plant, I can use much denser medium which consequently holds more organic nutrients / more microbiological activity - I did not encounter any pests since then, watering intervals were doubled etc etc...) - so the plant just "grow" instead of "not grow" due all kinds of stresses (I struggled with high roots temp in plastic pots - those root pouches do better job than expensive exhaust fan btw).. on the other hand, I switched to 12/12 aka "born in flower" method together with root pouches.. so I can not honestly say wether early flowering is being triggered by "air-pruning pots" or by "born in flower method" or its combinations... Anyhow, for me both methods are outstanding for my applications (maximum buds in minimum time)...

 

[Fat Tone]

Sorry if this has already been addressed. Didn't read da whole thread. For us Organic Growers. Doesn't thus Roofing felt have toxic tar and other chemicals inside it? I know your plants don't seem affected by the pics. I just wonder what is in this material chemicals wise.

 

[odogyouknow]

Sorry if this has already been addressed. Didn't read da whole thread. For us Organic Growers. Doesn't thus Roofing felt have toxic tar and other chemicals inside it? I know your plants don't seem affected by the pics. I just wonder what is in this material chemicals wise.

Whoa, no roofing felt.

The stuff is either weed blocker or landscape fabric type stuff. Go to home depot and look for something that fits that description

 

[squarepush3r]

what happens if you skip the garden fence, after you add soil wouldn't it hold its form without the fencing/metal part?

edit: never mind, found the answer later in the thread.

 

[ion]

anybody build their pots WITH bottoms?

 

[blackosprey]

I'm going to try making some with bottoms this week, will post pics when I do.

 

[ion]

whats your thinking.....pleats like smart pots?.....i may need to double-bottom mine for added insulation from heat(rock), may end up cutting a piece 25% or so larger than diameter, bring up the corners, sew in with a leather needle/fishing line, then slice the taco-parts(wtfever they are....)sticking out, slap 'em up against the sides and sew those in......dont need be perty.

 

[lucifer93]

Loads of good DIY smartpot ideas, I will be making mine next week.

 

[blackosprey]

My thinking is to use a set of side cutters (linesman pliers) to cut a circle of wire, going about 10-15% larger than my desired circumference. I will take that additional wire to attach to the vertical frame to give some support and stability to the base. I haven't figured out how to attach the landscaper fabric, but I like your idea of using fishing line.