Pot drainage?

[vaprpig]

Quick question for the coco growers.

If you have pots with good drainage do you really need a bottom layer of rocks or whatever for drainage?

I got some new 3 gal. pots with larger drain holes and the hydroton doesn't work very well with these large holes plus I don't have enough and would like to get away from it.

So depending on what the consensus is here I will either go with out or get some other medium for that bottom layer. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Ya don't need a layer of anything on the bottom of the pot. You do have to make sure to poke more holes on the bottom of the pot though.

 

[vaprpig]

Thanks, thats kinda what I thought but I've just always done it that way.

 

[Guest]

Indica's right. The pots I bought also have really large holes in them. I used a synthetic screen sold as shade cloth to cover the holes so the coco doesn't come out. It still came out a littel but I've got the foot portion of my wife's pantie hose connected to the drain to the tray so as the water drains into the res, the coco or anything else for that matter is held inside. This also helps beneficial bacteria grow inside the stocking and that helps the reservoir also.

Peace

 

[aeric]

It depends on ur situation and pickyness....even a little (tablespoon) of water sitting at the bottom of ur pot after watering will give u a light tip burn, in addition the usual suspects. Also, if u happen to have fungus gnats, having moist medium right there at the drain holes makes life easier for them. Otherwise no....not a big deal lol.

 

[vaprpig]

Thanks, I also found mesh bottom pots at the hydro store that I think I will switch too.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, I also found mesh bottom pots at the hydro store that I think I will switch too.

That'll work! Just make sure the mesh isn't too fine. It is possible to get mesh so fine it'll stop the draining. Trick is to get a mesh just fine enough it lets some of the coco on through.

aeric's right on the pockets of standing water in the pot but I didn't know that little could cause a problem. If you're watering often enough, a pocket of water shouldn't be a prob. That little pocket gets changed out every time you water. But it'd be nice to make sure all the water drains as it should.

I use mosquito dunks in the res for the gnat larvae and a no pest strip hanging in the tray for the adults. The results have been marginal. I seem to be keeping them at bay. dead ones on the bottom of the tray but new adults still coming out of the coco.

Peace

 

[aeric]

Mosquito dunks are touch and go for me...one dunk works for a few weeks, then another dunk in the same pack does nothing. BTI is fickle! Gnatrol is a bit better, but still fickle.

Basically, if your pots are touching the surface of their tray, flat bottomed I mean, and it is just pure coco at the bottom, touching that flat surface...little bits of water will pool up, stagnate in just a few hours, causing anaerobic conditions that then cause some tip burn, seen it happen a few times overnight, perfectly flawless looking plant with no tip burn...didn't quite collect all of the runoff, next day a little bit of burn. This is more of a once-a-day-or-less handwatering concern though, still, not impossible with multiples. Some pots are made with "feet" which elevate that flat suface a few millimeters, but that makes another lovely access point for nasties. Some form of grorox, river pebbles, plant-safe (quick drying) rocks combined with a pot with feet are the only way to prevent this, which by the way, is more a cosmetic, minor concern LOOOL.

 

[seaweed]

Any layering in your soil will create a sheet of water between layers. Eventhough "drainage layering " is common in this industry what is does is a myth. It doesn't create drainage it keeps medium in your container, and reduces the amount of wicking. Hydroton still wick.

 

[Guest]

Any layering in your soil will create a sheet of water between layers. Eventhough "drainage layering " is common in this industry what is does is a myth. It doesn't create drainage it keeps medium in your container, and reduces the amount of wicking. Hydroton still wick.

That''s one of the reasons I'm glad I don't use soil. hehehe

Ok, this is the coco forum, right? lol

Peace