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Smart Pots

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SecretGardener

Member
SELFHEMPLOYED said:
Whydo you need something around the outside of the smartpot? They are sturdy as can be once filled correctly with soil. This is an unnecessary step imo.
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Ah, yeah, you're right that would be a useless step. I mean a DIY way to Air Prune your roots just drill holes in the side of your container so you don't have to buy smart pots (not that they are so expensive). Not sure if its the same effect? Definitely worth an experiment.
 
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EatMoGrass

Member
I just bought another 5gal Smart Pot to go with the 14 I already have peppers in on my porch and I noticed that the fabric material seems much thinner than the Smart Pots I bought last month from the same store. Probably just a cost cutting measure on the manufactures part. Other than thinner material it seems identical to the others, and I can't imagine any problem caused by it.
Has anyone else noticed a thinner material used on new Smart Pots?
 
SneakySneaky

SneakySneaky

Active member
Veteran
cant believe i havent seen this thread, i switched to smart pots about 2 years ago and absolutely love them!!! smart pots are awesome! i can fit 100 2gallon smart pots inside a rubbermaid whereas 100 2gallon plastic pots would be a few 6 foot tall stacks. another awesome thing is that you dont really need to spend time scrubbing them out....i turn mine inside out and throw them in the washing machine on gentle.
 
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EatMoGrass

Member
Has anyone seen the 4'x4' Smart Pot? I'm told it stands upright on its own(like regular Smart Pots) and makes for a easy,fast and cheap raised bed.
 
H

humboldtlocal

I have seen them and they don't really support themselves that well.
 
M

mrred

rootmaker company sells auto root pruners with very thick and well made material and its twice or maybe 3-4 times cheaper , the 1 gallons cost me a dollar each
 
lilnick

lilnick

Member
i have a couple smart pots the 5 gallon adn 7 gallon they seem to work fine ive noticed no real difference though
 
big ballin 88

big ballin 88

Biology over Chemistry
Veteran
I love my 3 gallon pot and just bought some 7 gallon and 15 gallons for some outdoor trees bushes. We decided our limiting factor of pot size is hurting our yield significantly. planting in ground is hard work. Using these containers should be a fine compromise and should do good in our heat. has anyone wrapped a white shade cloth around their plants to reflect heat?
 
O

Oldtimer60

New member
A small comment about smart pots. When I was in school(Cornell University) I was thought that nutrients were brought to the plant through the smallest capillaries the roots has. If the smallest roots in a smart pot are growing through the outside wall of the pot I think its destroying the smallest of the roots. Am I wrong?????
 
Dave Coulier

Dave Coulier

Active member
Veteran
Oldtimer60 said:
A small comment about smart pots. When I was in school(Cornell University) I was thought that nutrients were brought to the plant through the smallest capillaries the roots has. If the smallest roots in a smart pot are growing through the outside wall of the pot I think its destroying the smallest of the roots. Am I wrong?????
Click to expand...

Are you thinking of root hairs? If so, they develop all along the length of the roots, and have the greatest ability to absorb nutrients and water.
 
S

SecretGardener

Member
Oldtimer60 said:
A small comment about smart pots. When I was in school(Cornell University) I was thought that nutrients were brought to the plant through the smallest capillaries the roots has. If the smallest roots in a smart pot are growing through the outside wall of the pot I think its destroying the smallest of the roots. Am I wrong?????
Click to expand...

I don't think they grow through the wall. The roots are moving through the soil and then when they get close to the side of the smart pot they stop growing before hitting air/light. So in turn the root growth is focused on thickening the root instead of continuing growth lengthwise which would result (in a normal container) to the root winding around the side of the pot - root bound.

At least that is my understanding, someone please correct me if that is inaccurate.
 
Dave Coulier

Dave Coulier

Active member
Veteran
SecretGardener said:
I don't think they grow through the wall. The roots are moving through the soil and then when they get close to the side of the smart pot they stop growing before hitting air/light. So in turn the root growth is focused on thickening the root instead of continuing growth lengthwise which would result (in a normal container) to the root winding around the side of the pot - root bound.

At least that is my understanding, someone please correct me if that is inaccurate.
Click to expand...

Not exactly. I am using fabric bags, which are basically Smart Pots, and the roots do grow through the fabric. The roots will actually stay alive outside the bag if conditions are right. High Humidity, some moisture.

To get the best results from Smart pots or any other air pruning pots, they should be placed on top of a grid that allows adequate air circulation below, and doesn't allow water to pool. If done correctly, the root tips will die off from lack of moisture, causing more lateral root branching. It works much the same way as topping a plant.

Norkali: If you've got money to burn, you can just stick your bag into a larger bag and fill with soil. Its what I have begun doing with my fabric bags. They are super cheap, and I can always reclaim them come harvest time. The roots will just grow through the bag and into the surrounding soil.
 
S

SecretGardener

Member
Dave Coulier said:
Not exactly. I am using fabric bags, which are basically Smart Pots, and the roots do grow through the fabric. The roots will actually stay alive outside the bag if conditions are right. High Humidity, some moisture.

To get the best results from Smart pots or any other air pruning pots, they should be placed on top of a grid that allows adequate air circulation below, and doesn't allow water to pool. If done correctly, the root tips will die off from lack of moisture, causing more lateral root branching. It works much the same way as topping a plant.

Norkali: If you've got money to burn, you can just stick your bag into a larger bag and fill with soil. Its what I have begun doing with my fabric bags. They are super cheap, and I can always reclaim them come harvest time. The roots will just grow through the bag and into the surrounding soil.
Click to expand...

Ah, I see. Thanks :tiphat: So keep the plants off the ground using some sort of caging? I have some old metal grid shelves that might work.
 
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