Three gallon vs. five gallon fabric pots

[Shalako]

Those fabric pots just don't get clean enough in a way that I felt comfortable using them again. You can get them clean, but the roots grow into that fabric; everything is stuck and intertwined. Not fun when you try to clean them fabric pots up for next run.

They clean up just fine, I use a lot of 2 gallons and after a good rinse with the hose to get rid of most of the coco and root matter i put them in a used commercial washer machine I have in the back storage room of my grow throw in some liquid ivory soap and baking soda...they come out like new.

 

[heatherlonglee]

If you've got a used commercial washer around to ruin; yeah those fabric pots are great! lol
Plenty of little rocks and root material stuck in the fabric pots if you think you'll put that in a washing machine; might want to consider pebbles in your machine? I have access to public washing machine and decided against it.

 

[Mengsk]

There is a simple answer, not so simple to carry out always, that I used to tell a friend all the time. Test them, side by side compare the two. This applies for everyone and/or with any variable. In your next run, include 1/2 ideally or even a small batch of (x gallon) or (light) or (nutrient) and try to treat everything else the same. That's it no bias or prejudice just a test at the discretion of the consumer for their own cost/benefit. I just washed these 5 gallon fabric pots I like them better for indoors. Outdoors in hot weather panda film grow bags might be better as fabric will dry out faster.

 

[zachrockbadenof]

There is a simple answer, not so simple to carry out always, that I used to tell a friend all the time. Test them, side by side compare the two. T

i did- ran a sdkush is a 5gall plastic n 5gall fabric - same cuttings, under '1' 315 cmh- did not see any diff in quality or quantity- just easier to water in the plastic..

 

[Shalako]

If you've got a used commercial washer around to ruin; yeah those fabric pots are great! lol
Plenty of little rocks and root material stuck in the fabric pots if you think you'll put that in a washing machine; might want to consider pebbles in your machine? I have access to public washing machine and decided against it.

I haven't seen pebble's since the flinstones and the machine works about the same as it has for the last 4 years... As my friend Oddball says...always with the negative waves.

 

[King Bloom]

OP what does your soil test mean exactly? Was it on indoor plants under HID lighting? I'd say if this your first run indoor; under HID, don't use that local soil at all not even in the mix.

I tested my soil vs. Promix and Miracle Grow potting mix indoors, under lighting giving about 18k lux for veg, doing dilute fertilization (~600 ppm, 300 from tap water and 300 from ferts) every time I water and the plants are about twice as big so far in the soil. It isn't the result I expected, but since I'm a scientist in real life, I feel I have to trust my experimental data even though everyone says Promix is great. And the Promix plants do look great, they are just smaller than the soil plants. There's something about this sandy soil that seems to work great. It beat a more clay based soil from another location I had tested it against previously also.

 

[King Bloom]

Sorry I misspoke and can't edit my post above. I the light was about 11,000 lux. I did the test under a different set of lights.

 

[CrushnYuba]

I think there is no easy answer for that. It depends on allot off other factors. Switcher56 brought up a good point. You want wet and dry cycles frequently. So it depends on how big you are getting your plants before you flip them. If you are growing inside or under Sun. Organic amendmended soil or liquid feedings.

For me, the sides of a fabric 3 gallon dries out to fast. But i am in a greenhouse in California Sun. Wouldn't happen with indoor lighting. I probably only get 1 usable gallon of soil out of a 3.

Using a smallish pot, liquid feeding on drip is going to get you fastest growth. In that situation, you want to be a little "rootbound". If i was relying on my soil for my nutrients and just giving plain water, i would want a bigger pot.

 

[heatherlonglee]

Hey King Bloom! Thanks for response. A 1000w HPS is 145,000 lux, under that kind of power I'd want to be using Pro-mix.

 

[CrushnYuba]

For that style growing (constant dilute feeding), i have found coco based mixes to be superior to peat or anything else. Especially with coco chips.
Coco fiber, COCO CHIPS!!, perlite, lava rock, tiny bit of compost, and a tiny tiny bit of old peat. Mine is mixed Very well draining, lots of oxygen, doesn't hold to much water, and is ph neutral without lime.
I use a dirt cheap fertalizer with more organic nitrogen then nitrate. Fastest growth i have had to date.

 

[DTOM420]

I’m going to give another vote for 5 gallon grow bags. I’ve noticed significant yield/size difference between 3 and 5 gallon. I believe more room = more roots = better results. Assuming ALL other things are equal, of course. If I were running clones in a scrog and only looking for a couple of main tops on each plant on an exelerated grow schedule, then I’d prefer the 3 gallon pots. But, I grow different strains and mix photos and autos and, for me, the 5 gallon is perfect for my autos. I use 7 gallons for my photos.

One caveat: if I were to grow a fast flowering auto that’s known not to get big, then I’d be using my 3 gallon pots and packing them in tight!

Happy growing!