Greetings to each and everyone!
Short version:
What size of air-pot would be optimal as first pot for seed? What transplant regime (air-pot volume) would be optimal for the plant?
Long version:
I am a fairly new grower (medical use). While this is not essential in making a successful grow, it is interesting from gardening hobby point of view and to some extent will improve the total efficiency of growing.
On the risk side of using air-pots it has to be stated that soil dwelling bugs are harder to control in these as the critters love easy access to soil/ roots via side holes. Smart pots are an alternative as for air pruning and transplant volume regime they are similar. There are comparison threads for these so lets try to stay focused on volume.
Grow starts from seed (can be soaked/ germinated or not) or from cutling. (reveg is the only other method that I know .. if there are others, please chime in)
Roughly speaking there are three distinctive ways to approach transplanting.
Regime 1) big pots - very few transplants
Regime 2) optimal pots
Regime 3) small pots - several (too many) transplants
Assumption is that speed of growth (both root and the stalk of plant) is where we can find the significant difference.
While there are shades between - I do feel that this simplification will clarify the discussion. While actual number of transplants is dependent on how big the plant will be (and how big the pot volume will be) - we are interested in how many steps will it take to get there and what kind of volume regime would give best results.
I do have few air-pots at my disposal (3L and 7L ; three quarts , 1 gal and three quarts volumes) so I will try to incorporate these to my preferred regime - which I will try to get close to optimal.
As I have pondered this, I do believe 1st pot will be very significant for two reasons. It will define how the root system start forming and it will define subsequent pot sizes.
It is fairly common to use a simple plastic cup as first pot. As plastic cup dose not promote root development we desire as we prefer air-pots, I do believe it is better to plant directly to air pruning pot.
Roughly speaking the options for first pot are:
12 cubic inch or 2 dl (root trap)
25 cubic inch or 4 dl (root trap)
1 quart or 1 L (air-pot)
For me only 1 quart or 1L volume pots are commercially available so smaller sizes would require DIY operation.
I do believe that bigger that 1 quart would be 'too big'
What do you feel would be best steps in volume as we transplant our babies toward harvesting?
I am pondering between 25 cu. in. (4dl) and 1 quart (1L).
25cu.in (4dl) > three quarts (3L) > 3 to 4 gal. (12 to 15L) > final pot of 7 gal. (30L)
Or
1 qrt. (1L) > 1 gallon and 3 quart (7L) > final pot of 5 to 7 gal ( 20-30L)
the volume multipliers for each step would be:
1 > 7 times previous > 4 or 5 times previous > two to two and half times previous.
Or
1 > 7 times previous > 4 or 5 times previous > three to four times previous.
So .. what is your preferred volume transport regime in the world of air pruning? Comments or view on this type of approach or what you would consider optimal approach and why?
Thank you for taking the time to read !!
Short version:
What size of air-pot would be optimal as first pot for seed? What transplant regime (air-pot volume) would be optimal for the plant?
Long version:
I am a fairly new grower (medical use). While this is not essential in making a successful grow, it is interesting from gardening hobby point of view and to some extent will improve the total efficiency of growing.
On the risk side of using air-pots it has to be stated that soil dwelling bugs are harder to control in these as the critters love easy access to soil/ roots via side holes. Smart pots are an alternative as for air pruning and transplant volume regime they are similar. There are comparison threads for these so lets try to stay focused on volume.
Grow starts from seed (can be soaked/ germinated or not) or from cutling. (reveg is the only other method that I know .. if there are others, please chime in)
Roughly speaking there are three distinctive ways to approach transplanting.
Regime 1) big pots - very few transplants
Regime 2) optimal pots
Regime 3) small pots - several (too many) transplants
Assumption is that speed of growth (both root and the stalk of plant) is where we can find the significant difference.
While there are shades between - I do feel that this simplification will clarify the discussion. While actual number of transplants is dependent on how big the plant will be (and how big the pot volume will be) - we are interested in how many steps will it take to get there and what kind of volume regime would give best results.
I do have few air-pots at my disposal (3L and 7L ; three quarts , 1 gal and three quarts volumes) so I will try to incorporate these to my preferred regime - which I will try to get close to optimal.
As I have pondered this, I do believe 1st pot will be very significant for two reasons. It will define how the root system start forming and it will define subsequent pot sizes.
It is fairly common to use a simple plastic cup as first pot. As plastic cup dose not promote root development we desire as we prefer air-pots, I do believe it is better to plant directly to air pruning pot.
Roughly speaking the options for first pot are:
12 cubic inch or 2 dl (root trap)
25 cubic inch or 4 dl (root trap)
1 quart or 1 L (air-pot)
For me only 1 quart or 1L volume pots are commercially available so smaller sizes would require DIY operation.
I do believe that bigger that 1 quart would be 'too big'
What do you feel would be best steps in volume as we transplant our babies toward harvesting?
I am pondering between 25 cu. in. (4dl) and 1 quart (1L).
25cu.in (4dl) > three quarts (3L) > 3 to 4 gal. (12 to 15L) > final pot of 7 gal. (30L)
Or
1 qrt. (1L) > 1 gallon and 3 quart (7L) > final pot of 5 to 7 gal ( 20-30L)
the volume multipliers for each step would be:
1 > 7 times previous > 4 or 5 times previous > two to two and half times previous.
Or
1 > 7 times previous > 4 or 5 times previous > three to four times previous.
So .. what is your preferred volume transport regime in the world of air pruning? Comments or view on this type of approach or what you would consider optimal approach and why?
Thank you for taking the time to read !!
