White plastic buckets

[Gadsden]

I know that for hydro you have to be careful with light getting into the root area, but are white kitty litter buckets OK to grow using soil? If its full of black dirt I can't imagine that light would go in more than a mm or so. The one I'm thinking of using is a 4 gallon "Fresh Step" bucket.

 

[Suby]

It should not affect your grow, if the pails are black they absorb heat which is bad, if they are white they reflect better but a LITTLE light will come bother the rootzone.

I deal with this by using sticky silver tape, it's used to tape off ducting ( NOT DUCT Tape), it's reflective and blocks light off completely, I taped all by hydro bubblers and containertslike this to avoid the res nutrient to heat up.

Cool AND Dark inside the bucket..

S

 

[theFLINTSTONERS]

in our opinion light getting to roots in a soil grow is no big deal . . . in fact we often suggest that using clearish plastic ice cream buckets can work so growers can actually observe root development . . . as well as water saturation . . .

 

[Relik]

I grow outdoors in a hot and often moist (tropical) climate, and I've been thinking about doubling my pots, because as Suby said black pots absorb heat. I usually wrap the sides of the (black) pots with burlap bags or bury them a bit in the ground, it helps keep the root zone in acceptable temperatures, but I've found this keeps the soil moist for too long, which I don't really like.

My idea would be to simply place the black pot in another white pot, the same size or just a bit larger (could allow some air to circulate between the two pots?), I'll give it a try very soon, they're discounting white pots at the garden store

Peace

 

[Guest]

I know that for hydro you have to be careful with light getting into the root area, but are white kitty litter buckets OK to grow using soil? If its full of black dirt I can't imagine that light would go in more than a mm or so. The one I'm thinking of using is a 4 gallon "Fresh Step" bucket.

I was walking through the grocery store yesterday and saw the fresh step bucket and was thinking it would be perfect for potting. Keep in mind i am totally new to this and not sure about the light penetration.

 

[Guest]

Hi:

I agree with the Flintstoners I grew out my last grow in 4 gallon clear food/resturant containers just to make a point about clear containers. And you can see that seedlings' roots don't mind light either. Those were in 8 oz plastic cups.


Obli

Click on pics to enlarge.

 

[Suby]

Great post Ob1,

nice root mass and great looking plants.
I would imagine the canopy woud shield the rootzone a great deal with monsters like those.

Suby

 

[BurnOne]

If you're looking for buckets, try restaurants. I stopped in and asked the manager if he would give me a few mayonnaise buckets. They're square (great for SOG) and hold about four gallons. He said to come back in a couple of days and he would save me a few. When I came back he gave me over fifty WASHED buckets FREE! I bored a few 1/2 inch holes in the bottom and good to go.
Burn1