Anything special about Smart Pots?

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Hackerman

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I am thinking about trying smart pots this grow. Anything special that I should know?

I always drill a zillion holes in my pots to provide as much aeration from top to bottom as possible.

These smart pots seem like a terrific idea for a plant that likes a wet/dry cycle. I'll bet these dry out rather quickly. Seems almost impossible to get root rot.

Love to hear any comments from people who have used these.

TIA
 
They are my favorite, but you might not care, this coming from a woman and all..lol
I have used and reused them for four years. They are the best. They air prune the roots and just continue to make a fabulous root ball. A root ball much different then say the plastic bags I use to start. They need a saucer under them and I water hard, fill up the saucer and walk away, and the water is always taken back up. They are the best in my humble little woman kind of way. You can apologize anytime.
 
Rose and HL use them regularly, mine will arrive by end of the week so i cant speak on them yet.
 
You can apologize anytime.

Oh, my great queen, this humble slave begs your forgiveness.

If my mouth offended you in any way, I would cut out my tongue and cast it into a bottomless pit.

My heart will not shudder a beat until I hear your words of forgiveness. My ears will not hear another sound but the sound of your forgiving voice.

I await on bended knee oh great budder of roses.

;)


Oh, and thanks for the tip on the smart pots, baby cakes. Now, run fetch me a beer.

LMAO
 
I won't be using trays. I stopped using them a long time ago. All my pots just sit in a plastic swimming pool. If one pot gets too much water it just drains out into the pool and another pot that needs it picks it up.

Also, these will be bunched together butt to butt. Is that any problem with mold or mildew in a case like that? I am putting 5x5, 2 gallon pots in a 4'x4' area. That's pretty tight with zero room in between.
 
What size pots are you thinking about?

2 gallon buckets is what I usually use. I can fit 16 in my space. 4 buckets x 4 buckets.

With these pots, I can go with 5x5 in that same space and have 25 plants, instead of 16. And, I have about 30 healthy clones so 25 works out.

I am keeping them short and not cropping or topping. I am going for the bigger main cola. I am trying the 1000w light again so I have to keep them small, short and away from the light.

I don't think 25 plants is over-crowding here. I just did the trough experiment and had 40 plants in this space. If the 1000w light works out, that should be enough light.

My guess is that you think I am over-crowding, yes?
 
I don't know if your over crowding. if you had 40 in the same space then it should work. I am just interested in why you want to do it that way, the one cola thing? No judging or anything, just curious.

How are you going to keep them short? Flip when they are short I guess.

When i first started growing i loved those big huge colas but then i started cropping and cropped some and did the big cola on some and they all weighed the same, same genetics of course. I was surprised the four smaller colas weighed the same as the giant one.

I don' think you can go wrong with smart pots. 25 plants under 1K doesn't seem like enough light.

As for air flow, just cut them all up from the bottom.

Those look real nice Hackerman. It is almost a scrog with out the net.
 
Actually, it will be more than 1 bud per plant. I just meant to imply that I won't be cropping or topping.

I am going to flower the plants above any day now. They are only a couple feet high and shouldn't stretch more than 8 or 10" after 12/12 (based on the mothers). This should keep them suitable distance away from the 1000w light to help me avoid the light burn and bleaching that I got with the last crop I did under the 1000w.

This time, I will trim all the stuff below the main canopy so it is kind of a SOG/SCOG without the screen. LOL From the looks of things, I should get 1 main cola and 4 to 8 good buds from the main branches. With this 1000w light I am hoping the secondary buds will be pretty big.

Just another experiment. I grew 2 of these plants (the mothers) in this space and I'll know the total yield, soon. Next, I'll grow 16 (or 25) under the same conditions and measure the yield again. And so on until I find a sweet spot. I am definitely finding out that more is not always more.

Plus, there will be a big difference if the strain is Sativa or Indica so I have a number a variables in the experiment.

I am definitely going to do a full fledged SCROG in the future. I see some of the pros doing it that way and I love the results they are getting. Definitely on the menu. LOL

Thanks again for all the input. I'm off to the hydro store. LOL

:)
 
That will not be enough coverage. If you can get another 1k you will greatly improve yeild. You will have to do a lot of rotating if not once they start to flower.


even a 400 or 600 will help. If not I would take 5 out at least. You will have a lot of shading on all the lower growth other than the main colas.

They are already big for an SOG
 
I have been using Smart Pots for quite a while now. I love them. I have done side by side grows with the same cut in one gallon plastic pots and one gallon Smart Pots and it was clear that the Smart Pots yielded more. I posted a link to a place that sells the Smart Pots cheaper than anyone else.
 
I can't comment on the Smart Pots, because I haven't used them. But they encourage root growth, more even watering, oxygen to the dirt/root system.

I use 5 gal nursery pots for my indoor girls, I place 4 plants under each 600w HPS, SCROG all plants in the rack, aim for 32-36 main bud sites per plant. I averaged 5.56 oz per plant on the last harvest...5.84 oz the harvest before that, strains effect the total yield for me. I pull a 18 lite harvest every 3 weeks, it's very consistent.

There are many ways to grow quality MJ, you just have to find whats best for you. But space, fresh air, lights, nute schedule, picking the right phenos....is the starting point.

More isn't always better: More light-sure,,,more Air flow-sure,,,more plants-not necessarily.
 
Trading up to bigger ones this next year, been running 45 Gallon Smart Pots for years. They always seem to put up a bigger plant than the few plastic pots I run. They have lasted well in the sun, seeing some breakdown for the first time in five years this year. Adding my two cents unless there are outdoor growers looking in on your thread and wonder the same.

Am female like Rose, I am on her side in all things. Glad you apologized.

Welcome to MP.
 
Well I'm not female, but I'm always on Rose's side too :)

Traitor.

LMAO

Besides, I am on her side...... her bad side.

;)


Just got back from the store and they only had 10 pots so I need to order more.

Hamster, you said you posted a link to a good seller... where?

Thanks all.
 

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