DIY Smart Pot

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deadkndys

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Saw this on mjp surprised it hasn't been posted here yet.

Pretty neat imo.

Here are some pics of how we build our DIY smart pots.

We are constructing a 10 gallon smart pot

Tools to get the job done.
https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074829



25 inch X 50 inch piece of geotextile fabric unfolded

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074830

fold in half into a 25 x 25 inch square

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074831

glue or stitch the two open sides. Here we use PL glue. this stuff is rock solid

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074832

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074835

smooth out the glue

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074836

really work out any bubbles and smooth that mofo out!

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074837

Repeat on the opposite side

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074839

You let the bag sit flat for 48 hours so the glue can dry/cure and expand. The glued edges will not break loose. PL premium is rank stuff.

This is what you end up with..
https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074841

Now fold the bag inside out

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074842
make the corners touch each other inside the bag

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074844

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074846

All done!
https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074851

https://www.mjp.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=45871&pictureid=1074853

So cheap to make and easy as can be :cool:

here is the data for the size of pots and cut size

no more ***** around, ran the numbers through a spreadsheet

size accounts for 3/4 inch of glued edge, and the gallons are at 85% of pot capacity

bag dimensions in inches

seam width: 0.75 / fill percentage (80-100%): 85

cut size: height x width / folded size: height x width / filled size: diameter x height / volume in gallons / volume in ml / volume in litres
4 x 8 / 4 x 4 / 2.1 x 2.2 / 0.03 gallons / 102 ml / 0.1 litres
5 x 10 / 5 x 5 / 2.7 x 2.8 / 0.06 gallons / 227 ml / 0.2 litres
6 x 12 / 6 x 6 / 3.3 x 3.5 / 0.11 gallons / 429 ml / 0.4 litres
7 x 14 / 7 x 7 / 4.0 x 4.2 / 0.19 gallons / 724 ml / 0.7 litres
8 x 16 / 8 x 8 / 4.6 x 4.8 / 0.30 gallons / 1129 ml / 1.1 litres
9 x 18 / 9 x 9 / 5.3 x 5.5 / 0.44 gallons / 1664 ml / 1.7 litres
10 x 20 / 10 x 10 / 5.9 x 6.2 / 0.62 gallons / 2345 ml / 2.3 litres
11 x 22 / 11 x 11 / 6.5 x 6.8 / 0.84 gallons / 3191 ml / 3.2 litres
12 x 24 / 12 x 12 / 7.2 x 7.5 / 1.12 gallons / 4220 ml / 4.2 litres
13 x 26 / 13 x 13 / 7.8 x 8.2 / 1.44 gallons / 5448 ml / 5.4 litres
14 x 28 / 14 x 14 / 8.4 x 8.8 / 1.82 gallons / 6894 ml / 6.9 litres
15 x 30 / 15 x 15 / 9.1 x 9.5 / 2.27 gallons / 8575 ml / 8.6 litres
16 x 32 / 16 x 16 / 9.7 x 10.2 / 2.78 gallons / 10510 ml / 10.5 litres
17 x 34 / 17 x 17 / 10.4 x 10.8 / 3.36 gallons / 12716 ml / 12.7 litres
18 x 36 / 18 x 18 / 11.0 x 11.5 / 4.02 gallons / 15212 ml / 15.2 litres
19 x 38 / 19 x 19 / 11.6 x 12.2 / 4.77 gallons / 18013 ml / 18.0 litres
20 x 40 / 20 x 20 / 12.3 x 12.8 / 5.59 gallons / 21140 ml / 21.1 litres
21 x 42 / 21 x 21 / 12.9 x 13.5 / 6.51 gallons / 24608 ml / 24.6 litres
22 x 44 / 22 x 22 / 13.5 x 14.2 / 7.52 gallons / 28437 ml / 28.4 litres
23 x 46 / 23 x 23 / 14.2 x 14.8 / 8.64 gallons / 32643 ml / 32.6 litres
24 x 48 / 24 x 24 / 14.8 x 15.5 / 9.85 gallons / 37246 ml / 37.2 litres
25 x 50 / 25 x 25 / 15.4 x 16.2 / 11.18 gallons / 42261 ml / 42.3 litres
26 x 52 / 26 x 26 / 16.1 x 16.8 / 12.62 gallons / 47708 ml / 47.7 litres
27 x 54 / 27 x 27 / 16.7 x 17.5 / 14.18 gallons / 53604 ml / 53.6 litres
28 x 56 / 28 x 28 / 17.4 x 18.1 / 15.86 gallons / 59966 ml / 60.0 litres
29 x 58 / 29 x 29 / 18.0 x 18.8 / 17.68 gallons / 66813 ml / 66.8 litres
30 x 60 / 30 x 30 / 18.6 x 19.5 / 19.62 gallons / 74162 ml / 74.2 litres
31 x 62 / 31 x 31 / 19.3 x 20.1 / 21.70 gallons / 82032 ml / 82.0 litres
32 x 64 / 32 x 32 / 19.9 x 20.8 / 23.93 gallons / 90439 ml / 90.4 litres
33 x 66 / 33 x 33 / 20.5 x 21.5 / 26.30 gallons / 99402 ml / 99.4 litres
34 x 68 / 34 x 34 / 21.2 x 22.1 / 28.82 gallons / 108938 ml / 108.9 litres
35 x 70 / 35 x 35 / 21.8 x 22.8 / 31.50 gallons / 119066 ml / 119.1 litres
36 x 72 / 36 x 36 / 22.5 x 23.5 / 34.34 gallons / 129802 ml / 129.8 litres
37 x 74 / 37 x 37 / 23.1 x 24.1 / 37.35 gallons / 141166 ml / 141.2 litres
38 x 76 / 38 x 38 / 23.7 x 24.8 / 40.52 gallons / 153174 ml / 153.2 litres
39 x 78 / 39 x 39 / 24.4 x 25.5 / 43.87 gallons / 165844 ml / 165.8 litres
40 x 80 / 40 x 40 / 25.0 x 26.1 / 47.41 gallons / 179194 ml / 179.2 litres
41 x 82 / 41 x 41 / 25.6 x 26.8 / 51.12 gallons / 193243 ml / 193.2 litres
42 x 84 / 42 x 42 / 26.3 x 27.5 / 55.03 gallons / 208007 ml / 208.0 litres
43 x 86 / 43 x 43 / 26.9 x 28.1 / 59.13 gallons / 223504 ml / 223.5 litres
44 x 88 / 44 x 44 / 27.6 x 28.8 / 63.43 gallons / 239753 ml / 239.8 litres
45 x 90 / 45 x 45 / 28.2 x 29.5 / 67.93 gallons / 256771 ml / 256.8 litres
46 x 92 / 46 x 46 / 28.8 x 30.1 / 72.64 gallons / 274575 ml / 274.6 litres
47 x 94 / 47 x 47 / 29.5 x 30.8 / 77.56 gallons / 293184 ml / 293.2 litres
48 x 96 / 48 x 48 / 30.1 x 31.5 / 82.70 gallons / 312616 ml / 312.6 litres
49 x 98 / 49 x 49 / 30.7 x 32.1 / 88.07 gallons / 332888 ml / 332.9 litres
50 x 100 / 50 x 50 / 31.4 x 32.8 / 93.66 gallons / 354017 ml / 354.0 litres
51 x 102 / 51 x 51 / 32.0 x 33.5 / 99.48 gallons / 376023 ml / 376.0 litres
52 x 104 / 52 x 52 / 32.6 x 34.1 / 105.53 gallons / 398921 ml / 398.9 litres
53 x 106 / 53 x 53 / 33.3 x 34.8 / 111.83 gallons / 422731 ml / 422.7 litres
54 x 108 / 54 x 54 / 33.9 x 35.5 / 118.38 gallons / 447471 ml / 447.5 litres
55 x 110 / 55 x 55 / 34.6 x 36.1 / 125.17 gallons / 473157 ml / 473.2 litres
56 x 112 / 56 x 56 / 35.2 x 36.8 / 132.22 gallons / 499807 ml / 499.8 litres
57 x 114 / 57 x 57 / 35.8 x 37.5 / 139.53 gallons / 527440 ml / 527.4 litres
58 x 116 / 58 x 58 / 36.5 x 38.1 / 147.11 gallons / 556073 ml / 556.1 litres
59 x 118 / 59 x 59 / 37.1 x 38.8 / 154.95 gallons / 585725 ml / 585.7 litres
60 x 120 / 60 x 60 / 37.7 x 39.5 / 163.07 gallons / 616411 ml / 616.4 litres
61 x 122 / 61 x 61 / 38.4 x 40.1 / 171.47 gallons / 648152 ml / 648.2 litres
62 x 124 / 62 x 62 / 39.0 x 40.8 / 180.15 gallons / 680964 ml / 681.0 litres
63 x 126 / 63 x 63 / 39.7 x 41.5 / 189.12 gallons / 714864 ml / 714.9 litres
64 x 128 / 64 x 64 / 40.3 x 42.1 / 198.38 gallons / 749872 ml / 749.9 litres
65 x 130 / 65 x 65 / 40.9 x 42.8 / 207.94 gallons / 786005 ml / 786.0 litres
66 x 132 / 66 x 66 / 41.6 x 43.5 / 217.80 gallons / 823279 ml / 823.3 litres
67 x 134 / 67 x 67 / 42.2 x 44.1 / 227.97 gallons / 861714 ml / 861.7 litres
68 x 136 / 68 x 68 / 42.8 x 44.8 / 238.45 gallons / 901327 ml / 901.3 litres
69 x 138 / 69 x 69 / 43.5 x 45.5 / 249.24 gallons / 942136 ml / 942.1 litres
70 x 140 / 70 x 70 / 44.1 x 46.1 / 260.36 gallons / 984158 ml / 984.2 litres
71 x 142 / 71 x 71 / 44.7 x 46.8 / 271.80 gallons / 1027412 ml / 1027.4 litres
72 x 144 / 72 x 72 / 45.4 x 47.5 / 283.58 gallons / 1071915 ml / 1071.9 litres
73 x 146 / 73 x 73 / 46.0 x 48.1 / 295.68 gallons / 1117684 ml / 1117.7 litres
74 x 148 / 74 x 74 / 46.7 x 48.8 / 308.13 gallons / 1164739 ml / 1164.7 litres
75 x 150 / 75 x 75 / 47.3 x 49.5 / 320.92 gallons / 1213096 ml / 1213.1 litres
76 x 152 / 76 x 76 / 47.9 x 50.1 / 334.07 gallons / 1262773 ml / 1262.8 litres
77 x 154 / 77 x 77 / 48.6 x 50.8 / 347.56 gallons / 1313788 ml / 1313.8 litres
78 x 156 / 78 x 78 / 49.2 x 51.4 / 361.42 gallons / 1366159 ml / 1366.2 litres
79 x 158 / 79 x 79 / 49.8 x 52.1 / 375.64 gallons / 1419903 ml / 1419.9 litres
80 x 160 / 80 x 80 / 50.5 x 52.8 / 390.22 gallons / 1475039 ml / 1475.0 litres
81 x 162 / 81 x 81 / 51.1 x 53.4 / 405.18 gallons / 1531584 ml / 1531.6 litres
82 x 164 / 82 x 82 / 51.8 x 54.1 / 420.52 gallons / 1589556 ml / 1589.6 litres
83 x 166 / 83 x 83 / 52.4 x 54.8 / 436.24 gallons / 1648972 ml / 1649.0 litres
84 x 168 / 84 x 84 / 53.0 x 55.4 / 452.34 gallons / 1709851 ml / 1709.9 litres
85 x 170 / 85 x 85 / 53.7 x 56.1 / 468.84 gallons / 1772211 ml / 1772.2 litres
86 x 172 / 86 x 86 / 54.3 x 56.8 / 485.73 gallons / 1836068 ml / 1836.1 litres
87 x 174 / 87 x 87 / 54.9 x 57.4 / 503.03 gallons / 1901441 ml / 1901.4 litres
88 x 176 / 88 x 88 / 55.6 x 58.1 / 520.73 gallons / 1968348 ml / 1968.3 litres
89 x 178 / 89 x 89 / 56.2 x 58.8 / 538.84 gallons / 2036807 ml / 2036.8 litres
90 x 180 / 90 x 90 / 56.9 x 59.4 / 557.36 gallons / 2106834 ml / 2106.8 litres
91 x 182 / 91 x 91 / 57.5 x 60.1 / 576.31 gallons / 2178448 ml / 2178.4 litres
92 x 184 / 92 x 92 / 58.1 x 60.8 / 595.68 gallons / 2251668 ml / 2251.7 litres
93 x 186 / 93 x 93 / 58.8 x 61.4 / 615.48 gallons / 2326509 ml / 2326.5 litres
94 x 188 / 94 x 94 / 59.4 x 62.1 / 635.71 gallons / 2402991 ml / 2403.0 litres
95 x 190 / 95 x 95 / 60.0 x 62.8 / 656.38 gallons / 2481131 ml / 2481.1 litres
96 x 192 / 96 x 96 / 60.7 x 63.4 / 677.50 gallons / 2560947 ml / 2560.9 litres
 
It is very interesting, but you can buy these things for 2-3 dollars a piece assembled and ready to use. jmo
 
Good DIY dude!!:aok: I think people sometimes forget that there's satisfaction in knowing you made something with your own hands and your own brain, not just saving money.
Peace, Superman
 
Yea the PL glue is great for stuff that I ingest. I'm with Dman I'll spend the $2.5 and have handles and no toxins
 
I thought about the glue also but like he says you can sew it instead.
 
I thought about the glue also but like he says you can sew it instead.

:yeahthat:
My wife sews and she is always asking if she can help with the grows. Maybe now she can. :)

Using glue sounds sketchy regardless though.
 
That sewing thing is something I will have to learn. I can get by sewing by hand but knowing how to use the machine would be best.
 
Nobody has said anything but I want to so here goes :)

Ok, so before I say my point, I need to go off the path a bit here. I built this drying cabinet when I first started... $75.00 and 4 hours later, I had what I thought to be the bees knees of cabinetry; Then I posted my results here... What I learned next stuck with me to this day, and now I'm questioning your DIY pots, compared to my DIY cabinet. You see, I made the cabinet out of OSB plywood, and other wood that was pressure treated. People immediately started telling me about how the chemical wood would "off gas" and generally get the chemicals into the bud we smoke, and that it was horrible to do. People were nearly begging me not to use it!

...this brings me to my statement for here. First thought I had was; "chemicals from that glue can EASILY leech into the soil and directly in and all through the plant. Actually, this seems even worse for chemical leech than what I had going on. Mine would've been through the air leeching, yours is going to be direct leeching.

So there it is. I'm worried you're going to push unwanted/harmful chemicals through your plant, because of the glue (Liquid Nail?)...or I could be entirely wrong.

Just my $0.02! :) Not trying to rip on your DIY, just the first thought that came to mind once I saw the glue
 
Bro I pointed that out. " you can sew it if you want" Time is $ spend the $2.5 CDN I'm sure it's like 2$ usd
 
Whoa.. whoops... erm, odd. When I went to reply there wasn't a single response.

Sorry about my confusion :)
 
So I think the consensus is to sew these and not use something that might leach into your soil and ultimately make you sick.
 
I'm use fishing line if I was gonna sew these. I find the handles clutch when working with these
 
DO NOT USE GLUE TO MAKE THESE!

Thanks guys for bringing this up--it was my major concern with this DIY. This cannot be stressed enough. Please do not use any kind for construction adhesive (or anything else that could possibly be toxic) like this when making bags for cannabis or any edibles. These all carry toxic warnings and can absolutely leach into the soil and the water and the roots of the plant. Along the same lines is the reason that it is not a good idea to use the reusable store bags like those from Walmart to grow in. The dyes and inks they use in the bags can be bad and leach into the soil and water.

I made a bunch of these for my friend last spring to go into milk crates--she has an artificial knee and needed a raised garden as she cannot kneel. I used nylon thread--fishing line works well. Cotton thread will break down. Although I used a sewing machine, the sewing does not have to be neat, it just has to hold. You can also staple them. I used a heavy duty thick 4 oz landscape fabric that was woven. The beauty of these is that you can make them any size you want. A cubic foot is approx 7.5 gallons, so it is quite easy to figure gallons.

I have not been able to find them for 2-3 bucks and there are easy substitutes for the glue. It is also easy to make handles for the bags. I find that I want them in sizes that they don't come in. I can make a ton of these from $30 worth of fabric...and some of us do have more time than money.
 
THG, your friend uses them to line the inside of the milk crates? Do the bags completely fill out the inside of the crates? Im using these on my next flood and drain project. The milk crates and fabric are genius. Any chance for a diy from you?
 
I do need to get some landscape fabric ordered. However, other than the glue, this is a nice tutorial. However, I would be happy to put up something when I make some. I will do it as an addendum to this Sticky though. It gets too messy to get too many Stickies. I will be sizing them to the space I am growing in. LOL--I still have the sewing machine out. I was making a quilt for one of my best friends for Christmas, but did not get it done until last week.

I considered a lot of options before I set her up with the milk crates--raised beds, growing in straw bales, but decided that the lined milk crates would br best for her situation (and she needs a bit of pushing to actually get going on projects, so I made the mild crate liners for her). It is quite easy. The bags completely filled the milk crates and I filled with soil to about 2-3" below the top of the crate. This would probably work well with a flood and drain set up.

I like the heavier fabric and I am hoping that I will be able to reuse them. Also all the info I read on making the bags recommends a woven poly that has been needle punched. Here is the fabric I like: [ame]http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FNQ5R4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1HHYPCL51QYFW&coliid=I1V47DWUMZ0Z28&psc=1[/ame] I will most likely also add some kind of handles to the ones that are to be freestanding.
 
I hope you have time to post that. I have an upholstery stapler...do you think if i fold the corners 3 times and liberally staple them that it could work. They are aluminum alloy staples that wont rust. Im trying to avoid sewing anything...lol i suck at sewing.
 
I have sewn my entire life, so over the years, have gotten fairly proficient. I know that a lot of people do not like to sew and few people anymore own sewing machines. Yes, staples will work just fine. Buy a heavy duty cloth and put the staples close together and maybe even run a second row of staples, staggered from the first row.

An ebb and flow with smart pots is an interesting idea that I may have to pursue. It seems that these 2 could go together very well.

I ordered fabric the yesterday. I will be making some pots to match the space I have to grow in now. And I found a cord for my camera and I normally have plenty of time unless something weird comes up, so not excuses for me.
 
Do they make galvanized staples? I would use those to avoid rust.
 
I ordered fabric the yesterday. I will be making some pots to match the space I have to grow in now. And I found a cord for my camera and I normally have plenty of time unless something weird comes up, so not excuses for me.
Cool post some pics when you're done.
:vap-leafy_wave:
 

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