Superoots Air Pots -An Evolution in Containers

OldMedMan said:
Hi HighDive I guess we will find out about the 3 gallon size being big enough a to grow a plant from scratch. I would think the answer is yes. I have some babies in 3 litter pots for vegging. Soon I am going to put them in 14 liter airpots. That equals 3.1 gallons. I plan on keeping them in the 3.1 pot all the way to the end. The reason I am trying them is last grow my 3.7 gallon airpots had much more unused soil than I expected. My feeling is that the 3.1 gallon pots will do the same job as the larger ones. Even though I am not using them all the way from scratch, I think the results may be the same. Hope I made sense! :thumb:
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Thanks OMM for your thoughts. Do you think it's wise to save money and just get the 3 gal instead of the smaller ones 4in, 1 gal, 2 gal and skip transplanting? When you said that there are much root room left after you harvested from the 3 gal, than I guess having the 3 gal only would be economical (since those air-pots costs adds up fast). What is your veg and flowering time? 2/2 months?

I also wonder what to do with all those FFOF soil after each harvest...
 
HighDive said:
Thanks OMM for your thoughts. Do you think it's wise to save money and just get the 3 gal instead of the smaller ones 4in, 1 gal, 2 gal and skip transplanting? When you said that there are much root room left after you harvested from the 3 gal, than I guess having the 3 gal only would be economical (since those air-pots costs adds up fast). What is your veg and flowering time? 2/2 months?

I also wonder what to do with all those FFOF soil after each harvest...
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Hi HD:peace:

No I don't veg that long. I have two grow cabinets I built last year. I use the 3 liter airpots to veg in. Since I grow outdoors, I veg until they are 18 to 24 inches tall, then repot into the larger pots for flower. That way I get a good stretch when they go outside. Later this week I am going to repot a Violator Kush and she has had only 3 weeks veg. That strain just needs very little veg according to the seed bank. So , I guess you could say know your strains and go from there.

Flowering time solely depends on strain too. The seed banks give you a flowering time that's ball park at best. I've only grown one plant that actually finished in under 2 months. The strain was Bubblelicious. So read up on the strain you are growing.

I have a cement driveway out front and it's always losing soil and gravel. That's were the FFOF goes. :yummy: Some people do revive their soil. Look in the growing section on how to do that. It is reusable.:ganjamon:

If cost is a determining factor, you could just veg is small cheap pots and then replant to the 3 gallon airpots.

Be sure to put a good amount of Perlite in with the FFOF, helps with drainage and lets the water circulate better. This grow, I mixed in 40% Perlite. Last grow 30%. I think more is better. Hope I answered all you questions, if not ask again! :thumb:
 
Just a thought, myself I have room for waste soil. But I also reuse alittle in the bottoms of my larger pots. Rite now I have afew 35 gallon pots going so I screen some of my used soil add alittle blood and bone meal and dump 5-10 gallons of soil in the bottoms. Soil can get costy. Just don't reuse soil that had mites or other problems. You can heat it to sterilize it. About those 3 gallon pots, I grow term weed in them. I veg about a month, them 2 1/2- 3 1/2 flowering time. Like Pops said depends on the strain. Another thing to think of is are your seeds fem seeds? 3 gallon pots can be a waste used on male plants. You can sex plants in a smaller size then upsize your females. Dirt costs money. Also you can fit more small pots in smaller space to veg in. Then step up your game for flowering GL Keepem Green
 
OldMedMan said:
Be sure to put a good amount of Perlite in with the FFOF, helps with drainage and lets the water circulate better. This grow, I mixed in 40% Perlite. Last grow 30%. I think more is better. Hope I answered all you questions, if not ask again! :thumb:
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I might be coming full-circle on that one.

I've been reading Mandala's grow guides and have also read elsewhere that a good quality potting soil is already designed by the manufacturer to have proper drainage and aeration, and that cutting it with something inert dilutes the nutrient package and how well the soil performs.

This makes sense to me, and it also makes sense that cutting it with perlite helps prevent over-watering and makes flushing more effective.

So, where I'm at right now with soil is that I would use FFOF, Sunland Organic, Roots Organic, or some other quality soil straight-up, and just be careful about over-watering.

If I use a quality soil, quality nutes, and pay attention, I shouldn't really need to do any emergency flushing, so can't justify the perlite for that reason either.

So, I'd say that for newbies who tend to be heavy-handed with watering, and who might need to do an emergency flush because of inexperience, which is a lot of us when we start out, it's an EXCELLENT idea to cut with perlite until we learn how to care for our plants, but once we have a few grows under our belt and we have a good grasp of how to prevent over-watering and over-feeding, we're going to have better results using the stuff out of the bag, and as our reward for having learned the basics, we won't have to water nearly as often, and we get to grow nicer plants.

that has to be the longest damn sentence I've ever written, lol
 
Excellent post SS!
I'm a big believer in not cutting premium soil with perlite. If I do cut it I use Fox Farm Light Warrior instead of pure perlite.
You're exactly right about just needing to be careful to not water and feed too often. In air pots that's nearly impossible.

For the budget conscious grower who wants to use air pots I would recommend the 3 liter yellow bottom pots for veg.
You want to start the air pruning process during the early developmental stages of the root system. When the plant is ready for bloom it can be transplanted to a five gallon bucket and the roots will still continue to grow in the natural pattern rather than coiling.
The 3 liter pots are also the most budget friendly of all sizes and offers the most performance and benefits of air pruning. Another good choice would be the red botttom 5 liter pots for the same reasons.

Here's some pics of air pots at work in my garden.
This first one is baby OG Kush, LAW, & Grapegod in 7.5l & 12.5l Air Pots under T5HO. Soil is uncut Roots Formula 707. This was shot during the transition from 4"x6" air pots for seedlings to the 7.5s & 12.5s.

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24hrs after transplanting they look like this

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Autoflowers in 4"x6" air pots

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One week later they are in 2 gallon fabric grow bags from CAP and Roots

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Young WW Mother plant vegging in a 12.5l Air Pot

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WW in week two of bloom. This girl is in a mondo sized 30l AirPot!

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Orangeblood, be careful I just had to cull my Roadrunner Fem seed. It wasn't fem. Myself I have afew too many plants to keep aclose watch on. But 'She' turned male. I know a fem seed isn't garetueed to be a lady, which mine sure didn't, but I seen 'his' preflower opened before I could catch it. Maybe I was lulled into a false sense of security thinking it was a fem seed. But all in all I didn't 'not' look at her for 2 days max. GL with yours.
 
Norcaliwood said:
Orangeblood, be careful I just had to cull my Roadrunner Fem seed. It wasn't fem. Myself I have afew too many plants to keep aclose watch on. But 'She' turned male. I know a fem seed isn't garetueed to be a lady, which mine sure didn't, but I seen 'his' preflower opened before I could catch it. Maybe I was lulled into a false sense of security thinking it was a fem seed. But all in all I didn't 'not' look at her for 2 days max. GL with yours.
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.

Thanks Bro!
I'm keeping these autos seperate from everything because i dont trust them. I've heard too many growers say exactly what you just said. + they were freebies so that has it's red flags too.
So far so good. The RR looks normal but the haze is really weird. It's growing three to four branches from each node instead of the common two on opposite sides of the stalk.

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Setting Sun said:
I might be coming full-circle on that one.

I've been reading Mandala's grow guides and have also read elsewhere that a good quality potting soil is already designed by the manufacturer to have proper drainage and aeration, and that cutting it with something inert dilutes the nutrient package and how well the soil performs.

This makes sense to me, and it also makes sense that cutting it with perlite helps prevent over-watering and makes flushing more effective.

So, where I'm at right now with soil is that I would use FFOF, Sunland Organic, Roots Organic, or some other quality soil straight-up, and just be careful about over-watering.

If I use a quality soil, quality nutes, and pay attention, I shouldn't really need to do any emergency flushing, so can't justify the perlite for that reason either.

So, I'd say that for newbies who tend to be heavy-handed with watering, and who might need to do an emergency flush because of inexperience, which is a lot of us when we start out, it's an EXCELLENT idea to cut with perlite until we learn how to care for our plants, but once we have a few grows under our belt and we have a good grasp of how to prevent over-watering and over-feeding, we're going to have better results using the stuff out of the bag, and as our reward for having learned the basics, we won't have to water nearly as often, and we get to grow nicer plants.

that has to be the longest damn sentence I've ever written, lol
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Say What! :yikes::yikes::yikes::yikes:

Hi Sun Good to see you. :ganjamon:

OK! You did go full circle in one short year As I read your post my mind was saying wait a minute...You said!

Actually, I agree with you. However you are forcing me to put away my training wheels. Not nice!:ganjamon:

Well. here goes, tomorrow I am re potting 3 girls that are ready to go into bloom. I will use straight Happy Frog and OC+ and thats it.
Getting tired as hell watering them all the time. :yummy:

Once a again old friend :thanks:
 
Hey OB :ganjamon:

For the budget conscious grower who wants to use air pots I would recommend the 3 liter yellow bottom pots for veg.
You want to start the air pruning process during the early developmental stages of the root system. When the plant is ready for bloom it can be transplanted to a five gallon bucket and the roots will still continue to grow in the natural pattern rather than coiling.
The 3 liter pots are also the most budget friendly of all sizes and offers the most performance and benefits of air pruning. Another good choice would be the red botttom 5 liter pots for the same reasons.
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That is spot on advice, my friend. Replanting tomorrow from the 3 liter to the 3 gallon pots. They really veg well in the 3 liters. I do think I might try one or two of the 5 gallon and up Airpots just to see what they do. Think I might grow a tree if I can. :surf:
 
hey bro, good to see you too;)

Just a bit over a year on the full-circle, but I'm a fast learner on stuff I'm interested in, like growing.

"Training wheels" is exactly what I was trying to say in that post. That expresses it perfectly.

Looking forward to seeing how your OC+ girls do!
 
Setting Sun said:
hey bro, good to see you too;)

Just a bit over a year on the full-circle, but I'm a fast learner on stuff I'm interested in, like growing.

"Training wheels" is exactly what I was trying to say in that post. That expresses it perfectly.

Looking forward to seeing how your OC+ girls do!
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Fast learner? I would say so! :)

One of the girls that is going out tomorrow is a Violator Kush. I know at one time you said it was one your favorites. Took me a while to get one from my bucket list and try it. Looking forward to her smoke. :yummy:
 
OldMedMan said:
Hey OB :ganjamon:



That is spot on advice, my friend. Replanting tomorrow from the 3 liter to the 3 gallon pots. They really veg well in the 3 liters. I do think I might try one or two of the 5 gallon and up Airpots just to see what they do. Think I might grow a tree if I can. :surf:
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I love seeing the plants react when they go from the 3l to a larger pot or buckets! They just go insane! These two widows were in the 3l and then transplanted to 5 gallon buckets for outside.

They went from this

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To this in 12 days

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OB, you were right!:yahoo:

Easiest re potting I've ever done The 3 liter just unfolded and fit right in the pot, roots were hardly exposed during the transplant. Beautiful :thanks:

Your gonna love this OB :yahoo:

As you know I'm an old fart and forget things sometimes. When I was done repotting I was cleaning everything up and noticed one of the bottoms of the 3 liter pots was missing. After a good search, I figured it out!
I left it in the bottom of the Violator Kush AirPot I just replanted to.:rofl:

I am not going in after it :thumb:
 
Setting Sun said:
Yep, I love to see them react like that too!

beautiful plants brother

the leaves are fairly narrow, what strain is that OB?
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Thx SS!
Those are Greenhouse Seeds White Widow clones.

OldMedMan said:
OB, you were right!:yahoo:

Easiest re potting I've ever done The 3 liter just unfolded and fit right in the pot, roots were hardly exposed during the transplant. Beautiful :thanks:

Your gonna love this OB :yahoo:

As you know I'm an old fart and forget things sometimes. When I was done repotting I was cleaning everything up and noticed one of the bottoms of the 3 liter pots was missing. After a good search, I figured it out!
I left it in the bottom of the Violator Kush AirPot I just replanted to.:rofl:

I am not going in after it :thumb:
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Well I wish I could chalk it up to a senior moment but I'm 37 and there's a bottom to a two gallon air pot still attached to a Yumbolt in a 10 gallon container out in my back yard. :ganjamon:

I think it's just that the root ball is so cool to look at when I open the container I get mesmerized and forget to look at the bottom to make sure the screen is detached. :rollit:

They sure do make soil gardening interesting and fun though! Plus they make growers like us look like we know what we're doing! :rofl:
 
orangeblood said:
Thx SS!
Those are Greenhouse Seeds White Widow clones.



Well I wish I could chalk it up to a senior moment but I'm 37 and there's a bottom to a two gallon air pot still attached to a Yumbolt in a 10 gallon container out in my back yard. :ganjamon:

I think it's just that the root ball is so cool to look at when I open the container I get mesmerized and forget to look at the bottom to make sure the screen is detached. :rollit:

They sure do make soil gardening interesting and fun though! Plus they make growers like us look like we know what we're doing! :rofl:
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Thanks OB Now I feel better. Actually, I just sat down and laughed my ass off. Great growers that we are! Well, now they all know that the AirPots just make us look good! :ganjamon:
 
HighDive said:
OMM and OB, do you guys have experienced the pots dry out too quickly? Mine dries out in like 2 days and the plants is all withered...I have them indoor.
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Hi My friend, :) That is about what I do outside. Every two days I water most of them. Actually, I like it better this way. My plants are doing just like yours, their leaves droop and they look terrible. I know for sure it is time to water.
MJ is a plant that actually likes to dry out a bit before the next watering. So it's not bad, but a pain in the butt, to water every other day.
Do you have a hot grow room? That maybe a factor too. Low humidity may be a factor also.
Everyday when I go out and look at them, that's the first thing I look for...drooping. So it's pretty normal. :ganjamon:
 
HighDive said:
OMM and OB, do you guys have experienced the pots dry out too quickly? Mine dries out in like 2 days and the plants is all withered...I have them indoor.
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Yeah it's hard to keep up with watering a plant that's filled out the airpot with roots in a warm grow room.
I have major issues down here in the SouthWest with airpots drying out which is why I transplant out of the airpot to a solid container during these warm months for bloom.
The only pots I feel comfortable blooming in are the massive 30l air pots becuse it offers so much insulation and i can go three days between waterings. If I use the 12.5l airpots for bloom now I would have to water daily if not twice a day.
 
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