Smart Pots or Air Pots

Mean Gene

Mean Gene

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone. I'm about to start a new grow and would like to hear what people have to say about their "Pot" of choice. I just purchased 2 3gal air pots.

I have been doing a lot of research into air pruning roots and wanted to know how people felt about smart pots and air pots.

Which one do you prefer? What are your likes/dislikes?
 
BDOGKush

BDOGKush

Well-Known Member
Mean Gene said:
Hi everyone. I'm about to start a new grow and would like to hear what people have to say about their "Pot" of choice. I just purchased 2 3gal air pots.

I have been doing a lot of research into air pruning roots and wanted to know how people felt about smart pots and air pots.

Which one do you prefer? What are your likes/dislikes?
Click to expand...
Smart pots, another grower on here posted a comparison of the root mass between a smart pot and airpot. The smart pot had a better root system.

I like that they provide more oxygen to your root zone and also keep it cooler. The plant makes better use of the grow medium due to air pruning. You have to water more than if you used plastic pots but I think that is also beneficial.

They can be a pain to move but that's why I get the handled version on any smart pot that's 5G or more.
 
Grandmah

Grandmah

Well-Known Member
The bad part about both is that water runs out the sides of the pots. I use the fabric pots but would use regular round black plastic pots. That's for my situation though.
 
Budzbuddha

Budzbuddha

Well-Known Member
There are many ways to use or make an " air pot ".

I modify regular plastic pots with 2" holes around sides and multiple drainage holes thru base. I use the recyclable bag material ( same as plant felt but cheaper ) and make
a " LINER " . I don't get any water coming thru sides as the water will gravitate to base. Roots are better Aerated and become Air Pruned ( becoming denser and maximizing uptake ). Those are WALMART recyclable bags and are .60 cents each. Still cheaper than off the shelf versions.

Plants are happy. ( that's all that matter ). :peace::bigjoint:
 
Gary Goodson

Gary Goodson

Well-Known Member
I prefer smartpots as well, I also use those round green trays underneath and let the water flow out of the sides, its ok it'll get wicked back up in about an hour. After an hour if there is still run off on the bottom I empty it.
 
Mean Gene

Mean Gene

Well-Known Member
Gary Goodson said:
I prefer smartpots as well, I also use those round green trays underneath and let the water flow out of the sides, its ok it'll get wicked back up in about an hour. After an hour if there is still run off on the bottom I empty it.
Click to expand...
So you just let the tray fill up and check it later? You dont have to remove standing water from the tray at that time?
 
Gary Goodson

Gary Goodson

Well-Known Member
Mean Gene said:
So you just let the tray fill up and check it later? You dont have to remove standing water from the tray at that time?
Click to expand...
With smartpots most of time the water will just run through. Unless you water real slow "aint nobody got time for that"

leaving them in the standing water will not hurt them unless you leave them like that for a long time. An hour or 2 wont hurt AND it will allow the medium to get fully saturated. After that I'll empty the left over run off
 
Gary Goodson

Gary Goodson

Well-Known Member
Greenhouse;save said:
Don't much like the idea of that......but......hey hoe everyone to their own..........
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Again, with smartpots most of the water will run out of the sides and If you pick the pots up they still feel light. So I like to let them wick some of the run off back up to make sure they are saturated. Plus I don't feed heavy so I don't need the mini flush every watering(10% run off)

Here are a few pics, all of these were watered as stated.
image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg
 
researching

researching

Well-Known Member
I like geo pots or better yet the brown root pouches. They are both more rigid. I like the handles too. Greenhouse Megastore has the Root Pouches for a good price.
 
researching

researching

Well-Known Member
BDOGKush said:
I place a metal grid over my drain pans and then place my plants on top of that. That way I have a clean way to collect my run off and my plants don't sit in it. Trade off is a couple inches off my max grow height
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It's super cheap and easy to build drain tables and do a drain to waste setup. Makes life way easier.
 
Mean Gene

Mean Gene

Well-Known Member
I like the ideas that are getting talked about here. I only grow 2 plants at a time just enough for personal use mostly a hobby for me. I enjoy messing with them and dont mind slow watering. Gives me time to examine all the branches and just enjoy my babies. Labor of love.
 
Greenhouse;save

Greenhouse;save

Well-Known Member
Gary Goodson said:
Again, with smartpots most of the water will run out of the sides and If you pick the pots up they still feel light. So I like to let them wick some of the run off back up to make sure they are saturated. Plus I don't feed heavy so I don't need the mini flush every watering(10% run off)

Here are a few pics, all of these were watered as stated.
View attachment 3434108
View attachment 3434109
View attachment 3434111
Click to expand...
Gorgeous plants Gary......obviously doing something right....Lol....
 
Jren437

Jren437

Active Member
Gary Goodson said:
With smartpots most of time the water will just run through. Unless you water real slow "aint nobody got time for that"

leaving them in the standing water will not hurt them unless you leave them like that for a long time. An hour or 2 wont hurt AND it will allow the medium to get fully saturated. After that I'll empty the left over run off
Click to expand...
I do the same, except I use one big tray in the bottom of my tent. With 10-20% run off they suck it back up with 1-3 hours... If not dump it out.
 
Dr. Who

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
"Smart" pots are not.....I tested those for some makers of......They did not use my review.....I slammed them...

Dry out to fast
Form an un-natural root ball that tends to be too tight...This will cause the umbrella effect among other things (the root ball will not take on water well - you get the water redirecting off to the sides and not good water/feeding to the core or bottom of plant).
You say "let them sit in the run off" Not the best idea.
You say "good for taking on O2",,,, NOT really.....if the water can't "draw through". Your not getting that O2 to the roots!
There are other things,,,but I gotta run and cut this short......DITCH THE DUMB POTS!

Look into Plant Warrior pots = good stuff!

Doc
 
Kronicle420

Kronicle420

Well-Known Member
Air pots all the way, if you indet the soil around the stem and water them slowly then you wont have any issues with water leaking out. Im using some 15Litre air pots and they seem to be working very well. I water every two days or so. At the end of the day each to their own, i said id give them a try and see what happens...
 
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