Can root bound become an issue in small pot?

2klude

Well-Known Member
I currently grow in pure coco, 2gal fabric pots, multi feeding. I'm getting tired of cleaning these fabric pots and thinking of making the switch to plastic pots. My concern is plants getting root bound. Fabric pots self prune but the hard shell pots won't.

I'm 100% positive these plants will be root bound within the first few weeks of flower. Is this going to be an issue in coco if I am feeding multiple times a day?

I see plenty of grows online in coco, small hard shell pots, so I know its done... any tips or insight is much appreciated. Thanks!
 

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
You should try the air pots, the one with the weird looking nipples. I switched over to them from fabric and I love them, still get the air pruning but also better drainage. And the way you just unwrap them to transplant is super cool.
 

Lordhooha

Well-Known Member
I currently grow in pure coco, 2gal fabric pots, multi feeding. I'm getting tired of cleaning these fabric pots and thinking of making the switch to plastic pots. My concern is plants getting root bound. Fabric pots self prune but the hard shell pots won't.

I'm 100% positive these plants will be root bound within the first few weeks of flower. Is this going to be an issue in coco if I am feeding multiple times a day?

I see plenty of grows online in coco, small hard shell pots, so I know its done... any tips or insight is much appreciated. Thanks!
Just pull the plants out of the fabric and soak Them and reuse.
 

2klude

Well-Known Member
Just pull the plants out of the fabric and soak Them and reuse.
It's what I do now but it takes for ever. A buddy of mine told me to just take them down to the laundry mat and wash them there but I think the owner would freak out if he saw me doing that lol. I might just go buy a cheap washing machine, dedicated to washing the fabric pots.
 

Killaki

Well-Known Member
That would defeat the purpose of my growing style. I need my pots to dry out to the point where I need to feed them every 1.5 hours or so in peak flower.
Wait... What? Where and how did you first adapt this growing style? What are the benefits? Like even every 1.5 hours at night? Or do you let it be dry during dark time?
 

2klude

Well-Known Member
Wait... What? Where and how did you first adapt this growing style? What are the benefits? Like even every 1.5 hours at night? Or do you let it be dry during dark time?
I don't watering during lights out. I start watering about 1 hour after lights go on and work up to 8 small feeds per day. I grow in pure coco, small 2 gallon pots with only about 1.5gal of coco. I only do slight drybacks after transplanting from solo cups to 2gal. I do 9 plants per light, 3-4 week veg.

I water once a day most of veg. My day 1 flower I'm usually watering twice. I work my way up to 6-8 feeds a day, strain dependent. I only achieve runoff towards the last 1-2 feeds for the day. I get explosive growth feeding this way. Everytime I feed I'm drawing air into the root zone. I'm actually suprised you've not heard of multifeed grows. I would say 90% of commercial grows are growing in this style in coco or rockwool, crop steering.
 

2klude

Well-Known Member
Every 1.5 hrs! I’ll stick to watering every two to three days lol
I have (2) 250gallon res that feed 324 plants. I need to remix the reservoirs only once a week which takes me about an hour. My auto feed setup feeds the plants 2-8 times per day through PC emitters. I get explosive growth and I invest about 1 hour a week to water (2) 15 light rooms.
 

Killaki

Well-Known Member
I don't watering during lights out. I start watering about 1 hour after lights go on and work up to 8 small feeds per day. I grow in pure coco, small 2 gallon pots with only about 1.5gal of coco. I only do slight drybacks after transplanting from solo cups to 2gal. I do 9 plants per light, 3-4 week veg.

I water once a day most of veg. My day 1 flower I'm usually watering twice. I work my way up to 6-8 feeds a day, strain dependent. I only achieve runoff towards the last 1-2 feeds for the day. I get explosive growth feeding this way. Everytime I feed I'm drawing air into the root zone. I'm actually suprised you've not heard of multifeed grows. I would say 90% of commercial grows are growing in this style in coco or rockwool, crop steering.
Doesn't seem like it's something I could ever do but seems like an interesting idea. I've never ran more than 20 plants at a time and I've never had commercial grow dreams. I've really only ever had dreams of not paying for weed anymore. Perhaps one day.
 

Soul Dwella

Well-Known Member
You should try the air pots, the one with the weird looking nipples. I switched over to them from fabric and I love them, still get the air pruning but also better drainage. And the way you just unwrap them to transplant is super cool.
never used air pots, what do you mean by just unwrap them to transplant??
 

SnoopyDoo

Well-Known Member
I don't watering during lights out. I start watering about 1 hour after lights go on and work up to 8 small feeds per day. I grow in pure coco, small 2 gallon pots with only about 1.5gal of coco. I only do slight drybacks after transplanting from solo cups to 2gal. I do 9 plants per light, 3-4 week veg.

I water once a day most of veg. My day 1 flower I'm usually watering twice. I work my way up to 6-8 feeds a day, strain dependent. I only achieve runoff towards the last 1-2 feeds for the day. I get explosive growth feeding this way. Everytime I feed I'm drawing air into the root zone. I'm actually suprised you've not heard of multifeed grows. I would say 90% of commercial grows are growing in this style in coco or rockwool, crop steering.
I've switched from fabric to plastic and I can't say that I noticed a difference. That is a lot of pots to clean whether they're plastic or fabric. I think your idea of a cheap dedicated washing machine sounds like a winner to me.
 

Fruity420

Well-Known Member
This was kept in small pot, less than half a gallon, 165mm pot anyways. I kept a 2.5kg weight on it so it didnt topple over.
You can grow massive plants in a little pots if you’re willing enough to keep watering constantly, and they aren’t anchored down by the weight of medium so can need more support.
Almost 6 oz from the plant was 2 of them in 4x2.
If I was growing the same thing outside I would use container 4-6 x bigger.
I’ve found very little difference in container type when growing hydro style indoors, so I just use the basic variety I have thousands of
 

Attachments

NaturalBatch14

New Member
It's what I do now but it takes for ever. A buddy of mine told me to just take them down to the laundry mat and wash them there but I think the owner would freak out if he saw me doing that lol. I might just go buy a cheap washing machine, dedicated to washing the fabric pots.
Dude just wash them quit being lazy. Something going in ur lungs deserves the best you can offer with what you provide it
 

Bukvičák

Well-Known Member
I believe somebody here on RIU already mentioned that in coco under HFF you need bounded thriving rootbal. In potting soil it is completely different story. Fabric prune the roots so they can not grow in circles, but it does not mean they can not become bounded.
 
Top