What about clear pots???

[hhibrownsbacker]

OK Im getting ready to start my first indoor grow, seeds have cracked and Im going to be planting them in soil today. I would like to use CLEAR pots so I can see the root developement BUT Im not sure if it would affect the way the sprouts would come up. Would light being allowed to travel thru the sides of the pots(rather than just the top) affect or confuse the plant by possibly making it harder to find the top of the soil to break out of. Hope that makes sense and thanks in advance.

 

[massah]

you don't want to expose your root system to that much light...so don't use clear pots...you can judge how your root system is doing in small containers based on what you see for roots trying to come out the bottom drainage holes

 

[racerboy71]

plus, if the plant is doing well above the ground, things below the ground are doing their parts and should look fine, lol..

but yah, i've always heard the same thing, not supposed to expose the roots to too much light, never knew why that was though... i could see it in say a hydro system where you'd think that the light would dry out the roots, but in dirt i never really understood the reasoning behind it.. i know air will prune your roots, hence the invention of airpots and the like..
maybe someone knows the reasoning why behind no clear pots, i'd surely like to know other then just having people say no clear pots, no offense to the above poster, i'm just curious now is all..

 

[mrmadcow]

light will damage the roots.not sure of the exact science behind but it does.
you could use the clear pots if you found another pot to put them in.I have started plants in clear party cup & kept it in a red cup to block the light but still be able to see root growth.

 

[massah]

I've always heard about it, but never really researched it...I was just browsing through a few websites to dig out the info and it seems that roots exposed to light release growth inhibiting compounds like abscisic acid which retard the root growth, so instead of the root system getting larger and start wrapping around the outside of the container as it expands, when it sees the light it stops growing that root. And if the light is powerful enough it will penetrate the soil from the sides just a tiny bit and stop the root growth before it even reaches the outside of the soil.

 

[hhibrownsbacker]

thanks for the replys, You just helped me avoid a big mistake, gotta love this place.

 

[BigSmokaZ]

lol, of course i see this when every plant of mine is in clear 2 liters. I can see about 20 exposed roots creeping down the inside of the container but they seem nice and thick, and im assuming healthy. I didnt want my roots growing anymore than they have alreadyn tho so it may be benificial to me. Im planning on leaving them in the 2 liters permenatly. or at least the already full grown plant. Thanks for the info tho guys ill make sure i change this habit of mine

 

[dank smoker420]

you can have little clear party cups and then put those in a colored one so you can see the roots and block out the light

 

[racerboy71]

you can have little clear party cups and then put those in a colored one so you can see the roots and block out the light

i've used milk containers, but simply just spray painted the outside with black spraypaint, waited for it to dry, and used it like that no problems..

and great info moash, thank you.. i didn't mean for you to have to look that shit up, i was just being curious was all as i've always heard the same, no clear containers, just never knew the reasoning behind it, and that tends to bother me as at that point i don't know if it's just an old wifes tale or if it's actually factual..

 

[massah]

i didn't mean for you to have to look that shit up, i was just being curious was all as i've always heard the same, no clear containers, just never knew the reasoning behind it, and that tends to bother me as at that point i don't know if it's just an old wifes tale or if it's actually factual..

When I give out information that I feel is correct, but I've only heard it from many sources and never done any research myself, and someone questions it, I want to know myself as to why it is just in case I'm wrong

I appreciate the challenge of information I give in this situation so it makes me learn more

 

[ML75]

I heard it was good to keep the roots in the dark....listen to the top dawgs though cus I dont know for a fact