Container size

[Diksnot]

I'm sure this has been discussed, but I still have to disagree with what all the books say. Most say the general rule of thumb is 1-1.5 gallons for every month of growth. I use 5 gallon pots, and am severely root bound by 2.5 months. I now use 7 gallon containers for 3 month grow in pro mix. I use Botanicare nurses. Does any one else get root bound this early? I put clones or seeds directly in to 7 gallon pots, as I am not big in to transplanting neither. So does any one know why I get root bounded so early? Every one I know says they are growing 6' tall beasts in 3 gallon pots. I think they might be full of shit.

Sorry if this is the wrong section for this. This is my first post, but I want to know why others are supposedly not getting root bound in smaller pots. Thanks

 

[I GROW GREAT GANJA]

I use 3 gallon grow bags, I go by the 1 gallon for every foot method. I have about 3.5 feet of usable height in my tent and they work perfectly.

 

[Vindicated]

I don't agree with that one gallon per month rule either, unless your also root & stem pruning. Forcing a Sativa into a five gallon container is like growing a redwood tree in 9 liter bucket. It can be done but at a cost. You lose vigor and feeding becomes more problematic. I really think An auto should have at least seven gallons and one sq foot of growing space. Triple that for Indicas. 100 gallons or more for hybrids and Sativas with at least six to ten feet of space.

 

[HotShot7414]

Pot size depends on plant size,i could 12/12 from seed in a 18oz party cup,but 18/6 then 12/12 would never work.

 

[Nutes and Nugs]

I grow in small pots, nothing larger than 1 gallon.
From seed or clone in a 3"x3" pot until about 2 feet tall then into a gallon pot(on right) till harvest.
Works for me.

 

[WhiteRooster]

Smart Pots are the way to go the prevent pants from getting root bound by air pruning the roots once they grow out of the container

 

[bigsteve]

" I use 5 gallon pots, and am severely root bound by 2.5 months." I doubt this is true.

You do not understand what rootbound means. We use that term to refer to a situation where the growth of the plant is hindered
because there is not enough soil. Your plants are not rootbound just because they circle the pot.

BigSteve.

 

[hotrodharley]

" I use 5 gallon pots, and am severely root bound by 2.5 months." I doubt this is true.

You do not understand what rootbound means. We use that term to refer to a situation where the growth of the plant is hindered
because there is not enough soil. Your plants are not rootbound just because they circle the pot.

BigSteve.

They soon will be then. Figure it out. The roots have run out of room to extend so they begin circling.

 

[Vindicated]

I've used 10 gallon smart pots with an Indica and it still got root bound. The roots don't wrap around the pot like they do with regular plastic containers, but the plant still gets stunted and roots don't take off like they normally would.

In my case, I had left the plant in a 10 gallon for to long, so when I went to transplant, the roots were stuck in the fabric. I had to carefully rip the roots out, then transplant them into the ground. The plant recovered, but never grew like the ones that were started in the ground. After the season was over and I uprooted the plant, the rootball grew out maybe a half inch at most. Basically it stayed the size and shape of the Smart Pot container.

A while back I read that your supposed to always insure there is a 2" gap between the roots and the edge of the smart pot fabric. For small shrubs that isn't hard, but for cannabis sativa plants you'd need a really big (100+ gallon) container that's wider then it is deep. I still love and use Smart Pots, but they aren't as perfect as you'd think. Now i just use the one gallon grow bags to start seeds in and transplant after three weeks of growth.

 

[magoo63]

I am growing some Light of Jah first grow. One of my plants is in a 50 gallon rubbermaid tub. It is working good. It is way to heavy to move had my son build me a dolly . The plant looks like a bush and is full of buds. 6 more weeks to go I think? Her time not mine been in flower for going on 6 weeks now. I have clones that I am going to transplant next week and been rethinking the big containers so this thread caught my eye. I do not want the hassle of replanting like first grow but can not see putting a clone in 50 gallon container. I think instead of 3 gallons going to 10 the 50 for final. Thoughts??