poppinfresh
Active Member
Hello everyone! I have been doing some research on growing with soil and organic fertilizers. In my quest to grow higher yielding, higher THC percentages, and better tasting meds than hydroponics I stumpbled upon Air Pruning as a way to incease yeild and reduce growing time.
What is Root air pruning?
"An air-pruning propagation system is a low-cost, efficient method of propagating cuttings, seedlings or container plants for restoration projects. Air pruning happens naturally when roots are exposed to air in the absence of high humidity. The roots are effectively burned off, causing the plant to constantly produce new and healthy branching roots. If roots are not exposed to air, they continue to grow around the container in a constricted pattern. The roots may spiral, twist, kink or become strangled. When the plant is later installed it will likely fail to establish a normal root structure, and instead will have reduced uptake of water and nutrients. Eventually abnormal growth should be obvious and could cause the plant to fail. Damaged root systems also cause leaves to turn yellow or brown, shrivel or drop. Healthy, highly branched root structures allow a plant to more efficiently uptake water and nutrients while increasing growth and overall plant health." ( This information is not my own it was taken from Guidebook for Native Plant Propagation, Author: Julia Walker)
Advantages of air-pruning:
· promotes branched root systems
· encourages new roots to sprout
· prevents roots from spiraling
· prevents plants from becoming pot-bound
· plants may remain in pots, plugs or plant bands longer
Examples of natural air pruning pots:
The Super Roots AirPot. Also a great video to watch How air pots work.
[
RootMaker system:
.
Here is a great picture that shows the efficenty of this system. RootMaker also makes liners and indivdual pots. Check it out http://www.rootmaker.com/rootmakersystem.php
These are just a few examples. Once you get the concept of it you could easily and cheaply design a system on your own.
Now onto chemical root pruning. This thread off of RIU shows Mogie using Griffin's Spin-Out. If you read the thread and look at the pics the stuff really works. A word of caution on chemical root pruining. This study done by, Carl Whitcomb, Ph.D. titled "Improving Containers Copper is Not the Answer"
"Improving Containers Copper is Not the Answer" questions whether or not copper spayed on the inside effects the plants growth. One big idea he proposed was "Mycorrhizal fungi that aid growth of most plants are also killed along with
other beneficial microorganisms" inside copper sprayed pots. This is disturbing considering how much the micro herd is needed to get full lush plants in organic soil growing.
This link:http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/2385BubbleBitchRoots.jpg shows roots growing in a TAG environment. TAG stands for True Aeroponic Growing. The branching on the root structure looks similar to what you are trying to archive with air pruning.
By doing these test's I hope to put to rest the debate whether hydro or soil is better. Now when i say "better" I mean:
To test the "Flavor" portion of the test will grow a second set of plants. These will be tomatoes. Everybody loves tomatoes, and i can get a unbiased response from friends and family. I will still have a flavor test for the meds, but the test subjects wont know whether they are smoking hydro or organic soil buds. Neither will the person who gives the test.
This all started when I saw this:
Granted much of its size can be attributed to its genetics. But the fact still remain it was grown in the soil with organic teas and fertilizer.
The earth is 4.5 billion years old. With that much time for plants to evolve they are perfect. Plant life is estimated to be around 425 million years old. With 425 million years of evolution under their belts plants are perfectly adapted to their environment. To my knowledge all strains of Cannabis are found growing in soil and not water. Since after all those years wild Cannabis has chosen to grow in soil over water, soil must be the BEST place fo it to grow. I doubt whether 425 million years of evolution can be beat by NASA scientist and their hydroponic/aeroponics systems. Mabey those systems are best for growing in confinded spaces like the space station.
Something else interesting. I know you have all seen movies and pictures depiction dinosaurs. Well did you every look at the plants? About 300 million years ago during the Triassic period the estimated Co2 concentration was around 2000-1800 ppm. With an average temp of 68F. Plants and trees were HUGE around this time. They had to be to feed the huge dinos that were herbivores. 68F and 1500 ppm co2 are almost the ideal ranges indoor growers look for. Take a look:
Growing plants bigger, more flavorful, and just plain better that hydro is not hard. You just have to think outside the box. Thats why I thought the info about the past climate was relevant. The biggest greenest and most healthy vegetation ever on earth was around 200-85 million years ago. So if i can reproduce those conditions I should have a monster plant.
So I know it was alot to read and hopefully you guys will find it interesting if not sorry it was boring. Any thoughts suggestions or ever corrections are welcome. Peace
What is Root air pruning?
"An air-pruning propagation system is a low-cost, efficient method of propagating cuttings, seedlings or container plants for restoration projects. Air pruning happens naturally when roots are exposed to air in the absence of high humidity. The roots are effectively burned off, causing the plant to constantly produce new and healthy branching roots. If roots are not exposed to air, they continue to grow around the container in a constricted pattern. The roots may spiral, twist, kink or become strangled. When the plant is later installed it will likely fail to establish a normal root structure, and instead will have reduced uptake of water and nutrients. Eventually abnormal growth should be obvious and could cause the plant to fail. Damaged root systems also cause leaves to turn yellow or brown, shrivel or drop. Healthy, highly branched root structures allow a plant to more efficiently uptake water and nutrients while increasing growth and overall plant health." ( This information is not my own it was taken from Guidebook for Native Plant Propagation, Author: Julia Walker)
Advantages of air-pruning:
· promotes branched root systems
· encourages new roots to sprout
· prevents roots from spiraling
· prevents plants from becoming pot-bound
· plants may remain in pots, plugs or plant bands longer
Examples of natural air pruning pots:
The Super Roots AirPot. Also a great video to watch How air pots work.
RootMaker system:
These are just a few examples. Once you get the concept of it you could easily and cheaply design a system on your own.
Now onto chemical root pruning. This thread off of RIU shows Mogie using Griffin's Spin-Out. If you read the thread and look at the pics the stuff really works. A word of caution on chemical root pruining. This study done by, Carl Whitcomb, Ph.D. titled "Improving Containers Copper is Not the Answer"
"Improving Containers Copper is Not the Answer" questions whether or not copper spayed on the inside effects the plants growth. One big idea he proposed was "Mycorrhizal fungi that aid growth of most plants are also killed along with
other beneficial microorganisms" inside copper sprayed pots. This is disturbing considering how much the micro herd is needed to get full lush plants in organic soil growing.
This link:http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/2385BubbleBitchRoots.jpg shows roots growing in a TAG environment. TAG stands for True Aeroponic Growing. The branching on the root structure looks similar to what you are trying to archive with air pruning.
I am doing all this research because I will be doing a Hydroponic/Organic Soil showdown. I will atempt to grow one female specimine in an undecided hydro setup, and one in organic soil ( either foxfarms or my own mix). I will use the same genetics either from seed or from clones taken at the same time from the same mother plant.
By doing these test's I hope to put to rest the debate whether hydro or soil is better. Now when i say "better" I mean:
- Better or equal yeild
- Better flavor
- More bag appeal
- A more natural experience
To test the "Flavor" portion of the test will grow a second set of plants. These will be tomatoes. Everybody loves tomatoes, and i can get a unbiased response from friends and family. I will still have a flavor test for the meds, but the test subjects wont know whether they are smoking hydro or organic soil buds. Neither will the person who gives the test.
This all started when I saw this:
Granted much of its size can be attributed to its genetics. But the fact still remain it was grown in the soil with organic teas and fertilizer.
The earth is 4.5 billion years old. With that much time for plants to evolve they are perfect. Plant life is estimated to be around 425 million years old. With 425 million years of evolution under their belts plants are perfectly adapted to their environment. To my knowledge all strains of Cannabis are found growing in soil and not water. Since after all those years wild Cannabis has chosen to grow in soil over water, soil must be the BEST place fo it to grow. I doubt whether 425 million years of evolution can be beat by NASA scientist and their hydroponic/aeroponics systems. Mabey those systems are best for growing in confinded spaces like the space station.
Something else interesting. I know you have all seen movies and pictures depiction dinosaurs. Well did you every look at the plants? About 300 million years ago during the Triassic period the estimated Co2 concentration was around 2000-1800 ppm. With an average temp of 68F. Plants and trees were HUGE around this time. They had to be to feed the huge dinos that were herbivores. 68F and 1500 ppm co2 are almost the ideal ranges indoor growers look for. Take a look:
Growing plants bigger, more flavorful, and just plain better that hydro is not hard. You just have to think outside the box. Thats why I thought the info about the past climate was relevant. The biggest greenest and most healthy vegetation ever on earth was around 200-85 million years ago. So if i can reproduce those conditions I should have a monster plant.
So I know it was alot to read and hopefully you guys will find it interesting if not sorry it was boring. Any thoughts suggestions or ever corrections are welcome. Peace
