DIY Air Pruning Pot Experiment - Pictures

I'm going to try and adapt this bodacious info to 2 liter bottles. don't ask me why, i just like recycling. any suggestions?

great idea! sorry no suggestion well maybe one but you probably already thought of it. paint them so no light gets in, christ what a lame suggestion. good luck

whats the word hobbes?

What about using tyvek? It's waterproof and breathable..

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Hey guys! Sorry its taken me so long to get back to you, I was designing a CO2 subcritical fluid extractor to replace butane extraction and the process was a hell of a lot of fun. Here's a link to the thread if you want to check it out - all the info for the extractor is in blue, I wove threads of information - technical, letters, comedy, philosophy, music, video - to make it like a fun park to visit while a person absorbs the extractor info. The info is all in point form - in blue - if all you want to do is breeze through that it's easy to pick out.

Have a look, spin your mouse wheel, it doesn't matter where you start. Bookmark the thread, open an account, post a hello and drop back in again and again if you enjoy the place. If you want to build your own CO2 extractor and help the medical marijuana community - lower prices to patients and increase the potency and quality of their extracts - I'll work through the process with anyone who wants to understand it - but only on Jon Stewart's forum. I wrestled with that beast for two weeks, it would add and subtract lines and blocks of text at will and randomly. I just needed a quiet place and there is NO place quieter than Jon Stewart's forum. Ba ding bam!

It's formatted for a MacBook Pro 17" screen, there's a short introduction on the first page.

http://forums.thedailyshow.com/?page=ThreadView&thread_id=28916&pg=1

To understand, construct and operate the extractor this is all you need - if you put enough time into thinking the process through.



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"your harvest looks great man! cant wait to read the smoke report and potency test!"

It was my best yet Norcal, with the least work. After bending the plant into a Crop Circle Of Bud I basically just soak it with 2 gallons of water with 1/2 strength fox farm every watering. Most potent, frostiest, best yield.

I figure an average of 3 litres per plant, some close to 4 and the lowest a little over 2 1/2. I don't bother to weigh but did some test runs on some strains awhile back - I cure mine to between 8 % and 11% of cut weight over 4 to 6 weeks; after 4 weeks cure a litre would weigh between 60 grams and 110 grams; so at an average of 3 litres at the lowest weight I'd get 180 grams per plant. It doesn't seem like much, I'm sure I get more than that. And I'm running 11 plants now instead of 12, a row of 6 and a row of 5 for a bit more space.

So 11 plants at 3 litres a plant at 60 grams a litre is 1980 grams on a 600 watt light; 10 strains (2 Kali Mist); continuous grow; no large yielding strains; fox farm nutes, pro mix, holes drilled in my buckets and floor. I'm going to get some Endless Sky beans from Doc and see how I'd do with a big yielder.

These buckets are great for anyone who's getting root rot. If you're getting spider mites take a look at my Air Floor thread.

And drop into Jon's forum and open an account! I need you guys there, we need a critical mass.

http://forums.thedailyshow.com/?page=ThreadView&thread_id=28916&pg=1


I get about this much per plant per harvest:



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(they don't even have a on Jon's forum, it was hard to post)

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"why a lot of small holes wouldn't work the same way as making large holes and using a fabric. ... Does it make sense or am I missing something big?"

It makes sense McFonz. I went with the larger holes because I thought it'd be quicker, then just kept at it. It'll be a combination of the total area of the holes and their pattern - so a root that hits the bucket wall will eventually grow to a hole and the root tip die. Big holes, small hoes, whatever works best for you.

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"I'm going to try and adapt this bodacious info to 2 liter bottles. don't ask me why, i just like recycling. any suggestions?"

It'll be the same as a 5 gallon bucket except for the cover bucket. I like having a cover to keep the root ball moist longer, makes watering cleaner. Perhaps another 2 litre bottle cut into a tube and slid over your hole bucket - or if its too tight a fit cut a slit up the bottle sheath and open it like a hinge to get it around the hole bucket, then hole together with elastics or velcro.



Masking tape would make a good disposable strap.

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For clear vs dark - the light won't kill the roots but it won't help them either. A sheet of black plastic around the bottle could act as both moisture barrier and light block. I always find plastic hard to handle on containers, putting a hard cover over the plastic, like the cut 2 litre bottle from above would help but take a bit longer setting up each time.

A good experiment would be to run a half dozen of each type of container to see which yields better.

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"one question: is using the pvc necessary"

LOL!! Good point!

The model is a conceptual - its a teaching model only, not a working model. That's made from stainless steel - all of the written: parts list, assembly instructions, operating directions and parts list are in BLUE text on Jon's forum.

Everything else you advanced is correct, and more. There are very few trace chemicals left after a butane extraction, the concern is more for impurities in the butane than actual butane itself. But ... emptying two cans of butane into a single tray of brownies makes me queasy. Butane leaches various heavy metals from PVC, there is a past about that on my "gifts" thread on Jon's forum.

NL if you could would you open an account on Jon's forum and copy and past the question there - I want to start a discussion ... with other people for awhile!

Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination - I'm sure I could have made money selling these by now but if I start giving away fishes we're not going to go where we have to go. In pleasure boating there are two basic schools of thought - sailing and stink pots. In a power boat the destination is important - if going to an island a few clicks off shore you can power out in minutes and everyone can go about doing what they want to do. Sailing out requires time, skill and effort - people can get a ride out to the island and enjoy the scenery or they can chip in and help sail the boats: learning new skills that they can pass on, developing working friendships with their crew mates.

We are rudderless with only one engine working on a side, spinning us in circles.


http://forums.thedailyshow.com/?page=ThreadView&thread_id=28916&pg=1

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Just wanted to say thanks for the thread and your work on this, very helpful!

Hope you dont mind if I poke my nose in. First, this is a kick ass thread with lots of good info. THANK YOU ALL.
You guys got me going. I did a little research and came up with something I'de like to share with ya. Its called "Root tip trapping".
A grow pot is lined with a fine screen, as the root tips grow into the screen the tips get pinched off as the roots get biger, causing the root to branch. The guy who came up with this took 40 years to do so.

This articile can be found at maximumyield.com under Root Pruning 101. by Gaby Bronzstein under author archive.
Hope you can use some of this but, it looks like you have it all under control.

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Hey Sonofdust, welcome to RUI!

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"Root tip trapping"

Page 1 of this thread forward, the liner for the Air Pruning buckets are root constriction/trapping. Root tip trapping by itself produces good results - I ran the trapping pots, the air pruning pots and both together - the combo out performs both.

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"The guy who came up with this took 40 years to do so."

If we can see a little further and get there a little faster it's because we are standing on the shoulder's of giants who've walked this road before us. Gaby's article is great, a wealth of knowledge. One of those I studied when working on this thread.

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You Got Eyes >>> Plagiarize!

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Root Pruning 101

by Gaby Bronzstein

2010-06-01

Plant roots are out of sight and for many indoor growers this means they are also out of mind. This is quite unfortunate as optimal root health is critical if plants are to achieve their genetic potential.

The following are the most common methods of root pruning:

Clippers
If done properly, root pruning with clippers can be effective. However, it is not practical for obvious reasons, primarily the shock to the plant, which results in delayed growth. Cutting roots leaves an open wound that can serve as a pathway for pathogens.

Chemicals
Sprayed copper containers have been used successfully to prune roots. When the root tips reach the copper-lined pots the roots are forced to branch as the copper can burn the root tip. While this method is quite effective at pruning roots and preventing circling, copper toxicity can be a problem.

Root constriction
This method of root pruning uses material that allows the root tip to grow through the material yet it constricts the plant from growing larger. Branching occurs as a result of the constriction. This system of root pruning has been used for years in tree farms. The benefit of using this system is that not only do you create a fibrous root system in the container but the roots grow into the ground making it easier to feed and water the plants while not having them blow over. Plants are moved by simply lifting the container from the ground, stripping away any roots growing through the container and then removing the in-ground container. This creates minimal stress as most of the roots are still in the container and those removed are small.

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Air root pruning
Air pruning of roots is accomplished with the use of containers that direct the root towards air where the root tip is dehydrated, facilitating branching. Next, the roots are directed to an opening where they are pruned. The first attempts at air pruning containers involved putting holes or slices into normal containers. While increased growth rates were seen, roots were still wrapping and no root pruning was evident. Increased growth was attributed to more O2 in the root zone. What was learned from this was that the roots needed to be directed to the air holes.

The first effective air pruning containers where bottomless milk cartons on a wire bench. The first trials were conducted with seedlings. The tap root grew down to the bottom of the container, through the wire bench and was exposed to air. Branching would occur back along this root for about four inches—known as the four inch rule.

The newest versions of air pruning containers offer unparalleled performance and create extremely fibrous roots. One option is shaped in such a way that when the roots hit the side wall they get directed downward into an air hole. This is where the air pruning takes place. This process is repeated again and again with the branching roots creating extremely fibrous root systems. Other air pruning containers have many more holes all around the container at the end of downward facing protrusions. This design allows the roots to find the air holes immediately when reaching toward the container wall. The downward protrusions direct the roots so that when they reached the air hole it is virtually impossible for the tip to escape being pruned. The angled protrusions on the containers also provide shade for the entire container keeping them much cooler than standard containers. These containers may dry out a little faster indoors, but they actually conserve water.

“Fibrous roots create faster growing plants that have less transplant shock and greater yields.” — Dr. Whitcomb

Root tip-trapping
In situations where water conservation is critical, root trapping bags are a great option for root pruning. Root trapping bags work by trapping the root in the fabric and forcing it to branch. Over 100 root tips can be pruned in just one square inch of fabric! Some root trapping bags are lined in white on the outside of the bag making it more durable and reflecting heat in the form of solar energy.

These containers can also be used with media like hydroton or perlite. This is because generally these systems get irrigated too often to allow hydration of the root tip in order to prune the roots.

Root tip-trapping is also shown to be extremely effective when placed under propagation media. Numerous experiments with a number of media and containers have shown that simply placing the root trapping material under rockwool or even a standard cell pack, for instance, will prune the roots that hit it forcing massive side branching of roots.

Proper root pruning is an extremely valuable tool for growers that grow at home. It has taken over 40 years to fully understand the best way to care for roots and today the options are virtually limitless.

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Very impressive stuff, I will try this soon using CFL's and an auto flowering strain. Thanks
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Thanks Mr. Hobbes for the reply and the welcome..
Do you think it would be worth the extra effort to line my water farm buckets with a 120 mesh teflon screen.

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This kind sonofdust? (I'm writing an ebook from my posts so it may look a little funny.)

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Index: Roots

Tags: hydroponics, root pruning



Bad news: If it's any kind of hydro system then no, mesh and fabric are too cumbersome. Landscaping fabric won't work, the weave is too loose in water, doesn't do the job well. You could make a durable mesh bag, like a bubblebag, but it's a lot of work to make and use. Cleaning and clogging will be a problem, the root tips will always be washed out of the mesh holes by the water flow.

Good News: Any kind of hydro has free floating roots - cut them with scissors. That's it. Measure where your pump inlet valve is on the bucket and cut the roots above that so the pump doesn't get clogged. Everything will work better, the bucket, the pump, the plant will grow better. Within a few weeks your roots will be pushing to the sides of the bucket.

CAUTION: Don't cut the roots too short. (Your bucket is about 16" tall) - (pump 4" off the ground), = (10" - 12" roots). The slim roots will swell with sugars and thicken, then bud laterals (side roots) and these laterals will do the same in turn.

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I've never seen these, is this the kind and do they have hydrostone inside? If these roots aren't washed around I would just line it with landscaping fabric. Even better, get some fabric sewn into bags. Landscaping Fabric is only $3.50 for a 3'x50' roll, get the thickest you can find. The fibreglass woven type, not the small hole type.



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Yes Sir,
Thats pretty mush the same system I'm running. Scissor's it will be...
Thank you ever so much Mr. Hobbes

Hey there Hobbes! Gotta say thanks first off for your amazing attention to detail and open sharing of information. I come from a permaculture/organic farming background and am new to the ganja farming world, and have been somewhat surprised at how little most growers understand plants. So coming across what your doing is great as i feel like it is really cutting edge and paradigm shifting the way you are approaching growing. Your DIY AeroPots are going to be the final piece of the puzzle for my grow and I am really excited about them. Really it all comes down to growing roots, thanks for reminding me of that.

Anyways, I just have one question that I can't seem to figure out from the pics or your descriptions. Are there holes in the outer bucket? Also, what sort of drill bit have you had the most success with when drilling the buckets? Thanks for your help, gonna start this project soon!

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Secretagent I wrote this to go in the ebook - a lot of it is obviously below your level of expertise and I didn't want you to think that I was talking down to you. I don't really understand people on an intuitive level and some of my posts piss people off when I have no intention of doing so. Thanks.

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Index: Equipment

Tags: drill bit, root pruning buckets

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Hey Secretagent!

"Are there holes in the outer bucket?"

Not in the outer walls, only a few in the bottom for drainage. The outer bucket is to keep the moisture in until we want to kill the root tips.



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"Also, what sort of drill bit have you had the most success with when drilling the buckets?"

A wood drill with a flat cutting edge. The sharp tip cuts through the plastic like butter, the bit goes through the bucket wall in a fraction of a second with almost no effort.



The tip of the wood drill bit is great for making small holes in the bottom of the inner buckets for great drainage. The outer buckets need only a few 3/8" holes since there is 2" of air between the two bucket bottoms - constantly raised buckets and full bottom drainage reduce the chance of root rot.



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If you have a drill bit with fangs on the outer edge of the cutting edge they will dig into your bucket and cause trouble. I recommend buying a drill bit with a flat cutting edge, if you cannot then you may be able to file down the fangs.





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Offset drill bits will give you trouble as well.



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If you can't buy a drill bit use the one you have with the sharpest point.



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An update for everyone concerning the root pruning cups and 6" pots. Since putting plants into flower that have started in root pruning containers rather than waiting until a 5 gallon bucket root pruning container (using our cycle-soak watering technique rather than continuous soak), water retention per bucket - from lift-light dry to the start of water run through the buckets drainage holes:

- has increased from a range of 1.5 to 2 gallons of water per 5 gallon bucket before run through starts

to

- 2.5 to 3 gallons of water retained per 5 gallon bucket before run through starts.

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The root mass increase is amazing. Again, I feel like a fool for waiting on this as I feel like a fool for harvesting roots for cloning from our root pruning buckets with root tip trapping fabric liner:


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