# So what is a Good Sized Pot for an Autoflower



## missnu (Jan 16, 2012)

I have heard that the larger the pot and the brighter the light the larger the plant and the better the yield...so what size is a good size?


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## Scyntra (Jan 16, 2012)

I use 2 gal. I have used everything from 2liter to 5gal and 2gal. work great for my setup, some swear by 5gal though...I say try different size and see what your plants like as every strain is somewhat different...


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## Architekton (Jan 16, 2012)

From what I can tell .5 gallon to 1 gallon will seriously inhibit the growth of an auto. 3 gallons seems to be point at which anything larger doesn't improve yields, so going with a 3 gallon is your best bet.


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## missnu (Jan 16, 2012)

HOly cow how do you make it with a 2 gallon...all my photo plants are outgrowing their 3 gallons...is there a way to keep the roots smaller? I mean they get cramped and then the plant looks all sad...


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## missnu (Jan 16, 2012)

I have everything from 1/2 to 7 gallons so I might just try a few different sizes...I had actually started getting 5 and 7 gallons for the autoflowers...I thought 3 gallons would finish out my photos but it won't apparently.


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## racerboy71 (Jan 16, 2012)

it's a general rule of thumb that a plant needs one gallon of pot size for every month of growth.. so say you have an auto that takes 100 days from seed to harvest, 3 gallons would be about right..


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## 70sdiver (Jan 16, 2012)

5 gallon!!!! Ive used 3 and 5. The five gallon yield about 1/2 oz more a plant. I grow mostly all autos. In summer i grow photos outdoor 15 gallon smart pots. You cant go wrong with 5 gallon pots.


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## missnu (Jan 16, 2012)

Ok. thanks guys!


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## farmerjoe420 (Jan 17, 2012)

5 gallons is alot of soil for autos. id say no more than 3 with 2 being practical unless your growing super autos. i just finished an auto grow with pinkbud in 1 gallon pots and its looking like i averaged about 1oz per plant.


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## Scyntra (Jan 17, 2012)

missnu said:


> HOly cow how do you make it with a 2 gallon...all my photo plants are outgrowing their 3 gallons...is there a way to keep the roots smaller? I mean they get cramped and then the plant looks all sad...


 2 reasons, 1. I use supersoil and 2. the 2 auto strains I grow don't get any bigger once I go past 2 gal... I will get no return for using 3gal over 2gal, so I don't waste the soil/space... but as I said there all different and I'm quite sure there are strains that could use bigger pots for more yield, like the 80+ day autos...


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## sixteenounces (Jan 17, 2012)

I use 3 gallon square rose pots. 45 - 70g per plant


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## missnu (Jan 17, 2012)

Scyntra said:


> 2 reasons, 1. I use supersoil and 2. the 2 auto strains I grow don't get any bigger once I go past 2 gal... I will get no return for using 3gal over 2gal, so I don't waste the soil/space... but as I said there all different and I'm quite sure there are strains that could use bigger pots for more yield, like the 80+ day autos...


So the super soil makes the plant grow less roots? I think I just need fewer roots...I mean I know they say the more roots the better, but I literally just had a rootbound plant in a 3 gallon pot..alot of people finish in smaller, how? Why? I want to use a smaller pot, how do I accomplish this without killing my plant? It isn't that I am looking for a way to make a better plant or what not. I just want to know what I should conceivably finish it in...? I think I will go with 5 gallons...it is supposed to finish between 60 and 70 days so...I am going to hope that a 5 gallon will suffice.


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## Llamamontana (Jan 17, 2012)

These two plants are now 47 days old. These are both autoflowers(Onyx) they are from the same batch of seeds, and they were planted at the same time in the same soil. They were both grown under exactly the same conditions. The only difference is the one on the left is a 3 gal pot and the one on the right is a 5 gal pot. The shorter onyx is a pretty solid bud from the main stem up and it's only 15 inches tall. The bigger plant now has a huge main cola and several large secondary colas. (these pic's were taken well over a week ago)The 5 gal pot looks like it will have at least 20% more bud than the 3 gal pot. Anything over 5 gal is pointless for auto's because they just won't get any bigger in a 7 gal pot vs a 5 gal pot.

Hope this helps


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## Llamamontana (Jan 17, 2012)

i forgot to mention that the bigge plant is almost 30 inches tall, fully twice the size of the other. This was an intentional experiment to answer the same question you asked.

I'm having similar results with the Big Devil and White Dwarf, however on the white dwarf(even though the seeds were from the same batch) grew with two distinctly different pheno's so I can not use it in the experiment.


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## TheChodesman (Jan 17, 2012)

Everybody knows autos can only be grown in a ten gallon hat full of coleslaw.


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## 70sdiver (Jan 20, 2012)

Llamamontana said:


> View attachment 2003513View attachment 2003514These two plants are now 47 days old. These are both autoflowers(Onyx) they are from the same batch of seeds, and they were planted at the same time in the same soil. They were both grown under exactly the same conditions. The only difference is the one on the left is a 3 gal pot and the one on the right is a 5 gal pot. The shorter onyx is a pretty solid bud from the main stem up and it's only 15 inches tall. The bigger plant now has a huge main cola and several large secondary colas. (these pic's were taken well over a week ago)The 5 gal pot looks like it will have at least 20% more bud than the 3 gal pot. Anything over 5 gal is pointless for auto's because they just won't get any bigger in a 7 gal pot vs a 5 gal pot.
> 
> Hope this helps



Nice comparison man I been meaning to run a side by side.I know after various grows of the same strain 5 gallon pots will generate bigger plants than 3 gallon as Ive tried both.Hopefully ppl will start beleiveing lol. This is a wos afgan cush ryder at 56 days in a 5 gallon smart pot.


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## sonar (Jan 20, 2012)

70sdiver said:


> Nice comparison man I been meaning to run a side by side.I know after various grows of the same strain 5 gallon pots will generate bigger plants than 3 gallon as Ive tried both.Hopefully ppl will start beleiveing lol. This is a wos afgan cush ryder at 56 days in a 5 gallon smart pot.View attachment 2009629


That Afghan Kush Ryder looks like it has some excellent branching. I grow autos outside in 3 gallon pots, but might have to give 5 gallon a try. I was planning on running Paradise Seeds Pandora again since I had such good luck with it last year, but I keeping seeing these awesome pics of Afghan Kush Ryder.


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## TheChodesman (Jan 20, 2012)

70sdiver said:


> Nice comparison man I been meaning to run a side by side.I know after various grows of the same strain 5 gallon pots will generate bigger plants than 3 gallon as Ive tried both.Hopefully ppl will start beleiveing lol. This is a wos afgan cush ryder at 56 days in a 5 gallon smart pot.View attachment 2009629


Wow that makes mine look like shit. Live and learn. I want to fuck it.


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## 70sdiver (Jan 21, 2012)

Lmao it's alrady sticky enough.


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## missnu (Jan 21, 2012)

70sdiver said:


> Nice comparison man I been meaning to run a side by side.I know after various grows of the same strain 5 gallon pots will generate bigger plants than 3 gallon as Ive tried both.Hopefully ppl will start beleiveing lol. This is a wos afgan cush ryder at 56 days in a 5 gallon smart pot.View attachment 2009629


That is a really nice looking plant!


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## missnu (Jan 21, 2012)

I really want to try those smart pots...They are kind of expensive though...$5 a piece is the price I can find them at, and my local nursery lets me have for free all the plastic nursery pots I want...I wonder if I could make one...I mean it is a pot made out of what looks like felt fabric...I wonder if just an old shirt would work, then again is the old shirt just going to decompose and I get up one morning and all my plants are in the floor on top of piles of dirt?


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## Rocket69 (May 31, 2016)

More roots = More fruits. Unless its a dwarf then its only Designed to grow so big and a bigger pot wont help. 3 gal for ryders and 5 gal for the super autos. And the guy that said 1 gal a month for the plants life was is spot on.


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## BuddahBudz (Jul 29, 2016)

any one grown candy kush autos if so was wondering how many days it will be around


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## PURPLEB3RRYKUSH (Jul 29, 2016)

BuddahBudz said:


> any one grown candy kush autos if so was wondering how many days it will be around


I havn't grown em but there good yielders


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## HighLowGrow (Aug 1, 2016)

Here are a few I did in 1 gallon grow bags 7-8-9 months ago. FFOF. 

Just to give you an idea.


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## HighLowGrow (Aug 1, 2016)

Just have to water more often.


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## Pig4buzz (Aug 1, 2016)

What yield you get off those @HighLowGrow 

First two dark purple?


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## HighLowGrow (Aug 1, 2016)

I don't weigh. I would guess 2-2.5 oz's. 

Ya those are amnesia x ppf4s. Very nice plants. @bf80255


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## bigt4172 (Aug 2, 2016)

I think it depends on a combo of things, light, pot and strain etc I use 3-5 gallon


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## Pig4buzz (Aug 2, 2016)

bigt4172 said:


> I think it depends on a combo of things, light, pot and strain etc I use 3-5 gallon


What size room is that and how many babies?


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## HighLowGrow (Aug 2, 2016)

I used to use 5 gallon pots until I figured out it was a waste of expensive dirt. lol


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## bigt4172 (Aug 2, 2016)

Pig4buzz said:


> What size room is that and how many babies?


I have 4 plants currently in a 3x5 tent under a KIND K3 led


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## BuddahBudz (Aug 2, 2016)

Y'all rate a 600hps would be good enough for 6 auto's, in a 3x5 tent. you think I'll have enough room and light or should I take a couple out.


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## BuddahBudz (Aug 2, 2016)

Y'all rate a 600hps would be good enough for 6 auto's, in a 3x5 tent. you think I'll have enough room and light or should I take a couple out.


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## HighLowGrow (Aug 2, 2016)

Current grow on the right side of the room. 6 is perfect under the 600. These are in 1 gallon grow bags. The tub is 2'x3'. You're good.


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## BuddahBudz (Aug 3, 2016)

HighLowGrow said:


> Current grow on the right side of the room. 6 is perfect under the 600. These are in 1 gallon grow bags. The tub is 2'x3'. You're good.
> 
> you think ill be okay putting the seeds straight in the 20lt airpots for germination untill harvest. im using bio bizz all mix aswell


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## BuddahBudz (Aug 3, 2016)

you think ill be okay putting the seeds straight in the 20lt airpots for germination untill harvest. im using bio bizz all mix aswell


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## vizzlevaughn (Jun 17, 2020)

TheChodesman said:


> Everybody knows autos can only be grown in a ten gallon hat full of coleslaw.


Where can you buy the coleslaw for growing ?


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## Oldreefer (Jun 17, 2020)

Every plant I've grown the past 15 years has been in 2-3 ltr pots of biobizz light mix. I have several reasons for it....1) ease of handling (old & kinda gimpy) ….2) get more in my tent....3)1.5-2.5 oz per plant. Why waste medium?


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## potpimp (Jun 19, 2020)

Mine are in 5 gal grow bags and they are loving it. Three gal would probably be just about as good but I already had these on hand and all my 3 gallon containers have tomatoes in them.


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## spek9 (Jun 19, 2020)

This is my first year ever growing autos (I've got a couple outside). I was advised that a 5 gal was a waste of medium, and 3 gal are optimum. Appears to be correct so far.

I grow my indoor plants in 3 gal pots, and I veg for eight weeks. The autos are so very much smaller than my indoor photos, I couldn't see anything more than 3 gal adding any benefit (so far that is, with the strains I've got going at least).


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## PURPLEB3RRYKUSH (Jun 19, 2020)

spek9 said:


> This is my first year ever growing autos (I've got a couple outside). I was advised that a 5 gal was a waste of medium, and 3 gal are optimum. Appears to be correct so far.
> 
> I grow my indoor plants in 3 gal pots, and I veg for eight weeks. The autos are so very much smaller than my indoor photos, I couldn't see anything more than 3 gal adding any benefit (so far that is, with the strains I've got going at least).


5 gal, less watering


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## wil2279 (Jun 20, 2020)

It is going to depend of a couple of factors... 1st is are you growing organically in soil or are you growing in coco using synthetic nutes... Organic soil you will want a little larger pot. If growing in coco 1-3 gallon pots is big enough. 

2nd it will depend on your genetics. If you are growing in soil, there are 3 sized pots that are generally used... 3,5,&7 gal. Genetics that stay small, and finish fast you are probably wasting soil if you are using larger than 3 gallons. If you have autos that are known to get big and take longer to finish... Then you may possibly benefit from a larger 7 gallon pot. For everything in between there is a 5 falling pot. The 5 gal is a good size if you don't know how big your plants will get.


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## Wattzzup (Jun 20, 2020)

wil2279 said:


> It is going to depend of a couple of factors... 1st is are you growing organically in soil or are you growing in coco using synthetic nutes... Organic soil you will want a little larger pot. If growing in coco 1-3 gallon pots is big enough.
> 
> 2nd it will depend on your genetics. If you are growing in soil, there are 3 sized pots that are generally used... 3,5,&7 gal. Genetics that stay small, and finish fast you are probably wasting soil if you are using larger than 3 gallons. If you have autos that are known to get big and take longer to finish... Then you may possibly benefit from a larger 7 gallon pot. For everything in between there is a 5 falling pot. The 5 gal is a good size if you don't know how big your plants will get.


I agree with this but I would add to this light size. Small light small pot. Large light large pot. I used 5 gallon on my auto and it’s 30” around now. So yes big pot + big light = huge auto.


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## shackleferd (Jun 20, 2020)

Five gallon every time, Dont believe what breeders or anyone tell you about size. Ive had "dwarfs" reach the ceiling and "sativas" barely hit two feet. Some plants hardly throw out roots while others especially super autos can almost become root bound in a five gallon bucket. My big autos can suck up a decent amount of water so its good to have the spare capacity so you dont have to constantly water your plants during those late flower summer grows.


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## wil2279 (Jun 20, 2020)

Wattzzup said:


> I agree with this but I would add to this light size. Small light small pot. Large light large pot. I used 5 gallon on my auto and it’s 30” around now. So yes big pot + big light = huge auto.


Agreed... If you have poor lighting... Like you are growing autos in a small cabinet with a few cfl bulbs... There is no point for a big pot...


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## MATTYMATT726 (Jun 20, 2020)

shackleferd said:


> Five gallon every time, Dont believe what breeders or anyone tell you about size. Ive had "dwarfs" reach the ceiling and "sativas" barely hit two feet. Some plants hardly throw out roots while others especially super autos can almost become root bound in a five gallon bucket. My big autos can suck up a decent amount of water so its good to have the spare capacity so you dont have to constantly water your plants during those late flower summer grows.


Listen to this guy. His way is the ONLY way and everyone else is matter of factly wrong XD what a clown. In coco you wouldn't even benefit from a 3 gal. 2 gal is all you need and no. You didn't need a 5 gal for a "dwarf" strain, you just don't like to water much. 3 gal is gonna be good for most autos untill they start saying XL or heights of 80cm to 150cm being tall plants. You definatley don't need a 5 gal for a plants that's genetics produce 35cm to 55cm tall plants.


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## shackleferd (Jun 21, 2020)

MATTYMATT726 said:


> Listen to this guy. His way is the ONLY way and everyone else is matter of factly wrong XD what a clown. In coco you wouldn't even benefit from a 3 gal. 2 gal is all you need and no. You didn't need a 5 gal for a "dwarf" strain, you just don't like to water much. 3 gal is gonna be good for most autos untill they start saying XL or heights of 80cm to 150cm being tall plants. You definatley don't need a 5 gal for a plants that's genetics produce 35cm to 55cm tall plants.


You make me laugh matty, I had a white dwarf grow 52 + inches. If i had that plant in a 2 gallon root restraining pot in coir it would dry out in less than 12 hours in my shed during the summer. My precious plants with their 5 gallon buckets have plenty of room to spread its roots with plenty of water with extra to spare.


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## shackleferd (Jun 21, 2020)

70sdiver said:


> 5 gallon!!!! Ive used 3 and 5. The five gallon yield about 1/2 oz more a plant. I grow mostly all autos. In summer i grow photos outdoor 15 gallon smart pots. You cant go wrong with 5 gallon pots.


Listen to this guy


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## Chatinbuds (Nov 30, 2020)

I do 5 gallon bags for autoflowers and average about 2ft to 4ft per plant. With about 3oz -4oz per plant. 
Better the roots do the better the top does and the yield.


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## Fatleg77 (Dec 3, 2020)

I use 5 gallon fabric pots but only fill with about 4 gallons of soil that allows me room to water and amend with my organic dry amendments


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## twentyeight.threefive (Dec 3, 2020)

Starter pots with coco/perlite, transplanted into 3 gallon cloth pots with coco/perlite.


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## Kindbud421 (Dec 3, 2020)

Do you use plastic pots? Drill a crapload of holes in sides and it works like air pruning pot. Cheap alternative for smart/cloth pots is reusable cloth like grocery bags. Just make sure they drain well, some don’t very well...


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## Humanrob (Dec 3, 2020)

My $.02 -- so far I've only grown autos outdoors. I tried all kinds of pots and pot sizes, and also put them right into the ground (like I did with my photos). Every once in a while one in the ground one would just take off, the most impressive was a Blueberry that put out 1.5lbs. Some strains (or some phenos of some strains) have incredible potential when their roots are completely unconstrained. These days outdoors I always put them in the ground and let them find their genetic limits.

So for me - especially as someone who grows in soil - if I want to let the plant have the opportunity to reach its full potential, then I put it in the biggest pot I can fit in the space I'm growing it in. That's said, as I contemplate doing a perpetual grow in a 2x4 tent with six plants, I don't want them to get too big, so it would probably be 2 or 3 gallon pots. There is no single answer.


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## Henry Fort (Jan 11, 2021)

I just pulled some Northern Light autos and they had used up all of the 2 gallon cloth pots with a nice root ball .They were about 18inches tall.
So will go up to 3 gallon for the next crop.
My grow closet is 30 x 18 inches, space is limited so 2 plants will have to stay in 2 gallon but the other 2 will be in 3 gallon.
Will be interesting to see the difference.


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## Nutty sKunK (Jan 12, 2021)

Henry Fort said:


> I just pulled some Northern Light autos and they had used up all of the 2 gallon cloth pots with a nice root ball .They were about 18inches tall.
> So will go up to 3 gallon for the next crop.
> My grow closet is 30 x 18 inches, space is limited so 2 plants will have to stay in 2 gallon but the other 2 will be in 3 gallon.
> Will be interesting to see the difference.


If u want to see a bigger difference use airpots. Pricy but they’ll outlive you and you’ll never look back


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## Humanrob (Jan 12, 2021)

Nutty sKunK said:


> If u want to see a bigger difference use airpots. Pricy but they’ll outlive you and you’ll never look back


Do you find airpots work equally as well with soil as other mediums, or is their design lean towards one or the other?

What's always made me nervous about using them is that the bottom of the pot is suspended off of the catch tray -- sometimes I don't have time to give them a slow watering and I count on water going to the tray and being wicked back up whether I'm using plastic or fabric pots. I've thought about trying them with Blumats, but that's a whole leap I haven't taken yet.

Do you think there are distinct advantages to airpots over fabric/smart pots?


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## Nutty sKunK (Jan 12, 2021)

Humanrob said:


> Do you find airpots work equally as well with soil as other mediums, or is their design lean towards one or the other?
> 
> What's always made me nervous about using them is that the bottom of the pot is suspended off of the catch tray -- sometimes I don't have time to give them a slow watering and I count on water going to the tray and being wicked back up whether I'm using plastic or fabric pots. I've thought about trying them with Blumats, but that's a whole leap I haven't taken yet.
> 
> Do you think there are distinct advantages to airpots over fabric/smart pots?


Well I haven’t tried it but with airpots and coco you can drip feed a constant amount I believe to keep the pots wet.

I see your concern. One way I get around it is to poke holes in the top of the soil with a bbq skewer all the way down to the bottom. This creates channels for the water to penetrate down to the bottom. I then water in two stages 3 to be precise. 1 splash on all the. First half then go around the lot 10-15 mins or so the. Second half.

After a month or so I find of doing this the rootzone is well
Established that there’s no really need to be careful with the water. It just gets absorbed nicely and flows down.

Takes a bit of practice but worth it.

comparing them I don’t know first hand but airpots look like they breathe better and are specially designed (not the knockoffs) to prune the roots very effectively. Something todo with the divots on them.

Only way is to try one but you need to make sure to pot it up right as there’s a knack
To that.


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## Tiflis (Jan 12, 2021)

wil2279 said:


> Agreed... If you have poor lighting... Like you are growing autos in a small cabinet with a few cfl bulbs... There is no point for a big pot...


Do you think 5gal would be an overkill for 150watt HPS? I'm thinkin 3gal would probably work better.


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## osowhom (Jan 12, 2021)

missnu said:


> HOly cow how do you make it with a 2 gallon...all my photo plants are outgrowing their 3 gallons...is there a way to keep the roots smaller? I mean they get cramped and then the plant looks all sad...


replant them into 7s its not too late


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## wil2279 (Jan 13, 2021)

Tiflis said:


> Do you think 5gal would be an overkill for 150watt HPS? I'm thinkin 3gal would probably work better.


3 is probably fine


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## speedwell68 (Jan 13, 2021)

My first run of Autos were in 1.5 Imp Gallon pots, which is nearly 2 US Gallons. They are doing very well, nearly finished. My second run is being done side by side with a third run. One lot are in 2.2 Imp Gallons fabric pots, so 2.6 US Gallons. The others are in the same 1.5 Imp Gallon pots as before. These second and third runs are all the same strain, Critical Blue by Expert Seeds, germinated a week apart. So we will see what difference it makes.


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## Corso312 (Jan 13, 2021)

Llamamontana said:


> View attachment 2003513View attachment 2003514These two plants are now 47 days old. These are both autoflowers(Onyx) they are from the same batch of seeds, and they were planted at the same time in the same soil. They were both grown under exactly the same conditions. The only difference is the one on the left is a 3 gal pot and the one on the right is a 5 gal pot. The shorter onyx is a pretty solid bud from the main stem up and it's only 15 inches tall. The bigger plant now has a huge main cola and several large secondary colas. (these pic's were taken well over a week ago)The 5 gal pot looks like it will have at least 20% more bud than the 3 gal pot. Anything over 5 gal is pointless for auto's because they just won't get any bigger in a 7 gal pot vs a 5 gal pot.
> 
> Hope this helps



Those are two different phenos, those plants would look the same as they do now if you planted those seeds in each others pots.


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## Humanrob (Jan 13, 2021)

Wow, the thread that would not die... started in 2012, picked up again in 2016 and then again in 2020. Seems like every time there is a presidential election, someone revives this thread.

Here's @HighLowGrow 's comparison:

https://rollitup.org/t/1-2-3-ready-set-grow-and-compare.935922/


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## Alden33 (Jun 11, 2022)




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## twentyeight.threefive (Jun 11, 2022)

Alden33 said:


>


What a quality post.


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## bc_southbuds (Jun 13, 2022)

3-5 Gallons


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