They say you can't do organic in small pots?

IIReignManII

Well-Known Member
This was a fun experiment...This is in a 1 gallon bag, a random fat seed out of some dispensary nug called Incredible Bulk. Not sure if its pollinated or a hermie seed... I've done nothing different to this than the rest of my plants in 7 gallon pots. Same organic soil mix...It's been getting mediocre light in the corner of the room dwarfed by the big girls, I've probably let it get dryer that it should be, and its still chugging along. This is day 20 of 12/12


 

kratos015

Well-Known Member
You absolutely can do organic soil in small pots, as you've already discovered.

It's just that no-till growing is somewhat impractical in smaller containers. A 1g container of organic soil is going to decompose into compost much quicker than a 10g container will. There's nothing wrong with that really, just gotta mix the decomposed soil with a little bit of peat moss and you're good to go.

The thing with no-till is that no-till growing has certain benefits that you will never see in a ROLS (Recycled Organic Living Soil) grow. For one, certain microbes will only colonize 8-12 inches below the plant itself. So if your pot/soil mass is 6 inches or less then there are certain microbes that you will never have in your soil's ecosystem. Definitely not the biggest deal, but still something to consider nonetheless.

The other major benefit of no-till is that the microbiology/soil web gets stronger and stronger with each cycle, until it turns into pure compost and has to be re-potted of course.

Think of a soil web as a city. In a ROLS grow, you're effectively breaking the soil web apart when you disturb the soil in any way. This could be akin to a city constantly being destroyed, with the inhabitants being forced to rebuild after every grow. Conversely, in a no-till the soil web goes undisturbed. Rather than the city being destroyed after a single grow, it continues to grow and grow until it becomes a full blown metropolis. And, much like in life, a metropolis is going to have certain things that a small city will not.
 

hillbill

Well-Known Member
Been using 8 liter plastic waste baskets and rotate watering with weak Alfalfa teas and EWC teas throughout. Seldom show deficiencies in re-recycled organic old mix. Small plants seriously LSTed.
 

macamus33

Well-Known Member
I grow TLO style/True Living Organics. I use 2 and 4 gallon air pots with spikes and layers. I can get good sized plants from these small containers and organics with teas. Usually 4 to 5 ft at harvest for most strains.
 

hillbill

Well-Known Member
ive been thinking about this a lot lately, is it just me or do those fabric pots dry out faster than a traditional plastic one? hindering your soil biology? im not sure i like them so much.
Gotta get pretty dry so shouldn’t be a factor but they naturally dry faster with iimense surface area exposed to air and drainage everywhere.

The increase in oxygen will keep aerobic bugs healthy and increase count. Only reason I don’t use them is they are a bit sloppy in my setup. Have fun!
 

Aladdin.khalifa

Well-Known Member
Hello,

Not bat at all. I like the Christmas-tree structure! And yes you can definitely grow plants in small pot organically. It's what I do for my breeding programs. I only use small 1 gallon and 1.5 gallon pots.

Cheers,
 

PSUAGRO.

Well-Known Member
Sure, small pots work, never heard to the contrary? ..........but in America bigger is better, roots agree.
 

kratos015

Well-Known Member
Sure, small pots work, never heard to the contrary? ..........but in America bigger is better, roots agree.
It's a bit of a miscommunication. Organic growing works in any sized pot. The thing that people refer to that doesn't work in small pots is the no-till method of organic growing, not so much organics as a whole.
 

hillbill

Well-Known Member
It's a bit of a miscommunication. Organic growing works in any sized pot. The thing that people refer to that doesn't work in small pots is the no-till method of organic growing, not so much organics as a whole.
Agreed but many people don’t think it is possible or believe it to be harder than it is. I recycle my mixes and use 1 to 2 gallons of mix in flower. I do topdress after 4 weeks with FBM or P guano. My most used waste basket containers hold 1 1/2 or 2 gallons but that is to the very top. I also think many are growing in less mix than they suppose based on container capacity.

I like my plants small and of manageable weight in their containers. I do my LST work on a bench outside the tent and remove to water etc. Small trained plants give me the variety which is a big factor in the whole farming thing here.
 

kratos015

Well-Known Member
Agreed but many people don’t think it is possible or believe it to be harder than it is. I recycle my mixes and use 1 to 2 gallons of mix in flower. I do topdress after 4 weeks with FBM or P guano. My most used waste basket containers hold 1 1/2 or 2 gallons but that is to the very top. I also think many are growing in less mix than they suppose based on container capacity.

I like my plants small and of manageable weight in their containers. I do my LST work on a bench outside the tent and remove to water etc. Small trained plants give me the variety which is a big factor in the whole farming thing here.
Small containers are good for a variety of reasons, the main one being that over-potting is the source of many issues for people just starting out. I had the pleasure of finding that one out the hard way. Since I don't veg for very long, 2-3g pots work wonders for me because they get rootbound fairly quick and are ready to rock and roll much faster than 5-7g pots.

I do the same as you when I do this. While I have plants in the pots, monthly top dresses of compost and amendments until I harvest. Then dump the pots, re-amend, and mix a bit of extra compost and perlite and you're ready to go again. I love how cheap things are this way, only need to pay maintenance costs to keep your soil going forever. I've been using the same soil for the last 3 years now in fact.

The main thing that screws most of us is the plant counts in our respective states. I was only able to have 12 until becoming a caregiver, now I can have 24. As you said, variety is the name of the game and it's tough maintaining variety with low plant numbers. Especially when each mother and clone counts toward your plant count and reduces the amount you can have in flower.
 

AnimalMother1974

Active Member
It's a bit of a miscommunication. Organic growing works in any sized pot. The thing that people refer to that doesn't work in small pots is the no-till method of organic growing, not so much organics as a whole.[/QUOTE
Small containers are good for a variety of reasons, the main one being that over-potting is the source of many issues for people just starting out. I had the pleasure of finding that one out the hard way. Since I don't veg for very long, 2-3g pots work wonders for me because they get rootbound fairly quick and are ready to rock and roll much faster than 5-7g pots.

I do the same as you when I do this. While I have plants in the pots, monthly top dresses of compost and amendments until I harvest. Then dump the pots, re-amend, and mix a bit of extra compost and perlite and you're ready to go again. I love how cheap things are this way, only need to pay maintenance costs to keep your soil going forever. I've been using the same soil for the last 3 years now in fact.

The main thing that screws most of us is the plant counts in our respective states. I was only able to have 12 until becoming a caregiver, now I can have 24. As you said, variety is the name of the game and it's tough maintaining variety with low plant numbers. Especially when each mother and clone counts toward your plant count and reduces the amount you can have in flower.
?
What state you in?
 

hillbill

Well-Known Member
Small containers are good for a variety of reasons, the main one being that over-potting is the source of many issues for people just starting out. I had the pleasure of finding that one out the hard way. Since I don't veg for very long, 2-3g pots work wonders for me because they get rootbound fairly quick and are ready to rock and roll much faster than 5-7g pots.

I do the same as you when I do this. While I have plants in the pots, monthly top dresses of compost and amendments until I harvest. Then dump the pots, re-amend, and mix a bit of extra compost and perlite and you're ready to go again. I love how cheap things are this way, only need to pay maintenance costs to keep your soil going forever. I've been using the same soil for the last 3 years now in fact.

The main thing that screws most of us is the plant counts in our respective states. I was only able to have 12 until becoming a caregiver, now I can have 24. As you said, variety is the name of the game and it's tough maintaining variety with low plant numbers. Especially when each mother and clone counts toward your plant count and reduces the amount you can have in flower.
Plant count would be great to worry over as this damn state has plant count of zero.
 

2cent

Well-Known Member
Hello,

Not bat at all. I like the Christmas-tree structure! And yes you can definitely grow plants in small pot organically. It's what I do for my breeding programs. I only use small 1 gallon and 1.5 gallon pots.

Cheers,
What soil and feed do ya use I’m doing a breed proj and wana keep my regs in 1.5G pot
 

2cent

Well-Known Member
These are all in organic only. 2 gallon pots.
Aaandd…. It looks sick as fuck lol but what bloody the hell are ya feeding em lol

if I did that with my soil mix it would be depleted in 2week so I guess ya feeding like bio bizz or somthing ?
That cola lol that donkey dyck better than some of my 100gal beds
 
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