Using LOS, does size of pot have to be 15gal?

Hey folks,

I am going to be using Coot’s recipe for LOS and was just wanting to know if I absolutely have to use 15gal smart pots. First it seems like the 5gal smart pots I used before would dry the edges of the pot out and could never re-hydrate. Also it created a huge problem with water retention it would have a rain umbrella effect. Like I said nothing was getting hydrated and the plant was perpetually overwatered because it wouldnt dry out. I have read smart pots under 7gals are useless. Anyways 15 gallons is too big for my 16”x30”x60” grow cabinet I could do 7 gallons but 3 gallons would be ideal. Do I have to use smart pots, I have plastic bag pots as well. Any suggestions

DankTankerous said:

Hey folks,

I am going to be using Coot’s recipe for LOS and was just wanting to know if I absolutely have to use 15gal smart pots. First it seems like the 5gal smart pots I used before would dry the edges of the pot out and could never re-hydrate. Also it created a huge problem with water retention it would have a rain umbrella effect. Like I said nothing was getting hydrated and the plant was perpetually overwatered because it wouldnt dry out. I have read smart pots under 7gals are useless. Anyways 15 gallons is too big for my 16”x30”x60” grow cabinet I could do 7 gallons but 3 gallons would be ideal. Do I have to use smart pots, I have plastic bag pots as well. Any suggestions

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Smaller pots will require a top dressing during flower. I have grown with as small as 2 and as large as 5 and none made it till the end without needing something extra

Boatguy said:

Smaller pots will require a top dressing during flower. I have grown with as small as 2 and as large as 5 and none made it till the end without needing something extra

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what did you use for flowering top dress? Also I just want to make sure you were using Coot’s LOS recipe. Did you use something other than fabric pots?

For that size cabinet you might consider using a rectangular SIP container (earthbox/growbox or diy with totes). I have 2 going right now in a 3x3 space and they are a perfect fit. I think mine have like 11 gallons of soil and a 4 gallon reservoir...?

Plus keeping them evenly watered is a no brainier (this coming from someone who is terrible at keeping soil properly watered)

But yeah, less soil just means you might have to top dress more often, or have smaller plants

Depends on veg. A lot of what buildasoil says is made up nonsense from an old man with mental retardation. That guy who thinks peat moss and sphagnum peat are two different things, you know the one.

BTW Smart pots are the equivalent of wasting half your soil. The roots won't grow to the edges because the fuckin soul is none dry everywhere but the center. Whoever came up with that air pruning nonsense is another mental retard!

Ive grown in 5 gallon pots, but i did need a top dress about 4 weeks into flower
As far as what to top dress with, that depends on what you have access to. My personal top dress is:
2 parts ewc's
1 part aeration
1 cup per cuft of ground malted barley
1/2 cup per cuft each of:
biolive
kelp
neem
guano

You would also be perfectly fine with:
2 parts ewc/compost
1 part aeration
1 cup per cuft kelp

weedstoner420 said:

For that size cabinet you might consider using a rectangular SIP container (earthbox/growbox or diy with totes). I have 2 going right now in a 3x3 space and they are a perfect fit. I think mine have like 11 gallons of soil and a 4 gallon reservoir...?

Plus keeping them evenly watered is a no brainier (this coming from someone who is terrible at keeping soil properly watered)

But yeah, less soil just means you might have to top dress more often, or have smaller plants

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When saying you have 11 gals of soil and a 4 gal res does that mean you’re doing a soil hempy type setup in a tote?

Dirk8==D~Diggler said:

When saying you have 11 gals of soil and a 4 gal res does that mean you’re doing a soil hempy type setup in a tote?

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I'm using these: https://www.agardenpatch.com/garden-patch-grow-box/

It's divided into two sections inside. The top part is filled with soil and the bottom holds the water, with an air gap in between. There's one "wick" at either end where the soil actually contacts the res, and water wicks from there through the rest of the soil. A few roots grow down into the water but for the most part they stay in the soil section.

There's a thread on SIPs here: https://www.rollitup.org/t/sip-thread-sub-irrigated-planter.904886/ pictures probably make more sense than me trying to describe how it works.

weedstoner420 said:

I'm using these: https://www.agardenpatch.com/garden-patch-grow-box/

It's divided into two sections inside. The top part is filled with soil and the bottom holds the water, with an air gap in between. There's one "wick" at either end where the soil actually contacts the res, and water wicks from there through the rest of the soil. A few roots grow down into the water but for the most part they stay in the soil section.

There's a thread on SIPs here: https://www.rollitup.org/t/sip-thread-sub-irrigated-planter.904886/ pictures probably make more sense than me trying to describe how it works.

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I gotcha. I’m thinking about switching over to soil from coco but I’m scared of losing the vigorous growth

Dirk8==D~Diggler said:

I gotcha. I’m thinking about switching over to soil from coco but I’m scared of loosing the vigorous growth

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But you gain personal time, and just water when dry. Obviously growth wont be as fast, but how fast do you need it to be?

LinguaPeel said:

Depends on veg. A lot of what buildasoil says is made up nonsense from an old man with mental retardation. That guy who thinks peat moss and sphagnum peat are two different things, you know the one.

BTW Smart pots are the equivalent of wasting half your soil. The roots won't grow to the edges because the fuckin soul is none dry everywhere but the center. Whoever came up with that air pruning nonsense is another mental retard!

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I agree that the "smart" pots aren't that smart at all and more hype than anything else. But they sound cool and for most new growers that's good enough and they'll stick with them regardless of problems encountered.

My sorta new favorites are the square GroPro 8gallon heavy duty pots. They work well both inside and out and the square shape, besides preventing 'root spinning', works very well in tents and along walls, or 90* corners. Small enough that you can actually move them, ~14"x14"x14" size, the volume seems enough that I've never experienced root binding with them, not with any annuals at least. 3YO saplings are another story.

I use the same mix for everything, both canna and container veggies, inside and outdoors and they do well in both locations and crops. They are also UV protected and don't crack from long term exposure to the sun.

Just my .02 worth.

Wet

LinguaPeel said:

Depends on veg. A lot of what buildasoil says is made up nonsense from an old man with mental retardation. That guy who thinks peat moss and sphagnum peat are two different things, you know the one.

BTW Smart pots are the equivalent of wasting half your soil. The roots won't grow to the edges because the fuckin soul is none dry everywhere but the center. Whoever came up with that air pruning nonsense is another mental retard!

Click to expand...

Why the hate for Coot? Seems like a pretty knowledgeable guy from the podcasts I've listened too. But, I'm a newbie who's just trying to sift through the mountains of BS out there.

Anyway, I've noticed the outer ring of my fabric pots are always dry too. I'm using blumats with the occasional hand watering. Are all fabric pots crap in your opinion? General curious and just looking for opinions.