Who Grows in Fabric Pots?

I've grown plants in 5 and 7 gallon plastic buckets (not actual plant pots) and this grow have switched to 7 gallon Geo Pots. I started these in 1 gallon Geo Pots with a Velcro tear away side. Worked excellent.

On the forums, the fabric pots like Smartpots have quite a following and I can't recall anyone commenting that they went back to hard side pots after running fabric, though I'm sure that has happened.

Anyway seems all upside and no downside so I thought I'd see if any other MIGrow brethren were using these nice pots.

See post #1955 https://www.rollitup.org/subcools-old-school-organics/542308-main-lining-thread-196.html

I like em.

I bought one 10 gallon smart pot to try it out. I like the concept and root growth is amazing in them. However there are downsides. Water often leaks out from the middle and bottoms of the fabric while watering leaking all over my floor. Also they dry out faster witch may be good for some but I dont like it as I feel it flushes out the supersoil faster because I have to water that pot a lot more. I will stick to plastic pots unless they come up with a rigid or semi rigid fabric pot.

sounds nice but i havent graduated to soil yet

I used one in my last grow. I would again.

I reckon they're best for organic soil like mine, which tend to be heavier and need a little help getting the water out of them so the roots don't soak.

I have my Geopots up on a wire base in a tray. Allows the bottom to drain if I overwater, but I don't. If you were continually flushing the soil for some reason then you'd be leaching out nutrients, but if not flushed or over-watered there's no nutrient leaching.

All I grow in, never looked back!

CC what size pots do you run with?

I was just looking here! http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202985189/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=viagrow&storeId=10051 home depot has them for cheaper than I can find them around my area! Im gonna order and give a shot!

Cool Mr. Stern. Give us an update when you're able.

Rrog said:

Cool Mr. Stern. Give us an update when you're able.

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I would be lieing to you if I said I would! But I do like that Home depot will now be giving my local hydro store some competition! LOL

I use fabric pots, 1 thing I noticed and this is really with all pots is it is really easy to get dry spots in your soil. I think to get the most out of them people should really be using saucers underneath. As long as your letting your soil dry between waterings then giving them a really good soak is a good thing. My saucers for my bigger plants come up like 2-3 in. up the side and are larger then the pots and I will let the water reach the top of that and it will soak up in 24 hrs and save me 2-3 days before the next watering. So if I was watering every 2-3 days without a saucer with one I would be watering every 4-6 days and I get a much better root structure . I do this with smaller plants too but to a much smaller degree. Also if I have a plant that is weaker then the others and takes longer between waters I take the saucer away from that 1 and it helps it dry out quicker so I am less likely to have to water that plant on it own schedule. I don't really recommend this to new growers as they will tend to over water but to people who have been growing a while and know when a plant needs to be watered and when it doesn't it will will save you a lot of time and your root ball will be more dense.

I use Blumats for drippers. No wet / dry cycles (that's just what I do). I really like them, and as I said I have the pits on a wire base so air is everywhere.

Rrog said:

CC what size pots do you run with?

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5 gallon.....

When you pick the larger ones up and move them, they are not as sturdy. Fine little root hairs tear and rip apart if you are not careful. There are downsides to them. If you keep them on saucers, maybe one with coasters so you can move them around, spin them, whateverthefuck.

That's a good point. I never move mine, but I can see that hefting them around could do root damage.

i went back-

hard pots with root pruning paint.

Why's that, Murph?

logistics-

really. i was making my own fabric pots out of geotextile fabric and a heavy duty sewing machine. when they were wet i couldn't move them. also, my plants were so vigorous the roots wouldn't really prune. just grow three feet long outside the pots and all over the floor.

so i switched to rigid, round squat pots. i knew i was losing the root pruning so i use root pruning paint.
better than air pots.

Your plants were so rigorous they wouldn't air prune? You used the pots straight on the floor with no grate underneath, I take it.