Lets talk Roots. How to accelerate growth/fill pot entirely

[MickFoster]

So as a cheap and easy solution I could put aload of binliners over the top of the tray and tape them all together to cover it,would that work ??

What grow method are you using? You mentioned your roots sitting in water - are you oxygenating the water? Whatever way you can eliminate the roots being exposed to light is ok.

 

[John kush93]

Well basically I have a 1 sqr metre water tray with an auto valve coming into it, with my 4 pots sat in water and it just refills as the float goes down, and I have a bubbler in the water butt, but not in the tray with pots,

 

[John kush93]

It's been working for 2 weeks and they have grown rapid

 

[John kush93]

What grow method are you using? You mentioned your roots sitting in water - are you oxygenating the water? Whatever way you can eliminate the roots being exposed to light is ok.

Well basically I have a 1 sqr metre water tray with an auto valve coming into it, with my 4 pots sat in water and it just refills as the float goes down, and I have a bubbler in the water butt, but not in the tray with pots,

 

[John kush93]

What grow method are you using? You mentioned your roots sitting in water - are you oxygenating the water? Whatever way you can eliminate the roots being exposed to light is ok.

I just did it myself I was thinking it's similar to auto pot, but not sure now lol

 

[John kush93]

What grow method are you using? You mentioned your roots sitting in water - are you oxygenating the water? Whatever way you can eliminate the roots being exposed to light is ok.

Would a small fish tank filter pump in the water tray help keep the water clean from Algee

 

[MickFoster]

Your plants look good. Whatever you're doing - it seems to be working.

 

[xtsho]

"My method works." has been the theme of this threads answers...

Yet a study from a southern college has proven that the use of Kelp in all forms.
Increases root growth in speed and mass. Up to as much as 173%!

Use a good kelp extract. I don't care what the media is, it increases root development in all ways.

I use Kelp meal to build soils and use kelp extract in feeding.

So true. But at the same time people are successfully growing very nice plants with a very good root structure by doing nothing but giving the plant a good grow medium and environment. I agree that a good root structure is important but I have never encountered any issues with the root structure not becoming large enough that they couldn't support the plants needs. I like to keep things simple. I adjust the NPK at bloom and that's it. There really isn't any need to worry about roots if you have all of the environmental factors taken care of.
I am however becoming more interested in kelp. Kelp is loaded with too many things to even list. It does however have an extremely high amount of iodine which some studies have shown is beneficial in some ways to plant development in some crops.
Here is an interesting article on iodine. You've likely read it but I'll post the link for others to read.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4993787/table/T2/

I don't typically like to add anything beyond the basics other than fulvic acid but I think I'll look into kelp and do a side by side just to satisfy my own curiosity. Also, I rarely follow advice on the internet but I've read your posts and consider them to be credible.
Just bought this
https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Natu...5908&sr=8-12&keywords=kelp+organic+fertilizer

 

[SchmoeJoe]

"My method works." has been the theme of this threads answers...

Yet a study from a southern college has proven that the use of Kelp in all forms.
Increases root growth in speed and mass. Up to as much as 173%!

Use a good kelp extract. I don't care what the media is, it increases root development in all ways.

I use Kelp meal to build soils and use kelp extract in feeding.

Kelp and humic acid in a specific 5:2 ratio.

 

[Dr. Who]

So true. But at the same time people are successfully growing very nice plants with a very good root structure by doing nothing but giving the plant a good grow medium and environment. I agree that a good root structure is important but I have never encountered any issues with the root structure not becoming large enough that they couldn't support the plants needs. I like to keep things simple. I adjust the NPK at bloom and that's it. There really isn't any need to worry about roots if you have all of the environmental factors taken care of.
I am however becoming more interested in kelp. Kelp is loaded with too many things to even list. It does however have an extremely high amount of iodine which some studies have shown is beneficial in some ways to plant development in some crops.
Here is an interesting article on iodine. You've likely read it but I'll post the link for others to read.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4993787/table/T2/

I don't typically like to add anything beyond the basics other than fulvic acid but I think I'll look into kelp and do a side by side just to satisfy my own curiosity. Also, I rarely follow advice on the internet but I've read your posts and consider them to be credible.
Just bought this
https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Natu...5908&sr=8-12&keywords=kelp+organic+fertilizer

Thank you. You might like to take a look at a site called www.kelp4less.com Another good source.

Kelp and humic acid in a specific 5:2 ratio.

Did you know that Humic acid is a form of Fulvic acid? It's on the Fulvic chain.

What humic? Or better yet, who's humic? Only Bio Ag has a true quality Humic or Fulvic acid product. I use FUL HUMIX and don't mix it with kelp supplements for application.

For one thing, Kelp contains Fulvic and Humic acids already. "I" don't "need" what "straight" Humic's bring to the table but, for the initial use at the soil build. Increasing nutrient uptake (at this point), would screw with my dial in's and start problems I don't have or want.

Your dial in's may employ the use of "extra" Humic. Mine do not. BUT, thanks for sharing.

 

[Dr. Who]

The key to fast root growth is oxygen. I use a 50/50 coco/perlite mix and feed every day from the day the plant sprouts. Daily feeding in coco replenishes the nutes and pulls in fresh oxygen to the roots.

Roots at two weeks from sprout.
View attachment 4014013
Plant at 4 weeks from sprout.
View attachment 4014014

I too, do the everyday thing! This method of watering/feeding brings more O2 to the roots then any other watering/feeding style! Period.

 

[SchmoeJoe]

Did you know that Humic acid is a form of Fulvic acid? It's on the Fulvic chain.

What humic? Or better yet, who's humic? Only Bio Ag has a true quality Humic or Fulvic acid product. I use FUL HUMIX and don't mix it with kelp supplements for application.

For one thing, Kelp contains Fulvic and Humic acids already. "I" don't "need" what "straight" Humic's bring to the table but, for the initial use at the soil build. Increasing nutrient uptake (at this point), would screw with my dial in's and start problems I don't have or want.

Your dial in's may employ the use of "extra" Humic. Mine do not. BUT, thanks for sharing.[/QUOTE]
It has nothing to do with my "dial ins". The study you were referencing wasn't just about kelp. It was about a specific ratio of humic acid and kelp. Your information was incomplete.

BUT, thanks for the condescending remarks.

 

[TurboTokes]

cant believe how fast some of you guys turn a sprout into a bush ready to flip.

My veg cab is only 75w of CLF though

 

[SchmoeJoe]

cant believe how fast some of you guys turn a sprout into a bush ready to flip.

My veg cab is only 75w of CLF though

The number one thing in every aspect of the plants life is to remove limiting factors. The top way to do that is to remove/prevent any unnecessary stresses. Number two is to promote the biggest, healthiest root system you can get that's practical for the time and space that's available for the plant to veg without becoming maxed out in its container.

 

[TurboTokes]

I think Im going to try promix on my next run, comparison vs coco. I just dont get fast veg growth, especially from seed, in coco.. Ive done a side by side with regular potting soil mix and the soil grew faster, but I fuckin hate bugs

 

[SchmoeJoe]

I think Im going to try promix on my next run, comparison vs coco. I just dont get fast veg growth, especially from seed, in coco.. Ive done a side by side with regular potting soil mix and the soil grew faster, but I fuckin hate bugs

I've had a problem with fungus gnats from soil but that's it. They're easy enough to deal with that it's way worth it for me.

I don't like promix because the way it's compressed into bails crushes the perlite into dust.

The best thing about a good potting mix is that you can fully take advantage of beneficial inoculants. The pics are two separate seasons but on the exact same schedule. The first pic is planted the last week of May from 4" pots with 4 nodes. The second pic is at the end of stretch before pistols in early-mid August. They're all 9-10 feet wide and finished 6-8 feet tall averaging almost 7 pounds each. It's all due to the massive planting bed maintained for max root growth.

 

[TurboTokes]

Great work and results there! I personally only grow for my own consumption nothing more, so its more just fun tinkering with different setups and mediums.

Ive got the water setup to be automated but havent found a solid method to developing rootballs quote yet unless I veg for months in large pots

 

[Lucky Luke]

Seaweed juice like Seasol.

Seaweed juice REALLY is THE tonic for plants. Look for sustainably farmed Brown Kelp- tis the shizz

 

[SchmoeJoe]

Great work and results there! I personally only grow for my own consumption nothing more, so its more just fun tinkering with different setups and mediums.

Ive got the water setup to be automated but havent found a solid method to developing rootballs quote yet unless I veg for months in large pots

I figured but at whatever scale or method the same principles apply. In order of importance;
1)Oxygen to the root zone.
2)Large root zone relative to the veg time (less important in some types of hydro)
3)beneficial inoculant
4)root zone temp
5)moderate N levels, even in veg (high N inhibits root development)

If I had to guess it I'd say you're over watering. In some mediums, like coco, there's enough space between the material so that water does push out old air in front of it and draw in fresh air behind it. I'm not 100% but I'd be willing to bet that the perlite fills in a lot of these spaces and makes it less efficient at. You might try a coco/hydroton mix instead (I'd recommendsticking with your idea of going to soil).

Regardless it takes some time for a plant to develope enough roots after transplanting to need to be watered very often. The roots need oxygen and over watering literally suffocates them.

 

[Fluffyhead22]

I've had a problem with fungus gnats from soil but that's it. They're easy enough to deal with that it's way worth it for me.

I don't like promix because the way it's compressed into bails crushes the perlite into dust.

The best thing about a good potting mix is that you can fully take advantage of beneficial inoculants. The pics are two separate seasons but on the exact same schedule. The first pic is planted the last week of May from 4" pots with 4 nodes. The second pic is at the end of stretch before pistols in early-mid August. They're all 9-10 feet wide and finished 6-8 feet tall averaging almost 7 pounds each. It's all due to the massive planting bed maintained for max root growth.

Well said I only use soil. Have never had any bugs. What has worked wonders for me is mammoth p. In conjunction with orca. Just for roots. It a nutrient ambassador lol