Solution to Smart Pot issue

B

Bluemt

Member
Hey everyone,
I noticed a problem that i was having with my smart pots. The top half of the soil dried very quickly, but the bottom stayed very wet. When I lifted the pot to check underneath, there was a lot of collected moisture. I knew I needed to get air circulating underneath, so I came up with a quick and cheap solution. I cut 2 bamboo shoots a little longer than the width of the pot and used those to prop up the smart pot to get air circulating underneath. Any other solutions or thoughts on this issue?
 

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I set mine on a wire shelf high enough to slide a drip tray underneath. The bottom soil still stays relatively moist but not wet. The side and top dry the fastest.
 
When you elevate them, you also get a good picture of how much and where the pot is draining. They tend to drain off the sides first. It takes more water to center to get an overall good run off.

I enjoy smart pots.
 
How often do you end up watering them? I have my girls in 5gal smart lots, almost 2 weeks since I went 12/12. I only have to water once a week right now.
 
If you're looking for a cheap solution you get these plastic or rubber duckboards. Just cut them up to the right size. They're just interlocking strips of plastic or rubber that can come in really big sheets, that are elevated to about 1-2 cm and let water drain down through them.
 
Bluemt said:
Hey everyone,
I noticed a problem that i was having with my smart pots. The top half of the soil dried very quickly, but the bottom stayed very wet. When I lifted the pot to check underneath, there was a lot of collected moisture. I knew I needed to get air circulating underneath, so I came up with a quick and cheap solution. I cut 2 bamboo shoots a little longer than the width of the pot and used those to prop up the smart pot to get air circulating underneath. Any other solutions or thoughts on this issue?
Click to expand...
Learn to water less

& Water often

as often less is best ....lol

good luck

ps still bitch'in add more perlite it improves drainage ..lol
 
Bluemt said:
Hey everyone,
I noticed a problem that i was having with my smart pots. The top half of the soil dried very quickly, but the bottom stayed very wet. When I lifted the pot to check underneath, there was a lot of collected moisture. I knew I needed to get air circulating underneath, so I came up with a quick and cheap solution. I cut 2 bamboo shoots a little longer than the width of the pot and used those to prop up the smart pot to get air circulating underneath. Any other solutions or thoughts on this issue?
Click to expand...
that means the roots are in the top and not growing into the bottom soil because it's too wet and they need air. next grow train the roots by graduating the size of containers start small until they go into the smart pots, you can also make the seedlings stretch a little and then bury the stem when transplanting.
 
Put a layer of clay pebbles (washed first) on top to stop it drying out so fast compared to the bottom. Let the soil dry right out more so the roots get the chance to search the bottom. This will lead to the next problem for you. When most of the soil drys evenly and you try to water with a raised pot, it will find the path of least resistance and the majority of what you put in will get dumped into the catch tray. You will need to water at a tedious fking rate to avoid that. Put a small bathroom sponge between the tray and underside of pot, you will keep aeration but also some wick ability. Still water more slowly, like 1L every 30min and then let the water sit in the catch tray for an hour or two before removing it.

Make sure water is not cold, I can't give you the exact temp but somewhere between warm and cold is the point where you can actually see the plant sucking water out the tray like a heart pumping blood. But with that setup and watering slowly you won't see that ;p.

- make sure the sponge is compressed to half it's size, use one ontop of other if you have too. Next time around if you do it be careful with the pots, don't move them or break the connection and roots will grow into them.
 
Last edited:
Bluemt said:
Hey everyone,
I noticed a problem that i was having with my smart pots. The top half of the soil dried very quickly, but the bottom stayed very wet. When I lifted the pot to check underneath, there was a lot of collected moisture. I knew I needed to get air circulating underneath, so I came up with a quick and cheap solution. I cut 2 bamboo shoots a little longer than the width of the pot and used those to prop up the smart pot to get air circulating underneath. Any other solutions or thoughts on this issue?
Click to expand...


Go back to real pots.....
 
That's actually what I was thinking Dr. Who. There's too much margin for error with the SP. Adding enough perlite will make sure air is getting to the roots. Hopefully it was worth the shot with this go around. I'll know soon enough.
 
ScottyBlaze1 said:
Worst answer yet Growth in a sp is hands down better then plastic. I would change my medium before i would switch to plastic. Try some promix cc or better yet some coco, like a 70/30 coco perlite mix. Ever since i made the switch to coco ive never looked back. Its probably the best change ive made.
Click to expand...
I have grown in pro mix for years. I also used to use smart pots and went back to plastic. It was the best thing for my garden, SO it was the BEST answer.
 
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