SIP thread -- (Sub-Irrigated Planter)

meangreengrowinmachine

Well-Known Member
Hi all its been a while hope everyone is well! Question for the brain trust.... I put some clones directly into some Earthbox full size planters... they are doing well, but still smol. wondering how long you cats think before the roots fill out the planter and growth starts up?

thanks!
 

GenericEnigma

Well-Known Member
Hi all its been a while hope everyone is well! Question for the brain trust.... I put some clones directly into some Earthbox full size planters... they are doing well, but still smol. wondering how long you cats think before the roots fill out the planter and growth starts up?

thanks!
With good roots it shouldn't be longer than a week before they perk up and start to grow. Some of us use super soils which might shock them for a bit longer. Still, not long. Got a photo?
 

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
Hi all its been a while hope everyone is well! Question for the brain trust.... I put some clones directly into some Earthbox full size planters... they are doing well, but still smol. wondering how long you cats think before the roots fill out the planter and growth starts up?

thanks!
Takes about 10 days for them to get out of the droop so to speak, they have to adjust to the moisture environment of the sip , but wow after the first week to ten days they will start to take off and they grow with hydro speed in these sips
 

GenericEnigma

Well-Known Member
Oh and it's great to see you
Thanks! Kinda slipped off for a sec there.

Been coasting through a low pH issue. Slacked on getting fresh Dolomite into my ROLS. Tried a tiny pinch of sodium carbonate and that perked them up, but I don't want to chance that building up so I quit.

Shouldn't be much longer. One plant looks like it's getting tired. lol

20240627_174050.jpg

Pretty excited to pheno hunt these seeds.

20240622_090312.jpg
 

weedstoner420

Well-Known Member
Hi all its been a while hope everyone is well! Question for the brain trust.... I put some clones directly into some Earthbox full size planters... they are doing well, but still smol. wondering how long you cats think before the roots fill out the planter and growth starts up?

thanks!
I usually transplant when the roots fill a 4-inch pot and they start to take off right away. Earlier than that, like from a seedling/propagation cell, or not fully rooted out yet, and they seem to stall for a bit after transplanting.
 

laddyd

Well-Known Member
Just finished a successful grow in 4 gallon SIP's. I used Pro-mix from walmart in the red bale, added perlite to approximate pro-mix hp.
Started off with Maxigrow then transitioned into Maxibloom. I was fertigating them every 2 days 1/2 gallon, straight water every 3rd feeding or so.
For some reason 1 of the plants wasn't uptaking the water as fast. I ended up watering it every 4th day. It was still soaking wet and heavy when I chopped it and inspected the roots. Seems like I get one plant that does that every grow, not sure why.
The 4 gallon size was perfect for 4 plants in a 3 x 3 tent. They didn't get too big but they filled up the space quite nicely.
Vegged them for 4 weeks then harvested at 10 weeks of flower, 80 days from the flip 120 days old.
My OCD liked those numbers.
 

meangreengrowinmachine

Well-Known Member
I usually transplant when the roots fill a 4-inch pot and they start to take off right away. Earlier than that, like from a seedling/propagation cell, or not fully rooted out yet, and they seem to stall for a bit after transplanting.
yeah they came in something I did not want to leave them in and didnt feel like transplanting to a little pot then back into the SIP, the stall stage is fine just wondering if anyone has clocked the est. time frame lol...if not I will let you all know when they start to take off!
 

GenericEnigma

Well-Known Member
Chop today for this fella, I think. Sometimes I lie to you guys and change my mind at the last minute, but I've run this pheno before. It just gets brown from here. Begging for less light than 50% and drinking very little.

20240706_123141.jpg

Her little flip buddy needs more time. With a trip coming up, this one will have to be chopped in August. Since I have a clone run coming up behind it, it will be good to see it go that 15 weeks (Hawaiiian Cat Piss is one chunky sativa).

20240707_080745.jpg
 

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
Chop today for this fella, I think. Sometimes I lie to you guys and change my mind at the last minute, but I've run this pheno before. It just gets brown from here. Begging for less light than 50% and drinking very little.

View attachment 5405740

Her little flip buddy needs more time. With a trip coming up, this one will have to be chopped in August. Since I have a clone run coming up behind it, it will be good to see it go that 15 weeks (Hawaiiian Cat Piss is one chunky sativa).

View attachment 5405743
Very nice
 

meangreengrowinmachine

Well-Known Member
Hi yall! long time no see! So I am thinking about running some autos in earthboxes and was wondering if any of you all have done it and where you started as far as beginning stage plant? I have head that if you let them get root bound at all they will start flowering and you just get one lil stick of bud basically, and no one wants that.... any advise would be much appreciated! thanks all!
 

sgnpuflm

Active Member
I'm wanting to build a few of these for an attempt, but I'm still confused on how to feed using this. I've only ever ran FFOF soil, then fed liquid synth nutrients as needed, but it seems like topdressing is how you feed a SIP? Any other pointers you might give a first timer? I'd like to try to add some sort of float as a visual aid on the level of water left in the res, but that may not even be needed.

Any help appreciated.
 

weedstoner420

Well-Known Member
I'm wanting to build a few of these for an attempt, but I'm still confused on how to feed using this. I've only ever ran FFOF soil, then fed liquid synth nutrients as needed, but it seems like topdressing is how you feed a SIP? Any other pointers you might give a first timer? I'd like to try to add some sort of float as a visual aid on the level of water left in the res, but that may not even be needed.

Any help appreciated.
For your first time, I'd go with a slightly stronger soil mix that could be run water-only for whatever plant/container size you choose. Something like equal parts peat, perlite, and compost, plus 2-3 cups of dry ferts per cubic foot. That's what the commercial brands like Earthbox and Growbox recommend if you buy their kits...

I really like the Growbox design for being able to see the water level and not have it overflow. If you're gonna diy one you could just stick a sight gauge on the side of the res (like a right angle fitting pointing up with a piece of clear tubing attached).

Good luck, SIPs are the shit!
 

Tolerance Break

Well-Known Member
You can top dress your soil through flower, but don't feed a mineral solution through the bottom. I'm not so sure it wouldn't work for the plants, but it will definently start to leave salt residue which can cause larger issues over time.
 

GenericEnigma

Well-Known Member
I'm wanting to build a few of these for an attempt, but I'm still confused on how to feed using this. I've only ever ran FFOF soil, then fed liquid synth nutrients as needed, but it seems like topdressing is how you feed a SIP? Any other pointers you might give a first timer? I'd like to try to add some sort of float as a visual aid on the level of water left in the res, but that may not even be needed.

Any help appreciated.
Use good technique for top dressing:

Scratch and water in dry amendments, taking care not to run off into your reservoir as this can lead to lockout!

Or use a bamboo skewer to create a cylindrical hole into which dry amendments can be applied more deeply.

Or a balanced compost/soil blend can be added to the top of a settled planter, fertilizing and recharging.

Or any combo!

It's also good to have some kind of soil cover (e.g., plastic), not only to keep the top layers moist, but also to deter pests.

Lots of good posts in this thread!
 

sgnpuflm

Active Member
You can top dress your soil through flower, but don't feed a mineral solution through the bottom. I'm not so sure it wouldn't work for the plants, but it will definently start to leave salt residue which can cause larger issues over time.
This is exactly what I was thinking. I have ZERO knowledge of top dressing, looks like I need to learn. As I understand it I just spread it on the top, and water in, but which to use and how are mysteries to me. It took me a run or two to dial in my synth nutrient feeding and not over or underfeed, and I know how to mix those to effectiveness now.
For your first time, I'd go with a slightly stronger soil mix that could be run water-only for whatever plant/container size you choose. Something like equal parts peat, perlite, and compost, plus 2-3 cups of dry ferts per cubic foot. That's what the commercial brands like Earthbox and Growbox recommend if you buy their kits...

I really like the Growbox design for being able to see the water level and not have it overflow. If you're gonna diy one you could just stick a sight gauge on the side of the res (like a right angle fitting pointing up with a piece of clear tubing attached).

Good luck, SIPs are the shit!
I've already got a bunch of FFOF and FFHF, so I was planning on using that and feeding as needed once I figure out top dressing. Should be fine?
Use good technique for top dressing:

Scratch and water in dry amendments, taking care not to run off into your reservoir as this can lead to lockout!

Or use a bamboo skewer to create a cylindrical hole into which dry amendments can be applied more deeply.

Or a balanced compost/soil blend can be added to the top of a settled planter, fertilizing and recharging.

Or any combo!

It's also good to have some kind of soil cover (e.g., plastic), not only to keep the top layers moist, but also to deter pests.

Lots of good posts in this thread!
Indeed! There's a lot here, I've spent some time reading and searching and need to spend more. I'm thinking I'm starting to understand the gaps in my knowledge here though.
 
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