25 gallon tub vs five 5 gallon pots

[stawawager]

I'm considering switching from a 25 gallon tub to five 3 or 5 gallon pots.

Pluses of the 25:
1. Can spin the whole tub for maintenance instead of shuffling 5 pots.
2. Easier to water.
3. Grows as a whole unit, can help with support.

Pluses of the 3 or 5.
?


Opinions / questions welcomed.

 

[Phytoplankton]

IMHO, multiple plants in one container can be problematic, most times it doesn't turn out well, one or two plants will dominate and the others will suffer/dwarf.

 

[HydoDan]

Each plant should have its own pot..

 

[Phytoplankton]

Depends on what the media is, and whether organic or synthetic nutes. For coco, 3 gal would work, for synthetic in soil 5 gal would be fine. Full organic, I’d go 7.5 gal.

 

[stawawager]

Depends on what the media is, and whether organic or synthetic nutes. For coco, 3 gal would work, for synthetic in soil 5 gal would be fine. Full organic, I’d go 7.5 gal.

Why does soil need more volume?

 

[stawawager]

IMHO, multiple plants in one container can be problematic, most times it doesn't turn out well, one or two plants will dominate and the others will suffer/dwarf.

My area is 4' x 4'. I think that is sufficient for 4-5 girls. Agreed?

 

[Phytoplankton]

Why does soil need more volume?

Because of the way the nutes are taken in. In Coco the media is basically to hold the plant in place, and all the nutes are supplied directly to the roots with synthetic nutes, you feed every day, sometimes multiple times a day. In soil you can only add so many nutes and water without nute burning the plant or killing the roots with too much water (since the water doesn't drain nearly as fast in soil as in coco), so you need more space for the roots to collect the nutes. In organic you need even more space for the roots, because the nutrients have to be broken down by microbes in the soil to make it available to the plants.

My area is 4' x 4'. I think that is sufficient for 4-5 girls. Agreed?

I'd say 4 for certain, 5 might be pushing it, but give it a try.

 

[ilovetoskiatalta]

I have ran 1 to 3 plants in 5 to 15 gallon fabric of the same strain with no problems. My standard is 1 in each 5 gallon fabric in amended soil this seems to work well for most 9-12 week strains.

 

[sureshot138]

I'm considering switching from a 25 gallon tub to five 3 or 5 gallon pots.

Pluses of the 25:
1. Can spin the whole tub for maintenance instead of shuffling 5 pots.
2. Easier to water.
3. Grows as a whole unit, can help with support.

Pluses of the 3 or 5.
?View attachment 5419926
View attachment 5419933

Opinions / questions welcomed.

plant count if that matters to ya, just saying one pot means one plant (at least to me). if you live where the witch hunt still rides, lol. so do you let the roots fill the underneath of the bird bath? i imagen loose coco falls in but not much.

 

[stawawager]

My area is 4' x 4'. I think that is sufficient for 4-5 girls. Agreed?

plant count if that matters to ya, just saying one pot means one plant (at least to me). if you live where the witch hunt still rides, lol. so do you let the roots fill the underneath of the bird bath? i imagen loose coco falls in but not much.

I use Happy Frog soil. That blanket of roots migrated from above the upside down birdbath into a 4" void.

I actually don't have correct drainage. The drain pipe is 1.5" above the floor of the tub so probably has periods of standing water. I was surprised to see the blanket of roots covering the bottom though.

 

[stawawager]

I have ran 1 to 3 plants in 5 to 15 gallon fabric of the same strain with no problems. My standard is 1 in each 5 gallon fabric in amended soil this seems to work well for most 9-12 week strains.

Fabric has really taken over. Do you just place a regular plant saucer under them?

 

[stawawager]

Because of the way the nutes are taken in. In Coco the media is basically to hold the plant in place, and all the nutes are supplied directly to the roots with synthetic nutes, you feed every day, sometimes multiple times a day. In soil you can only add so many nutes and water without nute burning the plant or killing the roots with too much water (since the water doesn't drain nearly as fast in soil as in coco), so you need more space for the roots to collect the nutes. In organic you need even more space for the roots, because the nutrients have to be broken down by microbes in the soil to make it available to the plants.



I'd say 4 for certain, 5 might be pushing it, but give it a try.

More than interesting, TY.

 

[ilovetoskiatalta]

Fabric has really taken over. Do you just place a regular plant saucer under them?

Yes with these

Gro Pro NX Level Pot Elevator - 13 in up to 7 gal pots direct from Growers House

Gro Pro NX Level Plant Elevation Platforms are specially designed to help raise your fabric or plastic pot out of the bottom of a saucer. Best for use with up to 7 gallon plant pot or fabric bags.

growershouse.com

 

[stawawager]

Yes with these

Gro Pro NX Level Pot Elevator - 13 in up to 7 gal pots direct from Growers House

Gro Pro NX Level Plant Elevation Platforms are specially designed to help raise your fabric or plastic pot out of the bottom of a saucer. Best for use with up to 7 gallon plant pot or fabric bags.

growershouse.com

Ah ha! I've seen the ones for the bottom of a cleaning 5 gallon bucket. That's perfect.

 

[formularacer]

IMHO, multiple plants in one container can be problematic, most times it doesn't turn out well, one or two plants will dominate and the others will suffer/dwarf.

Every time I put two seeds in a pot one goes like gangbusters the other suffers and is undersized.
I have a few five gallon fiber pots with Vietnam Black and the fiber pots are burried in a cement mixing tray filled with composted manure. Very impressed with rate of growth.

 

[stawawager]

I have ran 1 to 3 plants in 5 to 15 gallon fabric of the same strain with no problems. My standard is 1 in each 5 gallon fabric in amended soil this seems to work well for most 9-12 week strains.

What is the advantage of fabric that you like over plastic pots?

 

[ilovetoskiatalta]

What is the advantage of fabric that you like over plastic pots?

I recycle my soil and when I take apart the root ball in my experience it is not just swirling around the outside of the pot. It actually looks hourglass shape. I also feel the pots breath or air prune. One thing no-one talk about is they leak when you water them after dry back. I use flora flex bubblers so the problem is somewhat mitigated but I have trays under the plant and bucket head shop vac just to suck up excess water. Just my experiences, its been almost 10 years since I switched. Also i dry them out use a brush to clean roots and bring them to a laundromat, wash them(the looks I get are what you would expect so I go early in the am) dry them and store them in bins.

 

[stawawager]

I recycle my soil and when I take apart the root ball in my experience it is not just swirling around the outside of the pot. It actually looks hourglass shape. I also feel the pots breath or air prune. One thing no-one talk about is they leak when you water them after dry back. I use flora flex bubblers so the problem is somewhat mitigated but I have trays under the plant and bucket head shop vac just to suck up excess water. Just my experiences, its been almost 10 years since I switched. Also i dry them out use a brush to clean roots and bring them to a laundromat, wash them(the looks I get are what you would expect so I go early in the am) dry them and store them in bins.

Right, if they breath they're going to also sweat.

I had to educate myself on air pruning. Check out my picture in the OP of the roots in the bottom, those pretty much lived in air or so I thought, or they had to go through about 3 inches of air to get to the bottom where there might have been a little puddle after watering.