Paka nailed it down!!! This is a reason why I take a gazillion pictures of my grow so I can go back to learn difference.
Here is a plastic container roots, this was my Cougar Male plants root zone. See how they spiral, NO GOOD!!! Root bound problems!!!
Here is my beast and look how small he medium is and you dont see the spiral affect.
To me I only use the plastic container as starters but since I been buying these cheap ass Dirt Pots (which is a mock of Smart pot) I wont use plastic containers no more. You can grow a much bigger plant in a fabric/air pot than a plastic container anyday. I be willing to challenge someone on it, They can use a 3 gallon plastic container and I will use 1 gallon Dirt Pot of mine and I will bet my 1 gallon plant will be larger than a 3 gallon plastic container plant.
Here is another example I got:
This fabric pot was made by BC99 with his sewing machine, it was less than a 1/2 gallon. This pot was almost the same size of my Coffee Cup.
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The plants on the left are in a larger container but its the plastic square, I think it was a gallon container. Look how much more plant I got out of the smaller fabric pot...
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To me the proof is in the pics. No need to by brand name shit when if you have a sewing machine, make your own pots!!! They work!!!
Hope that explains what Paka posted. He was right on, I do use N.U.T.S or Fulvex from time to time but majority my plants get the baseline X Nutrients and Silica Shield. Silica Shield is the BOMB!!! Oh by the way, the Fulvex, N.U.T.S and Silica Shield were all free samples I got from companies online. Register on all nutrient companies and request for free samples. I even got ZHO, Great White and Orca sent to me last week. All free!!!
EDIT: Dont waste your time with Fox Farms, cheap bastard make so much effin money on their shitty nutes they wont send no free samples!!!
Peace
FM