Fabric pots or plastic pots

Cvntcrusher

Well-Known Member
It really depends most of the time u should do fabric but in some cases it’s better to go plastic.
Yeah like if you run a SCROG

Eventually when you put the trellis up you can no longer turn your pots to clean them. So it becomes hard to clean the buildup off and then come gnats.

So its situational. I love my fabric pots but I am switching to plastic next crop because I always scrog my photos and can't turn the pots lol.
 

Mr_X

Well-Known Member
i put my 3 gallon fabric pots in plastic pots so its easier to Low Stress Train because the training wire can easily attach to the edges of the plastic pots.
 

Dubstin

Well-Known Member
For soil I'd use fabric. I prefer plastic for coco because I like to water frequently in coco and don't like the fabric staying wet. Although it's cool seeing your roots live so well on the outside.
 

Attachments

Severed Tongue

Well-Known Member
I like fabric pots because;

It defeated fungus gnats by bottom watering and letting the top dry out. I actually prefer to bottom water mostly now.

They come with handles for easily transportation or moving.

They ensure drain to run off so there's no guessing about overwatering.

You can have a fan on them and it cannabis plants love it. This also prevents water retention in the bottom / middle, and keeps humidity stable in the room and tents for me.

Price. Not sure why but they are cheaper than plastic pots for some reason.

If you have an issue and require to check roots you can simply cut an opening in the bottom and look without up potting or disturbing the rootball, especially helpfull while in flowering.
 

drsaltzman

Well-Known Member
Plastic if you're gonna pot up. It's harder to get the plants out of fabric pots.
Plastic also if you're gonna keep them outside. The fabric pots dry faster outdoors and plants tip easier in the wind.
Otherwise fabric all the way.
 

twentyeight.threefive

Well-Known Member
Plastic if you're gonna pot up. It's harder to get the plants out of fabric pots.
Plastic also if you're gonna keep them outside. The fabric pots dry faster outdoors and plants tip easier in the wind.
Otherwise fabric all the way.
Yeah transplanting out of cloth is a bitch. That's what I just go from plastic starter pots right to 3 gallon cloth pots.
 

xtsho

Well-Known Member
I like fabric pots because;

It defeated fungus gnats by bottom watering and letting the top dry out. I actually prefer to bottom water mostly now.

They come with handles for easily transportation or moving.

They ensure drain to run off so there's no guessing about overwatering.

You can have a fan on them and it cannabis plants love it. This also prevents water retention in the bottom / middle, and keeps humidity stable in the room and tents for me.

Price. Not sure why but they are cheaper than plastic pots for some reason.

If you have an issue and require to check roots you can simply cut an opening in the bottom and look without up potting or disturbing the rootball, especially helpfull while in flowering.
You can bottom water with plastic pots.

I use both. I prefer cloth when growing in coco.
 

Severed Tongue

Well-Known Member
You can bottom water with plastic pots.

I use both. I prefer cloth when growing in coco.
True, and I tried this at first dealing with fungus gnats, they just go in the holes in the bottom of plastic, as they go where it's wet and thats even worse then topsoil infestation because they are in the roots.

This is why I bought fabric in the 1st place.

All I know is it worked for me.

Ymmv
 

xtsho

Well-Known Member
True, and I tried this at first dealing with fungus gnats, they just go in the holes in the bottom of plastic, as they go where it's wet and thats even worse then topsoil infestation because they are in the roots.

This is why I bought fabric in the 1st place.

All I know is it worked for me.

Ymmv
I understand your reasoning. The cloth acts as a barrier and you keep the top dry. They gnats can't get a start at the top and they can't get in through the bottom because of the fabric barrier. If it works... Pretty simple solution as well.

I've never had a really significant gnat problem myself. When I have had more than I liked I used some vinegar traps and neem spray on the top of the soil/coco. I have a few flying around right now but I just ignore them basically. Except for the bastards that get attracted to my computer screen and drive me crazy. My veg tent is in my home office where I hang out.
 

Green Refuge

Well-Known Member
Yeah transplanting out of cloth is a bitch. That's what I just go from plastic starter pots right to 3 gallon cloth pots.
It's actually not bad at all if you let it get bone dry before you transplant. I did a 1.5 gallon the other day and it came out like a concrete cake just flip her over and pull from the bottom of the pot. If you doing 3 gallon and up I'd definitely cut it.
 

Green Refuge

Well-Known Member
I like fabric pots because;

It defeated fungus gnats by bottom watering and letting the top dry out. I actually prefer to bottom water mostly now.

They come with handles for easily transportation or moving.

They ensure drain to run off so there's no guessing about overwatering.

You can have a fan on them and it cannabis plants love it. This also prevents water retention in the bottom / middle, and keeps humidity stable in the room and tents for me.

Price. Not sure why but they are cheaper than plastic pots for some reason.

If you have an issue and require to check roots you can simply cut an opening in the bottom and look without up potting or disturbing the rootball, especially helpfull while in flowering.
How much do you water/feed from the bottom and for how long ? You just let it sit in a few inches of water ?
 

twentyeight.threefive

Well-Known Member
It's actually not bad at all if you let it get bone dry before you transplant. I did a 1.5 gallon the other day and it came out like a concrete cake just flip her over and pull from the bottom of the pot. If you doing 3 gallon and up I'd definitely cut it.
I don't like ripping all the roots growing out of the pots. Plus I don't have issues going right to 3 gallons so it's not an issue for me.
 

Bertalishas

Active Member
I use coco, worm castings and perlite, all organic dry amendments in plastic pots. And I find that it stays moist for a day or 2. I used to do soils and synthetic nutrients, but I’m so happy I made the switch
 

Severed Tongue

Well-Known Member
How much do you water/feed from the bottom and for how long ? You just let it sit in a few inches of water ?
No. This is not a water to runoff method. Initially it was to defeat the fungus gnats, however, the plants were satisfied with it and happy so I just kept doing it.

I'm also using Miracle-Gro moisture control soil, so might depend on your medium.

so I just water one cup or litre at a time, wait till it sucks it up, and repeat until it stops wicking up. Once you know how much it will take, you can just give it that much water each time. Obviously depends on pot and plant size.

My girls in 5 gal pots I filled only half full of soil, took 2 litres throughout veg stage each watering.

The same girls repotted in the same 5 gal pots, 100% soil filled though for flower, are each taking 4 litres per feed so far. Could probably do more but I prefer to not over water.

Take a look at my journal, link in my signature, if you'd like visuals, lots of pics, and I update it regularly.
 

Green Refuge

Well-Known Member
No. This is not a water to runoff method. Initially it was to defeat the fungus gnats, however, the plants were satisfied with it and happy so I just kept doing it.

I'm also using Miracle-Gro moisture control soil, so might depend on your medium.

so I just water one cup or litre at a time, wait till it sucks it up, and repeat until it stops wicking up. Once you know how much it will take, you can just give it that much water each time. Obviously depends on pot and plant size.

My girls in 5 gal pots I filled only half full of soil, took 2 litres throughout veg stage each watering.

The same girls repotted in the same 5 gal pots, 100% soil filled though for flower, are each taking 4 litres per feed so far. Could probably do more but I prefer to not over water.

Take a look at my journal, link in my signature, if you'd like visuals, lots of pics, and I update it regularly.
I checked out your journal you're growing some beauties

It's crazy how this cheap miracle grow soil can produce beautiful plants. I've seen experiments where MG fertilizer produced healthier looking plants than the expensive organic fertilizers.

I might try bottom feeding one of my young plants and see how it goes.
 
Top