My first grow - any tips?

[crow]

I live in a remote area so am limited to purchasing on line - I get everything from ADHS [Advanced Horticulture Systems] - you can send an email to sales@adhs.com.au and request a quote.  The pots don't cost a lot to post as they come flat and you assemble them yourself.

 

ADHS has an ebay store - but encourage you to contact them directly and have assured me that they retain no records of people and purchases.   I've made  payments via cash deposited into their bank account.

 

Am I allowed to post a link?   this is the range of pots available.  http://stores.ebay.com.au/Advanced-Horticulture-Systems-ADHS/AIR-ROCKET-POTS-/_i.html?_fsub=3910231014&_sid=1126265084&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

 

The only downside of the rocket pots is they don't come in a 3L or so size which is what I need for growing on my plants before transplanting into the ground - I've found the 1.5L are a bit small for them to be in for too long, although they're ideal for my feminised seed which don't need to stay in pots for long.

 

I was in Melbourne last week and went to a Hyalite store but they didn't stock any, but there must be hydro stores around that do.

[wannagrowbuds]

Good selection of larger ones here - http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=231272475535&alt=web

[roysymmonds83]

Id rather not buy online but looking around some Adelaide shops' website I have seen this anti spiral pot with lots of holes for air flow:

http://www.hydroworld.com.au/pots-tubs-plastics/pot/anti-spiral-pot-95l/ 

 

What do you think about these? Anyone used them?

[wannagrowbuds]

Those ones are commonly used by commercial nurseries to grow trees so they must work okay.

[zeeibi21]

this might be a dumb question but how do these work? Wont the soil fall out of all the holes? 


Also if u use the fabric pots does it make it hard for LST..were would u tie branches to? 

Edited December 10, 2014 by zeeibi21

[roysymmonds83]

this might be a dumb question but how do these work? Wont the soil fall out of all the holes? 

 

There is no such thing as a dumb question, only dumb mistakes from not asking!

 

Someone can correct me if I am wrong with the following: Leaves convert carbon-dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen (photosynthesis). Some of the sugar is stored in the roots, below ground. The roots require oxygen to convert the stored sugar into energy, thus the theory is that by giving the soil more direct contact with the open air, there will be more oxygen transferred to the roots. However, direct contact with air can also kill the tip of the roots.

 

With air pruning pots, the roots will grow out until they reach the edge of the soil and then stop growing as they don't like the direct air contact. Newer roots will sprout off the older roots further back towards the main plant stem. This process will keep repeating (i.e. roots growing out towards the edge of the pot and then stopping) to result in a very dense root structure. 

 

Normal pots don't have the air holes so the roots keep growing around the pot in a spiral fashion. Apparently this is not as efficient growth and to transfer energy compared to the air pot root structure.

 

The soil may fill out of the holes initially as the plant is transferred into the new pot, but as the roots grow, it will bind with the soil in the pot. 

 

The air pot plants will require more water obviously, as a lot will drain out the holes. That doesnt mind me, I like that it is apparently harder to overwater your plants in an air pot than a traditional pot.

[wannagrowbuds]

 

 

Also if u use the fabric pots does it make it hard for LST..were would u tie branches to?

Just poke some small holes in the fabric and stick the wire or twine through, easy.

[sheep_dreamer]

Plant looks great. Very healthy. I like Roseys suggestion with letting it grow and Veg for a couple to a few weeks. Also, I agree, the LST done to date would've slowed her down a tad. If you wanted to, another round of LST could be applied then. I think, all things going well and once the season gets in, this plant is going bud up really well. Keep up the good gardening. Edited December 10, 2014 by sheep_dreamer

[FLC]

Interesting watching this going. So you started mid Nov and you seem to have done good so far, mid Dec. Just natural light? Seems a speedy grow! Congrats. I'm soaking all this up for a go myself! 

[max_headroom]

Old Coat hanger, cotton or garden string...turn coat hanger into 3-4 spikes  with a bend at one end. Use these spikes in the ground around the base of your pot (you can use bricks or rock if no coat hangers) Put a loop in one end of a piece of string, use this loop around the branch you want to LST by feeding the single end through the loop (around the branch), You can, depending on the material, poke the stakes into the base of the pot and tie down from there.