Pot size recommendation

[Veritas629]

I'm moving on to my second grow. Previous was DWC and now I'll try supersoil with a SCROG. Got everything on the way to start except the pots. I think the Geo fabric smart pots sound good and 3x 26L should fit my 4*2' tent nicely. I'll sprout in peat cubes and plant in 4L smart pots. Should I use an intermediate pot between 4L and 26L? Maybe 11L?

[bakedcake]

I would go 4 to the final ones. Just give them time to establish before flipping imo

[itchybromusic]

imo get one 76lt fabric pot & put all 3 in the one pot 

 

start them in something small & plastic cos plastic is cheap 

as bc said when established transplant all 3 to the 76lt 

 

tell us about the super soil your planing on using 

[Veritas629]

I think 3*26L is better for me, I like to be able to move them if necessary. 76L is too heavy to do single handed.

 

I've got a supersoil amendments kit from Dr Greenthumbs plus the two beneficial tea mixes he makes. Mixed it up around Xmas, so it should cooked by now. I plan to use 1/4-1/3 of the SS on bottom and then fill up something milder. A nearby organic farm sells organic veggie potting mix. Maybe that cut with peat & perlite. Does that sound about right?

[itchybromusic]

i get the moving pots about bit , it's just that living soils are better used in larger quantities 

cos it's easier to maintain a consistent soil moisture 

 

personally i would use the one soil mix & not have layers of diff soils in a pot 

the only different layer would be the mulch layer at the top , which is natural for plants roots

to grow up & into where allot of plant food is being produced by soil life consuming the mulch

 

you got this right https://www.drgreenthumbs.com.au/products/super-soil , did you make a mix with these amendment 

to Dr Greenthumbs recommendations ?

[pug1010]

hiya veritas:)

 

you've definitely got a green thumb mate ... looking at your last grow diary - very nice.

 

i think itchy is trying to save you a bit of work down the track ... if you set up a nice balanced los (living organic soil) in a good size container (root size makes a big difference to overall yields and maintenance) you really just have to sit back and watch the buds fatten ... hehehe. actually, the time can be well spent on doing some pest management through foliar sprays and just having fun with your plants. there are also a fair few different soil mixture recipes these days, many i would consider still rely heavily on the hydro approach of adding a particular amendment to feed a supposed plant need/deficiency. i personally only look at soil recipes that are concerned with maintaining healthy soil. once this is sorted the plant can take whatever it needs using microbes, myco and other goodies. this method makes for a sustainable soil, which can be reused over and over again, with little maintenance, except the odd topdress and mulch.

 

itchy's suggestions on this are gold mate.

 

as to watering .... everyone does it a bit differently ...

 

i also start in jiffy pellets and as soon as the taproot comes through i plant straight into a 15gal (about 56 litre) fabric pot (filled to 2/3). it is pretty funny to see, as in my last grow there was just the start of two real leaves - the sprout was tiny. this can make it challenging to water, but there are a few easy ways to get it sorted. firstly make sure that your big pots are well watered before planting the jiffy pellet ... then when transplanting, make sure that the top of the jiffy pellet is about 1cm higher than the soil level. when first watering after the transplant ... just water around the jiffy ... the peat in the pellet will wick up the moisture and keep the jiffy at a nice moisture level - you shouldn't have to water again for over a week (sometimes two weeks), as the peat keeps wicking from the soil around it. if you live in a really dry area or the crown (top) of the pellet looks a bit dry ... carefully water the soil (only a small amount) about 5cm from the pellet ... it will wick up again.

 

like itchy, i have a pump sprayer that i water from ... it is very slow and peaceful. some pump sprayers, you can take the nozzle off and water easily and some (like mine) divide the spray into two streams, so a spoon can be bent over the outlet, which allows for some slow watering. for three plants mate ... i would take the time to really enjoy your plants while you water. i reckon with your green thumb and some good los ... you will take it to a new level. i look forward to checking it.

 

just on your pot size selection ... if you are going to scrog then you probably won't be able to move the pots too much. i would strongly suggest going at least a 10gal (38l) fabric pot ... just for ease of watering alone. if the 20gal (76 litre) sounds a bit big, remember you only have to fill it around 2/3 full and leave room over the coming years for topdressing and mulch. if i had the space (currently i'm using 3.3ft x 2ft ... a bit smaller than yours), I would get the 76L pots ... in my situation however, i have two 56 L pots and reckon that I would not go smaller - I can lift them, if needed - although best to do this by the saucer then handles, as i don't like to disturb the soil too much. lastly ... if you have to make a choice between height or width ... go the fabric pot which is taller, as most root goodness starts at around 30cm down. you could always get two bigger pots and scrog two plants or do like Merl1n and scrog one plant to the max.

 

hope it helps

Edited March 25, 2019 by pug1010

[Carbcon]

26-30l a good size if moving around and will grow a decent plant.

 

Perlite in mix so much lighter than Scoria so you could up the size a bit if U wanted

[Veritas629]

i get the moving pots about bit , it's just that living soils are better used in larger quantities

cos it's easier to maintain a consistent soil moisture

 

personally i would use the one soil mix & not have layers of diff soils in a pot

the only different layer would be the mulch layer at the top , which is natural for plants roots

to grow up & into where allot of plant food is being produced by soil life consuming the mulch

 

you got this right https://www.drgreenthumbs.com.au/products/super-soil , did you make a mix with these amendment

to Dr Greenthumbs recommendations ?

That's the stuff and I mixed to his recipe. 1/3 each peat, petite, and organic mulch from the aforementioned farm. I think the type of living soil method you fellas are suggesting is the same or similar to "No Till", right? It does sound like a more natural process than the Subcool Super Soil type method I'm currently planning. But by the time realized the difference, I had purchased and mixed the SS. If the supplies I've got can be repurposed, I'd consider it. But with the money I've spent recently, I'd rather not waste the Dr Greenthumbs mix or the soil I've already cooked.

[itchybromusic]

thanks pug & some good info there mate 

 

carbcon , perlite or scoria / lava rock , perlite def lighter 

but scoria will out last perlite long term in the soil 

i think scoria is cheaper , perlite prob more readily available

growers choice , which ever serves the each growers purpose i guess 

 

super soil can cause nutrient burn , might happen might not 

the buffer soil might be enough & it might not be enough , sometimes depending on the plant  

better to turn 50/50 odds into something more favorable to you imo by making a more 

plug & play type living soil mix out of SS you have , there not that different i'm guessing 

does Dr GT give you a list of whats in the nutrient kit ?

 

Dr GT recommends to cut the SS mix 1 to 4 for starting seedlings , in a living soil or in any soil really 

you should transplant well established seedlings , with that in mind , you could cut the soil you already 

have with more of the base soil , more peat , compost & perlite , at a rate of 1 part ss to 2 parts base mix 

which at a guesstimate should give no trouble & work as a plug & play soil mix that you can use right after you

mix the 2 together 

 

in general prob the most important part of a living soil & SS mix is the compost used in the base , better the compost

the better the soil mix 

 

i'm also a fan of using living mulch / cover crops , to me it's equivalent to using myco , stacking the soil with beneficial's 

not saying don't use myco , i'm saying use both , each plant in a cover crop seed mix will attract a diff set of microorganisms  

 

sorry mate prob taking a lill to far away from what you were planning , def follow your own thinking 

Edited March 25, 2019 by itchybromusic

[Carbcon]

I have used that mix, didn't think it was that hot. Mixed throughout and not layered.

 

All good points itchy, mulch is probably what I'm loving ATM.

I am rejuvenating some neglected ornamentals at the moment and just to keep more water in them and all the other advantages.

 

Plus, roos will nibble the mulch and leave the plant usually.