Smart Pots vs Plastic Pots side by side results.

has anyone compared the fabric smart pots with air pots?

I run air pots and my plants love them.

btw, I wish i could have been stoned enough to come up with the idea of using a damn moving blanket and making a pot out of it. I'd have my own island by now
 
5 gallon buckets last forever... and if you like to roll here's how...lol... old school...
 

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-=TGG=- said:
5 gallon buckets last forever... and if you like to roll here's how...lol... old school...
Click to expand...

Nice set-up.:sniff:

I bought a few of them camo buckets, back in the day, for some outdoor grow.
Turned out to be a bad idea cause they were so shiny in the sun.
 
I like dumb buckets not smart pots...lol... :rollj: :d1:

LeBozo... I got those buckets for the wide ring around the top.. They last forever.. But out side they would stick out big time...They are shiny... I'm old and set in my ways I guess.. for tent type grows inside I see where they would help with air flow... :rollj:
 
I figured I'd bump this as I've been running Hercules pots along side the Smart pots for a while now. The Smart pots consistently out perform the Hercules pots in my OP, and are all around easier to use for me, other than cleaning them.
 
With Smart pots, I soak them in hot water and bleach for an hour, then I come back and mix everything up for 10 minutes with a stick. Then they get turned inside out and mixed up for another 5-10 minutes. Then they get rinsed twice, and set out to dry. Pots that are particularly caked with roots and/or salt build up get scrubbed together so one pot cleans the other.

With Hercules pots, it's just hot water, bleach, scrub brush, and rinse. Each pot only take a minute or two. I really wanted the Hercules pots to perform better because they are so much easier to clean.
 
Harp, you might want to consider buying an old used washing machine for your smart pots.. seen some at garage sales for 50 bucks that work..you just need to hose most of the soil off first..wouldn't recommend it for inside the house but if you have an overhang or awning outside it might save you some work..

not a big issue for the indoor grower but for outdoors why don't they have white pots..
it helps reflect the sun so that the roots don't get as hot.. black hides your pots getting dirty but you can wash most of it off..use to paint my plastic pots light green and then spray paint splotches of light brown on em so that it'd blend in with the landscape..kind of stupid really because from the air pot plants are so easy to spot but it did help a bit keeping the roots cooler..with smart pots black really isn't an issue since it can breath..
 
I've had lots of trouble keeping my smart pots from drying out too quickly. They do a great job in making the roots ball huge but dry out way too fast in my rooms.
 
i use them with a COCO/perlite mix on my flood and drain trays. i prefer to use the 3gal square geo pot.
 
rosso reefo said:
Harp, you might want to consider buying an old used washing machine for your smart pots.. seen some at garage sales for 50 bucks that work..you just need to hose most of the soil off first..wouldn't recommend it for inside the house but if you have an overhang or awning outside it might save you some work..

not a big issue for the indoor grower but for outdoors why don't they have white pots..
it helps reflect the sun so that the roots don't get as hot.. black hides your pots getting dirty but you can wash most of it off..use to paint my plastic pots light green and then spray paint splotches of light brown on em so that it'd blend in with the landscape..kind of stupid really because from the air pot plants are so easy to spot but it did help a bit keeping the roots cooler..with smart pots black really isn't an issue since it can breath..
Click to expand...

I've surely considered it! :p

Guymandude said:
I've had lots of trouble keeping my smart pots from drying out too quickly. They do a great job in making the roots ball huge but dry out way too fast in my rooms.
Click to expand...

The drying out issue is what makes them better for my rooms, as it forces me to water more.
 
IME when a pot is drying quickly in coco, you're doing great and the ladies are slamming water accordingly :tumbleweed: As long as u compensate with your feed regimen you should put out top shelf all day.

The exception of course is if the plant is too big for even a fabric pot of any given size to handle, in which case... Transplant ;)

I would say from your pics GMD that your plants are loving life and drinking and eating like they should :yum:

Take care and stay safe

guerilla
 
just a quick note on how i clean my smart pots, I go to the laundry mat and get one of them $8 machines and just throw them in. I do not do any more than shake them off prior to putting in the wash and so far so good, but i have only been doing this for a few years, so I have no way of knowing if there are any negative effects on the washers:D

2b2s
 
Honestly, I wouldn't use a fabric pot for more than 3-5 years depending on use. Shit even clothes would be shot in that time if u used Em everyday ;)

If u only have to buy pots every 3-5 years I think your doing pretty well.
 
I currently use smart pots but Im thinking of trading up to air pots or heavily modified plastic pots. When they need water I'm going to dunk them in water and fully saturate the medium then pull them out and let excess water drain off. Should help pull oxygen in better and eliminate dry spots if you're missing a spot or it is getting less water.
 
I like smart pots a lot- for the final container only. Transplanting out of them is more difficult and causes more stress than with a hard sided pot, I think.

I'm a big fan of root pouch fabric pots. They make several lines, designed to degrade in a given amount of time. They make a 3-4 year one that's almost as tough as smart pots, but like 1/3 or 1/4 of the price- less than $1, each. They also make really cheap ones that you can get away with using once or twice- and they cost maybe 50c each, depending on how many you buy.

I go through a lot of pots, and have used these for a while with great results.

http://www.amleo.com/root-pouch-degradable-pots/p/VP-RPXXXX/
 
Thanks for the link goro! That is EXACTLY what I have been looking for months for :ty:

Sorry for your lack of free time GMD, I personally don't really like auto watering per se but there are alot more options nowadays...from floraflex pot covers to blumats that water when the plant needs it as opposed to a set schedule.

I like the watering tech idea Breezy, would love to see a thread on it.

Take care and stay safe

guerilla

Take care and stay safe

guerilla
 
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