Hey Fellow Green Thumbs! Just wondering if anyone has ever heard of or used MicroKote? Somewhere in jorge cervantes grow bible there are pictures of "uncle Ben" applying Spin Out to his containers. I was unable to acquire spin out but I think i found a better alternative. My buddy has been using this and says its the best. Let me know your thoughts. THanks & keep it green. MicroKote® | Micronutrient Container Coating
Interesting product. It's expensive though, isn't it? $30 for 8 oz. Whew. I'd imagine you could get the same benefits (if not more) with smart pots (for air pruning of roots), mycorrhizae, and kelp meal for micronutrients. It's definitely an interesting product though.
Hey Ganja Girl! I does seem a little pricey...but after talking to a buddy of mine in cali that uses it he said that he can do approx. 60 to 65 - 1 gallon containers, or 20-22 - 3 gallon containers, or 10-15- 10 gallon containers with an 8oz bottle (They also offer lager volumes). I was going to go to Smart Pots but ive been hearing that air pruning is not the best method for root growth and that they need up to 50% more water because of the dry out effect. If what i was told is true and you break down the Microkote cost per container they are prob cheaper then or very close to a smart pot bag. I called Horticulture Specialties which distributes Microkote, spoke to a guy name Jay... I think he is the owner he seemed real nice and listed all the benefits of using it. He claims that they can be used for years, or multiple harvests. That they would only need to be re-coated if the reddish color fades or breaks down. I have a bottle being shipped to me now...More info to come once i start playing around with it.
I pay less than $2 per pot for my 3 gallon aeration pots (smart pot type pots). They don't use 50% more water. I have had excellent results both indoors and out with them, they are definitely superior to a plastic pot imo. And there's no way that any kind of spray on the inside of a plastic pot is going to offer the same root pruning benefits as an aeration pot. This product seems gimicky to me (expensive product with claims of amazing benefits). But test it out and let us know how it goes!
I certainly will! I know that roots are the key to success so im going to experiment with a 5 gal smart pot bag, 5 gal texel bag, rootmaker pot and Microkote to see which product gives me the best results. Cause at the end of the day, ill pay a lil more for something that works, no matter which method proves to be the best.
Must be from MO..Sho me Thats Great.. we may be kin. Roots are King. Seems to be a fairly old post but would like to here the follow-up if still around--- Here's my 2 cents >Have run SpinOut treated pots, TexR Spinout treated grow bags($1-$2 - 1 gal), Microkote treated pots( treat approx 500+- 1 gal pots per gallon for $120 bucks liquid= $0.24 per pot + pot cost x 3 years), Smart Pots($2 bucks for a 1 gal ($3) , Air Pots (Many brands $1-5 Bucks for 1 gal)).. Results > They all work very well to produce superior roots systems compared to slick walled growing containers or 5 gallon buckets. By far the Microkote treated pots or SpinOut treated pots offer more bang for your buck. You get the roots plus benefits of the copper as fungicide and bactericide to protect the root ball, I found data from Europe where spinout is controlling Phytophthora>>> No it don't screw with microryza or other goodies, it just dont move into the soil... A good coating on pots will last in excess of 5-10 years. I re-teat every couple to You want get that with a fabric bag. Bags start getting really shitty to handle and ratty after much re-use. Make sure to sterilize if re-using, that porosity of fibers is like a dirty dish rag...MK Treated pots to me are just much easier to handle, fill, sterilize and reuse. Treated Pots use less water for sure, they don't have a poras wall... I do like the bag porosity if using a tighter mix- Running some TexR 7 gal bags now and plants are great just have to water them more, maybe not 50% more but much more.. I hate extra work. Peace
Microkote works very well. I use it in my hydroponic ebb and grow buckets and drain fittings to stop roots from clogging the drains. I grow in straight hydroton (clay pebbles) and get one solid brick mass of roots that is hard to break down after harvest. Microkote is expensive. But there is good news, you can make your own very easily. Copper(II) Hydroxide Is the active ingredient in microkote, there are a few products listed on Amazon. Kocide 3000 made by DuPont and SuPRO 5000. You mix one of these products with a regular latex paint. I use kocide 3000 and with the potency of that product you mix approx 28 oz per 1 gallon of latex paint. I scuff up the inside of buckets lightly for better adhesion and apply liberally..after using the product, you won’t go back. You get a more healthy, vigorous plant with larger buds and a dense root system.