I'm growing in soil inside a plastic gallon container with holes in the bottom. This is placed inside of an exact size second container to catch drainage, so the holed one is inside the no-hole one. Small pebbles separate the two containers. BUT, now my plants are sending out roots through the holes into the outer container. What should I do?
That's normal especially when needing to be transplanted. A gallon container unless you're running a very short veg isn't big enough, to run a entire grow in. I've ran in solo cups it's not impossible just dont need to veg very long.
Thanks GB, They've only been in the container for 3 weeks and are less than 3 inches tall. 12-12 starts March 1 or earlier. I can't use anything larger to hold them at present. They are non-feminized landrace, so when I get rid of the males I can transplant the girls into larger holders. So the question really is if the situation is harmful? Do I need to worry? Can/Should the roots be trimmed?
Only issue you'll run into are the roots possibly getting stuck in those holes, making transplant more difficult. Isn't harmful, unless the plants become root bound. You can trim the roots back, however I'd use that as a last resort.
Thanks again. Because the roots won't be sitting in water for long, they won't rot, but they will be in a very humid space. Do you think that might be a potential issue? The plants are beauties, more like shrubs, low and spreading. I'm bending them to try to open up more nodes to the light. That will give me places to clone, and once I get a decent number, I'd start 12 12 asap.
pot up is the obvious: avoid over watering if you do use a saucer or Cannabis Root Rot - How to Identify & Get Rid of It Quickly! good luck
growing a container within another container is your issue. get rid of the pebbles and the second container . Put your container with the soil in a tray just like a houseplant. empty the tray when it fills with water. the less moisture outside of the container the less likely the roots will try to grow out.
use a razor knife , Cut that container off . if the plastic is thick then get a knife . Heat that knife up to cut that container off . Yes it needs a new container . If not you will lack yield
Thanks, Deep. I believe that is the issue. Saucers are coming tomorrow. I can't, as others have suggested, use larger pots--for now. The area is packed. When I get rid of males, I'll be able to use bigger pots.
Put water and nutrients into the lower container when roots fill lower chamber..And a small airpump and now you have a minu hydro setup
You have created a hempy. The plans will increase yield if you keep the roots healthy in about 1 to 2 inches of liquid. You can dich the pebbles (use an inverted can or something to keep the buckes from sticking. The bucket with no holes needs to be kept clean to prevent root disease. If you don't want to do that, you can raise the buckets with holes high enough that the roots airprune. But inbetween is kind of bad because the roots are sitting in un oxygenated hot nute water. So you are kind of forxed to do something. That''s how I got into DTW hydroton hybrid hempies. Gotta keep that nucket clean.