Sea of Green: Pots vs Soil Beds

Discussion in 'Growing Marijuana Indoors' started by AGGrower, Nov 9, 2012.

  1. I have a 4x4 tent and want to start a SOG grow. What would produce a larger yield 6 inch square pots or a 4x4 soil bed. Looking to do either 36 or 49 plants.
     
  2. The pots. Soil beds don't work very well with cannabis. The roots constrict each other in competition for space, nutrients, and moisture.
     
  3. Aren't they gonna be more susceptible to root bound and in a 4x4 bed that's 12" deep I doubt theyre going to fight for root space
     
  4. #4 SCMC, Nov 10, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 10, 2012
    Maybe you are not thinking this through. Your plants would only be 7-8" apart, leaving 3.5"-4" on either side of the stem for the root ball. It's only a few extra cubic inches over the 6" pots except with the pots you can ensure they are watered evenly. If you are afraid of root binding then use fabric planters or rootmakers or airpots. Root constriction is very real and the reason why you see one plant per planter.

    A soil SOG doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense to me, I'd do hydro, at the very least soilless coco or peat. But, for what you are asking, no one uses bed planters for cannabis indoors. Will it grow plants? Yes. Is the yield going to be dramatically different one method to another? No. In my opinion the best way is still individual 2-4L containers as you can move the plants around for the best canopy shape, each planter can provide runoff and be evenly watered, and the roots will not have to compete with any other plant.
     
  5. I would do 2 liter hempys..theres threads on people who have done it and hempy buckets are awesome
     
  6. I've seen plenty of people use soil beds in sog and have had good results.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  7. I haven't.
    You seem pretty set on this.
    Go for it. Do what you think is best. In the grand scheme of things, one grow to learn a lesson is not a big deal. Plenty of years to go.
     
  8. [quote name='"SCMC"']I haven't.
    You seem pretty set on this.
    Go for it. Do what you think is best. In the grand scheme of things, one grow to learn a lesson is not a big deal. Plenty of years to go.[/quote]

    Someone asks for advice when they know they aren't going to take it anyways. Makes you think "Why bother?" Eh?

    Beginning 3rd grow(Apprentice) - BC Big Bud
     

  9. No offence intended, but this is bad advice, period. Larger soil mass equals more room for roots to roam and pick up nutrition. Larger pots or, in this case, a soil bed will always be better for your plants than smaller, constricting pots.

    Bigger roots = bigger plants= bigger colas = bigger harvest.

    J
     
    • Like Like x 1
  10. no one uses bed planters for cannabis indoors.

    Says who? Also, why wouldn't a soil SOG make sense to you?

    AGgrower, a properly constructed soil bed makes perfect sense. Not only will it give your plants more room to grow bigger and fatter, but, if properly constructed using quality organic ingredients, you will be able to continue to re-use this very same soil for YEARS by simply feeding organic teas and top dressing occasionally with assorted organic amendments, ie: worm castings, kelp meal, alfalfa, etc.

    This is a fantastic idea. I've seen this done very successfully and used over and over again, but take your time and construct the soil properly. You will not need to use bottled nutrients, check the pH or PPM of anything - there's nothing easier, plus, the quality of your buds will blow away hydroponically grown buds. The aroma and flavor of organically grown is unbelievable.

    Take a look through this thread and follow the recipes for success - and good luck!

    http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-growing/1116550-easy-organic-soil-mix-beginners.html

    J
     
    • Like Like x 1
  11. Thanks Jerry and Sticky I was over on the Farm and saw a grow in a soul bed and it was successful in a 4x8 bed with 45 kush plants he yielded about 64 z's under 4k watts. So think I'm going to try is out 8ft cannabis trees are grown this way with about 1 meter between plants and they do just fine why won't a 2ft fully grown plant
     

  12. Check out the link in my signature. I think you would benefit tremendously by doing a similar SOG style setup. Each plant will produce 15g when dried.
     

  13. AGGrower, you, sir, are a perfect candidate for organics!

    http://forum.grasscity.com/indoor-m...door-gardening-without-bottled-nutrients.html

    Why don't you cruise on over to the Organics forum and introduce yourself? There's some nice, fine folks over there (here, too, of course) that will be willing and happy to help you out.

    Organic Growing - Grasscity.com Forums

    While I don't personally use a soil "bed", I do use large(er) 15 gallon containers of homemade organic soil. I do not use bottled nutrients - I make my own botanical teas from an assortment of organic goodies, such as comfrey, nettles, dandelions, kelp, alfalfa - etc. My garden costs me almost nothing to run besides the electricity to do so - as I am able to continuously re-use the same soil time after time, just like you will be able to do, providing you construct an organic soil.

    Best of luck with whichever method you use.

    J
     
  14. ...I've sog'd (zero veg to flower) in soil, too much work for me....I spent way too many hours watering that many plants. I'm with SCMC, a sog in soil can be exhausting....I sog in floodbeds, hydroponically = very simple! Set the timer and leave.
     
  15. [quote name='"StickyFiskers"']

    I disagree.

    http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-grow-journals/908954-150-gallon-smart-pot-indoor-no-till.html[/quote]

    Yeah... Because 36-49 plants in 100 gallons of soil is the same thing as 9 plants in 150 gallons of soil. Just look at the facts. You are comparing apples to oranges in defense of pears.

    The thread is also over a year old. If this method was more successful, and logical, then why is there only one guy doing it? And a year ago at that? And he used 50% more media and like 75% fewer plants. Think this through before taking that thread as a verification of your own plants. The proposal here has about 2-3 gallons of media per plant. The thread you linked has like 17 gallons per plant. That is a HUGE discrepancy and does nothing to disprove root constriction in tight quarters.

    I wish you luck.
     
  16. [quote name='"SCMC"']

    Yeah... Because 36-49 plants in 100 gallons of soil is the same thing as 9 plants in 150 gallons of soil. Just look at the facts. You are comparing apples to oranges in defense of pears.

    The thread is also over a year old. If this method was more successful, and logical, then why is there only one guy doing it? And a year ago at that? And he used 50% more media and like 75% fewer plants. Think this through before taking that thread as a verification of your own plants. The proposal here has about 2-3 gallons of media per plant. The thread you linked has like 17 gallons per plant. That is a HUGE discrepancy and does nothing to disprove root constriction in tight quarters.

    I wish you luck.[/quote]

    SCMC,

    I was disagreeing with your original statement that plant would have nutritional issues, root issues, and that beds are not conducive to growing cannabis.

    A well constructed soil can be run multiple times without nutritional issues. No-till is being used by a lot of growers. Look at Jerry's grow before he got jacked.

    In reality it comes down to the skill of the grower and the genetics of the plant.

    As we say in the business "Looks fine from my house".
     

  17. But if it was in an organic soil bed all you would need to do would be to keep the one bed moist.

    How much easier can one ask for?

    J
     
  18. ... jerry I respect the hell out of you... and I love growing organics....but the OP mentions a SoG in soil....I've been SoG'n most of my growing life, started in soil....once I started growing hydroponically, I got my life back.
    ...without a doubt, it would be easier to water a soil bed then it would be 80 x 1 liter pots....but that's also alot of soil to move in/out. At one time, I had a soil bed (4x8 ) and threw 40 x clones in the bed...it was an awesome grow, no root problem, plants were near perfect. Once I broke that bed down and removed the soil from indoors I swore I'd never put that much work into it again....


    ... if the grower is running a true SoG (flowering from clones) and intends on keeping it perpetual. A SoG can be a full time job.

    ...now days when I grow in soil, I do the exact opposite of SoG. I mainstems and pruin instead of removing the side branching. The plants are vegged for about 3 weeks before flowering and are pruned back 2-3 times during vegging.

    ...love and respect Jerry.
     
  19. I used a soil bed once in a 4x4 with a 10 plant scrog. Worked great! I had a pvc manifold with holes drilled in it fed by a 5 gal bucket with a ball valve on the bottom. Gravity flow. Mix my mutes and turn the valve. Watered the whole bed at once
     

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