Smart Pots & Air Pots

Discussion in 'Growing Organic Marijuana' started by jakrustle, Sep 25, 2010.

  1. Interesting, im using advanced nutrients and no organics [well the apparent all organic AN lineup]

    and look at this, mine are far worse.

    id like to know as i never even thought about asking, it looks bad now that i think about it

    although on the close up it looks like hella roots that have air pruned already
     

    Attached Files:

  2. #22 LumperDawgz, Oct 3, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 3, 2010
    Stankie

    That's powdery mildew unfortunately. A successful mycorrhizal inoculation requires a microscope to verify.

    I would mix 1 tsp. of neem seed oil with 1 tsp. of liquid silica (Dyna-Gro ProTeKt) to 1 quart of water. Spray the sides and bottom of the fabric.

    Don't freak out - just get it under control. If you're deep into the 12/12 cycle, take a handful of lavender flowers (dry or fresh) and add to a gallon of clear water and let it set for 24-36 hours. Lavender is a very powderful insecticide (and you could consider it a tonic as well), it also has a fair fungicide aspect that works without causing other problems like an oil-based product might. Add 1 tablespoon of liquid silica to 1 gallon of the lavender tea.

    You could, if necessary, apply lavender every other day without concern.

    You can also make up a neem seed meal tea and by adding both liquid silica as well as using kelp meal tea as a base (or seaweed extract) you can safely apply this about 2x per week by using common sense and a good level of caution on the 'how and why' etc.

    The Ahimsa Foundation - consider their Sample Pack 3 that provides you with:

    1 gallon of organic neem seed oil
    1 gallon of organic karanja seed oil
    5 lbs. of organic neem seed meal
    5 lbs. of organic karanja seed meal

    $150.00 - delivered. No S&H charges. HPLC report, Heavy Metal, Pesticide Residue, Microbiological and Micronutrient tests on request.

    The organic versions contain 3x the levels of Azadirachtin that Dyna-Gro Neem Seed Oil contains (i.e. 4500 PPM vs 1500 PPM) plus it's organic and fair trade. The organic product is from India and is produced by families who have been involved in the neem trade going back over 200 years.

    Adding 1/2 cup of a mix of the karanja and neem meals to 1 c.f. of potting soil will provide systemic defense against anaerobic fungi (like powdery mildew) and mites. Both meals have a strong N-P-K profile as well as being flush with the important micro-nutrients - like most other plant-based soil amendments, i.e. alfalfa, kelp, comfrey, nettle, etc.

    HTH

    LD
     
  3. deacon

    I've used coir as a base. I've used Canadian sphagnum peat moss as a base. I've used them mixed together as a base.

    Both have plusses and minuses and both do a good job. I believe in diversity in everything when it comes to base ingredients so I would recommend that one consider using a mix of these 2 traditional base products.

    HTH

    LD
     
  4. Awesome info everyone, thanks for the thread :)

    I too have been looking into Air Pots. I'm looking for <= 3 gallon pots, square, no wider than 9" - anyone have any suggestions?

    I don't believe I'll go with those smart pots (or any fabric based pot) due to humidity issues.

    Right now I have a cabinet full of monsters in 3gal pots. Definitely want smaller plants next round. I vegged for 4 weeks.

    Finally, will a 1.5-2 gallon Air Pot grow a small plant (healthy) full cycle? I don't plan on vegging anything over 3 weeks.
     
  5. damn i cant beleive i never even thought about that

    thanks LD
     
  6. thanks my man..exactly what i did..actually i run 1/3 coir 1/3 spagnum peat and 1/3 perlite..cuts cost of coir and drainage is good as i hand water to run off every day..i like switchin' up also....good stuff...nice we can run a thread where info is exchanged rather than argue every litte detail:smoke:
     
  7. air pots seem to work great but could only find them in europe at a pretty high price so went smart as a test...reusable over and over a plus for airpots..if ya find em local let me know..also...should smart pots be raised a little off the ground to allow air pruning on the bottom roots...thanks guys
     

  8. THANKS Lumper!

    I actually tracked down both Pro-Tekt and Neem Oil yesterday afternoon. I will mix some up and spray the sh!t out of everything once the light is out! I am only at day 13 of flowering so I am going to hit everything with the spray. I have not noticed any fuzzing on the leaves yet.

    Once again, thanks for the reply. I may buy that sampler pack! Especially for use on my vegetable garden next year Lumper. My squash always wage a losing battle with PM. It seems like a fairly bad year around here.
     

  9. Deacon, get on the old internet and look up calgrowers.com. I just ordered 3 of the 2.4 gallon ones from them.

    The US Distributor highly recommended them as they are known for reliable, quick delivery - although it was $12.00+(UPS) to have the three delivered. Can't wait to put them into use.

    JaK
     
  10. Deacon, something I posted in another Air Pot Thread. Might help with with somewhere local.

    JaK



    Alternative to the Smart Pots and some places in the US where you might be able to find Air Pots. Most Places in Florida, but also a couple in Oregon, Washington and California.

    Attached website so you can check them out if you are interested.

    JaK

    The Caledonian Tree Company



    Blue Heron Farm Nursery
    Independence
    Oregon 97351
    Tel: 1-800-223-8410
    Fax: (541) 754-6181
    sales@bhfnursery.com
    Blue Heron Nursery Home
    Cherry Lake Tree Farm
    7836 Cherry Lake Road
    Groveland, FL 34736
    Tel: (352) 429-2171
    Cherry Lake Tree Farm De Leon's Bromeliads
    13745 SW 216th St.
    Goulds, FL 33170
    Toll Free: 1 800 448 8649
    Tel: (305) 238 - 6028
    Fax: (305) 235 - 2354
    info@deleons4color.com
    DeLeon's: Specializing in Bromeliads and Orchids

    Flowerwood Nursery
    2792 Cr 564
    Bushnell, FL 33513-4529
    Tel: (352) 793-4563
    Flowerwood Nursery, Inc. - flowerwood.com

    Tim Griffin Enterprises, Inc.
    23505 SW 202 AVE
    Homestead, FL 33031
    Tel: (305) 247 - 5126
    Fax305) 246 - 4574
    info@timgriffinenterprises.com
    Tim Griffin Enterprises - Specializing in Interior Palms
    Holloway Tree Farm
    2620 Griffin Road
    Leesburg, FL 34748
    Tel: (352) 728-5096
    Fax: (352) 728-0568
    info@hollowaytreefarm.com
    Holloway Tree Farm - Leesburg, FL

    KCK Farms
    11483 SE Amity-Dayton Hwy,
    Dayton, OR 97114
    Tel: (503) 864-9422
    Fax: (503) 864-4412
    info@kckfarms.com
    KCK Farms - Family owned and operated nursery in the heart of the Willamette Valley of Oregon
    Martin Miller Farm & Nursery
    8635 Wabash Drive Ne
    Salem, OR 97305-9738
    Tel: (503) 792-3731
    Palmco
    Pine Island, Florida 33945
    Tel: (239) 283-1329
    Fax: (239) 283-4594
    sales@palmco.com
    PalmCo

    Plantmad Nursery
    mail@plantmad.com
    WELCOME TO PLANTMAD.COM
    Premier Trees, LLC
    3650 Clausen Acres Lane NE
    Salem, OR 97303
    Tel: (503) 580-2286
    Fax: (503) 485-2998
    brent@premier-trees.com
    Premier Trees

    Robinson Tree Farm
    600 Bennett Rd
    Pierson, FL 32180-2117
    Tel: (386) 749-4040

    Rocky Creek Nursery
    1501 SW 112th Ave
    Davie, FL 33325-4701
    Tel: (954) 434-4200

    Scheidler Family Nursery13258 Portland Rd Northeast
    Gervais, OR 97026-8778
    Tel: (503) 792-4469
    Skinners Nursery
    8475 Baymeadows Rd
    Jacksonville, FL 32256- 7376
    Tel: (904) 538-9988

    Sun City Trees
    2660 24th Street S.E.
    Ruskin, FL 33570
    Tel: (813) 645-9527
    Fax: (813) 645-9539
    sean@suncitytrees.com
    Home page

    Superior Foliage
    17200 SW 248th St
    Homestead, FL 33031-1902
    Tel: (305) 245-0828

    SuperTrees
    10301 South Kraxberger RD.
    Canby, OR 97013
    Tel: (503) 266-8733
    Fax: (866) 381-3016
    moreinfo@supertree.com
    SuperTrees®- The healthiest trees in the nursery industry
    Tim Fisher Nursery
    8485 SE 282nd Avenue
    Gresham, Oregon 97080
    Tel: (503) 663-0680
    Fax: (503) 663-2369
    Tim Fisher Nursery Home
    Total Quality Liners
    7836 Cherry Lake Road,
    Groveland, FL 34736
    Tel: (352) 429-2171
    Fax: (352) 429-0302
    Total Quality Liners - a division of Cherry Lake Tree Farm Turner Tree Farm
    2504 64th Street Court E.
    Bradenton, Florida 34208
    Tel: (941) 721-3597
    Fax: (941)729-5198
    info@turnertreefarm.com
    Turner Tree Farm - Bradenton, Sarasota, Tampa - Landscaping Services

    Woodbrook Nursery
    1620 59th Ave. NW,
    Gig Harbor, WA 98335
    Tel: (253) 265-6271
    Pacific Northwest Native Plants | Woodbrook Native Plant Nursery
    Yule Tree Farm
    12704 Ehlen Rd NE
    Aurora OR
    Tel: (503) 678-2101
    www.yuletreefarm.com
     
  11. deacon

    Your mix is pretty damn close to the commercial organic mix from Sun Gro Horticultue (Sunshine Mixes) and specifically their Sunshine Organic Growers Mix.

    Basically it's 40% coir, 30% Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss and 30% aeration amendments (equal parts of pumice, perlite and vermiculite). When I used this product it was mixed 3x with 1x compost or EWC or a combination of both.

    Potting mixes from Sun Gro Horticulture (Sunshine Mixes) and Premier Horticulture (Pro-Mix) are referred to as 'blank soils' in the horticulture industry. What this means is that you have to add something to get plants to grow. By not adding this or that at manufacturing gives the commercial grower the ability to fine-tune the strata for whatever specific variety of plants that are under production. Organic, transitional or conventional methods would, obviously, dictate what amendments and products that you would use.

    BTW - try and source pumice vs. perlite. You'll be glad you did! LOL

    LD
     
  12. #32 deacon, Oct 5, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 5, 2010
    good stuff here bro..im eatin' it up.....while thats the base medium and what i use for seedlings and clones...for the grow i amend with bat guano...worm castings..blood meal....touch of sulfer cause some get left outside...bone meal...dolimite lime..not sure i still need this but no ph trouble so im runnin' with it...would love input on what i might add to counteract cocos habit of suckin' up cal and mag...use a suppliment now but would love to get a water and forget medium with top dressing for adding nutes as the plants develope..but this coco works well..runnin mandala and barneys farm gear so good genetics...thanks for your input bro...this is why i'm here...not the every day pissing contest:wave:...and sure sorry about boagin' the thread..op....peace deacon:smoke:......ps...why pumice over perlite...mg perlite with nutes added..sucks..does scotts own home de' pot
     
  13. thanks bro...my internet and search prowess sucks.......would also love to run airpot...the cost is not to bad if weighed against increase in dank:hello:

    awesome

    hey guy ..not pimpin' or nothin' but i got a thread called what are ya smokin' tonight in the cureing jar forum...yeah..they got me way out past the devils taint:eek:...its free flow...post pics..ask anything..so no hijackin...would love for ya all ta check it out...we discuss there..no arguing.....but we bust on eachother plenty too..good fun and a break from the is my plant dying stuff...thanks guys for the help...i will put it to good use...and since this is about smart pots and stuff....heres some seedlings of mandala 8 mile high and hashberry in smart pots

    first was taken a week ago..just transplanted into smartpots

    [​IMG]

    this is today.....im no pro but its the best growth i've had in sprouts...good genetics and good medium...

    [​IMG]


    so far i like......now 4 nice ladys is not askin' too much is it:D
     
  14. Fabric pots kick ass
     
  15. Im done and ready to harvest :|

    all of my pots have this including the one outdoors, i want to believe you but i dont know how i would get PM.

    the spots, it seems so normal, up close they look like the roots that have pruned, its done this on every grow of mine :ccc
     
  16. 420 Man

    I apologize because the part of my post that addressed your concerns with the photos that you provided didn't make it to the final post. I'm using a voice-to-text software and I don't have it down quite like I would want.

    At any rate when looking at the photos that you provided vs. Stankie's photos, and taking into consideration that you are running AN (I'm assuming Advanced Nutrients), it looks more like salt build-up vs. powdery mildew.

    Generally PM has a very specific color range and salts have quite another. That was my impression at any rate.

    As to your question on how does one get PM - that's much easier to answer. The spores are everywhere. Anaerobic fungi (molds if you will) are the most studied plant pathogen around the world because it affects farmers and gardeners in almost every production region. There are over 3,500 strains identified somewhere as 'powdery mildew' - correctly and incorrectly. In Oregon there are over 325 strains according the the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

    Being proactive is the key regardless of the crop or plant. Waiting until it appears is a recipe for disaster in some areas. Other areas it's not much of an issue at all for most of the year - like the desert areas of California, Arizona, etc. But Texas has high humidity and there it's a problem.

    HTH

    LD
     
  17. The SmartPots' product first appeared in the mid-1980's and was marketed to tree growers as a way to enhance root development. In growing trees it could be said that root development is more important that branching. Branches which will show damage when they're delivered from the transportation methods. It happens - but with a strong root then it's not much of a problem as the tree will take hold once it's planted into a real soil.

    Watering these type of pots takes a bit more care than regular nursery pots. If you start watering around the edges you'll see water coming out and this can be a false reading because the core of the root ball may not be getting a full watering. This is more of an issue with the Air Pot product because of the size of the holes on the sides and bottom.

    If you're hand-watering then you want to concentrate in and around the plant's stalk and apply 1/2 of the amount that you normally use for a pot of the same size no further out than 2" from the stalk all the way around.

    THEN begin to apply the water/tea/whatever to the outside edges. This will give you a complete hydration.

    If you're using drip emitters and hopefully you're using multiple devices, then put 1/3 - 1/2 of the emitters about 2-3" from the stalk and then place the others closer to the edge of the pot. You'll have to play with it for a couple of weeks to get it dialed in.

    This has been my experience with the SmartPots' products growing a wide variety of plants and trees.

    HTH

    LD
     
  18. on my other forum people have started using silicon to block the firsy few rows of holes on the airpots from the top...i have also started using larges pots and not filling them all the way because when i hand water i can fill them and let the weight of the water flush the new nutes through the roots...cut watering time in half:hello:...i also notice that i only have to water every 3 days with the smartpots...cut almost in half so nutes savings will be decent..love em so far:smoke:
     
  19. Bump for the smart pots.
     
  20. ADVICE:

    DO NOT FILL SMART POTS ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    :p:p:p

    I have such a mess on my hands, lol. Perlite and soil EVERYWHERE. :rolleyes: It's not as pretty, but a good 1.5" of space is ideal....
     

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