New Grower F@#cking Airpots, How Do They Work!?

[TimeTraveler]

So, after browsing some journals and youtube videos, I'm considering picking up a few airpots for my first grow instead of traditional pots.

Basically, I'm wondering if there's anything special I need to know about them. Can I do tiered transplanting with them? Will regular soil mixes be okay? Any differences in watering requirements, or rules of thumb for when to water or how much? Because of the healthier root network, would the 1L size work for planting instead of a 1 Gal, or should I stick with 3L?

No worries if some questions don't have answers yet, I'm happy to turn my first grow into a sort of science experiment and provide them myself (I'd do a traditional grow alongside 1 airpot). I'm just interested in getting the most from each plant I can. Because of my situation, small stealth grows are going to be my emphasis, so I need to maximize my yield in any way I can.

 

[Bobblunt]

To be honest mate, it's just a pot. A bloody good one, but the same rules of thumb.

The only advice I can give is a. When filling with soil pat down the bottom a little and around the sides, making sure the holes have filled as they are intended for. b. When watering go careful, as I'm sure you can imagine, it can get messy haha.

As for your size query - I can't answer that but I recommend airpots every time although I'm not sure if you'd be yielding much with a 1l.

Good luck.

 

[Albert Eimstoned]

When filling them do as Bob said and make sure the top holes are covered with soil or you'll end up with wet feet.

 

[TimeTraveler]

To be honest mate, it's just a pot. A bloody good one, but the same rules of thumb.

The only advice I can give is a. When filling with soil pat down the bottom a little and around the sides, making sure the holes have filled as they are intended for. b. When watering go careful, as I'm sure you can imagine, it can get messy haha.

As for your size query - I can't answer that but I recommend airpots every time although I'm not sure if you'd be yielding much with a 1l.

Good luck.

Thanks! It looks like something out of science fiction, and maybe it's just new breeder paranoia, but I always worry there's some super-obvious rule I'm breaking if I'm not careful.

"Watcha doin?"
"Just watering my plants"
"No dude! You can't water like that, you'll give it Wandering Exploding Root Fungus! Don't you know anything!?"

 

[Bobblunt]

A very valid point which I failed to mention Albert Eimstoned. I was also given this advice but decided against it as the top holes are very helpful when training your plant ... LST.

 

[TimeTraveler]

I'll make sure to set up threads for LST ahead of time; BEFORE filling it with soil. I had the same thought, too. "Wow, those holes up top would be perfect for LST!"

 

[Bobblunt]

Just do it as you go man. No point in prepping them as you don't know until your plants fully grown which way or where they will be .... plus you will be for ever moving the strings as the plant grows. LST is a great method which I swear by mate. Have fun with it and see what happens it's all fun!

 

[Trapper]

I wouldn't go any smaller than a 2gal equiv. which is actually 1.6 US gallons...UNLESS you are going to do a SeaOfGreen grow or
a PC Case Microgrow.

BUT

You can move the bottom of the pot (the colored disc) down one row (because it calls for mounting it in the second row) with
no ill effect and gain some volume back to around 1.8 US Gal on a 2 gal.

There is no magic to these pots other than 2 facts.

1. they disallow the root's ability to constantly circle the circumference of the pot which ceases root bind (and stops it from
continuing to try, by air pruning the roots at the outer edge)

2. It allows more air in which dries the pot faster and allows for more wet/dry cycles...which aids in healthy, happy growth.
The key is having the patience and wherewithal to allow it to dry completely before the next feed.

When I'm filling airpots with regular ole Fox Farms Happy Frog (with a couple amendments) I drop double handfuls of the soil
from about 2 feet above the pot (I do the whole thing inside a huge Sterlite storage bin to not make a mess) the dropping
allows gravity to "compact it" just a bit without really tamping down on it. You don't want it too tight/compressed just a bit
more than would occur by just shoveling it in there normally. The soil will settle and the level will lower as you go through
the grow. That's common and expected. Once it has settled about an inch, I top it off with a little more soil.

I water with a turkey baster. This ensures I don't water to fast.

If you have a proper drip tray, then it should be no more messy than catching run-off in a regular pot.

They DO look like something from a 70's James Bond film though, don't they? LOL!

Cheers and good luck!

 

[TimeTraveler]

Doing a PC case stealth microgrow; dimensions are 22" tall, 20" wide, 9.5" deep, so space is at a premium. Obviously, every inch I can save is another inch it can grow (using LEDs for the same reason). I planned on using the 3L based on the fact FD gets good compact grow results out of 1 gal containers, but I won't be able to fit more than 2 of those into the case. I might be able to get a third in there if I went with 1L pots, but even with the extra space from moving the bottom down a row, it's still going to be on the small side. Not trying to be greedy, but with space and stealth such huge concerns, I'm looking to get as much as I can out of the project. Of course, it's possible that two plants in 3L pots would produce as much or more than three plants in 1L pots.

 

[Margahooja]

I wouldn't go any smaller than a 2gal equiv. which is actually 1.6 US gallons...UNLESS you are going to do a SeaOfGreen grow or
a PC Case Microgrow.

BUT

You can move the bottom of the pot (the colored disc) down one row (because it calls for mounting it in the second row) with
no ill effect and gain some volume back to around 1.8 US Gal on a 2 gal.

There is no magic to these pots other than 2 facts.

1. they disallow the root's ability to constantly circle the circumference of the pot which ceases root bind (and stops it from
continuing to try, by air pruning the roots at the outer edge)

2. It allows more air in which dries the pot faster and allows for more wet/dry cycles...which aids in healthy, happy growth.
The key is having the patience and wherewithal to allow it to dry completely before the next feed.

When I'm filling airpots with regular ole Fox Farms Happy Frog (with a couple amendments) I drop double handfuls of the soil
from about 2 feet above the pot (I do the whole thing inside a huge Sterlite storage bin to not make a mess) the dropping
allows gravity to "compact it" just a bit without really tamping down on it. You don't want it too tight/compressed just a bit
more than would occur by just shoveling it in there normally. The soil will settle and the level will lower as you go through
the grow. That's common and expected. Once it has settled about an inch, I top it off with a little more soil.

I water with a turkey baster. This ensures I don't water to fast.

If you have a proper drip tray, then it should be no more messy than catching run-off in a regular pot.

They DO look like something from a 70's James Bond film though, don't they? LOL!

Cheers and good luck!

Trapper, that's a fantastic suggestion about the turkey baster. I just started using these pots the last couple months and it is a big difference in watering time. I'm still trying to get myself in a routine with these. I've made more messes from forgetting and pouring to fast. Turkey baster is on my grocery list for tomorrow.