Self watering Tray2Grow experiment 👀

[BII]

Apparently air pruning only happens if food is not available to the tip that’s sticking out. In this case the lower roots popped out and came in contact with the mat and they kept on eating and invited the whole family. If a pots fabric is ok with you when the roots prune after sticking out, why wouldn’t they be ok in this situation? Would you prefer the roots be circling in the pot? I don’t understand your concern here.

I presume fabric bags if bottom feeding should be porous/absorbent, allow water (and air) to pass through, but NOT allow roots to escape. Other than say for DWC, aren't pots supposed to keep roots in? Some bottom-feeding methods, such as AutoPots, even put a porous but root-impermeable fabric insert at their bottom. With an air- and water-porous but root-blocking bag, there will be (and I get) air pruning at the sides, not root circling.

What happens to all those roots that grow out of the bag? Do they root the pot permanently to the water-holding pad underneath (and is that actually supposed to happen with this grow system), or are they just wasted biomass, not absorbing water/feed?

Regarding "Apparently air pruning only happens if food is not available to the tip that’s sticking out," doesn't air pruning happen when the terminal growing ends of roots hit a dry well-aerated area of media/soil? Roots don't have to stick out of fabric pots to air prune.

So: Should roots be able to so easily escape fabric bags, or should grow bags stop roots from escaping?

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

Well they escape easily so apparently they’re made that way. They don’t attach to the mat because of the root control sheet they’re on. Can’t imagine they’re wasted bio mass because they’re growing every day. I still don’t understand your concern

 

[BII]

To me, masses of roots growing out of fabric bags/pots is a significant problem. Otherwise, we could all just use cheap loosely-knit burlap bags

I don't want roots to be able to, much less so easily and in such large quantity, escape from the bag/pot whether there is or isn't moisture externally they can seek out. I don't want roots growing into my AC Infinity 'seff-feeding" wicking bases. I presume nearly everyone else using bags, including the vast majority top feeding, wants roots to be retained in their bags. And I presume the bags AC Infinity, AutoPots, etc. sell for use with their bottom feeding systems don't allow such massive root escape, [Or am I wrong - allowing roots to escape is a good thing?]

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

It works for me

 

[BII]

It works for me

OK, root-permeable bags work for you. But no one has addressed "Should roots be able to so easily escape fabric bags/pots, or should grow bags/pots stop roots from escaping? [Maybe this rather fundamental question should be posed as its own thread/topic].

 

[nekvt]

To me, masses of roots growing out of fabric bags/pots is a significant problem. Otherwise, we could all just use cheap loosely-knit burlap bags

I don't want roots to be able to, much less so easily and in such large quantity, escape from the bag/pot whether there is or isn't moisture externally they can seek out. I don't want roots growing into my AC Infinity 'seff-feeding" wicking bases. I presume nearly everyone else using bags, including the vast majority top feeding, wants roots to be retained in their bags. And I presume the bags AC Infinity, AutoPots, etc. sell for use with their bottom feeding systems don't allow such massive root escape, [Or am I wrong - allowing roots to escape is a good thing?]

The root can come out of the fabric pots when using the wicking bases from AC Infinity . I just had to remove the roots from the wicks on one from a current grow.

 

[JP1]

OK, root-permeable bags work for you. But no one has addressed "Should roots be able to so easily escape fabric bags/pots, or should grow bags/pots stop roots from escaping? [Maybe this rather fundamental question should be posed as its own thread/topic].

Normal for me to have roots grow out of fabric bags onto my flood tray as long as it stays wet enough. The holes that let the roots out the bags are the same holes that let the air in. Might as well use plastic pots or bags if you want to keep all the roots inside the pots