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seeds Idea: Growing seedlings in 1 pint fabric containers

PepperJam

PepperJam

I just ordered 50 of the 1 pint root pouches (like smart pots) for 12 bux :D Rather than use the 18oz red party cups with a hole on the bottom for bottom watering. i can use the root pouch for the following:

  1. Easily bottom water since the fabric should just wick the water
  2. Air prune the seedling's roots so there is no circling
  3. Reduces plant shock when transplanting because the roots are not in a huge root ball and poking out of the drainage holes

Well those are my theories :D Lets see how 2012 goes with my idea ;D
 
So you going to grow the whole plant in the 1 pint pouches? Will they still proudce alot of fruit in such a small conatiner? I am using 2 gallon small pots for my indoor grow, and waiting to see what type of fruit i get off it.
 
PepperJam said:
I just ordered 50 of the 1 pint root pouches (like smart pots) for 12 bux :D Rather than use the 18oz red party cups with a hole on the bottom for bottom watering. i can use the root pouch for the following:

  1. Easily bottom water since the fabric should just wick the water
  2. Air prune the seedling's roots so there is no circling
  3. Reduces plant shock when transplanting because the roots are not in a huge root ball and poking out of the drainage holes

Well those are my theories :D Lets see how 2012 goes with my idea ;D
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan. Next year, I'll be trying my hand at growing peppers. My plan is: jiffy pellet -> 1 gal root pouch -> 5 gal root pouch.

I love the cheapness of the root pouches vs smart pots/traditional plastic pots.

Here's hoping for success for both of us! :cheers:
 
Joshuap2000 said:
So you going to grow the whole plant in the 1 pint pouches? Will they still proudce alot of fruit in such a small conatiner? I am using 2 gallon small pots for my indoor grow, and waiting to see what type of fruit i get off it.
Click to expand...

Oh no, i will start off in the traditional seed trays, then move them to the 1 pint root pouch under flourscent lights indoors, then move them to 5 gallon root pouches outside.
 
compmodder26 said:
Sounds like a plan. Next year, I'll be trying my hand at growing peppers. My plan is: jiffy pellet -> 1 gal root pouch -> 5 gal root pouch.

I love the cheapness of the root pouches vs smart pots/traditional plastic pots.

Here's hoping for success for both of us! :cheers:
Click to expand...

Sounds good! The reason i'm doing 1 pint, is so its small enough to have many indoors under flourscents lighting.
 
PepperJam said:
Oh no, i will start off in the traditional seed trays, then move them to the 1 pint root pouch under flourscent lights indoors, then move them to 5 gallon root pouches outside.
Click to expand...


Ahhh ok, yea i got some free samples from them but still have yet to use them. I also got samples from smart pot, and thats what i been using for my indoor grow.
 
I have a fatalii in one, and since it has grown, I am willing to bet it isn't easily removable, I think it would be worse for even smaller plants, but I haven't tried to pull one out yet...
 
S.S.Tupperware said:
I have a fatalii in one, and since it has grown, I am willing to bet it isn't easily removable, I think it would be worse for even smaller plants, but I haven't tried to pull one out yet...
Click to expand...

I did some research about this.

1. Either i can put the 1 pint pouch whole into the larger pot and let the roots grow out.

2. Cut the 1 pint root pouch and carefull remove the seedling and root ball.

3. shuffle the plant out of the root pouch without cutting the root pouch carefully.

I'm more inclined to option 2 or 3. Even if some of the finer roots tears, its the same as root pruning, which can actually help the plant.
 
What is the approximate diameter and height of the 1 pint bag when it is full of soil? Trying to figure out how many you could put n a standard 1020 tray. That would make bottom watering very easy and you could still mover them around fairly easy. Right now I am using 3x3x5.5 pots that fit 28 to a tray. They work great but you can’t bottom water efficiently with them. I figure these pouches will not be as space efficient and I may only get 18-21 per tray if I'm lucky. It may be worth it however in time savings being able to BW. I need to get 76 plants in a 2’ x 4’ area. That’s 15 SQ inches per pouch so anything under a 4” diameter pouch would work.
 
Beaglestorm said:
What is the approximate diameter and height of the 1 pint bag when it is full of soil? Trying to figure out how many you could put n a standard 1020 tray. That would make bottom watering very easy and you could still mover them around fairly easy. Right now I am using 3x3x5.5 pots that fit 28 to a tray. They work great but you can’t bottom water efficiently with them. I figure these pouches will not be as space efficient and I may only get 18-21 per tray if I'm lucky. It may be worth it however in time savings being able to BW. I need to get 76 plants in a 2’ x 4’ area. That’s 15 SQ inches per pouch so anything under a 4” diameter pouch would work.
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Not sure. Will let you know when I get them. I imagine they will be sorta like those 1 pint ice cream containers you can get at the grocery store. My larger root pouches are on back order and they are shipping on same order so it may take a little while to come in.
 
Talked to Root Pouch HQ. They said their one pint pouch has a 3" diameter and is 5" high. The quart is a 4" diameter and is 5" high. So that works out to 35 and 63 cubic inches of soil respectively. Just slightly less capacity then my 3x5.5 pots but being able to bottom water efficiently is golden. I'm in for 50 to try them out. The only issue I see is keeping them standing... 3x5 is a bit leggy for a pot but I already have an idea how to fix that using a wire grid system.
 
Beaglestorm said:
Talked to Root Pouch HQ. They said their one pint pouch has a 3" diameter and is 5" high. The quart is a 4" diameter and is 5" high. So that works out to 35 and 63 cubic inches of soil respectively. Just slightly less capacity then my 3x5.5 pots but being able to bottom water efficiently is golden. I'm in for 50 to try them out. The only issue I see is keeping them standing... 3x5 is a bit leggy for a pot but I already have an idea how to fix that using a wire grid system.
Click to expand...

Hey Mike,

It looks like a lot of hustle and bustle, they're not reusuable and don't appear to be very stable.

It seems like you already have containers, why not upgrade the size of your containers or increase the grow area...

Greg
 
PIC 1 said:
Hey Mike,

It looks like a lot of hustle and bustle, they're not reusuable and don't appear to be very stable.

It seems like you already have containers, why not upgrade the size of your containers or increase the grow area...

Greg
Click to expand...

The pots I have are awesome but they are so tall they will fall over if you bump them if they are not kept in their trays. Once in their trays they are too high and have too many blockages to have effective bottom watering. I let them sit over night and they sill were dry near the middle. Last season, once the plants got big, I spent 2 hours top watering my 128 plants moving them in and out and such. With these I hope to just keep them in big plastic tubs and just fill the tub. I hope to never have to move my plants from under the lights. As for the reusing of the pots. Outside I reuse everything but inside for the seedlings I like everything new to prevent any disease or fungus or bugs. It's a cost of my hobby and at .25 cents each I am OK buying them every year if they work as well as I hope. The time I'll save is the biggest factor. I sure I could come up with a way to water the pots faster but these pouches seem so much easier. I'll be the guinea pig along with PepperJam. I also am not totally giving up on the pots. I am going to do 1 tray (28 pots) of them to compare.
 
Beaglestorm said:
The pots I have are awesome but they are so tall they will fall over if you bump them if they are not kept in their trays. Once in their trays they are too high and have too many blockages to have effective bottom watering. I let them sit over night and they sill were dry near the middle. Last season, once the plants got big, I spent 2 hours top watering my 128 plants moving them in and out and such. With these I hope to just keep them in big plastic tubs and just fill the tub. I hope to never have to move my plants from under the lights. As for the reusing of the pots. Outside I reuse everything but inside for the seedlings I like everything new to prevent any disease or fungus or bugs. It's a cost of my hobby and at .25 cents each I am OK buying them every year if they work as well as I hope. The time I'll save is the biggest factor. I sure I could come up with a way to water the pots faster but these pouches seem so much easier. I'll be the guinea pig along with PepperJam. I also am not totally giving up on the pots. I am going to do 1 tray (28 pots) of them to compare.
Click to expand...

I know how you feel Beagle. Here's what i tried:

  • I had to top water mine too initially - too much time.
  • I tried using those 16oz red cups with a hole in the bottom. I tried bottom watering them by placing a series of cups in a tray of water and hope the bottom of the cup would suck the water, did not work so well.
  • Next, i tried put a cup within a cup and using a wick. It worked well but it was time consuming to keep lifting and watering the bottom cup for each plant (see pic below).
  • Now i'll try the 1 pint root pouch. Lets see how it goes!

P1010343.jpg
 
Beaglestorm said:
The pots I have are awesome but they are so tall they will fall over if you bump them if they are not kept in their trays. Once in their trays they are too high and have too many blockages to have effective bottom watering. I let them sit over night and they sill were dry near the middle. Last season, once the plants got big, I spent 2 hours top watering my 128 plants moving them in and out and such. With these I hope to just keep them in big plastic tubs and just fill the tub. I hope to never have to move my plants from under the lights. As for the reusing of the pots. Outside I reuse everything but inside for the seedlings I like everything new to prevent any disease or fungus or bugs. It's a cost of my hobby and at .25 cents each I am OK buying them every year if they work as well as I hope. The time I'll save is the biggest factor. I sure I could come up with a way to water the pots faster but these pouches seem so much easier. I'll be the guinea pig along with PepperJam. I also am not totally giving up on the pots. I am going to do 1 tray (28 pots) of them to compare.
Click to expand...


Ok gotcha Mike,

There are numerous "squat" size containers on the market. That would help with the bottom watering, and as you know a dry medium will wick up the water, a damp medium takes longer. I top water and also fill the trays with about an inch of water only when needed. I try to underwater as much as possible.....humidity becomes a big factor during the grow......the problem I had last year at the peak of the indoor grow was, in addition to all my plant trays I also had over 100 2gal trade containers which had individual saucers. Talk about a pain to water, Oncwe a week I'd move them from the grow area an individually inspect them, for pests, and of course flowers and peppers, stake and prune the ones that needed it. I would then bring them back in the grow room, and continue to water the trays and so forth...I have two grow areas.
So what your doing might work for you but I need the stabilty to move the plants around.....without any type of spillage......... :)

Greg
 
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