Diy Octopot/autopot Upgrade For Pennies...

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LVSkunkWorx

LVSkunkWorx

37
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Greetings farmers. One thing Octopot/Autopot (or any similar system) owners know is that while they are great for thriving vigorously-growing plants, they kinda stink for clones and seedlings, mostly due to the fact that what you are planting doesn't really have a developed root system yet and the soil-mix nearer the top of the pot stays pretty dry. Tiny things planted in it tend to struggle until well-rooted. To combat that I did some testing and discovered something pretty simple yet helpful to me (and I hope it is to you). I had one of those cheapie self-watering trays they sell at garden shops that had a capillary mat in it. I cut this into strips and in each Autopot I put a pair of these wicks, an inch or three sticking thru the slots in the bottom into where the water/nutes stay. I make sure these thread around the rootguard on the bottom, then make sure both go as much up the middle as I can. I had done a few rounds of clones and smaller seedlings in these things, sometimes with disastrous results. Always though the plant had to struggle to get acclimated. Adding these wicks kept the soil near the tiny plant well fed and moistened and every plant I did in an Autopot with this simple modification did noticeably better. Now I do all of my Autopots this way...
Diy octopotautopot upgrade for pennies


Wicks inserted...

Diy octopotautopot upgrade for pennies 2

Rootguard and perlite base...

Diy octopotautopot upgrade for pennies 3

Soil mix added, wicks threaded up center..
Results 1wk 600

Finally, clone added. Ironically, this was exactly the Exorcist that I used in the thread about gradual harvests...

Anyhow, this works great for me; YMMV...

Peace
lvsw
 
dmshayne

dmshayne

78
18
Greetings farmers. One thing Octopot/Autopot (or any similar system) owners know is that while they are great for thriving vigorously-growing plants, they kinda stink for clones and seedlings, mostly due to the fact that what you are planting doesn't really have a developed root system yet and the soil-mix nearer the top of the pot stays pretty dry. Tiny things planted in it tend to struggle until well-rooted. To combat that I did some testing and discovered something pretty simple yet helpful to me (and I hope it is to you). I had one of those cheapie self-watering trays they sell at garden shops that had a capillary mat in it. I cut this into strips and in each Autopot I put a pair of these wicks, an inch or three sticking thru the slots in the bottom into where the water/nutes stay. I make sure these thread around the rootguard on the bottom, then make sure both go as much up the middle as I can. I had done a few rounds of clones and smaller seedlings in these things, sometimes with disastrous results. Always though the plant had to struggle to get acclimated. Adding these wicks kept the soil near the tiny plant well fed and moistened and every plant I did in an Autopot with this simple modification did noticeably better. Now I do all of my Autopots this way...
View attachment 555593

Wicks inserted...

View attachment 555594
Rootguard and perlite base...

View attachment 555595
Soil mix added, wicks threaded up center..
View attachment 555596
Finally, clone added. Ironically, this was exactly the Exorcist that I used in the thread about gradual harvests...

Anyhow, this works great for me; YMMV...

Peace
lvsw
Great idea and method for growing clones in autopot :)
 
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