can a pot be too big? 5 gallon seems small

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CF89

CF89

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first grow under our belt. absolute beginners. chinese 2000W LED light, and nothing overly fancy for ferts... the auto flower we grew (and im sure the other 2... havnt checked) seem to be quite root bound in their 5 gallon buckets.

grow 2 is in 5 gallon smart pots and plan to veg for 2 months.


I was wondering if 10, or maybe 15 gallon pots would be the way to go? other than them being too heavy to lift out of the tent.
 
R

redshift75

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in theory unless you have a massive container a plant tends to grow to the size of the container. Only limited by soil compaction and other root zones for how far they can dig and go around. Where the container tends to dictate your overall size for the average grower. But lots of people break that rule. Some like to master the art of tiny potting. Others go for the more care free approach. I will tell you from my experience, the greater the amount of soil the more risk you take of pests. Larger containers require more nutes, more treatments. So its a trade off. There is lots of old time growers that have mastered the 5 gallon bucket. To that i find 10 or 12 gallon pots are my perfect one for indoor. 15 was when i got to the point they cant be moved without damage. I ordered 3-25gallon airpots to test this season as i start an indoor rig. I found 10-12 is perfect size i can still move the plant. with enough room to do something special if it wants.
 
tomatoesarecooltoo

tomatoesarecooltoo

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You can still lift a 15 or even 20 gal just a pain in the ass. IMO Larger containers are more forgiving to under watering and less forgiving to overwatering. Best of luck finding the pot size that suits you!
 
CF89

CF89

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the 2000W viparspectra light only puts out 395W. our plants seemed to be quite root bound in the 5 gallon buckets. seems like 7-10 seems to be the best size but also depends on how long you veg them for too doesnt it?
 
tomatoesarecooltoo

tomatoesarecooltoo

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the 2000W viparspectra light only puts out 395W. our plants seemed to be quite root bound in the 5 gallon buckets. seems like 7-10 seems to be the best size but also depends on how long you veg them for too doesnt it?

IMO They are going to be rootbound in a larger pot also. I have seen outdoor plants rootbound in 100gal smart pots.
This is a biggass plant we are trying to grow inside in tiny pots. Thats why we end up having to manage the food and water so much, because it cannot search for its own. Again, just my opinion.
 
MIMedGrower

MIMedGrower

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Really no such thing as root bound in a short container grow. Smaller pots will need nutes and water more often. And may limit the final size of the plant.

Too large pot and wont need water often enough for best results.

Also depends on light and space.
 
tomatoesarecooltoo

tomatoesarecooltoo

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Just to clarify, I didn’t mean you can’t have great results in a small pot. Just that if you looked at the root ball of one of those 1lb plants in a 5 gal, it would be rootbound. But I admit this is an unpopular opinion.
 
MIMedGrower

MIMedGrower

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Just to clarify, I didn’t mean you can’t have great results in a small pot. Just that if you looked at the root ball of one of those 1lb plants in a 5 gal, it would be rootbound. But I admit this is an unpopular opinion.


I think what you say is the popular opinion. But you can save a great deal of soil, water and fertilizer using smaller pots. So sizing to what is actually needed is best practice.

Also to note if roots are densely packed from proper wet dry cycle or merely circling the pot and looks “rootbound”.
 
CF89

CF89

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this is the smallest plant we had. 60 days veg. 65 flower.

I think this plant is going to yield 2 oz, the other two 3oz each.




 
lilnew

lilnew

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Really no such thing as root bound in a short container grow. Smaller pots will need nutes and water more often. And may limit the final size of the plant.

Too large pot and wont need water often enough for best results.

Also depends on light and space.
so in your opinion, smaller pot but water it more often will be the better way to go?
 
MIMedGrower

MIMedGrower

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so in your opinion, smaller pot but water it more often will be the better way to go?


No. These things are tools to help dial in our own style. There are so many variables. With my 600 w hps lamps i can use a 3 gallon pot and water every 2 or 3 days at peak flower in pro mix or ocean forest with 25% large perlite mixed in. Perlite is another tool to help customize our grow system.

I got to what i do over time with trial and error. If you want to try a bigger pot and like growing that way and have good results then go for it.

I actually went down to #3 nursery pots from 5’s to help limit plant size for my low ceiling. Didnt work. Lol.

And to answer the question. I like a 2 or 3 day water cycle in potting soil. Whatever mix of perlite and whatever size pot gets me there i would use.
 
Foutwenty71

Foutwenty71

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You can still lift a 15 or even 20 gal just a pain in the ass. IMO Larger containers are more forgiving to under watering and less forgiving to overwatering. Best of luck finding the pot size that suits you!
I have thrown carpet where people put there dirty stinky feet for the better part of 30 years....Nobody would ever confuse me with being wimpy or weak...Having said that...I hurt my back pretty good moving a 10 gal pot last season(i dont know how that shit happens...but it WILL happen to you someday...when you least expect it) trust me....blows aging...A guy spends an awful lot of attention making sure the plant dont get injured and forgets about himself...Bigger the pot the easier it is to grow a nice plant providing you don't over water and some strains truly like more dirt to express there full potential as i have been learning hands on with the super silver haze strain....pretty significant difference between the plants i grew in pot's v.s. the plants i stuck in the ground without a doubt
 
Madmax

Madmax

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I think it really depends on your whole outay on what your doing.smaller pots more plants = less veg time.bigger pot longer veg time less plants..checkout @sshz grow .5 gal pots 4 week veg small room but is absolutely killing it..
 
CF89

CF89

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.I hurt my back pretty good moving a 10 gal pot last season(i dont know how that shit happens...but it WILL happen to you someday...when you least expect it

dude... I blew my back out for 4 days exhaling a small hoot!!! I was looking up, exhaling into a bathroom exhaust fan, and had a tiny cough while looking straight up, and BAM. a sharp pain in my back so painful it took my breath away. I couldnt move for 4 days and could barely breathe because my back hurt so bad.... all from exhaling a small hoot!! I hurt my back smoking a joint ffs.
 

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