Do You Really Need Big Pots?

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Nog

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I have been using about 3 gallon pots for a few runs, and I have found, unless you veg the plants for a fair while, the roots don't use up much of the pot.

The roots are the size of the previous smaller pot they were in, and haven't spread out much into the bigger pot.

Which makes me wonder why I use a bigger pot in the first place.

One advantage of a bigger pot is having to water less often.

Another advantage is because the bigger pots take up more room, they are further apart, therefore giving the plants more room to spread out sideways.

I suppose it depends on how big you are growing the plant, if growing small plants then having them in big pots would make them too far apart, leaving gaps which, if growing in smaller pots closer together, would be filled.

What do people here think is the best size pot for indoor growing in soil?
 
Smerb

Smerb

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I'm having this issue myself, I think the 6 inch round pots will be perfect for a plant that's about a foot tall. First two weeks under Metal Halide so they stay short and bush out. 20-24 plants In a 4 foot by 4 foot spot for pot... ya think???
 
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hawkman

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Depends on grow method - SCROG you can use many depends on space - but - for LST. Some auto breeders recommend that you use a 5 gallon pot _ for auto's !! Any way use at least a 5 gallon pot's - for big yields us 10 gallon pot's you will use less pots but your yields will make up for that and more. Bigger the pot = Bigger the plant/yields !!!
 
Smerb

Smerb

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If you know how much a strain might yield container size can be manipulated accordingly. Small plants small pots but a bunch. Big plants big pots only so many in an area
 
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hawkman

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If you know how much a strain might yield container size can be manipulated accordingly. Small plants small pots but a bunch. Big plants big pots only so many in an area
All way give the plant more room than it needs - but do understand what you are saying
 
1diesel1

1diesel1

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Details man, how big are your bitches? 20 gallon,indo, the outdo? What's up....
Indoor pots are 20s, outdoor most are 35 got one 65. Gota stay low key growing outdoor in the suburbs. Or someone be snachin up me crops. Indoor depending on strain 3-6 feet.
Image
this me current crop in 20s week 2 pre flower.
 
Smerb

Smerb

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1diesel1, boy oh boy you got veggies! Haha, my ass doesn't have time for vegging that much. Lucky you! Nice herbs! I use a method,focus on flowering, it's all I have time for, the plants have more pot than foilage. Can't stand trimming all the crap. Outdoor made me dislike trimming.
 
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hawkman

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Indoor pots are 20s, outdoor most are 35 got one 65. Gota stay low key growing outdoor in the suburbs. Or someone be snachin up me crops. Indoor depending on strain 3-6 feet.View attachment 617439this me current crop in 20s week 2 pre flower.
There you go !!!!!!! Great Professional Grow Space - please keep sharing. How many inches from soil to first branch ? 2? - 6?
 
1diesel1

1diesel1

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Indoor pots are 20s, outdoor most are 35 got one 65. Gota stay low key growing outdoor in the suburbs. Or someone be snachin up me crops. Indoor depending on strain 3-6 feet.View attachment 617439this me current crop in 20s week 2 pre flower.
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Indoors -average yield 700-800 grams
first run in this room 9 1/4 pounds. This is second run, last Saturday's harvest.
Image
 
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hawkman

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Do you do a "heavy" defoliation in week 4 of flower ? Thanks Bet that was a great harvest !
 
Seamaiden

Seamaiden

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Physically I just cannot handle anything bigger than 3gals, and because I'm paying (through the nose) for power I want things to go as quickly as possible, so I do SOG under 600's in nothing larger than 3gal, usually I prefer doing 1-2gal as a SOG. Much easier for me to get in there and tend the plants without killing my back & knees. Easier to see if there's a problem. Shorter veg time. Probably not getting the yields others do (probably guaranteed!) but the last time I did an indoor run using 10gal pots, it was a disaster specifically because I couldn't get in there and see what was going on (my first and only bout with spider mites indoors, yay!).
 
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Nog

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I suppose you can do a semi sea of green, that is instead of veging clones for two weeks grow them in a bigger pot and veg them longer but still keep them short and un-topped, and stack them close together.
Seems the way to highest yields in a shorter time.

Of course your numbers may double or triple doing this, and if you are in an illegal place where they go by plant numbers, then it may be the difference between a fine or going to the big house.

I mean you could argue in court that 10 plants was just for your own personal use, and be believed, but the court might find it hard to believe that 50 plants were for your own use, especially as LE has led them to believe that you get a pound or more off one plant indoors.

And just say you were growing from seed, and you banked on 50 female plants, so you have to start double that to take into account half will be males and culled, and then grow a few more as well to take into account runts or natural disasters that may befall a few of the plants, so until you sex those plants, your numbers are going to be through the roof.

I have done that, and before sexing I had over a commercial amount, was a nervous month till those plants sexed and I could start reducing the numbers.

Now I think of it that's the reason I started doing a lesser number of bigger plants rather than twice as many smaller ones, made me too nervous having a lot of plants growing.

But I still think more smaller plants will give a bigger yield for the space.
And I think with a bigger plant that has been topped a few times and spread out, sure it fills the space with buds, but most of those buds are smaller buds than say from a single cola plant, or a plant that has been topped once and has four main cola's.

So you are filling the area with smaller buds, rather than filling it with big thick buds and cola's.
That's my theory anyway, I'm not an expert at indoor, mainly done outdoor.
 
1diesel1

1diesel1

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I suppose you can do a semi sea of green, that is instead of veging clones for two weeks grow them in a bigger pot and veg them longer but still keep them short and un-topped, and stack them close together.
Seems the way to highest yields in a shorter time.

Of course your numbers may double or triple doing this, and if you are in an illegal place where they go by plant numbers, then it may be the difference between a fine or going to the big house.

I mean you could argue in court that 10 plants was just for your own personal use, and be believed, but the court might find it hard to believe that 50 plants were for your own use, especially as LE has led them to believe that you get a pound or more off one plant indoors.

And just say you were growing from seed, and you banked on 50 female plants, so you have to start double that to take into account half will be males and culled, and then grow a few more as well to take into account runts or natural disasters that may befall a few of the plants, so until you sex those plants, your numbers are going to be through the roof.

I have done that, and before sexing I had over a commercial amount, was a nervous month till those plants sexed and I could start reducing the numbers.

Now I think of it that's the reason I started doing a lesser number of bigger plants rather than twice as many smaller ones, made me too nervous having a lot of plants growing.

But I still think more smaller plants will give a bigger yield for the space.
And I think with a bigger plant that has been topped a few times and spread out, sure it fills the space with buds, but most of those buds are smaller buds than say from a single cola plant, or a plant that has been topped once and has four main cola's.

So you are filling the area with smaller buds, rather than filling it with big thick buds and cola's.
That's my theory anyway, I'm not an expert at indoor, mainly done outdoor.
I start with clones never popped a seed in my life but I've got some old school seeds about 11 years if you can call that old. I'm Gona pop em soon will be looking for beginner advice when the time comes. Anyway, I find with a large indoor plant trimming all the little limbs down bellow you'll get larger buds on top. I top 3-5 times in the veg life of my ladies. but I also veg at 650w in the beginning stages and eventually end up at 850w before jumping into flower at 1000w.
Image
i do get rather large flowers.
 
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