small net pots

[ChazzReinhold]

This might be a dumb question, but I'm new to hydro. Right now I'm cloning into 2" net pots in the lid of a 3.5gl bubbler bucket. Would it be possible to complete the grow in those small pots or would the roots be too cramped? I can't find net pots around here, so I'll have to order again, otherwise I'd just get bigger pots.

Keep in mind that I would do about 4 plants and only about 2ft vertical space above, so the plants wouldn't be too big anyway.

[killerm8r]

I'd say you're golden. Unless the net pots you have don't have very much in the way of holes you should be able to grow decently-sized plants in them. The purpose of the cup and substrate in DWC is just to hold the plant up properly. If they're sturdy enough to support the weight that's all that matters. The other concern is having enough room for the roots to get through.

Ought to be fine.

FYI, if you want to go bigger the lids of most 3.5 gallon buckets fit onto 5 gallon buckets. Transfer the bubbler hardware from one to the other, pop the lid on, and you're good to go without even taking the net pot out of the lid.

Come to think of it, that's not a bad way to go if you want to limit the amount of solution you have to mix up each week. You could upgrade to the 5 gallon buckets when you need them, but not until then.

Interesting.

[LOC NAR on probation]

Good advice. You may be surprised, the root ball will tear up 2 inch if they get too big.
I ran 3 inch because you don't need all that space unless you want tree's. I had a few that got over 4 feet tall. No problems.

[AllforMe]

I agree, I have had 2 ft plants at the end of flowering tear thru the 3.5 inch cups. MAYBE for small sog but in dwc the roots get HUGE!

[italian04]

i found 2 gallon buckets at home depot and just cut some nice wholes for the 6in net pots. the buckets were white so i had to spray paint them black. im using them throughout my entire grow. been two weeks and roots already coming out the net pot!!

[herbie the love bud]

Good dawg! It's workin for you

[killerm8r]

Good advice. You may be surprised, the root ball will tear up 2 inch if they get too big.
I ran 3 inch because you don't need all that space unless you want tree's. I had a few that got over 4 feet tall. No problems.

That's true, but considering how cheap a net pot is having this happen isn't a catastrophe. The biggest problem is that you might have some medium fall into your reservoir.

If you find out your cups are too small for your first grow (because they rupture) it's not a problem to just get bigger cups and cut bigger holes to fit them for the next grow.

[hatecable]

I had no idea you could use such a small net pot for the entire grow. May have to try that on the next grow.

[ChazzReinhold]

Thanks for all the respones. I have 2 clones in 2" pots that are 13" tall and just drank a gallon of water in 2 days. There's a third straggler that finally started rooting. It's getting shaded pretty bad by them, but I'm not worried.

There seems to be a lot more room for the roots. I plan to take them to around 15-20". They seem pretty solid, but I may have to stabilize them down the road. If they do rip through the pots I'm hoping I can make something to grip the stem and maybe support it up higher.

[killerm8r]

I had no idea you could use such a small net pot for the entire grow. May have to try that on the next grow.

You can, but there's no guarantee you'll have net pots at the end of the grow if you let your plants get very big at all. Remember, plants can split boulders by working their roots into the cracks in search of water. They can tear up a net pot if there isn't enough room for all the roots they want to grow.

On the upside, that means they'll have so tight a grip that they won't fall through the holes they tear, but you'll be out the $0.25 or whatever that pot cost.

IMO, no big deal.