Self watering pots, anyone?

[hewhispers]

Has anyone used them?
Pros, cons?

I have checked prior threads.
Found only 2 posts.

Also, can you keep the seeds in the same pot from start to finish?
Are you limiting yourself in any way?

Thanks

[HiProGlow]

There is an article in High Times that mentions innovative new products and a self watering pot was on the list. I'm thinkin' it's a good idea but I have no experience to back that up. Peace.

[stinkyattic]

'sup whispers, and welcome.

Here's the deal with repotting vs seeds in one pot the whole grow:
There's a couple big things to think about.

1- SOIL. The seedlings need a much gentler, nute-poor soil for the first couple weeks of life so they don't burn. Then they need a veg soil, that has nice organic sources of N, like blood meal or fish glop. Then after that, they would like a soil that has lots of P in it, like from bone meal.
2- LIGHT. The efficiency of your grow is largely dependent upon not losing any light to the soil... ie, having a continuous canopy. So your little seedlings should be all crowded together under a few CFLs... then when they get bigger, you can put them in bigger pots and crowd them again under your veg lamp. Then you see where this is going, as they grow bushy and ready for flower, THEN you want to stick them in the big assed flower pot under the big assed light!
3-ROOTS. It is actually kind of good to let your plant get just to the EDGE of where it is rootbound... then you transplant it, give it some vitamin B1-thiamine, and BOOM it will grow before your eyes as a thank you for a nice new home.

The myth of transplant shock.... if you grow in nice smooth-sided, clean plastic containers it IS a myth! Just make sure you are always gentle when you handle your babies and they will not suffer any shock at all.

[hewhispers]

StinkyAttic

Thanks for the info. :yippee:
Different soil set ups for each stage.
Got it.

I might experiment and see just how the yields differ.

********************

Any opinion on the self-watering pots?







'sup whispers, and welcome.

[bigmac55]

i have grown various plants in self watering containers using a wick type construction with superior results.

they are really inexpensive to build and offer a modular growing system that can be portable.

Once i figure out how to post it i will put up a video on how to build a planter and some results for you to see.

plants tend to grow shorter and wider making for huge stems and robust colas.

one other cool feature is that they only need to be watered every week or so depending on plant size.

I take mine from clones stated in a 12 oz cup size container and place into a 14 gallon container (1/2 water)

the plants pull only the water they need so there is no waste.

here is a vid i just shot for you to check out
YouTube - self watering growing containers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUZgiSzePhI)

One note: i use a pump to drain the container every two weeks so the solution does not get stale in the container and flush with fresh water for a week about once a month. Definitely when going from veg to flower.

[neceros]

Ok.

I've watched a few youtube videos on self watering pots and they seem very cool. However, I still don't understand something.

How does this work? Does the soil get water throughout the whole somehow? I simply don't understand the physics of it.


Thanks!

[neceros]

Also, is wicking applicable to cannabis?

[neceros]

Anyone?

[Rusty Trichome]

Well...the post is 3 1/2 years old, and finding examples of their use is difficult. Mainly because they don't work well with cannabis gardening.

Modifying a pot like that makes it an ebb and flow system, not a self watering pot. And doubtful you can leave em sitting for two weeks. You'd have root rot wayyy before then. Would need a time-stamped video for proof.

[neceros]

That's what I feared. Thanks!

[ookami]

Ok.

I've watched a few youtube videos on self watering pots and they seem very cool. However, I still don't understand something.

How does this work? Does the soil get water throughout the whole somehow? I simply don't understand the physics of it.


Thanks!
A late answer. I'm trying to grow for the first time, so don't take my theories as truth. I'm using the quadgrow system: My Joomla Site - Quadgrow and Octogrow (http://www.nutriculture.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=62&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26&vmcchk=1)
I know I wont have any 3-4 month periods without any travelling, so I had to come up with a solution to provide the plants with water by automatic. This system sucks up water by capillary action: Capillary action - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capillary_action)
I have vegged my plants for almost three weeks now with this system, and they grow steadily. During this time, I have only sprinkled them with water. I'm pretty sure this wouldn't be sufficient if I didn't use this watering system. Now I believe I can rely on this system when I travel next week. Let's hope for the best. I'm optimistic. :)