Two plants in one container?

[Asuka23]

So, can I plant two plants in one container? I've already done it because I didn't have an extra pot...and it's not turning out so well. The two girls aren't looking nearly as good as their sister, and after about a month in, they don't seem to be growing very fast. HOWEVER, I looked at the bottom of the jar (where the drainage hole is) and there are white roots everywhere. Thats good, no? Help would be much appreciated.

Attachment 282221

Also, there are little gnats (look like fruit flies) hanging around my plant...is this bad?

Asuka23 Reviewed by Asuka23 on 01-27-2012. Two plants in one container? So, can I plant two plants in one container? I've already done it because I didn't have an extra pot...and it's not turning out so well. The two girls aren't looking nearly as good as their sister, and after about a month in, they don't seem to be growing very fast. HOWEVER, I looked at the bottom of the jar (where the drainage hole is) and there are white roots everywhere. Thats good, no? Help would be much appreciated. 282221 Also, there are little gnats (look like fruit flies) hanging Rating: 5

[GaGrown]

So, can I plant two plants in one container? I've already done it because I didn't have an extra pot...and it's not turning out so well. The two girls aren't looking nearly as good as their sister, and after about a month in, they don't seem to be growing very fast. HOWEVER, I looked at the bottom of the jar (where the drainage hole is) and there are white roots everywhere. Thats good, no? Help would be much appreciated.

Attachment 282221

Also, there are little gnats (look like fruit flies) hanging around my plant...is this bad?

Those are fungus gnats.. It's not normally the way to go,but.... Your container size is gonna double if not triple,due to the root mass..

Ga.

[Minnesnowta]

The reason for slow growth is probably that your little pot is too packed with roots and the plants are becoming root bound. Typically I transplant when I notice a significant amount of root coming from the bottom of my containers, which usually comes with slowed growth. You wanna give it a little time since roots will reach down before filling out the pot but if you pay attention you can pretty easily tell when they want to be transplanted. Perhaps you should take this as an opportunity to play with the two plants and try to figure out a way to keep them together and still grow properly. Hopefully they're both girls though right? Or you may be screwed. If you decide to go with just one plant you probably wanna cut the 2nd one out instead of try to pull it out by the roots so you don't damage the remaining plant.

Also with the fungus gnats, I've dealt with those a lot, that could also be a good reason for slowed growth. They plant their eggs in your soil, and when the larva hatch they feed on your plants roots. Typically with a larger plant it won't cause much damage, but you never want them around. With seedlings if the larva get out of control they can chew up all of your roots, just as fast as they can grow, so your growth will stop, plant will get yellow... bad news all around. I'd recommend you find some sort of insecticide spray (organic) and take care of those bad boys before they become a real problem. I've also heard that completely covering your soil with dryer sheets so the adults can't escape helps. I've played with that idea a little bit but I can't tell you if it definitely works or not, I controlled the gnats with spray before using sheets. I would definitely recommend a combo of both, or at least some insecticide. I wouldn't rely on dryer sheets alone. Good luck, if u have any questions about what to buy to get rid of the gnats let me know, I had a pretty bad problem and handled it pretty well.

[Asuka23]

Thank you so much for the reply...yes, they're both female and autoflower. I only have 3 plants so I'll try to save them both...if not I'll cut the smaller one out Anyway, I've pretty much maxed out my budget on this project already, so I'll try to find some cheaper way to get rid of the gnats...but idk about dryer sheets. They have detergent and stuff on them...and I'm trying to keep everything organic. That's why I got organic MG soil...and I heard that comes with a greater chance of "pests". Ah well. Here's a picture of the main plant that seems to be doing just fine:
Attachment 282231
Since this is my first time, do you think she looks alright for 3 1/2 weeks? I'm going to cut back on the fertilizer b/c the center leaves look a little TOO green :b