# Advantages to smart pots?



## Gixxerman420 (Mar 9, 2011)

Can anyone give me a definitive answer about why smart pots are beneficial over regular ones? Other than the portability and easy storage I mean... Plant related bonuses!?


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## SensiStarFan (Mar 9, 2011)

Hi gixxer,  I have been reading a little bit more about them on the forum, and from what I can gather the reason they are beneficial is because of the way they change the growth system of the roots.  In a normal pot, the roots will grow down to the bottom of the pot and then circle around the bottom of the pot, growing into each other.  With a smart pot, when roots reach the edge of the pot the root tip does not continue to grow in a circle around the pot.  The root tip dies, but the rest of the root starts throwing more shoots away from the tip (which are against the sides and base of the pot.  This way new root growth occurs in the soil instead of along the edges or bottom of the pot which is more beneficial to the plant.  

I think that is the basics but I am not sure.  I am considering investing in some but have never tried them.

-SSF-


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## Gixxerman420 (Mar 9, 2011)

SensiStarFan said:
			
		

> Hi gixxer,  I have been reading a little bit more about them on the forum, and from what I can gather the reason they are beneficial is because of the way they change the growth system of the roots.  In a normal pot, the roots will grow down to the bottom of the pot and then circle around the bottom of the pot, growing into each other.  With a smart pot, when roots reach the edge of the pot the root tip does not continue to grow in a circle around the pot.  The root tip dies, but the rest of the root starts throwing more shoots away from the tip (which are against the sides and base of the pot.  This way new root growth occurs in the soil instead of along the edges or bottom of the pot which is more beneficial to the plant.
> 
> I think that is the basics but I am not sure.  I am considering investing in some but have never tried them.
> 
> -SSF-


I wonder how it does this? Is there some sort of chemical compound coating the bag itself, or is it a texture thing do you think? I'd like to know how they work before I switch... I don't like the idea of plastic pots with BPA either though!


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## SensiStarFan (Mar 9, 2011)

Gixxerman420 said:
			
		

> I wonder how it does this? Is there some sort of chemical compound coating the bag itself, or is it a texture thing do you think? I'd like to know how they work before I switch... I don't like the idea of plastic pots with BPA either though!


 
The way it works is once the root tip hits the edge of the pot it is exposed to air and that kills the root tip forcing the root to start other shoots off of it.

Again, I have not used them it is just the gist (jist?) of what I have read.

-SSF-


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## Gixxerman420 (Mar 9, 2011)

SensiStarFan said:
			
		

> The way it works is once the root tip hits the edge of the pot it is exposed to air and that kills the root tip forcing the root to start other shoots off of it.
> 
> Again, I have not used them it is just the gist (jist?) of what I have read.
> 
> -SSF-


gotcha! Makes a ton of sense now! THX broman!


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## SensiStarFan (Mar 10, 2011)

check out this thread Hamster created where he shows plants grown in regular pots versus smart pots, pretty good thread for info on them.

http://marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54815&highlight=Smart+pots

-SSF-


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## bud.uncle (Mar 10, 2011)

the long and short of it is

air pruning roots increases root mass and therefore the plants ability to feed more efficiently


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## Gixxerman420 (Mar 10, 2011)

Okay, so you talked me into it... I just ordered 10 5 gal. smart pots! I also ordered a T5 set up with 6 4' bulbs boasting 30,000 lumens! Yay, tuning up the grow room!


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## Gixxerman420 (Mar 10, 2011)

SensiStarFan said:
			
		

> check out this thread Hamster created where he shows plants grown in regular pots versus smart pots, pretty good thread for info on them.
> 
> http://marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54815&highlight=Smart+pots
> 
> -SSF-


I actually viewed this thread right after posting this one, thx though! Very helpful! I didn't see that big of a difference, but any gain is a plus!


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## Gixxerman420 (Mar 10, 2011)

Never mind, I just looked again at the side-by-side shots and there's a huge difference! I'm already glad I ordered some!


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## Roddy (Mar 10, 2011)

Gixxerman420 said:
			
		

> Okay, so you talked me into it... I just ordered 10 5 gal. smart pots! I also ordered a T5 set up with 6 4' bulbs boasting 30,000 lumens! Yay, tuning up the grow room!



LOL, moving on up....


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## Gixxerman420 (Mar 21, 2011)

Roddy said:
			
		

> LOL, moving on up....


:rofl: yeah! I'm going today to get some rooting hormone (powder;all I could find locally) and more solo cups for cuttings to go into... I was thinking about getting clear ones and colored ones; try and plant them in clear and sit the clear cups into the colored ones (without bottoms in them; for drainage) so that I can keep an eye on root systems as they appear! Good idea I thought!


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## bud.uncle (Mar 21, 2011)

I'm rather fond of *Roottrainers* click there bookmarked and designed to be opened to check on roots and ease transplanting.


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## Gixxerman420 (Mar 22, 2011)

I'll look into those thx!


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## benamucc (Mar 22, 2011)

wheres hamster lewis???  I think he's got a smart pot that is going strong vs normal pots??  :stoned:  maybe i'm high...

i met a guy at my local grow store the other day who is starting a company with the same idea.  says he couldn't do them out of organics because the price was outrageous.  said "the scientists' are still out on if it leeches plastic into the soil".  He gave me 2 samples, and I wasn't going to try them, but I'll try em vs. the global buckets.  I love this forum!!


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## 420_Osborn (Mar 22, 2011)

SensiStarFan said:
			
		

> check out this thread Hamster created where he shows plants grown in regular pots versus smart pots, pretty good thread for info on them.
> 
> http://marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54815&highlight=Smart+pots
> 
> -SSF-



You sir, are just high!! :rofl:


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## Gixxerman420 (Mar 23, 2011)

420_Osborn said:
			
		

> You sir, are just high!! :rofl:


Who mee????  NOOOO!!!! Jk, I know you was talking to Benamucc... Just :stoned: and thought it was funny!


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## Locked (Mar 23, 2011)

Smart pots for the win....they can be messy but in my opinion well worth it once you get the hang of watering them.


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## Rosebud (Mar 23, 2011)

I have used only those for the last two grows. I like them. It was interesting the last one I harvested had only the top half filled with roots and they were all the tiny feeder roots.
I think you need a big saucer out of them because the water goes out the sides but with a saucer it is fine. They end up drinking up the excess water.
I use the 5 gallon ones, except I keep the mom's in a three gallon. Hope that helps.


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## Roddy (Mar 23, 2011)

I'm using both 5gal and 10gal pots, I love these things! As long as you water slowly, no mess, just be patient and all is good! I'm thinking I'm gonna use the 5gals for starting in and transplant to 10gals before bud room...fre shsoil infusion as well as giving the roots room to spread more hopefully will mean the plants will have a big growth spurt before budding!


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## Locked (Mar 23, 2011)

Dam bro 10 gallon pots.....you be growing trees in them for sure.


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## Roddy (Mar 23, 2011)

lol, oh yeah!!


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## maineharvest (Mar 23, 2011)

I bought one smart pot just to test them out and the smart pot plant is by far better than the rest.  Im using the 3 gallon pot but I think I will get all five gallon pots for the future.


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## Gixxerman420 (Mar 23, 2011)

maineharvest said:
			
		

> I bought one smart pot just to test them out and the smart pot plant is by far better than the rest.  Im using the 3 gallon pot but I think I will get all five gallon pots for the future.


i got 10 of the five gallon... Have only used one for an auto, first auto grown for me... All the others are in 1/2 gal. pots... But the auto is much bigger! I will have a basis for comparison after harvest! I'm going to flower my 12/12 ladies in 5 gal. smart pots at a comperable size to my last grow in 3 gal. regular pots, and see if there is a noticable difference in growth rate, plant health, harvest weight etc. The auto (Il Diavolo) is MUCH bigger than the 12/12 ladies... And I know much of this is attributed to the fact of pruning, and LSTing the remaining girls, but I've done side by side grows of natural growth plants and LST plants and it wasn't as great a difference... Good sign for the smart pot... May also be attributed to the size of the pot...5 gal. is almost twice as big as the pots I usually use for flower... Not sure the root system has even had time to fill in the extra space since transplanting from a 1/2 gallon container two weeks ago... IDK


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## Gixxerman420 (Mar 23, 2011)

Roddy said:
			
		

> I'm using both 5gal and 10gal pots, I love these things! As long as you water slowly, no mess, just be patient and all is good! I'm thinking I'm gonna use the 5gals for starting in and transplant to 10gals before bud room...fre shsoil infusion as well as giving the roots room to spread more hopefully will mean the plants will have a big growth spurt before budding!


I hear you on the watering, I learned last season that if you go slowly, you can actually water the plant without runoff and still quench your ladies well enough to fulfill potential! I haven't had any issues with runoff using the one 5 gal. SP; the sides of the bag sometimes gets damp to the touch but nothing more... I try and get as close to center as I can and as the water seeps into the soil I rotate it around at an angle so that the entirety of the soil is saturated by this angular gravity created... I over-think everything!:rofl:


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