Slow draining smart pots

[Mullalulla]

Cross posting this from the nectar for the gods sub forum ... roots have grown real thick in my 3 gallon smart pots on day 21 after flip ...

"
Got a question maybe someone can help.

Had my plants in 3 gallon smart pots, plants are doing amazing on the NFTG's line ... I didnt learn about the slf100 and have only been using it about a week ? I am in soil, and I had about a inch of perlite on top and started noticing that my plants were getting slower and slower to drain, I was thinking it was a build up of the bone gum scott was talking about from using heavy quantities of the herc. Last night I removed the perlite and saw that the soil is just roots pretty much. Just a massive webbing of roots, so I scraped up the top 1/4" or so to see if it would help with drainage and it did a bit but not much.

If your still with me, today is day 21 from flip of 12/12 ... My plants are in soil, in 3 gallon smart pots, draining super slow taking up way to much time as the roots are just making a super web. If I were to slide a 5 gallon smart pot or a 7 or a 10 gallon smart pot under neath them .. and then with a razorblade removed the old 3 gallon and filled in with soil around the old rootball/soil bunch with new soil, would the roots continue to grow out into the new medium or are the roots pretty much done growing now at 21 days in ? I only ask cause I hand water .. they drink about a gallon a day .. and its taking close to 3 hours now with the slow draining. Anyone ?"

 

[hotrodharley]

Cross posting this from the nectar for the gods sub forum ... roots have grown real thick in my 3 gallon smart pots on day 21 after flip ...

"
Got a question maybe someone can help.

Had my plants in 3 gallon smart pots, plants are doing amazing on the NFTG's line ... I didnt learn about the slf100 and have only been using it about a week ? I am in soil, and I had about a inch of perlite on top and started noticing that my plants were getting slower and slower to drain, I was thinking it was a build up of the bone gum scott was talking about from using heavy quantities of the herc. Last night I removed the perlite and saw that the soil is just roots pretty much. Just a massive webbing of roots, so I scraped up the top 1/4" or so to see if it would help with drainage and it did a bit but not much.

If your still with me, today is day 21 from flip of 12/12 ... My plants are in soil, in 3 gallon smart pots, draining super slow taking up way to much time as the roots are just making a super web. If I were to slide a 5 gallon smart pot or a 7 or a 10 gallon smart pot under neath them .. and then with a razorblade removed the old 3 gallon and filled in with soil around the old rootball/soil bunch with new soil, would the roots continue to grow out into the new medium or are the roots pretty much done growing now at 21 days in ? I only ask cause I hand water .. they drink about a gallon a day .. and its taking close to 3 hours now with the slow draining. Anyone ?"

They’ll root doing what you describe.

 

[Mullalulla]

They’ll root doing what you describe.

Thanks for the response, going from my 3 gallons to say a 7 or a 10 ? what would be recommended, I have the 10's and I can order the 7's .. since I am just up-potting and adding soil around the already established base would the 7 be big enough do you think ?

here they are 4 days ago, you can see the pots near the end of video, the two smallest plants are in 5 gallons and the rest are in 3's.

 

[hotrodharley]

Thanks for the response, going from my 3 gallons to say a 7 or a 10 ? what would be recommended, I have the 10's and I can order the 7's .. since I am just up-potting and adding soil around the already established base would the 7 be big enough do you think ?

here they are 4 days ago, you can see the pots near the end of video, the two smallest plants are in 5 gallons and the rest are in 3's.

At this point a 7 gallon should be more than adequate. They look really good. Good job so far.

 

[Mullalulla]

At this point a 7 gallon should be more than adequate. They look really good. Good job so far.

Thank you hotrodharley for you help ! I appreciate it.

 

[malcolmk]

i was just wondering about this same thing. the last got real slow drainnig at the end i noticed. about halfway through. using smart pots, 3 gallon. it became painfully slow as i tried flushing with the herc at the end. the new ones behind it are the same 3g smart pots, but are more like day 45. takes about an hour to drain through. noticed the last ones i pulled the root ball out and it was solid roots.
you think regular plastic pots could stop this for next time? or should switch to 5 gallon pots? the medium was pro-mix hp. Like trying to do a slurry test is almost impossible, i reached in, and have to move roots to the side to dig out some soil.