They're called air pots. Supposedly it allows air flow to your roots and it also air-prunes the roots.. It's supposed to trick the plant into thinking it's in a larger pot than what it really is.. So if u have a 1 gallon air pot it's more like a 2gallon pot... 3 gallon air pot will grow plants same size as a regular 4-5 gallon pot . & so on.., idk if I really believe all that crap, after all a pot is a pot ... But when I went to the hydro shop to get nutes , I saw the air pots & I had already read good things about them & since they were like $4 each.. I said y not.. Regular pots are that much, unless I go to the 99 cent store.. Anyway I jus said f#c! it .. I mean if anything, it can't hurt the plant right??