ebb and flow in net pots, does this prune roots?

Ebb and flow in netpots. When the roots hit the lights on the table are they going to prune and the plant stay healthy and maybe grow bushier? Would this be like spin out in soil, that chemical in the advanced section some people used to prune roots so they dont get rootbound. Is the netpot in open air and exposed roots healthy at all, maybe even benficial?

I ask because I want to veg in ebb and flow and net pots maybe, then transfer to dwc buckets or hopefully drip buckets where I just insert the net pot into a five gallon bucket lid or plants transfer to a netpot lid.

Any experience?

Would like to hear more on net pots in flood tables

Yes this should work well. I'm just about to start ebb and flow in Airpots.

In net pots the roots would grow up to the sides and get air pruned creating a really nice root mass, pretty much the same as air pots. Roots shouldn't grow outside the pots except at the bottom where they are kept very moist, which is why it's a good idea to put a cover over the top so the ones that do grow out the bottom don't get damaged by the lights.

A note on this, lights pruning the roots is bad, as the whole length of the root that is exposed stops growing and actually inhibits growth.

Matchbox said:

Yes this should work well. I'm just about to start ebb and flow in Airpots.

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Make sure you use Coco or something other than Hydroton when attempting this. The clay pellets will fall right through the bottom of the Airpots.

And yeah, a net pot lid cover should definitely be used!

Why not veg right in a net pot bucket lid?
(building a cover for your table out of foam then cut holes for your bucket lids to set in would cure the root pruneing)



And if your going to go into a top drip bucket system then you may want to start with top drip right from the start. It will just drain right back to the res anyways. (I use hydroton and it works great)



Here is one of mine that was vegged for 4 weeks then 2 weeks of stretch.

View attachment 2113114

^ingenuity right there!

LOL I was thinking the same thing.looking for a 4x4lid so I can make my own hole in.making my table into a large bucket. Aka hydro farm table lol

JJFOURTWENTY said:

Make sure you use Coco or something other than Hydroton when attempting this. The clay pellets will fall right through the bottom of the Airpots.

And yeah, a net pot lid cover should definitely be used!

Click to expand...

I have Hydroton, doesn't fall through the bottom at all. Usually they have a plastic mesh that you roll the 'casing' round but I cut mine down from larger air pots so the hydroton is held in with old tights and socks stretched around the bottom

Matchbox said:

I have Hydroton, doesn't fall through the bottom at all. Usually they have a plastic mesh that you roll the 'casing' round

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Mine had that. but for some oddball reason the smallest air pots have larger spacing on their mesh inserts than the larger air pots do.

I'm running five inch heavy duty net pots on a flood table btw.

We learn something new everytime we grow trying to become better and looking for that one plant that has everything we want.I love my DJ short blue moonshine but my only problem is when to cut.this last grow I let her flower for 10 weeks including flush. Cured her for 3weeks.OMG she was good.but when. I sold a 7 LOL needed some gass money they said it was a little young but it smoke's good. So this next grow I will flush at week 10 and cut at the end of week 11 or 11.5

I'm on my second round with this setup. 1st one failed miserably.

I have 4 inch rockwool atop 2 inches of hydroton and filled up to the top of the RW in 10 inch net pots and water 3 times when lights on none when off. The roots on the sides all turn brown on the tips and I have been getting a little slime in the res. I have been using a Benny tea for a while and I am not positive if it's from the tea being too strong?

I went to the pots in case I had to move the plant for spacing because handling the wool with a big plant always crushes the roots. I have obviously not perfected this style but they are doing really good right now. The roots on the bottom ARE white but there is a brown/red film on the lines in the res. I am not sure if the roots are air pruning or are contaminated?

Just fills a 40$ res 2 days ago with some NICE smelling foamy tea and it does not smell the same now in the res...and don't really want to drain it

Not positive what to do here. Not sure if I should go to buckets with the net pots or ??? I'm losing my mind again.

it was brown slime dumped the res, flushed with 3ML physan 20 and 50 ML DMZone in 35 gallons. Its night but they look more droopy.

Ive been doing hydro for 5 + years with great success...the tea is not working anymore on the slime...I think im done with hydro after this round.

Matchbox said:

A note on this, lights pruning the roots is bad, as the whole length of the root that is exposed stops growing and actually inhibits growth.

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Is this the same for seedlings when they first sprout a taproot as well? Thanks.

F2H.

? That has never been my experience, in fact I had quite the opposite. The coconut coir went right through, so I opted for a mix of coco and very lightweight grown stones and hydroton.

JJFOURTWENTY said:

Make sure you use Coco or something other than Hydroton when attempting this. The clay pellets will fall right through the bottom of the Airpots.

And yeah, a net pot lid cover should definitely be used!

Click to expand...

all my airports included a bottom that holds my clay.

as far as my experience, I prefer not to cover to keep pots mobile. Once there is a root mass under a cover, they can't be moved anymore. For me, being able to shift gives me more even a more even top. Just myop.