Size of pots for 4 month outdoor grow

Kliv555

New Member
So I’m doing an outdoor grow this year in the part of Canada which has a short summer. I picked up a few different outdoor strains from Canadian breeders that are supposed to be finish in September sometime. I plan on germinating middle of April, to put them outdoors mid May.

What size of pots should I use? I was planning on a 5-7 gallon. Mixed half with BlueSky Organics supersoil and the rest with local soil and perlite. I read somewhere that you should allow for 1gal/month. Will I be at risk for root bound during a 4 month outdoor season?

Thanks,
 

ganga gurl420

Well-Known Member
So I’m doing an outdoor grow this year in the part of Canada which has a short summer. I picked up a few different outdoor strains from Canadian breeders that are supposed to be finish in September sometime. I plan on germinating middle of April, to put them outdoors mid May.

What size of pots should I use? I was planning on a 5-7 gallon. Mixed half with BlueSky Organics supersoil and the rest with local soil and perlite. I read somewhere that you should allow for 1gal/month. Will I be at risk for root bound during a 4 month outdoor season?

Thanks,
You could get by on that yes...and yes it might become root bound. However remember that the size of the pot will directly affect how much bud you get. I wouldn't grow outdoors in anything smaller then 20 gallons myself.
Last grow I did 200 gallons and pulled an average of 4 1/2 pounds a plant.
This yr I'm doing 400 gallons and shooting for 6.
 

HarryCooter

Well-Known Member
So I’m doing an outdoor grow this year in the part of Canada which has a short summer. I picked up a few different outdoor strains from Canadian breeders that are supposed to be finish in September sometime. I plan on germinating middle of April, to put them outdoors mid May.

What size of pots should I use? I was planning on a 5-7 gallon. Mixed half with BlueSky Organics supersoil and the rest with local soil and perlite. I read somewhere that you should allow for 1gal/month. Will I be at risk for root bound during a 4 month outdoor season?

Thanks,
I have to agree with the last post. To give you a good example, last year I had two remaining plants that spent an extra 3+ weeks in 3 gallon plastic pots while the others went into the ground. They very obviously stunted compared to the others. After transplanting the remaining two into 45 gallon fabric pots they shot up and damn near caught up to the ones in ground within a few weeks. Pot size is everything, and I would definitely recommend fabric over plastic.
 

Zephyrs

Well-Known Member
Don't go with 5 gallon pots for four months!! From exp they will most likely get rootbound. Go at least 10 er 15 gallon. Smaller stature indicas I've had do good in a 5 gal all summer, but after harvest the roots are still jam packed to the max after 3 n half or 4 months and that's in a western Washington summer. I lost a few tall varieties to rootboundness, definitely a hard pill to swallow. That's one of my learning from experience stories:wall:. Peace and good luck:bigjoint:
 

GroErr

Well-Known Member
I'm in Canada, typically run smaller plants outdoor until rec becomes legal and run them in 10 or 15 gal fabric pots so I can move them in a pinch. You can grow much bigger plants without worrying about getting them root bound in the fabric pots, use those or right in the ground if you have no need to move them.

I'll typically get 1 oz. of dry/cured bud per gallon of medium in soil/pro-mix in those fabric pots. Pic below is 2x 10gal's ready for harvest.

2x10gal-BlueRipper-Day129-2.JPG
 

too larry

Well-Known Member
It depends on how long you veg before going outside. But 10-15 sounds like it would work for moderate sized plants.
 

GoRealUhGro

Well-Known Member
Yo bro..if u don't want root bound plants ..and Ur staring in April...you better not go w anything smaller than 45gal...nah..tbh..I'd double that....if u don't want big plants just start them at the end of may middle if June or something....I'll never start inside during March or early April and plant in anything under 200 250 gal...just for example.....if I'm growing trees that is...I'll be growing in 45gal sp ..18 gal and bigger totes..and I might just dig a BFH .big fn hole...and see what happens..but go big.. especially with good soil
 

Cannabis.Queen

Well-Known Member
Maybe I'm good at keeping up pants happy, but root bound isn't bad thing. Just means more attention.

If you want smaller plants, start later or water more often in smaller pots.

Last year I started in April, in 1 gal.
Transplanted to 3 gal in June then 5 gal the end of June. Yes, they grew their roots quick bu we also had nothing but rain last year. My plants loved it.

I plan on going 10 gal this year as I have 12 plants to maintain and my medical personal license.

Want bigger plants, bigger pot.

Half my plants last year went into the ground, hey we're 4-6 ft tall and 2-4 ft wide for the indices lols
 

RetiredGuerilla

Well-Known Member
Back in the day we only had Mexican and skunk cultivars. But they were pest resistant and tough as hell. They had acclimated to Mexican fields so if they were grown in Kentucky the bugs didn't mess with them, When I ran Dutch cultivars outdoors termites were drawn to them. If you want a giant outdoor plant grow a pest resistant strain or you will get heart broken. Also plant in the ground so there are no limitations encountered. Water the whole perimeter beyond the drip line. Cultivate the ground beyond the drip line and water some more. As it grows the roots will move in . Start in a 1 gal. smart pot in early may. This will give you a pruned root system when you transplant in early June. This compact root system will have the means to expand and produce a giant plant.
 

canadiantoker420

Well-Known Member
So I’m doing an outdoor grow this year in the part of Canada which has a short summer. I picked up a few different outdoor strains from Canadian breeders that are supposed to be finish in September sometime. I plan on germinating middle of April, to put them outdoors mid May.

What size of pots should I use? I was planning on a 5-7 gallon. Mixed half with BlueSky Organics supersoil and the rest with local soil and perlite. I read somewhere that you should allow for 1gal/month. Will I be at risk for root bound during a 4 month outdoor season?

Thanks,
Anyone else on this post? I’m looking to find out how many gallons would be suitable for outdoors in Canada as well, I’ve always went either msssive with holes 3+ft wide 2ft deep and backfilled with moss n perlite mix /compost cow manure and then my blood n fishbone meal kelp etc or half a 3.8 cubic foot bag (14-15 gallons I think) and I get about a pound per every 3 plants that way.. I put mine out late May maybe early June, this year the new moon is after the 25th so anytime after that if 5eres no heavy frost I’m good, here’s a few im putting out the big one is a c99xblueberry fast it sprouted the 12th of April.. I wonder if 30 gallon holes in the ground is big enough? I got a hole dug that’s probly 150+ gallons maybe 200 donno yet but the c99 is going in that one, I just need to figure out what size of holes to dig for the rest of em this year the others r only bout 18 days old Rn thinking of going in the ground @30 gals a piece orrrrr I may go 50-100 if I need it this is the controversy ima have a veg from June 1st to at least mid July as the lemonade OG x freezelands are semi-autos right they get induced mid July n finish mid-end of sept, so if there 2-3 weeks old there gonna b a chunk of a plant by the time I put em outside there 3/4 gallon pots r gonna b root bound AF watch,then they got a solid 45-50 days of veg time outdoors here, wat u guys think?
 

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canadiantoker420

Well-Known Member
So I’m doing an outdoor grow this year in the part of Canada which has a short summer. I picked up a few different outdoor strains from Canadian breeders that are supposed to be finish in September sometime. I plan on germinating middle of April, to put them outdoors mid May.

What size of pots should I use? I was planning on a 5-7 gallon. Mixed half with BlueSky Organics supersoil and the rest with local soil and perlite. I read somewhere that you should allow for 1gal/month. Will I be at risk for root bound during a 4 month outdoor season?

Thanks,
Btw I know this is an old post obv but no way is 1 gallon per month gonna cut it for outdoors the month of July buddy, here in Canada u get a gallon a day of root growth in July probly dude .. that’s why I’m debating on 30+ gals or 100s.. I think I can get away wit 30-45 gal holes only becuz I have a couple 20kg bags of Gaia green and every gallon of soil is gonna b rigged with it at all times so it should enjoy what it has. I could see if I was in Cali er sumwhere wit longer season then I’d be going 75+ gallons forrrr sure but the biggest plants il have has a max veg life of Like 100-110 days an most of em will veg fer 3 months almost to the dot. Anywayyy
 

hazeman1911

Well-Known Member
You could get by on that yes...and yes it might become root bound. However remember that the size of the pot will directly affect how much bud you get. I wouldn't grow outdoors in anything smaller then 20 gallons myself.
Last grow I did 200 gallons and pulled an average of 4 1/2 pounds a plant.
This yr I'm doing 400 gallons and shooting for 6.
Where about is that in the US
 

Racky

Well-Known Member
I have no problems whatsoever with using 5 gallon Pails, Foxfarm Happy frog 40%, Foxfarm Ocean Forest 40%, Perlite 20%, clay stones on top of soil, bottom feed once they start to flower and just water up til then. Yields bout 4 to 6 ounces.
 

Meast21

Well-Known Member
I have no problems whatsoever with using 5 gallon Pails, Foxfarm Happy frog 40%, Foxfarm Ocean Forest 40%, Perlite 20%, clay stones on top of soil, bottom feed once they start to flower and just water up til then. Yields bout 4 to 6 ounces.
My first outdoor grow and my plant is currently about 2 foot wide and 2 foot tall down in my basement in hydro. I got 7 gallon buckets and am using foxfarm soil once I put it outside soon. I have technoflora nutes which includes bc boost, bc bloom, sugar daddy, etc.... My question is what ppm do I use with the foxfarm soil to water with?
 

Pungolian

Well-Known Member
12/15 gallon pots but im in Va. Last year had 10 ft plants that yielded approx 2 lbs each, this year i started later June-ish and I have 7 ftrs that are doing great But i wanted smaller this year. They Take a lot of care and have to water every day. I feed every other or every third day. Did 6 month grows last year. Good luck!
 

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