Grow Mediums Autopot setup with fabric pots - gap in the circular base

[Big Sul]

My understanding is that roots grow toward moisture. That being said, air pruning is what prevents roots growing out the side of pots ABOVE the waterline. As it was explained to me, the roots MAY continue to grow below waterline. If they do, I would consider 1 of 2 options:

1. purchase pot socks from Autopots. (Not sure if they have 3 gal socks). 5 gal should work.
2. Check out the skirts Autopots have. This will prevent light from getting to the roots

Give Autopots a call. I’m sure this has been discussed prior.

good luck.

 

[_state_of_mind_]

My understanding is that roots grow toward moisture. That being said, air pruning is what prevents roots growing out the side of pots ABOVE the waterline. As it was explained to me, the roots MAY continue to grow below waterline. If they do, I would consider 1 of 2 options:

1. purchase pot socks from Autopots. (Not sure if they have 3 gal socks). 5 gal should work.
2. Check out the skirts Autopots have. This will prevent light from getting to the roots

Give Autopots a call. I’m sure this has been discussed prior.

good luck.

Thanks for this - very helpful. The challenge for me is that I am in a country where Autopot doesn't do business at all. I stuck a deal with a local shop in the UK and had them ship just the base tray, aquavalve and the pipes along with the copper base. It was a comedy of errors that actually took 2+ months to get delivered!.

Vivosun claims their fabric pots to air prune roots so I am hoping it will actually do it. If not, like @Bill.de.Cat mentioned, scissor time it is!

 

[PotDaddy]

I just switched over and I like you am using 3 gal Radicle bags. the plastic ones.
I forgot to put the copper disc in the bottom of the pot but will next run.

 

[Bill.de.Cat]

On my first use of them as well using AN ph perfect line of nutrients....will go back to MegaCrop next run as the AN stuff doesn't seem to be all that great for me to use in flower....only fill the res halfway but still doing it every 2 to 3 days......lot easier on the back than carrying each pot to the shower every 2 to 3 days.

 

[Olderfart]

I decided to go with the Autopot Xl system, but I didn't want to use the plastic pots that came with it. Instead, I went with 3 gallon fabric pots, but the only thing is that when I place the fabric pot in the autopot tray/base, there is about an inch of gap across the entire circumference - so far, this has posed no issues with the ability of the system to wick up the nutes. I haven't had any overflow issues either. Do I need to be concerned about this gap or given that everything has been going good, should I just not think too much about it?

Also, I am seeing lots of root tips around the bottom of the fabric pot all around the pot - not sure if this is normal? These are vivosun fabric pots.

You raise an interesting point about the trays. I have DIY'ed a couple tray arrangements, and have made sure to try to avoid the setup you describe. The risk, as I theorize it, is that the space around your pot will fill with water which has to be used by the plant before re-flooding by the autovalve will happen. In other words, the extra space/water will extend the flood cycle, lengthening the time between "drying out" (bad term, because the medium never really dries out at all, which is one of the functional advantages of the autovalve setup, but you get the idea). The lengthening of the flood cycle may, or may not, be a problem with a given strain and type of medium. I would be more concerned with soil than with coco, and the more perlite or other aeration in the bottom of the pot, the less the risk, other things being equal.

Bottom line is that the extra water could, but might not, cause overwatering. Good luck with it.

 

[Olderfart]

My understanding is that roots grow toward moisture. That being said, air pruning is what prevents roots growing out the side of pots ABOVE the waterline. As it was explained to me, the roots MAY continue to grow below waterline. If they do, I would consider 1 of 2 options:

1. purchase pot socks from Autopots. (Not sure if they have 3 gal socks). 5 gal should work.
2. Check out the skirts Autopots have. This will prevent light from getting to the roots

Give Autopots a call. I’m sure this has been discussed prior.

good luck.

All my current pots grow roots through the fabric pots in the flood zone. I just scrape them off before they get into the valve area. The pot socks work great on smaller pots, but they do not come big enough for my 10 gallon pots, and the copper side material is stupid expensive in "bulk". Normal landscape fabric might help, but I have not tried it because just cleaning the roots off once in a while has worked fine.

 

[PotDaddy]

My photo plant is doing awesome in the 3 gal with a little space around it. I am running soil for the 1st time in years.
I am also running just straight soil no stone on the bottom. I know I don't follow the rules!
I have 3 autos in 2 gallon bags also which have considerably more space than the 3 gal and they are doing fine also.

 

[_state_of_mind_]

You raise an interesting point about the trays. I have DIY'ed a couple tray arrangements, and have made sure to try to avoid the setup you describe. The risk, as I theorize it, is that the space around your pot will fill with water which has to be used by the plant before re-flooding by the autovalve will happen. In other words, the extra space/water will extend the flood cycle, lengthening the time between "drying out" (bad term, because the medium never really dries out at all, which is one of the functional advantages of the autovalve setup, but you get the idea). The lengthening of the flood cycle may, or may not, be a problem with a given strain and type of medium. I would be more concerned with soil than with coco, and the more perlite or other aeration in the bottom of the pot, the less the risk, other things being equal.

Bottom line is that the extra water could, but might not, cause overwatering. Good luck with it.

I understand what you are saying, makes a lot of sense. So far, the extended flood cycle hasn't posed a problem for this plant in coco+perlite (70:30), but I will keep a close eye to see if there are any signs of distress. If I encounter problems, for the next grow, I will either need to move to 5 gallon pots or find a pot that has a larger base and smaller top (reverse cone) - hoping it doesn't come to this.

 

[PotDaddy]

My plants in the 3 gal bags are looking fantastic not really worried about the extra space until I see a issue.

 

[_state_of_mind_]

I really need to get those string adjustable potsocks for my next grow - I am dealing with an insane amount of root growth out of the pot into the water (in the gap between the pot and tha base). For now, I am just running my fingers across the bottom part of the pot and removing the excess roots. Here is what I managed to remove today