Growing Pots and Containers
GrowGeneration® carries a wide variety of growing pots and containers for growers. These include plastic, fabric, and air pots. Learning what type of pot that you should purchase can be a daunting task. Thankfully, GrowGeneration has a wide variety of brands to choose from. Plastic pots are used by the majority of growers, but there are higher-tech options available like fabric pots and air pots. Fabric pots are great for outdoor growing. Air pots allow for aeration and net pots are ideal for hydroponics.
What Type of Growing Container Do You Need?
Hydroponics Growers
Net pots are typically used by hydroponic gardeners. They are good for deep water culture, aeroponics, ebb and flow hydroponic systems, and nutrient films. Not only are they good for growing seedlings, but they are also great for your plant cuttings. They promote the root zone of the plant with drainage and aeration. Net pots also allow the roots of the plant to reach the nutrient solution and make EC monitoring of the root zone. Net pots can be used consistently through your different grow cycles throughout the year.
Fabric Pots
Fabric pots are great if you want fast growing roots that will not bound. With hard-surfaced pots, the roots have to circle around the pot in order to reach nutrients and get adequate aeration. Fabric pots let the roots reach air more easily. You also don't have to prune the roots in certain growing situations. Additionally, fabric pots provide greater drainage and aeration than other types of growing containers. Fabric pots also allow the plant roots to stay cooler because the soil will get access to air on hotter days.
Air Pots
Air pots are pretty high tech. AIr pots feature rings of cones. The cones prevent root circles inside of the pot and also allow aeration and air pruning. One of the benefits of using air pots is that they have superior nutrient uptake and stay much cooler in hot days.
Plastic Pots
Plastic pots are the most commonly used by traditional and smaller growers. They are affordable, often have holes in the bottom for aeration and drainage, and will help get the job done the right way. When working with plastic pots, the grower has to pay particular attention to the root structure of the plant to make sure that the aeration and hydration of the plant are just right. Beginner growers may opt to start with plastic pots and transition to more sophisticated types of pots.
What Types of Pots Are Best For Your Growing Setup?
Your medium will be one of the most important determinants in selecting a pot. If you are growing in a hydroponic medium, you will need to select a net pot or an air pot. If you are growing in soil, which many growers do, you should probably work with a fabric or air pot. These pots will allow for ideal root health.
Plant size is another important condition for choosing a pot. A good rule of thumb for selecting pot size is about two gallons for every twelve inches of plant height. Different sizes of plants and different strains will require different sizes of pots, requiring some experimentation and learned expertise on your part. Fabric pots may need to be bigger because of how quickly they dry out after being watered.
You will also need different sizes of pots as your seedlings grow into plants. When roots start reaching the inside of the pot, it is time to upgrade your plant pot size. Avoid watering your plants a day or two before you transplant them. When transplanting, make sure to use care since plant shock is a real possibility. Once the plant has been transplanted make sure to water immediately to allow the roots to make direct contact with water and the substrate media. A plant should never be transplanted when it is flowering.Three gallons is a good size to finish a plant in flowering.
To sum it up, plastic pots are budget friendly, easy to drain, and can be easily moved. Fabric pots are great for air flow, durability, drainage, and aeration. Air pots have the best drainage and aeration and are great for big root systems.
What Logistical Factors Come Into Play When Choosing Your Pots Or Containers
Your growing operation may also limit you to certain types of pots and containers. For example, budget is going to be a big driver. Growers with a smaller budget are not going to be able to afford air pots. Plastic pots or plastic bag pots are going to meet most smaller growers budgets, while air pots are going to be more expensive.
In terms of environmental considerations, plastic pots are going to last longer and can be used for multiple growing cycles. Grow bags tend to deteriorate after a few growing seasons, but some are biodegradable.
Fabric growing containers are going to be cheaper, allow for root growth, and they work great outdoors if you have a lot of space to work with. Pots are going to be better for plants that need to be moved frequently, durability, organization, and are a little bit easier for controlling plant growth.
Choosing the Right Growing Pots and Containers With GrowGeneration
GrowGeneration makes it easy for you to find the pots and containers that you need. You can purchase any type of pot online or visit one of our physical retail stores throughout the United States. For most growers, bags are going to be ideal if they are looking for greater plant yield. Unfortunately, they are more difficult to manage in smaller growing spaces.
Options like the air pot will be great for controlling yield as well, but can be more expensive bags. Certain types of pots may hold back the potential of your yield, but will be easier to manage in confined growing spaces.