Containers, indica/sativa, supercropping

[Gingerbeard]

First grow
2'x3'x4.5', dual chamber grow tent. 2'x2' flowering chamber and 1'x2' veg/cloning
T5's from seedlings to mature veg before going to flower mode. Flowering will be a 350 watt LED
Soil medium with nutes
Clear plastic containers
Fans
That's the first part of my setup. I'm doing it piecemeal and starting with the necessities first.

When I was given these seed all I had were empty mayonnaise and peanut butter containers. They became my starter pots.
The seeds spent the first week of their lives in the clear pots on my balcony. Never more than four hours of direct sun in a day. The soil was kept warm. Now that I have them inside and under the T5's, I can see the roots growing. It's giving me a great second consideration when choosing which of the plants to work with. The veg chamber is not far from room temperature. Has anyone used clear containers? Considering light?
I'm showing a picture of the five seedlings I'm considering flowering. The strain is called Closet Swirl. The Old Head who gave the seeds to me has been working on the strain for 30 years, crossing with different strains over those years. I'm told he and his son who also grows have some sort of little experimental farm, somewhere, and have a fair seed bank built up. The several he gave me had larger and smaller seeds. I think I'm looking at at least two strains. The plant on the lower left has much different leaves than the other four. Any good guesses as to Indica or sativa?
I've begun super cropping two plants that are about four months old. Maybe five. I took two young seedlings and gave them a little pinch and a bend. Nothing like the other two. Has anyone tried super cropping at such an early age?

[WeirdWiredWolf]

Lower-left and upper-middle plants look indica to me, but I'm far from an expert.

[Gingerbeard]

Thanks, Mr. F.
I've attached another photo of one pot showing roots. Others are beginning to show the same and three of the five are showing roots on the bottom. Since I'm using T5's and the roots are 6ish inches away (I should have mentioned that,) is the light strong enough to damage the roots?
Three seedlings I've sidelined for various stretching and funny looking leaves are showing roots. I think I'm going to try putting one of those closer to the light with the roots a couple inches away.

[Mr.furley]

Plant roots don't like ANY kind of light. If you think about what a nursery would sell you, you would be getting a black plastic pot.
For now just wrap the pot with duck tape, aluminum foil, black paper, just something to keep out ALL light, it can kill you roots.
Do you have drainage holes?

[Potted]

Why? To make the roots get more heat/ light Than the leaves......think about natural growth or for that matter just about any other way to do it the roots are never exposed to light for a good reason.

[Mr.furley]

[Gingerbeard]

And your room isn't much smaller than my apartment.

[Gingerbeard]

Lots of drainage. Many holes on the underside and up the side a bit. You can see one of the upper ones in the root picture.
Let's compromise, Mr. F. I'm going to take one of my standby's and put the roots to the light. I have to think about rooting cuttings in water in glass vases, like philodendrons. We'll see.

[Mr.furley]

I put all my cutting of cannabis in a blacked out cloner with aerated water. The dark stimulates root growth while not allowing algae to grow
I can compromise, good luck.

[Potted]

I got a mower when it’s time to cut the grass 😁

[Gingerbeard]

The clear pots had nothing to do with providing more light and heat. They had to do with necessity.
Species? Orchids? Grass? Trees? Terrariums?
Final answer is I'm going to do a little experiment. I have more plants than I can use. Rather than tossing them I'll donate their bodies to science.

[alltatup]

Hi Ginger and welcome to the forum.

Orchids are a completely different species which grow in a different environment with thick roots built to grow above ground and wander all the heck over the place. I don't see the link between cannabis and grass and trees.

With cannabis, as mr.furley pointed out, you will run into root problems if you expose them to light. It's just not a good idea to grow in glass, because it's not flexible and doesn't have drainage. Your babies look beautiful, though. Good luck with your experiments!!

[starramus]

Hello Ginger, Your start ups are looking amazingly healthy. However be sure and digest as many of Nebula's tutorials you have time for. GWE is quite the comprehensive illuminati maximus. You will need to transplant into something much larger soon, but please use something on this order. https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-5-Pac...ow%2Bbags&th=1 These are great grow bags, and will last you a number of seasons. Enjoy your stay at the forum.

[Gingerbeard]

Yes. GWE is amazing. I had to change my plans several times after the education.
I realize different species have different root structures, different water and air needs, etc. I was correlating different types of roots structures: epiphytes, air plants, succulents, tap roots, feeder roots, buttress roots, lions, and tigers, and bears. Terrariums, rooting various house plants in water (not cannabis.) My seedling containers are plastic and have lots of drainage. If you look at the 'Today' photo you can see one of six holes I put further up the side of the container. There are the same on the bottom.
There is a video on utube called 'Mini Cannabis Terrarium.' I'm not saying that's the way to go. Only that this little plant was growing in a glass jar with roots showing.
The photo 'Yesterday' is a closeup of the roots in the photo I showed yesterday. 'Today' is 24 hours after going through an 18/6 light cycle. Not the same angle but you can see quite a difference. This is the root system of the plant in the lower left of the first picture I showed yesterday. I noticed the first tip of a root on this one on the 14th. Now, there are roots growing like you see in the picture, all the way around.
Transplanting to black plastic gallon pots is coming soon. My decision to start with so many and wind up with a few is based on my space. The example plant I've shown for the roots is number one to move. Not only is it the root thing, it's a much different leaf structure than the other four which are only boringly different. That will leave me two more to pick from the four remaining. Nine seedlings at the beginning, down to three for continued vegging. Two from the three will go on to flower. Since the leaves on the five seedlings are all pretty much equally healthy and the same height, I can't as easily use the leaves as a determining factor to go a-flowering.
I researched this topic, a bit, when I was figuring out how I wanted to do my first grow. I read that plants do not have an adverse reaction to having their roots exposed to light when grown in a clear container. Of course, I imagine they can get sunburned and prone to overheat as the leaves can, more easily, with more severe results. I didn't read anything about cannabis, specifically. That's why I brought up the subject.

[Gingerbeard]

I also noticed roots that grew near one of the drainage holes tended to grow toward the hole. Perhaps the Air-Pot principle? I think I'm going to put more holes in one of my other containers. I love experimenting.

[starramus]

if you haven't already read this it might help. https://www.growweedeasy.com/cannabi...-pots-air-pots

[alltatup]

Maybe they need more oxygen. Doesn't look like you put any perlite in...

[Canuck147]

Never used clear pots - never will. Exposed roots to light will compromise bud size no doubt.

[Gingerbeard]

Dang it all! A few minutes more research for the experiment.
I can't find another cannabis grower who will give props to clear pots. However I do find, from gardening type web sites, plants naturally grown in soil do better above and below ground in opaque pots. That's not specific to canna. One idea was to early grow in clear pots but keep the pots in black plastic. That way you can lift the clear pots and check the roots.
Transplanting is happening today. Three with the best roots are going to gallon size black plastic pots. 3 gallon size will be ready for flowering. My intention was never to germinate to flower in the clear pots. No need. I will still run my little experiment.

[Mr.furley]

You will be hard pressed to find a grower especially on here that will recommend clear pots. why, because with growers in here with upto 50 years experience in growing cannabis we have seen this before and the problem it can bring, stunted plants, low-yield, and even death. I'm not trying to be a ass, just trying to save you some heartache and rough road. If you have the time in the space to experiment and want to find out for yourself I fully understand and I will stub in and watch.
I also understand why you want to use a clear pot so you can see the roots, I'm going to give you a great tip as to how you can accomplish knowing your roots have filled your pot.
As with all plants in nature the leaf system works as an irrigation for the root system feed water and protecting erosion. you will typically find that the roots are as wide as the leaf on the plant. with that said when you're in your pot and your leaf have reached the edge of your container your roots have to and it's time to transplant.
The air pots and smart pots that everybody is recommending are great because they do what's called air pruning to the root system never allowing the roots to grow back in and become Root bound.
I highly recommend smart pots even if you only get three gallon size.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Amen Mr.furley ,sound advice ,as always.

[WeirdWiredWolf]

Ginger, that's how I clone; the cutting goes in water in a clear jar which is inside a solid pot and I use a black neoprene collar around the cutting to keep it upright and block light from the top. Once I see healthy active roots it goes in soil (easy to gauge what size pot to use).

[starramus]

I still opt for these https://www.growweedeasy.com/cannabi...-pots-air-pots Giv vem some freakin air!

[Gingerbeard]

I have to forego the new type pots. My space is very limited and I have limited access to the grow chambers. I don't want to deal with the hassle. I'm going to poke holes in my black pots as I did the clear. As soon as I get everything dialed in, mainly the LED grow light I will look into whatever snake oil you experienced type people are trying to sell me.

[starramus]

They've got 1 gallon pots.