Fabric Pots - Air circulation under pot?

[Flockshot]

I just went down and put my solo cups up on a couple pieces of cork to try and get some air under the cup. My goal is to dry out the coco a little faster.

My question is, is it best to have 'fabric pots' on something, like a metal wire rack, that allows air circulation under the pot, or should it be on a tray to keep that bottom fabric wet?

[Tika]

I just have trays but I also drain to waste thoroughly after feeding. Royal Nugs had posted some cool trays under his plants if you can find his posts.

[Flockshot]

I use trays now also. I drilled a hole in the try and put a cork in it, so I can pull the cork and take a sample of the run-off after watering, and then leave the cork out till the next time I need a sample.

[Beach_Town_Brit]

I like to have my fabric pots suspended, I use shelf organizer frames over individual tubs for my plants. I can't say what's best but it's worked for me. I don't think soggy bottoms are good. If you're watering to run-off I find it really useful to have the run-off separated from the pot, that way I can leave it to sit if I want to raise humidity or drain it if I want to lower humidity.

[Tika]

I agree no soggy bottoms . I drain well. Damp yes but dries out.

[Tika]

I REALLY hope it is ok to post Royal Nugs image...here is what I meant..rack not tray.
He is in soil not straight Coco but I thought the units interesting.
If you feed and drain properly I don't think you need them and any remaining drip would go to the floor of your space unless you ad a tray under the rack.

[Potted]

U know those plastic milk crates, holds 4 gal.I cut up and use under smart pots,cut to size of saucer bottom prevents mold I hope,first time. Cuts easy with gig saw luck to u

[Flockshot]

Good Idea Potted. Another thing I see those used for is, a guy will put landscape fabric inside the milk crate and use it for a smart pot. Especially outdoors.

[bobsakamoto]

i'm doing just that for my upcoming transplanting (fingers crossed) to final "pots" (or crates, as the case may be)...excited to see how it works...

[LuckyAcres]

I set mine in a Rubbermaid container, itself sitting on top of a cinder block on its side. Air flows inside the block and the Rubbermaid. I have a real high tech drainage system. Each Rubbermaid has a drilled hole that helps drain run off into half cut milk gallons below. Jug gets emptied out when watering is done. High tech. But it works. A buddy of mine does something similar but he adds a layer of soil in the Rubbermaid in case roots run out of space. Not sure how that influences drying.

[bobsakamoto]

lucky, that's brilliant... i REALLY gotta start writin' this stuff down...

[LuckyAcres]

My 4 year old has the ultimate solution for y'a, she keeps stuff in her head to remember them! She has no short term memory issues of course unlike us...

[Tika]

Well...ultimately I think what one does for more "ventilation" of fabric pots depends on the condition (s) of your growing environment.
When I test my OUT pH...since I feed the plants in larger saucers-all I have to do is put the pH pen into the runoff to test it. After run off is dumped several times from large saucers-the pots go back into their tent saucers that are more form fitting.

[OzBud]

I also do the same thing with saucers. Correct size under pots in grow space then when I water/DTW I used saucers from pots double the size to make life easier than using the smaller ones

[Tika]

YUP that's it!

[NA420]

Fabric pots are more effecient than you give them credit for, i have racks i use for draining the runoff then back to a regular garden tray. They get air just fine and never had any mold issues after several grows. I'm speaking for the smart pot brand, other cheaper brands just don't look well made. Peace!

[Potted]

So far so good with smart pot brand.I just started to use them this grow,I just don't like to see that little bit of water in the saucer when I take them out to water again! Couldent that cause rot? Mold? I drain until nothing comes out and 10min. After that and still water at bottom a week later??? I

[Flockshot]

After all this, I think we can agree that it's a matter of personal preference. I have always used trays, but I an changing. I have always used fabric pots, and I am not changing. This is my first coco grow and this stuff just will not dry out. I am using 33% perlite and want to water more often rather than less often.

[Jibblerjoe]

Google clean roots, the platforms the make can surly be replicated

[Tika]

at day 52 in my space I am feeding 1x a week-it will get to 3x a week. The girls tell me when they want feed-copco not so dry but they droop-then I feed and they perk...follow instructions-and OBSERVE the plant- they will tell you..honest!

[cyberaktif]

now i know i made my own from landscape fabric but, when the pot was raised a couple days ago it was moist on the bottom and i didn't water too much. i would like to get something like royal nugs set up. put that under the pot so it can breathe more under there. can't hurt right? to each their own if it works for them.

[NA420]

My local hydroponics shop orders those drip trays like Royal Nigs has offline, I'm sure they are out there somewhere. I have a couple for drainage purposes and they were cheap. I will see if they can tell me but a google search might be quicker

[Jibblerjoe]

My idea is, get 5in diameter pvc pipe, cut into 3in pieces. Then use 3 of them under 3 gal pot to raise it up out of runoff water.

[Jibblerjoe]

Diy flower pot risers

[NA420]

I did the dirty work for you Potted ! I put my 3 gal smart pots on here to drain, got from my local hydroponics shop but heres where they got them. www.cleanrootscorp.com your welcome! Peace and positive vibes!

[Flockshot]

I have made my pot rack. It holds 2 pots suspended over a Tupperware type container that was designed to go under a bed (short height). Two of those for my 4 plants. Now I can rest the fabric pots on the 'rack' and let them drain into the tubs, or put my pan on the rack to slow down the watering schedule. The tubs slide out for emptying without disturbing the plants. One more form of control at my fingertips

[Tika]

Nice resolution!