fabric pots vs air pots

[psychocannanaut]

i can tell this is a question for forest, yet im sure he has more important things on hand atm (fingers crossed for the fella)

has anyone got experience with fabric pots?
they've been compared to the airpots (function wise) as in they let the root system breath, im guessing the air can permeate between fabric and soil alot easier then plastic and soil
forest had a few things to say (that i remember) he made a few of these pots with old jeans and said they worked in the same way as air pots
ive been looking on the bay, and theyve got them on there for a reasonable price. they look alot easier to use compared to airpots as there no huge holes! lol
but was wondering as to things like run off? im guessin the botttom of these pots is just going to get damp, real damp, this cant be good? maybe even leading to mould
i want to move from regular pots onto airpots just like the sound of the fabric pots even more
just wondering wether anyones used em and would recommend em? or would not recommend them?
or anyone thats used air pots, are they living up to the hype?

[Woody J]

I have not used them, so cannot help with that.
What I may be able to help with is what you say about the pots becoming damp at the bottom.
I had the same issue when I first started using the 4" rockwool cubes.
When seated on a tray, they would retain water at the bottom. My solution was to sit them on one of those wire cooling trays bakers use. This allows air to circulate underneath the cube (pot in your case) and allows for freer drainage.
Good luck with it fella, be nice to see how it goes.
W

[psychocannanaut]

I have not used them, so cannot help with that.
What I may be able to help with is what you say about the pots becoming damp at the bottom.
I had the same issue when I first started using the 4" rockwool cubes.
When seated on a tray, they would retain water at the bottom. My solution was to sit them on one of those wire cooling trays bakers use. This allows air to circulate underneath the cube (pot in your case) and allows for freer drainage.
Good luck with it fella, be nice to see how it goes.
W

sweet on the cooling rack idea mate, just lift off the ground abit
makes sense, duely noted. cheers mate

[mellowed]

I've used the fabric pots but not airports so I can't compare them but when I used the fabric pots I wasn't to impressed. As you've said the bottom stays damp so they need sitting on something to let the air circulate. Run off is fine but I found that when the soil was dry an compact it was a bit awkward to water because it just spilt over the side an dribbled out of the fabric so after a few attempts I decided to just leave them in a bowl of water for 20 mins to soak up the water. The fabric also contains a dye which comes out in the run off but that soon passes after a good few waters. Wheather it has an adverse effect to the water or soil I don't know but it never seemed to do any harm.

The only other problem I had was when I had chopped the plants or wanted to repot an wanted to remove the root ball I found that the roots had sort of woven themselves into the fabric which resulted in ripped off roots being stuck in the fabric.

Hope that helps mate.

[Hillbilly]

I only use felt pots in my outdoor grow!! They are one of the best pots IMO. Yes they don'r re-pot well but I use them for the end pot not the start. I used them indoors and Like to keep my mothers in them as I don't have to root prone my mothers so I don't have to re-pot as often. If your going to use Air pots ver. Felt pots Felt all the way every thing I have seen they do better and cost a lot less. I used felt pots indoors other then the 50% coco try I never had a problem with them. I have some squash going planted the same day, I planted the older two plants in the ground and others in the felt pot and the ones in felt pots are almost 2x as big and I think will have fruit sooner. I love the felt pots.

[mellowed]

Hillbilly Looooooooooooooves the felt pots lol. Sorry mate. That just got right stuck in my head once I read it lol.

[Tabbatha]

Sup man,

they've been compared to the airpots (function wise) as in they let the root system breath

That's not actually the primary funcion of airpots and currently, their specific function isn't matched by any other product.

What an airpot does is use its cone shapes and holes to air-prune roots at the tips (where the auxin reaction is most sensitive) dy directing them into segregated parts of the pot wall << that's important for the overall effect of the airpot to work. What then happens is the root-tip's dehydration forces a fine-feeder root reaction in the centres of the soil mass. Fabric pots don't do this so they can't really be compared on functionality. In terms of comparability with air-access.. I dunno as I've not used fabric pots. However, it stands to reason that any form of porous container will be allowing air into the roots more directly than standard vessels. I've grown in coir pots and found them to be great for the wet/dry cycle and allowing air.. but they don't force the same feeder-root reaction. I'm waging that fabric would be very similar to coir.


Hope that helps a bit fella.

[Hillbilly]

What then happens is the root-tip's dehydration forces a fine-feeder root reaction in the centres of the soil mass. Fabric pots don't do this so they can't really be compared on functionality.

it is an aeration container. It has a unique ability to air-prune and enhance a plant’s root structure. A highly branched, fibrous root structure is the key to growing a better plant – with more flowers and fruits, and more resistance to insects and diseases.

Read more: - Container Gardening, Hydroponic Fabric Containers

A branched, fibrous root structure (“root pruned”) has a far greater root mass than a comparable plant where the roots are circling on the inside of a plastic pot. And a greater root mass will grow a better plant.

Read more: The Better Choice for Container Growing and Hydroponic Gardening

Felt pots don't have to rely on forcing the roots to one spot to air root prune it does it from top to bottom of the pot and there for I feel has a better over all root mass and are about 1/2 to 1/4th the price of Air pots. I don't know anyone one that uses Air pots after using a felt pot side by side. I have talked with more then one Hydro store that's tested out both and they wouldn't use air pots them self after trying felt pots. Remember it's the new root growth that takes up Nuts so the more Air prune the better and I feel Felt pots would be the clear winner of air pruning the roots.

[psychocannanaut]

cheers everyone, looks like il give the fabric pots a go next grow then
1love

[Alchemist Of Green]

Hi mate, I'm using them pots on my current grow, and Im really liking them over the air pots, these are so much better for watering.

And on the damp bottoms, I just put 2in of clay pebbles in the bottom, and they seem to be doing fine.

Have alook at my grow fella.

All the best.

A.o.G

[Alchemist Of Green]

here's the link to my grow, from when i started using them click me

good luck with what you do fella.

A.o.G