scrub

I have used six inch netpots and three inch netpots. I like the three inch diameter netpot for a cabinet.

What you see in the photos are 2 inch to 1 1/2 inch PVC bushings. The inside diameter is actually 2 inches with a small lip that takes the diameter down to 1 1/2 at the base. These work nicely for me. I figure that I'm not going to get a plant whose trunk is greater than 1 1/2 inches.

All plants share the same reservoir. It is a 32 gallon tote. The tote is filled up to about 2 1/2 inches from the tote top. Just below the base of the bushings. The reservoir has about 30 gallons of water.

I believe that the light leak from your sliding door may cause you problems. I've had some light issues but these were from improper light timing not leaks.

My cabinet has a few light cracks. The cabinet is in a garage. These minor cracks do not seem to be an issue for me at this time. Sensitivity to light cracks may also be strain dependent.

Bottom line on the light leaks: Stop or minimize the light leaks if you can. How to stop the leaks? Check the construction forum. I haven't tried any of these but they may give you an idea:

• Add a light blocking brush to door edges.
• Add an internal 'Dark Room' curtain across the front.
• Add an external 'Dark Room' curtain across the front.
• Keep the room dark during flowering where grow cabinet is. Replace light in the room with a Green bulb during this period.

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Insomniac

Oh! I didn't realize that you were doing hydroponics. I know nothing about that.

I guess my question, since I am using soil, is will making the soil pots smaller than the normal size help keep down the size of the plants... like making a bonsai? Or would that just make each plant root bound? In doing bonsai with a tree I think the tap root is cut a bit.

BTW... Someone mentioned something about the wooden sticks blocking light.
Home centers often sell 24 inch clear plastic rods in the window shade section of the stores.
They are twisted to open or close the blinds.
Specialty industrial plastic suppliers sell clear plastic acrylic rods of many sizes.

scrub

Thanks, Insomniac. I could consider using 1/4 inch diameter clear 'Sticks' at the upper level. I'm familiar with the rods that you talk about.

But, each stick doesn't actually block much light. Collectively I get at most 8% loss by area.

To get this number, I counted the sticks currently at the top level in the Grow Cabinet. There are 14 sticks training side to side and 3 training front to back. If these sticks were above the plants they could block at most 3 1/2 inches of 44 inches side to side space available and 3/4 of an inch of 22 inches the front to back space. Loss would be about 8% (3.5 divided by 44).

Thank you for making my thread your #1 and #2 post at Garden's Cure. I'm sure you will find the answer here to your question about root bound pots. The people here are very helpful.

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Insomniac

Thanks for the previous explanations

Some more questions:
How tall is the plant when you start training?
IOW if you had say, 3 horizontal rows of chains, one above the other, spaced at maybe every 4 inches... when the plant was about one foot tall, could you start the bottom row training first and work your way up the levels?
If you start at the top row, instead of the bottom, than you would have to pull the plant down a bit in order to make a bend and a counter bend at lower points on the main stem... right?

Second question:
Are you, or could you train in a vertical spiral or vortex? Sort of a circle above a circle above a circle of growth ... all stems flowing in the same general direction round and round as it grows up?

scrub

My training levels are 6 inches, 8 inches, 12 inches, 16 inches, 20 inches, 24 inches.

I start training when the plant tops are about 1 1/2 inch above the second chain level. The first chain level provides counter-force to training. It may not be needed in a soil environment.

I have experimented with several training patterns. Most of these patterns are addressed in the thread. My current method is to (1) identify and dedicate a space for each plant and (2) to train the plant to that space. The pattern is center and right to right. Then center and left to the left.

I am sure that any pattern or ad hoc training direction is possible.

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scrub

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nigel

Finally made it with some pics as promised.

Hello insominiac, in soil grow the biggest limiting factor is the pot. The smaller the pot, the less canopy it can support, so yes you can keep a plant smaller that way ala bonsai.

Can't give you an exact figure on pot sizes as live in OZ so different measurement, and it is possible to grow a plant in a small pot if you feed it. But guesstimate your canopy is going to be 2 or 3 x your root ball?

Well my scrog is working scrub, just not as a scrog. Found early in the piece that weaving was a bit too static for me, so just hooking branches on

pic 1 - wire hook

pic 2 - April demonstrating the kinking of stems produced by weaving

pic 3 - topped seedling, pulled out from screen, it's a mess

pic 4 - came good outdoors with heaps of budsites, but no size or volume

I feel weaving deformed both these girls

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nigel

pic 1 - she was not topped, just taken from front to back, laterals spread in a fishbone pattern

pic 2 - this is what was produced, nice straight branches,

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nigel

pic 1 - outlaw sitting in pot on top of screen

pic 2 - tried tying her onto herself

pic 3 - then tied her head first on screen

pic 4 - outlaw out

pic 5 - tried under screen

pic 6 - now on top of screen, let go, a main elephant trunk cola, lateral fishbone back to base

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nigel

pic 1 - two mains taken right away from light, to encourage laterals

pic 2 - a bit further on and so on, sticks and hooks keeping tips low

so been trying a few things. lol nigel

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