Should I Remove the Dishes under the Smart Pots?

Grow Cycle Seedling
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A customer has a question and I hope we can get some opinions on it, thanks.

“I am growing my 2 marijuana plants in 5-gallon smart pots. I have placed the smart pots in dishes (plastic standard dishes you buy in any gardening store). My plants are in the third week of the flowering stage and many of the leaves are turning yellow and falling off the plants. The plants are scrogged and the ph level is 6.2. I suspect I may be overwatering. I usually water two days on and one day off – about 4 cups per plant with nutrient for the flowering stage. There is never any water run off in the smart pots. any thoughts? Should I remove the dishes under the smart pots?”

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If your not watering to slight runoff every other watering then your actually under watering. 5 gallons is alot of dirt. I give my 5 gallon plants half gallon to gallon a piece… Id get a runoff ph reading so you know what’s going on at rootzone

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yes, you are way overwatering. Water them till it runs off. 6.5 ph if soil. Then don’t water until the pot is dry again. Unless you are outdoors above 90 degrees you should get 3-4 or more days between waterings.

Also most nutrients are per gallon so easy does it with the nutirents and then only give every other watering with nutrients.

Join the forum so we can work with you on these issues! Turn your grow right around!

Best Wishes!

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I had the same problem and my bottom of my smart pot was always wet. Until I put it on top a milk crate and the plant started to get bigger. With my experience u might need some air flow to it can dry out a bit. I hope this helps

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thanks @Angryjohnny I too am gonna use smart pots and was wondering about air flow under the smart pot allowing it to dry. IMO it will allow you to see how much runoff you have at watering time. you also would get better access to the runoff to test… any logic to these opinions…
@Dr.DankThumb420
@bob31
@Dr.DankThumb420

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Well i myself always drain runoff saucer and dont let them sit in it for too long, i have some that sit directly in saucers but always get drained of extra runoff after watering.Yes, you can elevate them on some kind of screen or cement bricks or milk crates and put the drain saucers under to collect runoff. Both ways work so do what you think is best for your situation. Goodluck and happy growing @Royc

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All personal preference, I will try leaving a space between the smart pot and the saucer, only because the smart pot is designed to keep the airflow thus preventing plant from becoming root bound…??? What they advertise anyway…it’s going to be my first grow this all theoretical on my part, it’s what my research has found… Like I said haven’t grown yet just did a lot of reading, And internet, and grow store research. But this is something I would like the professionals to debunk or confirm, has to be some reason so many are using them, other then ease of use.
@Dr.DankThumb420 @Angryjohnny, @bob31

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