Guide to choosing the right weed plant pot size
Choosing a pot for your cannabis plant is an essential task in growing weed, perhaps even the most important.
Yet, its importance is often underestimated. What a pity! The size and type of pot determines to a large extent the way in which your plants grow, and this has a direct influence on your harvest! Choosing the right weed plant pot size cannot be understated.
How to choose the right weed plant pot size?
Weed plants are best grown in fabric pots, smart pots or air pots with a capacity of 6 to 12 liters (1.6 to 3.2 gallons).
However, the best size pot for weed plants depends on your plans. For example, do you want to grow indoors or outdoors? Do you have a small growing space and want to put several plants close together, or do you have a lot of space? Let's take a closer look and with our help you will be able to choose the best size pots for growing weed indoors and outdoors.
Small pots (up to 8.5 liters)
Smaller pots of 6.5 to 8.5 liters (1.7 to 2.1 gallons) are ideal for many growing techniques, such as when growing with autoflower seeds in a Sea of Green setup. It's a great way to utilize all the growing space and work with homogeneous, even crops. You can have smaller plants, which will obviously lead to lower yields, but the larger amount of plants will compensate.
This size container also works well for the Screen of Green (SCROG) method. This method uses a screen to support the plants, which can dramatically increase yields.
Large pots (up to 25 liters)
If you are limited in the number of plants or the growing space or if you want to grow some very large cannabis plants, it is best to use 10-15 liter (2.6 to 4 gallon) pots.
Large pots can also be used if you have a lot of space. You could even consider 20 liter (5.3 gallon) pots.
20 liter pots offer enough space and freedom for your roots to reach their full potential. A cannabis plant does most of its root development during the vegetative stage.
By stimulating good root growth early on in this phase, you prepare yourself for a good harvest. Because the plant has many roots during the flowering stage, your plant can absorb all the water and nutrients it needs, increasing the quantities produced.
It should be noted that large pots are only a tool: they do not directly cause an increase in yield, but they can facilitate it if the other conditions are met.
The disadvantage of larger pots is the space they take up. They can therefore be limiting when the growing space is limited. However, do you have enough space? Then they can absolutely help you increase your harvest.
What are the most commonly used pots?
The most commonly used pots are 12 liter (3.2 gallon) pots. This is because they offer a good balance between pot size and growing space. With this size of pot, the roots of the cannabis plant have enough room to grow properly. Moreover, the pots do not take up too much space.
We advise deciding in advance how many liters of pot you use, based on your available space and your wishes. Keep in mind that 1-5 large plants is much easier to manage than a sea of greenery.
Points of attention when choosing a pot for your cannabis plant
In addition to the weed plant pot size, there are a few other things to consider when buying pots:
1. The pot must drain
Watering is the key to success, however a mistake is easy to make, especially as a beginner. To ensure that a cannabis plant does not drown, and excess water can drain away, you need a pot with drainage. In simpler terms, there need to be holes in the bottom of the pot.
Place the pot on a small plate or bowl. This way you can easily water without getting the floor wet, and at the same time you are ensuring that your pots are not flooded.
Insufficient drainage will result in waterlogging of the growing medium, which over time will reduce the oxygen content around the roots. Not only will the roots suffer, but also transpiration and nutrient uptake will temporarily stop until ideal conditions are met. You can also be faced with fungi like mold. If you want to prevent this from happening, drainage and other ways of preventing mold on your weed plant are key.
2. The pot should be dark-colored
Pots should not let light through. When healthy roots come in contact with light, they can be damaged. Therefore, choose a dark pot.
3. Clean the pot in advance
Make sure you clean your pot before using it. Pots can contain chemical residues or other impurities from the store that are harmful to your plant.
4. Provide enough space for optimal development
As mentioned above, the size of your pots can have a huge influence on how your plants grow. It is therefore vital to ensure that the roots have enough room to grow. It is therefore better to give your plant a little too much space than too little. This will ensure that your plant will really thrive.
The root zone is responsible for the absorption and distribution of minerals, nutrients and the growth hormone auxin to other pathways in the plant. The depth and width of the root zone make a huge difference to what grows above ground. After all, in the world of horticulture, they always say: "the bigger the roots, the bigger the fruit."
What have we learned?
You are now ready to pick the right pot size for your precious cannabis plant. Plan ahead, and choose a pot that fits your grow! Ensure you select a clean, dark-colored pot with adequate drainage. If you want to delve deeper into the growing process, you should check out our Learning Center or our grow guide for beginners, which provides a step-by-step online handbook for growing your first weed plant.
If you are ready for a new grow, you can buy cannabis seeds at the Weed Seedsexpress online store! We offer high-quality seeds and the best deals you can imagine, including a variety of autoflowering seeds for sale that are perfect for quick and easy cultivation. Get ready for the grow of a lifetime!