By Luke Sumpter


When growing cannabis, there are many factors to consider to achieve the best yield possible, including pot selection. Growers have plenty of different containers to choose from. The most popular pot types include:

  • Terracotta pots
  • Plastic pots
  • Fabric pots
  • Air Pots

Each of these pots comes with its own advantages and drawbacks.

As well as the type of pot, you’ll also need to consider what size of pot to use. Autoflower seeds are best sown directly into 11L pots, where they can remain for the entire growing cycle. Photoperiod seeds are often started in cell trays or small pots, and growers gradually transplant them into progressively larger pots as they grow.

Are plastic pots or fabric pots better for cannabis?
Plastic pots are more durable and prevent excess evaporation in warm climates. Fabric pots are easier to store and offer better drainage in cooler and rainier climates.
Do bigger pots mean bigger buds?
Bigger pots give rise to bigger plants. In most cases, this allows them to produce bigger buds. However, genetics and training techniques sometimes mean tall plants produce dense and small flowers, regardless of pot size.
Can you grow several plants in one pot?
Growing more than one plant in a single container will create a highly competitive environment. Plants will have less root space, remain small, and produce smaller harvests. They’ll also become prone to dehydration and nutrient deficiencies.
What is the best size of pot for growing cannabis?
There is no one-size-fits-all pot. Your pot selection will depend on how big you want your plants to grow, strain genetics, and the space you have available.

What Kind of Pots Are Best for Growing Weed?

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to selecting a pot to grow weed in.

Walk into any garden centre or hydroponics shop, and you’ll come across a diverse selection of growing containers, from traditional terracotta pots to more modern plastic ones. You’ll also encounter those made of fabric.

Terracotta Pot

The trusty standard flower pot has served home growers well for generations. The terracotta flower pot, invented as far back in time as 575 BC[1], has assisted in the cultivation of flowers, herbs, and vegetable crops for thousands of years. While ancient, terracotta pots are far from outdated. Countless gardeners still value them for their resilience, aesthetics, and functionality.

Terracota Pot
Pros
  • Terracotta pots are porous which aerates root systems
  • Terracotta pots absorb excess water, preventing water-logging and anaerobic conditions
Cons
  • Terracotta pots break easily
  • Terracotta pots are often irregularly shaped and don’t stack well

Plastic Pot

The patent for plastic flower pots, secured in 1961, created a cheaper alternative to terracotta containers that are far more durable. So, what attracts some growers to using standard flower pots when growing weed? And what turns others off?

Plastic Pot
Pros
  • Plastic pots are durable and last for many years
  • Plastic pots are lightweight, stackable, and minimise evaporation
Cons
  • Plastic pots can become waterlogged in wet weather
  • Plants can easily become root-bound in plastic pots, resulting in stunted growth, wilting, and nutrient deficiencies.

Smart Pots

Smart pots, also known as fabric pots, came onto the commercial scene 16 years after the patenting of plastic pots. Invented by Oklahoman tree farmer Ralph Reiger in 1980, fabric pots swap out terracotta and plastic for durable fabric that increases air exchange and drainage. Reiger developed the idea to improve the efficiency of growing and harvesting trees, but cannabis growers soon caught wind of their impressive benefits. Many home gardeners also use them when growing a variety of crops, from potatoes to tomatoes. To find out if smart pots are the right choice for you, you’ll need to weigh up their advantages and disadvantages.

Smart Pot
Pros
  • Prevent plants from becoming root-bound through air pruning
  • Offer superior drainage and prevent root rot
  • More expensive smart pots are washable and reusable
  • Can be folded and easily stored away
Cons
  • Can dry out quickly, especially in hot climates
  • Wear and tear means less life span than standard flower pots

RQS Fabric Pot with Aqua-Breathe Layer

Innovation eventually takes hold of a design and improves its features, creating something much more functional than the original invention. At Royal Queen Seeds, we’ve achieved just that regarding smart pots. We saw great value in the original design but also identified areas for improvement. By incorporating an Aqua Breathe geotextile layer, we essentially enhanced the durability and porosity of the smart pot. The additional non-woven layer adds robustness to our pots while balancing adequate drainage with optimal water retention. Discover the benefits and drawbacks of this newer design below:

RQS Fabric Pot
Pros
  • The Aqua Breathe layer only allows water to drain from the bottom of the pot, preventing excess water loss
  • Air pruning prevents circular root growth
  • Washable and reusable for multiple growing cycles
  • Extra reinforcement creates more durable pots
  • Available in a large range of sizes, from 4-litre to 25-litre capacity
Cons
  • Dry out faster than standard flowering pots
  • More challenging to transplant from smaller pots

Air Pots

Designed by Canadian company RootMaker Products in the 1990s, Air Pots are one of the most recent pot designs in the world of horticulture. These are physically distinct from other pots in that a series of spikes cover their exterior, with the tip of each spike featuring a hole that allows for superb air exchange. In many ways, Air Pots are a hybrid of standard plastic flower pots and fabric pots; they’re made of durable plastic but also come with the benefits of air pruning and superior drainage. Weigh up the pros and cons of Air Pots below to see if they can work for you.

Air Pot
Pros
  • Easy to move around
  • Durable and reusable
  • Good aeration and drainage
Cons
  • Soil may become hydrophobic due to excess drainage
  • Short life span than plastic pots

Cannabis Grow Bag

Cannabis grow bags are essentially fabric pots with several design adjustments that are marketed specifically towards cannabis cultivators. Good-quality grow bags are made of tough fabric that will last across many growing cycles. Built with resilience in mind, many of them also possess large handles that make them easy to move around, from under the open sky to the protection of a greenhouse or polytunnel. Grow bags have also become popular in the world of edible gardening, especially in the cultivation of potatoes. Check out a balanced breakdown of these growing containers below.

Grow Bag
Pros
  • Easy to move around
  • Durable and reusable
  • Good aeration and drainage
Cons
  • Soil may become hydroponic due to excess drainage
  • Short life span than plastic pots

Hempy Buckets

The hempy bucket hydroponic system uses plastic buckets, typically of 5-gallon capacity.  Growers make a hole in the bottom of the bucket and place it on a collection tray. The buckets are filled with a water-retentive medium such as perlite, into which seedlings are transplanted. Growers then manually water the medium with a nutrient solution which settles in the tray. The growing medium wicks water and nutrients up from the reservoir below, feeding and hydrating plants. While different to soil growing techniques, the plastic buckets used in this system aren’t dissimilar to standard plastic flower pots.

Hempy Buckets
Pros
  • Plastic buckets are sturdy and have a long lifespan
  • Hydroponic plant typically grow faster
  • Simple and inexpensive
Cons
  • Not automated, requiring more work than other hydroponic system
  • Poor reservoir management can cause the growing medium to completely dry out

The Best Ways to Catch Water Runoff

Thankfully, there are several options available when it comes to capturing and removing excess water from a growing space without causing a minor flooding event. Check out two of the most common options below to control water runoff. Once harvested, you can use this water in several ways, such as using it to water again in the future or using it to water your compost bin or pile.

  • Saucers

Saucers are a common way to manage water runoff when growing potted plants. Dish-shaped, they slow directly underneath a pot where they prevent water from flowing wildly onto the floor or windowsill. If you choose to utilise this option, you’ll need to select a saucer compatible with the size of your pot. Grab one too small, and water will pour down the sides, defeating the purpose of using a saucer in the first place. Saucers are particularly useful for collecting water runoff when growing in Air Pots, as water quickly drains out of the bottom.

  • Trays

Sometimes, saucers simply can’t handle the amount of water runoff from large containers. In this instance, trays are a good backup plan. Growing trays always exceed the footprint of the growing container. Their increased size means they’ll have no problem collecting water from larger containers. Some grow tray models are large enough to cover most of the floor space in a small grow tent, allowing growers to use one tray to collect runoff from several plants at once.

What Size Container Is Best for Growing Weed?

The size of the container solely depends on the goal of the grower during a particular cultivation cycle. When aiming to grow huge plants, you’ll need a large container; if you’re aiming for small and stealthy specimens, you’ll only need a small pot. Different genetics and pot sizes also go hand-in-hand, with photoperiod strains almost always needing bigger pots than autoflowers to reach their genetic potential. Check out the ideal pot sizes for cannabis seedlings and autoflowering genetics below.

Check out these figures to explore typical pot sizes during photoperiod growing cycles:

  • Seedling and early vegetative phase: 0.5–7.5l pot
  • Mid vegetative to flowering phase: 11–25l pot (or even bigger)
  • Pots Size for Seedlings

Photoperiod cannabis seeds are often started outside of their final growing container using a process of potting up until they’re big enough for their last pot. Some growers choose to start seeds in cell trays before transplanting seedlings into larger containers. However, you’ll need to time things right here to avoid your seedlings becoming root-bound in the early stages. An easy alternative, a 1l plastic pot serves as a great home for a photoperiod seedling while reducing the odds of circular root growth. Sow seeds directly into these containers, transplanting them to a larger pot, such as a 5L container, once their small canopy grows past the circumference of the pot.

  • Pot Size for Autoflowers

Because autoflowering plants grow so fast, and cultivators can’t control when they flower, growers tend to avoid transplanting them. This procedure can stress them and slow down growth, leaving them very little time to bounce back. When it comes to autos, sow seeds directly into an 11l pot and leave them there for the entire growing cycle for consistent and productive growth.

Best pot size for cannabis

Do You Need Pots for Outdoor Cannabis Plants?

When cultivating cannabis outdoors, you aren’t limited to growing plants in pots. Transplanting seedlings into raised beds or directly into the ground provides roots with more space to grow and develop, resulting in larger and sometimes more productive plants that require less frequent watering. However, pots offer the key advantage of being able to move your plants around. This comes in handy during bad weather, especially towards the end of the growing season when flowers are prone to mould. Moving them into a greenhouse or indoors could save your yield.

What are the Best Mediums for Growing Weed?

There are a range of different growing medium options when setting out to grow weed. Most of the pot types above are most suited to using soil. However, the simple word “soil”, in reality, encompasses many unique mixes. For the best results, we recommend enriching a standard potting mix with mature compost, worming castings, and other forms of organic nutrients, such as seaweed and bat guano. This will create a deposit of slow-release fertilisers that keep plants going throughout the growing season. The addition of bioinoculants, such as trichoderma and mycorrhizal fungi, will kickstart the process of nutrient cycling and decrease the amount of time it takes for these nutrients to end up in your plants.

Give Your Cannabis Plants the Best Start in Life

You can give your cannabis plants the best possible start in life by carefully considering weed pot selection. Your local climate and the genetics you choose to grow will dictate which pot you choose more than anything else. Plastic standard flower pots are ideal for warmer regions where they limit evaporation. In contrast, smart pots and air pots are great for cooler places where water-logging can become an issue. While photoperiod strains benefit from much larger pots, autos do great when sown directly into a pot size of 11l. Consider the unique features of all of the pots mentioned above and decide which works best for your growing goals.

External Resources:
  1. Visual history of the flower pot, vase and planter – Tortuga Forma https://tortugaforma.co
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

Cookies settings

We are requesting your permission to use your data for the reasons stated below:

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small pieces of data from a particular website that get stored on a user’s computer while they’re surfing the internet. Cookies have several different functions. Some of them track browser activity that enables businesses to deliver targeted advertisements. Other cookies serve to remember user login details to different websites to make jumping on social media, or other sites, a more fluid process. Because each cookie has its own unique ID, these pieces of data allow website owners to measure the unique traffic coming into their site.

Why do we use cookies?

Cookies come in handy when you visit our website. They ensure you stay logged in, that you can shop safely, and that the items you add to your cart stay there before you make a purchase. But cookies also help us. The data they provide allow us to improve our website and enable us to present you with targeted advertisements that are compatible with your interests.

What kind of cookies do we use?

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

How can I disable or delete cookies?

Not a fan of cookies? No worries. You can disable them (with the exception of necessary cookies) in your browser settings. However, blocking cookies may impact your browsing experience and prevent you from enjoying all of the technical features of our site.

Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: