The container size you should use with weed is dependent on many factors. Let us face it, we all want a good yield. We all want healthy plants too. So each situation is different. If you are growing outdoors, the best answer might be on the ground. You can get some monster plants like we have all seen. Outdoors, I would say to use at least 5-gallon buckets.
From my experience, An ounce of bud is grown on average per gallon of soil used. It is the overall gauge I go by. Medium, light, strain, and airflow can give or take away those yields.
For example, if Im growing in a 4x4 tent, I may want to grow four plants in that space. I could let it fill out the room in the tent with vegetative growth, using one little bulb or some tiny led light, then I will not get the yield as I would if I used a 1000-watt HID bulb. I would get tiny wispy buds that didn't grow to their full potential. Say that we only vegged the plants a month or less in the 5-gallon buckets before flowering, and we used very cheap soil we got from a dollar retail store. Our results will not be at full potential because our plants were only 2 feet tall and didn't even utilize all the space in the 5-gallon bucket, and the soil was having problems, so the plants are experiencing stunted growth. Many factors contribute to yield. Pot size is one that plays into the whole picture.
I have grown several plants in one-gallon pots. I personally would get an average of ½ ounce to 1 ounce. The strain's genetics was a factor.
The medium you use will also play a factor. So can the kind of nutrients you use. If I use Coco Coir instead of soil, I can get a better yield in smaller containers. Is it worth sacrificing taste and terp profiles by doing so? Much of it depends on what your goals are regarding your legal grow in your area. In legal states, you are limited to different plant counts. In some states, they allow you higher plant counts.
Indoors a good start is with any grow in 3-gallon pots in soil minimum for flowering. Indoors, you could grow, a big, single female in your tent and prune it by using nets and ties(scrogging) and can use a 13-gallon pot and get a massive yielding single plant that yields a pound or two under a 1000-watt light. What is important is that you utilize all of the space that you are growing in and are able to get a sufficient amount of medicine without wasting too much water and electricity so that you, the grower, can pay a minimal amount for the maximum smokage to enjoy!
The good news is that you will improve as time goes by and learn all there is to grow. Much of that will be through trial and error.
Some questions I ask when using only organic amendments to my soil. Is this plant going to get enough oxygen to the roots? Should I add more perlite to aerate it better? Should I mix in some Coco for aeration? Will my plants get root bound in a one-gallon? Will I have to water every day in smaller pots? What nutrient line should I use? Should I top-dress the soil?
These are just a few of the questions you will ask yourself when determining pot size.
Will my plant double or triple in height during the flowering phase? Will the Taller Sativa plants block out the light for the shorter Indicas?
I am using a mix of organic and some passive hydro with coco-coar and synthetic nutrients. My yields are higher using coco than in organics. I enjoy the flavor and smell more with using organic soil. But the yields are better to me grown in coco with nutrients. You can water more and run more water and nutrients, which helps the roots hold more oxygen.
I still experiment with different methods, soils, and nutrients because I am searching for something better to improve. In a smaller container with organics, you can put some fertilizer at the bottom of the pot to provide nutrients toward the end of flowering. Use layering techniques or nutrient spikes to help provide extra nutrients in smaller containers. But you get the point. There is no set way. You will grow better from learning and trying different things. You will gain new knowledge with every attempt.
When deciding on container size, remember airflow, pests, light, grow space, plant count, medium, and other factors. If you do, you will be well happy with your result!
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