AutoPot - FlexiPot 2 System 20L + 47L Reservoir

Two plants, each in a 20 litre fabric FlexiPot on its own 1Pot XL tray with its own AQUAvalve5, with a 47 litre water tank included.

With fabric, the medium is the pump

There is no pump in this system. Water stands in the bottom of the tray and has to travel up through the root ball on its own. The medium does that work, and with a fabric pot it matters more than with plastic: the pot also loses moisture through its side wall, so more has to come up.

A heavy, water retaining mix works against you here. It wicks slowly and then stays wet too long, which hands you in fabric exactly what you chose fabric to avoid. AutoPot recommends a light, free draining mix, in practice around half and half: soil with perlite, or coco with clay pebbles.

This is where growers coming from rigid pots hit something new. The same mix that behaved in plastic can dry back too quickly in fabric.

A fabric pot shows you where it stands

The outside of a FlexiPot darkens while there is moisture in it and lightens as it dries back. Along the bottom edge you can see where the water sits in the root ball.

With a solid pot you have to lift it, probe it or go on instinct. Here, with two pots side by side, a single glance tells you whether they are keeping pace and whether one is drying noticeably faster than the other.

Technical Specifications:

• Plants: 2
• Pots: 2 fabric FlexiPots of 20 litres
• Trays: 2 separate 1Pot XL trays with lids
• Valves: 2 AQUAvalve5, one per tray
• Water tank: 47 litres, with lid and grommet
• Filter: 9 mm golf filter
• Pipe: 9 mm, 9 mm outer and 7 mm inner diameter
• Root barrier: round PotSock per pot
• Recommended medium: light and free draining, roughly half and half

Frequently asked questions

What medium can I use? Anything light and free draining; soil with perlite or coco with clay pebbles both work well.

Why avoid a water retaining mix? It wicks slowly and then stays wet too long, which undoes the advantage of fabric.

Do the two plants need to keep pace? No, each pot has its own valve and therefore its own cycle.

Do fabric pots use more water? Yes, moisture also evaporates through the side wall of the pot.