New Grower AF Trigger: Age or Maturity?

[Mushroom King]

Daily feeds aren't necessary or recommended. Weed plants like to go through wet/dry cycles. Keeping the soil constantly wet will cut off needed oxygen to the roots and can stunt your plants. Get a feel for the weight of your pots when they are almost completely dry and only water/feed when they feel that way. When you do feed them, given enough so that about 10% runs out the bottom of the pot. As nutrients are broken down they create a bi product, which are salts. If allowed to build up in the soil they can eventually cause problems such as nutrient lockout. That extra run off will help to keep those salts leached out of the soil, preventing them from building up and causing issues.

Normally, I'd agree 100% with your advice, but I can tell when a plant is on the verge of over-fertilization, and she was asking for just a little more. As for the over-watering, the mycorhyzzal fungi seems to be flourishing, and they can usually control excess water for me. The soil drains well and is actually fairly dry by the end of the day. By the way, the fertilizer is briefly flushed with water after application.

*Diatomaceous earth was just added for pH balance and trace minerals.*

 

[Muddy]

Normally, I'd agree 100% with your advice, but I can tell when a plant is on the verge of over-fertilization, and she was asking for just a little more. As for the over-watering, the mycorhyzzal fungi seems to be flourishing, and they can usually control excess water for me. The soil drains well and is actually fairly dry by the end of the day. By the way, the fertilizer is briefly flushed with water after application.

*Diatomaceous earth was just added for pH balance and trace minerals.*

While over watering/feeding can obviously effect the amount of nutrients the plant is receiving, it's more about suffocating the roots. I just transplanted some photo plants yesterday from one gallon pots that were very root bound and taking up water and nutrients very quickly. Even at that point they were only requiring water/feeding every 3 days. If you continue daily feedings I expect in short order you will start to see your leaves wilting, a sure sign of too much moisture in the soil. Flushing with water after feeding is kind of self defeating. You are leaching out the nutrients before the plant has a chance to utilize them.

 

[Mushroom King]

Look, no offense, I'm not saying there's any invalidity to what you're saying. But I just do what seems to work for me. As for the over-watering issue, I grew up always reading that you should thoroughly soak the soil, and then let it completely dry out in between; but then after living in the Emerald Triangle for 3 years, I noticed that most successful (full-time commercial) growers I met actually kept the soil fairly moist 100% of the time. So I started to feel less strongly about the problem of over-watering. Now I've come to the conclusion that it's almost non-issue if mycorhyzzae and well-draining soil is used. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to work for me.

As for the flushing after fertilization, that is just because the fertilizer being used is not very water soluble. It's not so much flushing, as diluting and spreading the ferts around.

The leaves still look slightly hungry, although by no means NEEDING more nutrients, and I will definitely keep an eye out for any signs of roots rotting/drowning.

And by the way I do appreciate your advice, make no mistake.