Switching to 7 gallon bags

[Badfinger]

I am replacing my 5 gallon plastic pots with 7 gallon fabric pots.
Is it true you really cant over water with fabric pots. What is a good watering regiment?
I am also knocking around the idea of trying a wicking tray. My grow bags will be setting on 2.25" high plant caddies. Would it work to set the the caddie in an old under-bed tote, drape an old bath towel over the caddie and fill the tote with water to within 1/2" of the top of the caddie?
I'm worried about over saturating the bottom of the grow bags.

 

[EP3]

I have seen this done, never tried.
Hopefully someone with some good tips can give you the answers you need.
Good luck
EP3

 

[DCLXVI]

Oh who's the wick guy.... I think it's @Cave Dirt Cody ?

 

[EP3]

Cheers @DCLXVI
Told you someone would know something.
Good luck with the wick.
EP3

 

[Cave Dirt Cody]

I am replacing my 5 gallon plastic pots with 7 gallon fabric pots.
Is it true you really cant over water with fabric pots. What is a good watering regiment?
I am also knocking around the idea of trying a wicking tray. My grow bags will be setting on 2.25" high plant caddies. Would it work to set the the caddie in an old under-bed tote, drape an old bath towel over the caddie and fill the tote with water to within 1/2" of the top of the caddie?
I'm worried about over saturating the bottom of the grow bags.

What medium are you in? If you don’t mind me asking

 

[Badfinger]

What medium are you in? If you don’t mind me asking

This run I will be using Coast Of Maine Stonington Blend Growers Mix

 

[Cave Dirt Cody]

This run I will be using Coast Of Maine Stonington Blend Growers Mix

Is it a peat moss based soil with compost perlite and other admendments?

 

[Badfinger]

Is it a peat moss based soil with compost perlite and other admendments?

Yes it is, and I was planning on adding more perlite, roughly a 20-30% ratio of perlite.

 

[Cave Dirt Cody]

Yes it is, and I was planning on adding more perlite, roughly a 20-30% ratio of perlite.

So the answer is yes you can over water from the bottom. But with a 7 gallon pot it would be highly unlikely, especially if you had a big enough plant that was drinking a quart or more a day.
It would take roughly a quarter volume of your pot to achieve the 15 to 20% runoff that seems to be the watering standard. But myself I’m not looking for any runoff till at least the 3 rd week. Just take it easy from the the first 10 to 14 days. Then start watering from the bottom a quart or 2 at a time. Till you start filling moisture near the top of the pot. Then you would know about how much it would take to saturate your soil. Probably a gallon or so. If you got a nice plant that’s drinking heavily as long as you keep the water under the plant only about a inch or so deep you will never overwater. I think autopots abuse my theory.

 

[Badfinger]

So the answer is yes you can over water from the bottom. But with a 7 gallon pot it would be highly unlikely, especially if you had a big enough plant that was drinking a quart or more a day.
It would take roughly a quarter volume of your pot to achieve the 15 to 20% runoff that seems to be the watering standard. But myself I’m not looking for any runoff till at least the 3 rd week. Just take it easy from the the first 10 to 14 days. Then start watering from the bottom a quart or 2 at a time. Till you start filling moisture near the top of the pot. Then you would know about how much it would take to saturate your soil. Probably a gallon or so. If you got a nice plant that’s drinking heavily as long as you keep the water under the plant only about a inch or so deep you will never overwater. I think autopots abuse my theory.

Thanks for the info. I seen somewhere, they put like an inch of perlite in the bottom of the bag for the wicking. Should I be doing that too?