Watering Question

[BigB6]

I'm not so much a new grower but always learning. I was using autopot the last couple of years but am back hand watering and struggling with understanding it again, fabric pots are no problem but it's the plastic pots im doing now and want to stick at this for a while. I know people say water when dry up to the first knuckle or so but when in plastic pots the top 2 inches can be dry and the bottom would still be soaking. Do I just put in enough to keep the top moist until the bottom dries out or will I just leave it until it's all light then water to run off.

 

[Cannaficionado]

What kind of soil are you using? Ive had trouble in plastic back in the day which is why I stick to bags now. You can always use your plant as a guage too, it should start drooping for long periods of time when it needs water. But only the leaves and stems connecting them.

 

[BigB6]

What kind of soil are you using? Ive had trouble in plastic back in the day which is why I stick to bags now. You can always use your plant as a guage too, it should start drooping for long periods of time when it needs water. But only the leaves and stems connecting them.

I'm using plagron lightmix

 

[Cannaficionado]

I'm using plagron lightmix

@Mañ'O'Green will know how to water effectively. Ive never used an organic living soil before.

 

[Lil Dab]

@Mañ'O'Green will know how to water effectively. Ive never used an organic living soil before.

Pretty sure this is what he is gonna say

What you need to learn about watering will come with practice. Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and the roots and microbes will die there. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. There is an art to watering.

 

[Cannaficionado]

Pretty sure this is what he is gonna say

What you need to learn about watering will come with practice. Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and the roots and microbes will die there. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. There is an art to watering.

Thats exactly what he'd say, just didnt know if living soil was any different. Didnt wanna give unsound advice

 

[Lil Dab]

Thats exactly what he'd say, just didnt know if living soil was any different. Didnt wanna give unsound advice

the biggest with living soil is to not let it dry out cause then all microbial life dies off… lots of folks use mulch or some sort of cover crop to retain moisture…

 

[BigB6]

@Mañ'O'Green will know how to water effectively. Ive never used an organic living soil before.

It's a light mix terra range, going mineral nutes on this one.

 

[BigB6]

Pretty sure this is what he is gonna say

What you need to learn about watering will come with practice. Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and the roots and microbes will die there. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. There is an art to watering.

Thanks that's very informative. Watering again when it's roughly 50% dry is a good way to go.

 

[Lil Dab]

Thanks that's very informative. Watering again when it's roughly 50% dry is a good way to go.

yup watering by weight IMO is probably the most fail safe way of doing that… touch the soil is it dry? then lift the pot is it light? Use both factors to determine when to water again when they are young it will take a few days… in between watering but you may need a sprayer to keep the top of the soil moist for the microbes