SOIL PROBLEM Please help

[BiG $m0k3]

I'm in the 5th week of flower. I put a bunch of perlite in with my soil in 7 gallon smart pots. Great drainage all through veg and the beginning of flower. But now the drainage is slow. I see a lot of perlite at the top of the soil. And after I water, the leaves look heavy and slumped they dont look perky like they used to. Are the roots suffocating because the drainage situation changed in my pot. Is it possible 4 ur drainage to change midway through the grow. Is there a fix 4 this? Thanks

 

[growingforfun]

I like using hydroton more myself.

I guess you could cut the bottom of the bag a little in a few spots, maybe it got a little clogged up. I switchedback to hard pots after a while, they just seem overall easier to work with for me.

 

[BiG $m0k3]

I like using hydroton more myself.

I guess you could cut the bottom of the bag a little in a few spots, maybe it got a little clogged up. I switchedback to hard pots after a while, they just seem overall easier to work with for me.

Thanks. Guess ill cut the pots. Ill try to water slower too.

 

[delstele]

Or you can let then pull water from the bottom simply put a tub under and water...

 

[goldberg71b]

Perlite will float. I cut my pro mix HP 50/50 with perlite. So I have more than 50% perlite in my finished mix it's actually between 65-70%. At first a small amount will come to the top. I go from clones in a flat to one gallon pots to 5 gallon pots. From the time I transplant until the plant takes firm hold I make sure I water gently. I do it with a wand by hand. I make sure not to hold it one spot so the soil gets all churned up. Rather I make sure I spread it around and pack it down. Once the roots hold nothing gets loose. If you jump pot size to fast the roots don't have a need to take hold of the top of the soil. I don't transplant until what ever they are in dries in 48 hours. Then it's time to upsize. By this time there are roots from the top of the soil to the bottom. When in the bigger pot roots start spreading in the top as well as he bottom. To quickly and they'll keep diving lower in the soil. If you're transplanting and the top layer of soil doesn't hold together your transplanting to early.

 

[PSUAGRO.]

Aerate it , take something long and sorta sharp and poke some holes straight down to the bottom of the pot around the feed circle of the main stem(6 inch+).......if you catch a couple of auxiliary roots in the process even better

 

[BiG $m0k3]

Perlite will float. I cut my pro mix HP 50/50 with perlite. So I have more than 50% perlite in my finished mix it's actually between 65-70%. At first a small amount will come to the top. I go from clones in a flat to one gallon pots to 5 gallon pots. From the time I transplant until the plant takes firm hold I make sure I water gently. I do it with a wand by hand. I make sure not to hold it one spot so the soil gets all churned up. Rather I make sure I spread it around and pack it down. Once the roots hold nothing gets loose. If you jump pot size to fast the roots don't have a need to take hold of the top of the soil. I don't transplant until what ever they are in dries in 48 hours. Then it's time to upsize. By this time there are roots from the top of the soil to the bottom. When in the bigger pot roots start spreading in the top as well as he bottom. To quickly and they'll keep diving lower in the soil. If you're transplanting and the top layer of soil doesn't hold together your transplanting to early.

Thanks for explaining it like that. I got to mix my perlite better next time.

 

[BiG $m0k3]

Aerate it , take something long and sorta sharp and poke some holes straight down to the bottom of the pot around the feed circle of the main stem(6 inch+).......if you catch a couple of auxiliary roots in the process even better

That might be my only choice at this point.

 

[BudgetGrows]

I use Fabric pots with Ocean Forest and 40% Perlite. Usually a layer of perlite alone on the bottom. Still late flower drainage seems less than in the start. Never seems to affect the grow as long as you still water only when they say. I always figured everything is settled and more compacted plus more roots to hold in the bottom. Plus no matter what lately in always rootbound as hell when i pull the plant after harvest. Doesnt matter what size pot im in. I could have a 1' plant in a 10gallon bag and...rootbound lol. Well not that bad but seems like i am a ROOT grower lately not a BUD grower

 

[growingforfun]

Just use hydroton next time. Works so much better. Stays put better in the soil, drains better, roots love it.

 

[BiG $m0k3]

Just use hydroton next time. Works so much better. Stays put better in the soil, drains better, roots love it.

Thanks for ur help. So do I actually mix the hydroton inside soil? Whenever i see people using hydroton its usually on the surface.

 

[growingforfun]

Thanks for ur help. So do I actually mix the hydroton inside soil? Whenever i see people using hydroton its usually on the surface.

I mix it at a 1/3 ratio, throughly mixed. Never heard of it as a top only. It also does good as a layer on the bottom for excellent drainage but thats not needed.

 

[BiG $m0k3]

I mix it at a 1/3 ratio, throughly mixed. Never heard of it as a top only. It also does good as a layer on the bottom for excellent drainage but thats not needed.

Ok thanks. Im gona try it on my next grow. Seems like it would give way better drainage.