Over watering or under watering?

[chemphlegm]

I used to add a bit o soap to help with water spread, but now i just water in pieces. I go through and water everyone once, just to wet the soil, then again about 20min later, after solution is mixed. Its a lot easier to water evenly is the soil isnt allowed to get hydrophobic...

I used to do that. My well water is slippery now though,....so....

 

[ANC]

IMHO; over time, coco, or what I use HP pro mix, can just disappear. I guess its condensed or lost efficiency.

push your pot or bags to open up space, and add some new coco, or whatever.

I find by the time I flip I can add quite a bit more to the pot/bag, more water in fresh medium.

growstone: keeps the top dry and water down, less evaporation out top-side: where it can cause mold or algae, its what the product is for. as side effect I think it helps keep proper moisture.

This is an astute observation, if you grow big roots, less of this happens.
The reason I say it is a good observation is that this is exactly what new soil does in a pot. There is no aggregate, it just packs together like old porridge and lets no air and very little water through...with far worse effects than in coco.

 

[ANC]

now dont add water until the pot feels like it did before you added water to it. it doesnt get any simpler than that.

If it feels 'too light' at this point, you let it go a bit too far. shorten the watering period. Very hard to impossible to over water in coco in suitably sized container.

 

[chemphlegm]

If it feels 'too light' at this point, you let it go a bit too far. shorten the watering period. Very hard to impossible to over water in coco in suitably sized container.

yeah, gotta watch out for the too

but seriously though, if the plant is not drooping it's not too light right? this is what we do in peat/soil

 

[gg2]

I've heard some good advice here. Put a fan on the bottoms. Is it a smart pot? What's your temp and humidity? I also like the idea of suspending them a bit to dry out the bottoms. Place down two bricks and rest on top of that. If your soil is still wet after 3 days you're frequency might not be the issue. Might be just too much water for the size of your plant.

Yes, I have read about the bricks before and think I am gonna try this. I have no smart pots.The humidity is fine and the temp. Of course here in Florida it is always hot and humid, have two fans blowing across them. Thank you so much for this help moneygrows

 

[I'mBatman]

Its okay to measure a small pots moisture content using your knuckles, however i wouldn't recommend that method in soil once you hit 3 gallon+ pots.

You will eventually hit overwatering problems if you keep pouring in when only the top is dry, lift the pots instead and give a nice slow watering when the pot gets alarmingly light. You can raise the pots with a brick or something and help increase the exposure to oxygen at the bottom of the pots. It will help


Have you changed the lights,feed or environment prior to the issues?

I gave up n bought a meter. Lol

 

[chemphlegm]

be sure to stick that meter in hole near the bottom of the pot.
but if you used your finger to do the same you'd see the meter was a possible waste

 

[a senile fungus]

I swear those meters are only useful for poking holes in the soil...

 

[gg2]

I plant straight to 5-7 gallon pots sometimes. They can go up to a couple weeks without needing water when they are small.

wow, that is great info about the water. My pots are 4 gallon and plants look like midgets in them.. lol.I also have them sitting on top of a wood pallet so air gets to the bottom. Thank you so much b/c never thought you could go two weeks w/o watering.No one has ever told me this. I just love all the helpful info everyone gives here, For newbies this is just invaluable information. I read up on everything I can find about growing, but so much out there and being new, it is like wth do I need to do.??? So to get personal advice is just crazy awesome for me. Thank you so muchwhitebb2727

 

[gg2]

Here is a real time share.
I have transplanted plants into a variety of pots between 7-14-17 through 7-17-17 . Doing some experimenting.

I transplanted right after they started flowering, it was not intentional, plants should be in their final pots before flowering starts. These plants started flowering before I wanted them to so they are very small, they spent their entire lives under 12-12 light. I do anticipate excellent crystal though in the weeks ahead, time will tell.

2 are in 8" clay
4 are in 10"clay
1 is in 12" clay
the rest are in 3 gallon plastic pots.
Temps 81 - 82. Humidity 41-46%. It matters because it affects drying time.

I water plants before transplanting, some people transplant when a plant is dry.
So far I have watered 2 plant.

I was planning on transplanting 3 plants in 8" pots to 3 gallon pots.

One of them went into a major state of praying after watering it, a happy sign so I did not transplant it, I did transplant the other 2..
Growers love plants that pray. The plant that prayed went 10 days before receiving ro water.

I watered one plant today. It is in a 10" clay pot. It was not watered for 11 days and was watered this morning and it is praying right now.
None of the others have been watered yet, some may be thirsty, but I'm gonna wait till they beg for water.
Some will be watered over the next several days. I hope they pray too. The 3 gallon pots have a ways to go, 3 or 4 days, maybe more, meaning the plants in 3 gallon plastic pots will not be watered for two weeks and they are happy, no fear they are gonna die.
I have had plants that prayed before but not like this. For all I know it is not a good thing, looks cool. Leaves look great. I have no worries yet.

The plant in the 8" clay 5 hours after watering. It was not watered until 10 days after transplant.


5 hours after watering the 10" clay pot that was not watered until 11 days after transplant.

Might not work for everyone, just info to consider.

awesome, can I ask what does praying mean? I am learning a completely new language trying to grow as a newbie, not just growing alone.. it is a trip now.. I told my hubby I had to get ''nutes'' and he said wth is that ?? like why r u saying nutes, the word is nutrition.. hahahaha.. we now speak a different language to each other, but I am teaching him as I learn!! Thank you , but praying?????

 

[gg2]

be sure to stick that meter in hole near the bottom of the pot.
but if you used your finger to do the same you'd see the meter was a possible waste

I swear those meters are only useful for poking holes in the soil...

Thanks chemphlegm, I found out this b/c my reading kept coming up way off I thought.. The meter says put just few ' in soil. Always seemed to read way high ph levels and plants were not suffering.. I put to the bottom and now it reads in between the safe zones!! trial n error I must learn, but please not at the expense of my little babies Thanks so much

 

[gg2]

I swear those meters are only useful for poking holes in the soil...

LMBO!!! I said the samething.. too funny.

 

[TacoMac]

I also have them sitting on top of a wood pallet so air gets to the bottom.

Very, very bad idea.

You want the bottom on the floor or in a pan. You don't want the pot drying out from both ends. That's a ridiculous situation that goes contrary to every single mechanic of plant life.

You want the bottom to dry out last like it does in nature. That makes the roots grow deep looking for water and builds a stronger plant.

By drying the pot at both ends, you're wasting not only water, but nutrients and you're causing a whole hell of a lot more potential problems than you're curing.

 

[whitebb2727]

wow, that is great info about the water. My pots are 4 gallon and plants look like midgets in them.. lol.I also have them sitting on top of a wood pallet so air gets to the bottom. Thank you so much b/c never thought you could go two weeks w/o watering.No one has ever told me this. I just love all the helpful info everyone gives here, For newbies this is just invaluable information. I read up on everything I can find about growing, but so much out there and being new, it is like wth do I need to do.??? So to get personal advice is just crazy awesome for me. Thank you so muchwhitebb2727

No problem. I'm not saying yours will go two weeks but they might. 4 gallon with small plant could go a week easy.

Praying means the leaves are pointed up slightly like when someone in church holds their arms up. Someone posted a pic of it above.

 

[gg2]

Very, very bad idea.

You want the bottom on the floor or in a pan. You don't want the pot drying out from both ends. That's a ridiculous situation that goes contrary to every single mechanic of plant life.

You want the bottom to dry out last like it does in nature. That makes the roots grow deep looking for water and builds a stronger plant.

By drying the pot at both ends, you're wasting not only water, but nutrients and you're causing a whole hell of a lot more potential problems than you're curing.

well my-my-my.. good grief n I thought it was a good idea.. that is why we newbies need your help... will take care of this immediately TacoMac and thank you so very much.. probably a lot of the problem with watering I am having.. I be dog if I will not think for myself doing this learning stuff

 

[gg2]

No problem. I'm not saying yours will go two weeks but they might. 4 gallon with small plant could go a week easy.

Praying means the leaves are pointed up slightly like when someone in church holds their arms up. Someone posted a pic of it above.

Well thank you for explaining, makes sense, but as I said new language in 420 growing..lol.. I sure want my plants praying then

 

[whitebb2727]

Well thank you for explaining, makes sense, but as I said new language in 420 growing..lol.. I sure want my plants praying then

No problem.

 

[chemphlegm]

Well thank you for explaining, makes sense, but as I said new language in 420 growing..lol.. I sure want my plants praying then

also referred to as leaf looks like a "Taco".
namaste

 

[ANC]

good advice there

 

[ANC]

can you spend a few bucks and buy a fabric grow bag?