Advice needed: soil not drying

It's not that hard, if they look happy you are doing OK. Keep doing the same.....
Water them when they look thirsty, this is not coco, they are not going hungry.

Since the pots were light and my moisture meter was indicating "dry" in 2-3 of the 4 measured spots, I decided to throw in 3 cups of water, with the focus being on the dry parts were roots are at. This is my second grow using super soil and I messed up my last grow with overwatering.

Hopefully I didn't overwate these.

they don't look bad. water the whole pot when you water, unless you're watering a small seedling. potting media can develop "hydrophobic" areas, where it gets compacted, and water will run around it. roots can't grow into it, so it's basically dead void in your pot. regular watering of the whole surface of the pot avoids that.
don't worry so much about over watering. don't drown them, but don't be afraid to get them good and wet. just let them dry out before you do it again. as the roots fill in, it'll dry out faster each time, till they have the pot full, and you'll be watering at least every other day

Get rid of the moisture meter. You don't need it.

There is too much reliance on meters, readings, measurements, etc... Knowing when to water is as simple as feeling the weight of the pot or sticking your finger in the soil. I have two meters, a pH and a TDS. I only use those when mixing nutes and hydro. The thought of using a meter to measure when I needed to water has never entered my mind.

I just thought of this.... and I don't want to suggest something that might cause you problems, but it's worked great for me. I mainly use this outdoors for soil compaction, because of the amount of water my greenhouse plants drink. I have also used this if I transplant from say a 1 gal to a 10 for a final home, it allows me to just water the plant, not the pot until the roots catch up. Then if you do get some hydrophobic spots in your soil, this gets water to penetrate again. I use it weekly outdoors and it works great and it will also help rid your soil of bugs.
Grow More 8016 EZ Wet Soil Penetrant 26%, 1-Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CLVQF46/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_R2i-BbQ64MAMC

Sorry of this post is hard to follow, I was interrupted repeatedly while typing.

Pa-Nature said:

cold soil slow growth

too cold bro

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My thermometer is hanging just above canopy and directly under the light. I'm assuming it's off a few degrees. I kicked it up to 400 watt hps and also run a 200 true watt LED. Temp on floor is now 74 and at canopy 84. Is this ok? I've read to keep it below 80 during flowering, but, again, I'm not 100% certain if this is ambiant temp or for a temp reading under direct light?

Roger A. Shrubber said:

they don't look bad. water the whole pot when you water, unless you're watering a small seedling. potting media can develop "hydrophobic" areas, where it gets compacted, and water will run around it. roots can't grow into it, so it's basically dead void in your pot. regular watering of the whole surface of the pot avoids that.
don't worry so much about over watering. don't drown them, but don't be afraid to get them good and wet. just let them dry out before you do it again. as the roots fill in, it'll dry out faster each time, till they have the pot full, and you'll be watering at least every other day

Click to expand...

Thank you! Watered the whole pot and they are looking pretty good!

xtsho said:

Get rid of the moisture meter. You don't need it.

There is too much reliance on meters, readings, measurements, etc... Knowing when to water is as simple as feeling the weight of the pot or sticking your finger in the soil. I have two meters, a pH and a TDS. I only use those when mixing nutes and hydro. The thought of using a meter to measure when I needed to water has never entered my mind.

Click to expand...

Before I went to organic growing I always lifted the pot and never had any issues with watering .I screwed up my last grow and decided to try it. I still perfer lift the pot method. Thanks for your response!

Drbud78 said:

My thermometer is hanging just above canopy and directly under the light. I'm assuming it's off a few degrees. I kicked it up to 400 watt hps and also run a 200 true watt LED. Temp on floor is now 74 and at canopy 84. Is this ok? I've read to keep it below 80 during flowering, but, again, I'm not 100% certain if this is ambiant temp or for a temp reading under direct light?

Click to expand...

yeah that should help

Cover the temp meter probe with a piece of card stock between it and the direct light for atleast an hour to get an accurate measurement

i keep the sensor for my thermometer hanging just above the light line, at canopy height. that's the area where temp is most important.

Drbud78 said:

My thermometer is hanging just above canopy and directly under the light. I'm assuming it's off a few degrees. I kicked it up to 400 watt hps and also run a 200 true watt LED. Temp on floor is now 74 and at canopy 84. Is this ok? I've read to keep it below 80 during flowering, but, again, I'm not 100% certain if this is ambiant temp or for a temp reading under direct light?

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Dude i pretty much teach this crap atm because it is so basic but so mis understood.

If you put a meter under the light it will heat up from light radiation and not give any accurate air temps.

I know so many growers think you need to read the canopy or ehat not but in reality all we need is a true air reading not light radiation.

Shade cover and stop all direct light and in direct light from hitting the meter.

Very tricky in a small tent but this is how science, weather report and anyone else reads air temps.

Google steveonson screen for the basics of what pros use to omit alk light radiation and simply read air temps.

Heat is radiation conduction and convection, educate yourself and start using grow science. Theres a reason you have two different readings i just wish you would learn to understand why

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevenson_screen

Aint no fool putting a thermometer in the light to read air temps except uneducated peeps

Here is an update and would appreciate any advice.

Soil: bottom 1/2 super soil made from "nature's living soil" concentrate mixed with bushdoctor cocoloco. Top 1/2 cocoloco. This was mixed about a month before transplant.
Lights: hps 400w open hood and 200w draw LED
Temp: floor 67-72 canopy around 77-79
Hemidity: 30-40% or so.
Water pH:6.5 well water 55 ppm.
Supplimenting with blackstap molasses 1-2 tap/gallon every watering .ppm 160-215
Water: approx. Every 3 days
Flowering: flipped 11/22 and female showed 5-7 days later. So about 32 days into flowering or 25 days since sexed.

Strain: Colorado seed inc. Guptilla 8-9 week flower.

First two pics are my small plant that didn't stretch much after flipping the switch. It has recently shown some leaf issues .Started with a couple copper spots on middle leaves and has extended a bit to side leaves.

Next pic: some weird spotting only on one branch. Rest of plant looks nice a green. The spots are new growth and have been there with no improvement or worsening for a couple of weeks.

Questions I have: since my grow is organic, should I top dress it? I worry that I will run out of nutes towards the end. I also thought about making a guano tea. Does it need it or should I ride it out? Is the leaf coloring a deficiency or just a natural progression of flowering. Thanks!

Spotting probably moisture stress from layering two different soils that will most likely dry at different rates, keep watered.


Top dressing and teas are a waste of effort, grab a complete fert and keep it simple.