How Much To Water?

I'm just about to transplant 3 Northern Lights and 1 AK-48 from 1-gallon pots to 5-gallon pots in 80% Fox Farm Ocean Forest and 20% perlite. So, when I water them in the 5-gallon pots, how much water should I give them? One-half gallon? More? Less? Or should I water them until a little water seeps out the bottom holes?

Thanks.

Well bud, IMHO transplant those girls as usual. I personally like to add soil to where i want the transplant to sit. prior to adding the transplant i water lightly, add the transplant and any other amendments like azos, etc. then add the transplant. back fill and water just until run off. keep in mind i am only speaking as to soil moisture level and not nutrient additive level. there are many variables that i cannot speak to as your grow may be different from mine or anyone else's. I tend to be a li vague due to the fact that if u try to be super specific, the trolls venture out into the world and side track ur thread. hth, pm if u need anything. RLH

I give my girls a little more then a half gallon each every other day and they are in 3 gallon pots, so im guessing that in 5 gallon pots you will have to use a little more water a little less often. There are so many variables though, like how big your plants are and how humid it is in your grow area I dont think anyone will be able to just tell you a watering schedule.

If I were you I would just water a little bit at a time until you see some run off and then thats your amount. The first time wait a few min between each cup of water you give them so there is time for the water to run all the way through, otherwise by the time you start seeing water dripping out the bottom there will already be a bunch more flowing through the soil that will keep leaking out the bottom for the next 5 or so min. Then pick up the pots, every day pick up the pots until they become as light as they were before the first time you watered them, thats how you know when they are ready.

This will bring replies but this is just the best for me. Over or underwatering is usually the growers biggest flaw, myself included for years. IMHO the first thing to findout is what is the water capacity of your soil? Second would be what is the moisture retention of your soil? To find this out place your 3 gal or 5 gallon container in a tub add water let sit over night. Pour the excess water into a container and measure. The last part of the equation is to see how long that container stays wet. This will give you an idea of your watering schedule in given container sizes.
Future waterings doing this if you are watering too often, your soil should take a min of half the amount that container originally held. If not you are not giving your roots a chance to breathe properly and less exchange of air into the soil.
Before anybody reams me, once you know your soil you don't need to do this but for beginners it is a good learning method. IMHO

1 litre water per gallon soil, so a 5 gallon pot needs 5 litres of water.

Wait to water again until the pot feels light.

Small plants in big pots will use less water than large plants in the same size.