Plants uptake nutrients at night?

onkulas

onkulas

Active Member
First, personally, I like to feed when lights go on.

But, I was just wondering:
If it would happen to water at night, is this for nothing?
From what I researched, people say that there is no harm to water at night if you keep the RH in check.

But, even if it won't harm them, will it benefit them in any way?
Are those nutrients being uptaken at night or the plant is sleeping and they just remain untouched in the medium?

Thanks!!!
 
onkulas

onkulas

Active Member
Skunk Baxter said:
It's generally healthier for your roots if the plants go to bed dry; it allows more oxygen in the root zone overnight. If you water them just before lights out, the medium stays mostly saturated throughout the night, and the roots stay soaked instead of oxygenating.
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sounds logical. yet, i have this curiosity: will they still drink it? or just sleep with the feet wet?
 
Alienwidow

Alienwidow

Well-Known Member
This thread is makin sense so far. I agree with all the opinions up to this point and believe theyre correct. Unfortunately i always seem to water at night because thats when the lights have sufficiently dried the plants to the point of a gentle wilt signalling, its water time. I think maybe several moisture meters would help to water earlier in the day. It can also help in the prevention of PM, and bud rot by watering early. I do however think the plant will absorb a small amount of water from the root zone at night. Maybe its just the first hour but i dont believe the plant totally shuts off, or my wilty plants would still be wilty when they woke up, but they arent.
 
Dr. Who

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
Alienwidow said:
This thread is makin sense so far. I agree with all the opinions up to this point and believe theyre correct. Unfortunately i always seem to water at night because thats when the lights have sufficiently dried the plants to the point of a gentle wilt signalling, its water time. I think maybe several moisture meters would help to water earlier in the day. It can also help in the prevention of PM, and bud rot by watering early. I do however think the plant will absorb a small amount of water from the root zone at night. Maybe its just the first hour but i dont believe the plant totally shuts off, or my wilty plants would still be wilty when they woke up, but they arent.
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Correct. It does not "completely" shut down.

Are they really still "wilty" in the mourning?
 
Skunk Baxter

Skunk Baxter

Well-Known Member
The amount of water and nutes the plants take up at night correlates to temperature and RH levels. If it's drier and warmer, the plants will lose more moisture from their leaves through eveapotranspiration, and the act of transpiring water from the leaves will draw more water from the root zone through capillary action. Cool, damp nights will retard dark-cycle nute uptake, because the leaves aren't giving up as much moisture.
 
testiclees

testiclees

Well-Known Member
Dr. Who said:
Nope.......Photosynthesis is not happening. The plant is not exchanging.
Anything put in at night will be used the next "day" but, it's more effective and better for the plant/soil to water at lights on.
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Youre mistaken. Plants are performing other metabolic processes that require water during lights out. Although its not at the same rate as when photsynthesizing.

If you water a wilted plant at lights out will it still be wilty at lights on? It wont.

Some gardeners water at lights out because there is less osmotic pressure possibly allowing higher ppm with less risk of burn.

Also automatic watering thru the lights out period offers plants fresh nutrients and may flush excess salts.
 
Kingrow1

Kingrow1

Well-Known Member
Watering at night might increase soil water pressure and force the plant to drink more than it needs and with a much reduced transpiration rate due to it being dark and colder at night this can cause problems such as guttation etc.

At least thats how i view it.
 
Alienwidow

Alienwidow

Well-Known Member
Dr. Who said:
Correct. It does not "completely" shut down.

Are they really still "wilty" in the mourning?
Click to expand...
No no, thats why i figured it cant completely shut down. I water alot where i have to throw my green light on cause the lights are turning off.
 
Dr. Who

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
testiclees said:
Youre mistaken. Plants are performing other metabolic processes that require water during lights out. Although its not at the same rate as when photsynthesizing.

If you water a wilted plant at lights out will it still be wilty at lights on? It wont.

Some gardeners water at lights out because there is less osmotic pressure possibly allowing higher ppm with less risk of burn.

Also automatic watering thru the lights out period offers plants fresh nutrients and may flush excess salts.
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Not what I meant test......(my reply to AW..If not watered?)

Your answer's better. I keep it too simple sometimes........for the rest of the question.....
 
boilingoil

boilingoil

Well-Known Member
Although photosynthesis stops at night there is more processes happening than just that. I was always made to believe that at night the stored carb's would relocate to the root zone to facilitate energy for root growth.
 
Kingrow1

Kingrow1

Well-Known Member
boilingoil said:
Although photosynthesis stops at night there is more processes happening than just that. I was always made to believe that at night the stored carb's would relocate to the root zone to facilitate energy for root growth.
Click to expand...
Respiration.
 
evn_420

evn_420

Active Member
following the replys and still unsure if my plants are in there 48hrs of darkness i like to give them befor harvest, and lights are off should i keep my automated system on for the time being. pots arent driedd right out but i dont mind them getting another "flush"
 
dank'd

dank'd

Well-Known Member
i do not know what a leaf angle change/wet dry cycle is for i use the simplest diy wicking pots (plastic bowl with holes cut in lid and polypropylene strips draped through, for larger plants a tray with riser. fabric pot, soil at 1:2 depth:width, plastic layer of mulch on top of soil)

my plants will never be in any other posture than perked up from seed to harvest. i point a watering wand at the reservoirs when they run out and can move plants from reservoir to reservoir

this is good for observing plant signals like nutrition effects and root bound because the leaves are easier to read without the constant fluctuation in angle/turgidity or the constant reacting to their watering needs

arguably keeping the plants in the sweet spot for hydration would get them to a greater mass quicker than not(?)
 
S

SBNDB

Well-Known Member
What about SIP’s? Theoretically The moisture level stays the same all the time? Plants grow phenomenally in these type of pots.
 
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