When watering fo you achieve a good run off??

Do you achieve run off

  • Total voters
    36
Labs Dexter

Labs Dexter

Well-Known Member
I see allot of help my plant looks like this or like that....
My first grow never used to have a run off and didn't know the importance of it and I can definitely say it was my worst grow,.. Since then I did allot of research about growing and used common sense with nature because when it rains it leeches out doors garden, right
So I since stared watering with 30% run off and touch wood haven't had a problem apart from pk wich is nothing to do with that it's just hungry plants and I get em from under fertilising my plants.. What's you guys story how do you water and do you see a different change from doing so now than before you did it???
 
fandango

fandango

Well-Known Member
I pour about 20oz per watering hand water a 1 gallon pot...there is a 1" difference from the top of soil and top of nursery pot.
The layer of water from the 20oz dose covers about 1/2" of surface area.
Run off I do not look for,if the pot is jambed full of roots the run off changes.
 
W

wiethe20

Well-Known Member
Honestly my first couple I never had a run off...but they weren't terrible but not decent either lol some males but that was my problem first starting out more then anything was under watering...most people freak out on problems they see and can't figure it out when à good bit of the time it's water stress..
 
Labs Dexter

Labs Dexter

Well-Known Member
wiethe20 said:
Honestly my first couple I never had a run off...but they weren't terrible but not decent either lol some males but that was my problem first starting out more then anything was under watering...most people freak out on problems they see and can't figure it out when à good bit of the time it's water stress..
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You are right mate, watering is essential a perfect example is drain to waste system look at their plants lol so that sort of made me figure that run off is essential and prevents allot of issues... Like you said most people freak out but the first thing is to know how to water it well...
I use a 3ltr sprayer on my plants an they are in 14 ltr buckets, It takes my an hour or two to water all four buckets and achieve a running off but now it's that stage where I'm not in my tent every day to check because I have elimated one huge barrier. I would like to know from these pros and the OG growers see what's their thoughts.
Biggest issue is reading the bloody bottle or some ones journal and think if he can do it I can... There is allot of things to think about before anyone can get to that stage, but meny don't think and just do then post WHATS WRONG WITH MY PLANTS lol
 
Labs Dexter

Labs Dexter

Well-Known Member
Jimmy Sparkle said:
If your not getting run off your just making a toxic mess for your roots. Organic or Not! Your leaves will start to look like shit too
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That's why I am doing this so people or even new people to learn this and not shit it out.. If you water well then your grow should go well and stressless.. It is a waste of time to some people or inconvenient but very essential.. Thank you jimmy sparkle you are right and that is the topic that needs more people get the point or should I say benefits
 
T

T.H.Cammo

Well-Known Member
Jimmy Sparkle said:
If your not getting run off your just making a toxic mess for your roots. Organic or Not! Your leaves will start to look like shit too
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Right on, Bromiester! The trick, IMHO, is to not just dump the water in all at once - but rather add it a little at a time, to get a uniform saturation of the soil. And this should only be done when the soil is fairly well dried out (over watering isn't about how much water you give, it's about watering too often).

I like to add just enough water to get a few drops of run-off, then wait a while (maybe an hour or so). Then come back and add more water to get my 25% run-off. This allows some time to desolve the solid particles of that "Toxic mess" - and the consistent run-off provides a "Perpetual Mini Flush" (I never have to flush!)
 
Labs Dexter

Labs Dexter

Well-Known Member
T.H.Cammo said:
Right on, Bromiester! The trick, IMHO, is to not just dump the water in all at once - but rather add it a little at a time, to get a uniform saturation of the soil. And this should only be done when the soil is fairly well dried out (over watering isn't about how much water you give, it's about watering too often).

I like to add just enough water to get a few drops of run-off, then wait a while (maybe an hour or so). Then come back and add more water to get my 25% run-off. This allows some time to desolve the solid particles of that "Toxic mess" - and the consistent run-off provides a "Perpetual Mini Flush" (I never have to flush!)
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You legend thanks
 
Aeroknow

Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
Labs Dexter said:
You legend thanks
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Whether I'm dripping over 1 gal pots of mini cubes or coco, or watering big pots full of soil, coco, or dirt, I'm always watering until I achieve plenty of runoff when using nutes.
Until you dial in your grow, I recommend testing the runoff EC/ppm to see whats going on;-)
Is watering until plenty runoff the only way to grow? No. It probably does waste a little bit of nutes. It's just the way I've been doing it for a long time. It works great.
 
Alienwidow

Alienwidow

Well-Known Member
Well I disagree. I quit watering until runoff a while back. I feed the plant what it needs. Then i stop and feed water for a while when it curls. I run a drain to waste soiless system and i dont think i have even filled half a five gallon bucket so far..and were at three and a bit feet high. Calmag when needed, fertilizer when needed, and lots of water. The girls look great. I used to runoff, and then i statrted reading the plants better. My flush is a couple water feeds. When you have er dialed in you dont need to flush or waste food on flushing salts out with salts. You knew that salts attract salts and therefore flushing through with lightly fertilized water is better than flushing with only water right?
 
ricky1lung

ricky1lung

Well-Known Member
I used to water for run off too.
Too many times there was plants sitting in a mud hole for days, really stressing out hard.

So now, I feed regularly with a maintenance style and water as its needed.
Once you start overwatering, it can be difficult to get your plants healthy again.

Avoid overwatering and you're good, watering for run off increases the chances of sick plants and pests in wet conditions.
 
Aeroknow

Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
ricky1lung said:
I used to water for run off too.
Too many times there was plants sitting in a mud hole for days, really stressing out hard.

So now, I feed regularly with a maintenance style and water as its needed.
Once you start overwatering, it can be difficult to get your plants healthy again.

Avoid overwatering and you're good, watering for run off increases the chances of sick plants and pests in wet conditions.
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Did you even read this thread? We are NOT talking about overwatering;-)
If you were watering until runoff, but with pots sitting in saucers or some shit, that's no good right there.
I grow up on trays, so I can get rid of that runoff.
There is no arguing results. I can say it is how allot of heads I know grow in NorCal:-) but of course, is not the only way.

I can tell someone to water with X amount, X ppm, X ph, and be confident they won't fuck shit up while I'm not there. No need to "read" shit. It works every time. But I will say it again: it's not the only way.
 
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ricky1lung

ricky1lung

Well-Known Member
Aeroknow said:
Did you even read this thread? We are NOT talking about overwatering;-)
If you were watering until runoff, but with pots sitting in saucers or some shit, that's no good right there.
I grow up on trays, so I can get rid of that runoff.
There is no arguing results. I can say it is how allot of heads I know grow in NorCal:-) but of course, is not the only way.
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Of course I read the thread, and replied to the subject matter.
Did you read my post?

First sentence: "I used to water for run off too"

Sharing experience and knowledge of watering for run off and how quickly it can turn into overwatering and damage your plants.
 
hotshotisdashit

hotshotisdashit

Well-Known Member
Ive used subs super soil for my last few grows. And i try to get little to no run off. Runoff in super soil just leeches the nutrients from the super soil. This is also the recommendation of subcool himself.
 
Aeroknow

Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
hotshotisdashit said:
Ive used subs super soil for my last few grows. And i try to get little to no run off. Runoff in super soil just leeches the nutrients from the super soil. This is also the recommendation of subcool himself.
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There's no build up of salts when you aren't feeding with salt based ferts. Makes perfect sense to me. Runoff in a super soil would be pointless.
 
Jimmy Sparkle

Jimmy Sparkle

Well-Known Member
So when Im talking about run off I'm not talking by several gallons or something like that. I like to give them enough water so that some water comes out of the holes in the pots and fills their saucers. I never measure how much I use or how much collects. Potted house plants absolutely need this and what is it we are growing??? A potted house plant!!! Some minerals in the water we use react with soil over time and oxidize ito a "salt" based bi product. Good luck.
 
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Labs Dexter

Labs Dexter

Well-Known Member
ricky1lung said:
I used to water for run off too.
Too many times there was plants sitting in a mud hole for days, really stressing out hard.

So now, I feed regularly with a maintenance style and water as its needed.
Once you start overwatering, it can be difficult to get your plants healthy again.

Avoid overwatering and you're good, watering for run off increases the chances of sick plants and pests in wet conditions.
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You gotta be a genius to leave you run off sitting around in your grow room. Shit you'll probably start a mosquito infestation lmao... But nah the point is I let it drip I put a small tub of paint under the pot then let it drip when done dripping of to the tent it goes... After three or four days it's light again same process. I feed, water, honey, and repeat..
 
Labs Dexter

Labs Dexter

Well-Known Member
Jimmy Sparkle said:
So when Im talking about run off I'm not talking by several gallons or something like that. I like to give them enough water so that some water comes out of the holes in the pots and fills their saucers. I never measure how much I use or how much collects. Potted house plants absolutely need this and what is it we are growing??? A potted house plant!!! Some minerals in the water we use react with soil over time and oxidize ito a "salt" based bi product. Good luck.
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Ganja or vegg what ever you grow, and I ment any amount of run-off.
I wanna see what people do
Do you see a difference if you do? If not what and why?
Or if so what's the difference and why did you start doing it like that
 
Jimmy Sparkle

Jimmy Sparkle

Well-Known Member
I
Labs Dexter said:
Ganja or vegg what ever you grow, and I ment any amount of run-off.
I wanna see what people do
Do you see a difference if you do? If not what and why?
Or if so what's the difference and why did you start doing it like that
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I have worked in agriculture for many years , Ive taken many horticulture classes and attended many seminars on plant health and disease ect, ect ,ect . I have a passion for vegetable gardening , flower gardening , cannabis insects and disease and just about everything gardening. I am a master gardener , I teach master gardening workshops. I also hold state licences in California and Washington for pesticide application and disease control. Too much to list and I don't mention this to be a know it all asshole but just to give everyone some of my background. I'm not full if shit lol but I've been in the game a while. I still stand by my opinion. I'm glad to see others are slowly catching on
 
tangerinegreen555

tangerinegreen555

Well-Known Member
I water them to runoff, then let the pots get feather light and repeat. Feather light means dry. I water them to a more excessive runoff the cycle after ferts.

Of course you add the water in slow and don't be in a hurry or it fires right through there.

I run the room photo periods at 78°/79°. there are multiple fans moving them around. It feels like a breezy summer day in there, the warm wind causes some evap. They tend to dry out in 3 days.

And when I flush...they still dry out in the same 3 days.

That's the way I was taught, never I had watering problem that I know of. I'm kind of surprised there are different ways to water here, I thought watering to run off was universal for a potted plant of any kind.

But what the hell do I know...I can only do what works for me.
 
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