Should You Water on Schedule?

[Tropical Sativa Man]

I have heard many growers state that you should have a schedule for watering your plants. This idea does not appeal to me because the need for watering varies based on different factors. For example, let's say your watering schedule is every Saturday. Well, what if the soil is dry by Thursday? Are you not going to water it because it's not yet Saturday?

Likewise, what if Saturday comes, and yours soil is still moist from the last watering. Are you just going to water it anyway?

 

[Pagan]

I agree. Even when growing in a cupboard, the need for water varied.
Now growing in the sunshine, that can vary a bit as well, I´ve been watering large pots every two days, and still one will start to droop occasionally and I have to shade it.
I spend time with them every day, some seem to need more water than others. If in doubt I push a finger or bamboo stick down into the soil. That always tells me more than a schedule, and I think a regular small watering is better than drowning them once a week.

 

[Tropical Sativa Man]

I agree. Even when growing in a cupboard, the need for water varied.
Now growing in the sunshine, that can vary a bit as well, I´ve been watering large pots every two days, and still one will start to droop occasionally and I have to shade it.
I spend time with them every day, some seem to need more water than others. If in doubt I push a finger or bamboo stick down into the soil. That always tells me more than a schedule, and I think a regular small watering is better than drowning them once a week.

What do you mean " one will start to droop occasionally?" from overwatering?

 

[Tropical Sativa Man]

What do you mean " one will start to droop occasionally?" from overwatering?

I just watered all these yesterday and you can see the one is droopy now

What do you mean " one will start to droop occasionally?" from overwatering?

 

[Pagan]

What do you mean " one will start to droop occasionally?" from overwatering?

When they start to get dry, the branches lose their rigidity and slowly bend downwards. They soon recover when watered, but then I move them out of the sun for the rest of the day.
Overwatering can mean they are sitting in water and not getting oxygen, which will also make them droop.
I´ve had success with a capillary system, where you have a few lengths of string half in the pot and half dangling through the hole in the bottom into a water container, keeping the pot clear of the water. This gives a constant moisture without water-logging the soil, and can be adjusted by altering the number of strings.
It´s a handy method if you need to go away for a few days.

This one is just starting to droop at the top, the signs are subtle at first, just a general air of despondency which you soon get to recognise.

 

[Tropical Sativa Man]

When they start to get dry, the branches lose their rigidity and slowly bend downwards. They soon recover when watered, but then I move them out of the sun for the rest of the day.
Overwatering can mean they are sitting in water and not getting oxygen, which will also make them droop.
I´ve had success with a capillary system, where you have a few lengths of string half in the pot and half dangling through the hole in the bottom into a water container, keeping the pot clear of the water. This gives a constant moisture without water-logging the soil, and can be adjusted by altering the number of strings.
It´s a handy method if you need to go away for a few days.

View attachment 274268

This one is just starting to droop at the top, the signs are subtle at first, just a general air of despondency which you soon get to recognise.

When they start to get dry, the branches lose their rigidity and slowly bend downwards. They soon recover when watered, but then I move them out of the sun for the rest of the day.
Overwatering can mean they are sitting in water and not getting oxygen, which will also make them droop.
I´ve had success with a capillary system, where you have a few lengths of string half in the pot and half dangling through the hole in the bottom into a water container, keeping the pot clear of the water. This gives a constant moisture without water-logging the soil, and can be adjusted by altering the number of strings.
It´s a handy method if you need to go away for a few days.

View attachment 274268

This one is just starting to droop at the top, the signs are subtle at first, just a general air of despondency which you soon get to recognise.

Cool. Thanks for the tip. Is that a soilless mix? The only thing better than the view is the weed plant in front of the window

 

[Pagan]

It´s a very fibrous mix, not sure exactly of what, called Sustrata in Spain, recommended by my local Garden Centre. Seems to work well either on it´s own or mixed with a bit of gravelly soil and wood ash from the compost heap.

Same plant weeks later.
Looking up into the Sierra Nevada, there´s obviously a point where my land stops and the rest of Spain begins, but absolutely nothing to indicate where that is. It might be that some old guy in the village knows ...

 

[WeedHopper]

I live right next door. Ill be right over.

 

[Pagan]

I´ve got beer, can you play banjo ?

 

[WeedHopper]

On second thought maybe ill stay at home ya sick *******. You must be hanging out with Hippie.

 

[ROSTERMAN]

On second thought maybe ill stay at home ya sick *******. You must be hanging out with Hippie.

I bet you do

 

[WeedHopper]

Pagan is a pervert. Should fit right in here nicely .

 

[Pagan]

[QUOTE="WeedHopper, post: 1124839, member: 13242"
Pagan is a pervert. Should fit right in here nicely .
[/QUOTE]
You´ll hardly notice me ...