watering time- need 2nd opinion pls

[stevetberry]

The most important thing is that you water deeply every time, because if you water only down a few inches because you want the soil to be dry in 24 hours then the roots will be shallow. In other words water deeply and when the soil dries water again deeply.

 

[Hick]

It sounds like you're trying to do hydro in dirt, and you can't. The reason flood and drain works w/ multiple floods/feeds daily, is because it does/CAN dry out between. Dirt/soil won't, and is not suppose to. Flood n draiin employs those clay marbles . perlite, gravel, or a medium that does not absorb and retain water for an extended period. Soil does not have that characteristic.
Allowing drying periods allows oxygen to the roots. Without it, they will drowned/die.

 

[woodydude]

Ah, theres the rub, I dont grow with soil, I am a hydro grower! I have done a little soil growing in finishing off someone elses crop.

I understand the ph for soil to be around 6.5 but it often tells you on the nute bottle. You try to achieve this ph as the plants absorb nutrients at certain ph levels, you shoud read this http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1908 it explains it better than I can.

As for hydro flood & drain or ebb & flow growers feeding much more often is easier to explain. In soil, the plant is sitting in soil, which is infused with nutes & water, the plant send out roots to absorb these nutrients, if you water too often, the plant does not need a large root mass to find its nutrition. On the other hand, in hydro, the plant is sitting in air, it needs food brought to it more often as its roots are not encased in nutrient rich soil.
Hope this helps.
I should add, I have only been growing for around 4 months and the knowledge I have is nothing compared to the kind ladies & gents who are members of this site, which is where I amassed most of my knowledge. I would seriously recommend reading through archive posts.
Peace
Woody

 

[saycheese]

so if my 'soil' is actually devoid of nutes (terra plus) its more like hydro medium rather than a hot organic mix
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and i want to mix the perlite at 30percent so it DOES dry in 24 hours.
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And i want to water in a 'flood' so the whole surface is wet like a 'plunger' effect sucking air in behind it, hence the inch of perlite at the pots bottom so runoff cannot be re-absorbed.
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I supose im ph'ing cos i dont know how long the buffering takes does anyone know if its a slow process?
Based on my assumption that a non ph'd feed into soil buffered at 6.5 will make its way down the ph range, uptake affected.
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If i dry out every day does the ph level drop when i dry out? Or as nutes are used regardless of wet/dry? . I know dryness increases ec in the medium, does it lower the ph'?

 

[nova564t]

I grow in just perilite, I use growdan 3 inch blocks and put them in two gallon buckets. My first couple grows I used 1/4 vermiculite ,but now I just use perilite. My heppy buckets have drains 2-3 inches from the bottom. I water everyday til my drain tube drips, just b4 lights out. My current bucket uses 32ozs of water a day.

 

[saycheese]

nova thank god if ur not winding me up it seems too good to be true!
I want to do what you are saying except terra plus with a lil bit of guano instead of vermiculite, in 11litre pots (dont know what heppy means?) and i put seeds into rootriot cubes. Water daily too
Are u pulling my leg? If not id love to hear anything u want to share.
.do u use bio/organic nutes?

 

[nova564t]

Heres my set up http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54097
View attachment hb 001.jpg
This is my bucket, I use drip watering fittings for drainage, the lower one I use during flushing
View attachment hb 002.jpg

View attachment hb 003.jpg
coarse perilite
View attachment hb 004.jpg

View attachment hb 005.jpg
and 3 inch grow blocks, I use General Hydroponics Flora series Nutes.

 

[nova564t]

The thread in my Sig will show some more photos of my buckets in action!

 

[saycheese]

thats looks sweet.
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So imagine switching to a 50percent perlite/organic mix, and replacing the ghe with biocanna

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Would it work?
Would any issue arise?

 

[nova564t]

Ive never grown in soil, but the only problem I could forsee is the drain tube getting plugged with dirt. I just blow back up through the tube every now and then.

 

[saycheese]

so as long as the biocanna nutes have some chelated content it should be fine and the plant will 'eat' straight away like ready broken down hydro feed, and the fert retained in the mix would continue to break down and feed the microlife.
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Cos if all organics require a period to break down or stimulate the microlife it would be a bit counter productive to mix too much perlite maybe? Like im 'washin out' the goodness before its done its job?
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In a fast moving system is it harder for micro organisms to live?
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So i have two questions.
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If u took fully organic, natural setup soil in pots and doubled the o2 in the rootzone what would be the result?
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How would u acheive this if u cant use h2o2 with ur organics?
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[Roddy]

That's what I've been trying to tell you, you're simply washing away any good the soil can do. You're basically flushing constantly and hoping the plant will enjoy what food you give them. My HO....not sure I understand the benefits you perceive you'll get from more air in the roots, ma nature doesn't airify her plants' roots just like she doesn't water them daily.

Personally, I'd choose between soil or hydro...and master my choice!

But, like I said, I am very new to all this and this could be going straight over my head?

 

[nova564t]

That's what I've been trying to tell you, you're simply washing away any good the soil can do. You're basically flushing constantly and hoping the plant will enjoy what food you give them. My HO....not sure I understand the benefits you perceive you'll get from more air in the roots, ma nature doesn't airify her plants' roots just like she doesn't water them daily.

Personally, I'd choose between soil or hydro...and master my choice!

But, like I said, I am very new to all this and this could be going straight over my head?

Sounds reasonable, dont try to reinvent the wheel!

 

[saycheese]

i was thinkin the same, the organics may just runoff without being effective or ever having a proper, colonised rhizophere.
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Il try 25percent perlite and water every two days. Slowly, with minimal runoff.
Happily in 'pot' territory.
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And do some more research.
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