Watering

[Steve1]

So if you are growing in soil like I do, How do you know if you are watering enough? I know it sounds like a stupid question. I've heard about sticking your finger down into the soil, etc. And I know you should for the most part let them dry out a bit in between watering. I even have a moisture meter with long probes. I have them in 3 gallon pots and i usually give them a couple of 12oz cups of water and/or nutrients every 3 days. I always see some runoff in the trays below the pots. However I had to go out of town for a few days, I watered them before I left and when I got back, 1 plant was a bit wilty. She has recovered since but I don't want to keep stressing them like that. I have 4 auto flower Sour Diesels and she is one of them. Do flowering plants drink more than a plant still in veg? The other SD's were fine and the other strain I have that are still in veg are perfect.

 

[Locked]

I use Smart Pots with a tray underneath each. I water till I see runoff on the tray, then wait a couple of minutes and see if the plant absorbed the runoff. They usually do. Then I water a little bit again for good measure. In my experience, flowering plants do need more water and nutrients. They are making buds so it makes sense.

 

[Steve1]

I use Smart Pots with a tray underneath each. I water till I see runoff on the tray, then wait a couple of minutes and see if the plant absorbed the runoff. They usually do. Then I water a little bit again for good measure. In my experience, flowering plants do need more water and nutrients. They are making buds so it makes sense.

Too late for this grow but I will get smart pots for the next

 

[thegloman]

Steve1
I grow in soil. Currently using 3gal fabric pots with trays underneath to catch runoff.
I water/feed every other day mostly. I use the finger method and it works well for me
Stick your finger in to the 2nd knuckle. If dry, water/feed. If not, wait another day.
I usually give them around a half gallon, let the runoff get sucked back up then maybe another qt. Its easy for your soil to become hydrophobic if you don't give it enuff water and when you Do water more will run off till it reabsorbes it from the tray. Its best to keep the whole pot moistened.

 

[oldfogey8]

I have grown in 3 gallon felt pots(like smart pots but not brand name) for a long time. I generally water my plants every 36-48 hours using the finger test(if moist about a knuckle deep I wait) and I use about a half gallon per pot. I am assuming that felt pots allow more evaporation from the sides so that may be why I use more water but 24 oz sounds like it might be a little sparse. Also, soil when dry doesn’t absorb water as well as when it has been moistened up a bit(I think the term is hydrophobic). I use a 2 gallon sprayer and wet down the soil. Wait a bit and then finish watering. I have also used trays in the past but my current plant in flower is on racks above the tray so it can’t soak up the runoff. I would go with some trays. Hamster grows some monster looking buds.

 

[oldfogey8]

Steve1
I grow in soil. Currently using 3gal fabric pots with trays underneath to catch runoff.
I water/feed every other day mostly. I use the finger method and it works well for me
Stick your finger in to the 2nd knuckle. If dry, water/feed. If not, wait another day.
I usually give them around a half gallon, let the runoff get sucked back up then maybe another qt. Its easy for your soil to become hydrophobic if you don't give it enuff water and when you Do water more will run off till it reabsorbes it from the tray. Its best to keep the whole pot moistened.

lol, gloman. You beat me to it...

 

[Steve1]

Thanks guys! It's seems to be the consensus that I need to get the fabric pots for next time. I've been watering one time then feeding the next. Does that seem ok? I really don't want to overfeed but I darn sure don't want to underfeed either

 

[Locked]

Thanks guys! It's seems to be the consensus that I need to get the fabric pots for next time. I've been watering one time then feeding the next. Does that seem ok? I really don't want to overfeed but I darn sure don't want to underfeed either

I feed by eye, not on a schedule. I might feed a bit 3 days in a row and once I get the plant looking lush I will only water for a few days. I try to push the nutrients on them till I see a tiny bit of burn on the leaf tips.

 

[oldfogey8]

I feed every other watering but give my plants treats like EM1, fulvic acid and molasses on my ‘watering’ day.

 

[thegloman]

I do 2 feedings then plain water.
I use the Fox Farm trio along with cal/mag, EM-1, Fulvic acid and a dash of molasses.

 

[Steve1]

I do 2 feedings then plain water.
I use the Fox Farm trio along with cal/mag, EM-1, Fulvic acid and a dash of molasses.

I use FF also. I have great White microbial and I have the CalMag but since I stopped using RO water I haven't been using it. Maybe I should

 

[oldfogey8]

I stopped using GH’s version of CalMg for the first time in 8 years since I am using tap water. I have seen no evidence of needing to start using it again.

 

[thegloman]

I have well water but I still use 2ml per gal cal/mag

 

[stinkyattic]

Some well water really needs it. If you dont get mineral crusties in the bathroom sink, ya may want to add CalMag; )
I personally prefer rigid plastic pots but either way I pick them up when I know they're fully watered to get a sense of weight, then check them and water when they feel light.
I match pot size to plant size in such a way as to make watering a pretty predictable every other day chore.

 

[Steve1]

I have well water but I still use 2ml per gal cal/mag

Some well water really needs it. If you dont get mineral crusties in the bathroom sink, ya may want to add CalMag; )
I personally prefer rigid plastic pots but either way I pick them up when I know they're fully watered to get a sense of weight, then check them and water when they feel light.
I match pot size to plant size in such a way as to make watering a pretty predictable every other day chore.

 

[Steve1]

That’s what I’m going to do.

 

[thegloman]

We get those crusties on all the plumbing. T.G. for cheep vinegar.

 

[oldfogey8]

Frankly I was kinda surprised that cutting CalMag out didn’t affect my plants. I was blindly following the General Hydro/General Organics feeding schedule. Wondering if it will affect(positively) the flavor...

 

[stinkyattic]

Fogey you're in a basin and I'd bet dollahs to Dunkies you're getting water from a surface source ; ) and I have a hunch where the pumping station is lol

 

[Biff LaRue]

Thanks guys! It's seems to be the consensus that I need to get the fabric pots for next time. I've been watering one time then feeding the next. Does that seem ok? I really don't want to overfeed but I darn sure don't want to underfeed either

I'll trow my 2 cents in, just to be different.

While I don't have a lot of time in growing cannabis, I do have growing experience. After finishing my first grow in 5 gal buckets I examined the roots and decided it was a huge waste of dirt. Currently I am finishing in 2 gal plastic pots on trays. I use the finger method and find that 2 cups every third days seems to be about right.

The reason I use plastic is because I can clean them between grows.