Dumb Question About Watering Frequency

[Chronicsss]

Top of soil is bone dry but if you fork it up it is moist after an inch or so...Maybe I just transplanted too soon and the vermiculite is doing its job too...

You said you just transplanted them into 1.5g pots. What were they in before? If you just transplanted them from beer cups or whatever they dont have the roots to suck up the water yet, let them adjust to the new pot size. Roots are very important. Give it time, and dont overwater. By the time its rootbound packing on bud weight it will be sucking down much more water.

Ive heard when the soil drys it stimulates the roots to grow out looking for more water. <--- (dont quote me on that)

 

[dead_stoned]

Ive heard when the soil drys it stimulates the roots to grow out looking for more water. <--- (dont quote me on that)

sorry to quote you but i think i have heard that before too... i think i read it on overgrow....

 

[Suby]

When the soil dries it starves the plant as less nutrients are made available.
A rootmass will search out new soil and fill a pot of coco in a top drip system and it's always soaked throughout during the length of grow being watered a few times a day.

 

[muscldancr]

Good information in this thread. Thanks guys.

 

[dead_stoned]

so what about bottom feed systems.... i dont have one just want to answer someones question

 

[bostrom155]

so what about bottom feed systems.... i dont have one just want to answer someones question

so whats the question...

 

[BenitoCereno]

I just got back from my trip...I had to water again right before I left because I didn't know if I was going to be gone for 5 days 10 days or what...sick relative...anyway after 8 days, 6 of the plants were indeed dry and ready for water, one was wilting from the bottom, so I watered...They were in small small small planters before I transplanted into the 1.5 gallons so I think I really just transplanted too soon. Also when I watered when I first started this thread--I soaked the living shit out of them, like 3/4 gallons of water for a 1.5 gallon bucket...

 

[highasakite]

i have read thru everybodys input mine also this is what happened you just gave them too much water. you didn't transplant to early i move mine from 3 1/2 inch squares. to 3 gallon pots in 3 weeks of germ. all you have to do next time is chill on the water and you will be all good

 

[glasspackedbowl]

I agree. I Had a simular problem, with some strains, they cant handle wet feet for too long.

I have a rule about waiting for them to start to droop/wilt the leafs of a wet plant will bounce back fast if taped on lightly. If its in need of water it will stay down longer and go farther. So you know its ready. 3 is the least amount of days they can go with out water and I think 5 is the most. So if your watering more then every 3-5 days then they will get worse and transplanting them makes it worse. Just let them dry out next time.

 

[jolene]

When you first transplant to a new container I have found it can be a gooid thing to have the soil mix wetted first then just loosely drop the soil into the pot and repot the plant - dont firm it down at all, just give the pot a bit of a shake, and the damp soil should be fine for a few days. When you next water dont water til it runs off but just give a bit and the water should dipserse itself. Seems to stop the plant from sitting in its own water for too long

 

[PhenoMenal]

BenitoCereno just remember, there are no dumb questions, only dumbos in the elephant enclosure at the zoo. Stay positive bro

 

[Guest]

Benito you did transplant into too large of a container,and into media with vermiculite to boot.A also use 1.5gal containers(2 gal nursery size).They are always my second container,if my flowering finishing heights are going to be 30 in to 3 ft,they are my finishing containers.If my plants will be 4 ft or larger,I transplant to 3 gal.Having a small plant in a 1.5 or 1.6 will results in usused media and stunted root growth once she grows along the sides and hits the bottom.Check you drainholes for "escapees" lol.Next time try starting in a 4 inch nursery container and delete the vermiculite altogether,use 25-30% perlite.You can grow a seedling/new cut to 6-10 inches in height before transplanting up to the 1.6.I then veg my plants to 30 inches or better in the 1.6 if I'm going to transplant and finish in 3 gal.Two most common mistakes in soil growing in my experience:Starting out in too large of a container,and not letting the rootball fill the container before transplanting up.I've found watering frequency to be the ideal indicator of when transplanting is necessary.If my soil runs dry after thorough saturation every other day,she needs a larger condo.Just totally forget/ignore/disbelieve because its bullshit,the 12 inches of height per gallon of soil rule,its some kinda crazy bullshit nonsense!!And flower size is NOT directly related to the size of the finishing container,start a seed in a 3 gal pot and your yield will be squat compared to if you started in 4 inch and when through proper transplantation techniques.Yield is totally dependent of proper utilization of available media, not the amount of media and when you start in too large a container the media is obviously available,but you've already utilized it improperly.

 

[cobain420]

Well said soilman. That last post has a ton of great info in it!