Can you guys please help me understand how to set this up and not end up with more over watered plants?
I had to use some blumats on some seedlings, forgot to add a heater early this winter and they were stunted from being overwatered. Then I didn't realize how much of my IPM spray runoff was going directly into my soil on some clones, they were overwatered also. I've been watching them like a hawk and watering them when they are just starting to wilt and they haven't shown signs of over watering since.
My soil has a high pH (tap water does too) so I added some pure peat moss (with aeration and compost) as a top dress then watered in with aloe water. The topdress became very hard so I removed it.
I was going to add a bit more aeration and water again with more aloe water. I was wondering if adding some straw mulch to keep the top layer moist would help prevent it from getting rock hard. My concern is that the soil will not dry out and again my plants will become over watered. I believe that no-till systems keep the soil evenly moist at all times but I just wanted to get some input from you guys before going forward since I've been going for wet/dry cycles lately.
I had to use some blumats on some seedlings, forgot to add a heater early this winter and they were stunted from being overwatered. Then I didn't realize how much of my IPM spray runoff was going directly into my soil on some clones, they were overwatered also. I've been watching them like a hawk and watering them when they are just starting to wilt and they haven't shown signs of over watering since.
My soil has a high pH (tap water does too) so I added some pure peat moss (with aeration and compost) as a top dress then watered in with aloe water. The topdress became very hard so I removed it.
I was going to add a bit more aeration and water again with more aloe water. I was wondering if adding some straw mulch to keep the top layer moist would help prevent it from getting rock hard. My concern is that the soil will not dry out and again my plants will become over watered. I believe that no-till systems keep the soil evenly moist at all times but I just wanted to get some input from you guys before going forward since I've been going for wet/dry cycles lately.
