Droopy girl: water?

[Azimuth]

1 gallon of water in an 8 gallon pot is about 12% of pot size and for a plant that big and watering every 4-7 days it probably should be fine. It looks pretty light colored though, like it could use some food though I think you said you weren't able to feed it. So what nutes are you using?

It looks a lot better to me than it did just a short while ago. Leaves aren't praying though, maybe try moving the light just a little closer and see if she perks up.

 

[Keffka]

With peat based potting mix like you are using it is impossible to overwater unless the pot is sitting in standing water or there are no holes in the pot and the bottom is filled with water. As long as it drains out and you do not let it sit in the runoff it is not overwatered.

This isn’t true at all which is why I rarely use definitive statements like “impossible to overwater”. Peat based potting mixes can retain water for a very, very long time. Overwatering is more than just “giving too much water”. Overwatering is also not allowing the substrate to dry out enough between waterings. A quick google search also will show you literally every single result says “don’t overwater”

And thats with typing “is it possible to overwater Peat based potting mixes”

You’ve either misunderstood what overwatering means or you’re attempting to imply something else but have worded it incorrectly. I believe what you mean is you can’t give it too much water at once, but that’s rarely the case when people are overwatering. Typically overwatering is occurring because people aren’t allowing the substrate the chance to dry enough. I look forward to your response clarifying your meaning.

On a personal note I use/used Stonington blend and it’s very much possible to overwater. I’ve done it.

 

[Canachris]

1 gallon of water in an 8 gallon pot is about 12% of pot size and for a plant that big and watering every 4-7 days it probably should be fine. It looks pretty light colored though, like it could use some food though I think you said you weren't able to feed it. So what nutes are you using?

It looks a lot better to me than it did just a short while ago. Leaves aren't praying though, maybe try moving the light just a little closer and see if she perks up.

Her color looks better in sunlight she looks very yellowish under the LED. And my phone camera takes crap pic's

 

[Keffka]

Her color looks better in sunlight she looks very yellowish under the LED. And my phone camera takes crap pic's

How long has it been in the pot for? Stonington blend only has so many nutrients before it “runs out”. Anything under a 15 gallon pot will need a boost. At 7 gallons you only have 42 days of nutrients so at 8 gallon pots like yours you probably get about 48-50 days.

You can google Stonington blend feeding schedule to get a clearer image than the one I posted if you need it

 

[Azimuth]

Overwatering is more than just “giving too much water”. Overwatering is also not allowing the substrate to dry out enough between waterings.

And, even though we call it "over watering" it really has less to do with water than it does air. Technically you can't really over water since once something is already fully wet more water isn't going to make it wetter.

What's really going on is the moisture is filling the tiny voids in your mix, displacing the air and with it the oxygen that the roots need. They can be in this environment for a bit but eventually will start to rot if they don't get access to the air they need.

We find that with the SIP pots. We can keep a standing water level of an inch or two in the pots without any ill effects because we are also providing air down at the root level, but in a normal pot without good drainage the water can indeed have a suffocating effect.

 

[cbdhemp808]

1 gallon of water in an 8 gallon pot is about 12% of pot size and for a plant that big and watering every 4-7 days it probably should be fine. It looks pretty light colored though, like it could use some food though I think you said you weren't able to feed it. So what nutes are you using?

Hmm... I use 2 gal of water plus high-N liquid fert in a 6.5 gal pot, and it drains very well in my custom soil mix with ample coco coir in the mix. I get good runoff with that. I have 6 ft. tall plants in these 6.5 gal pots.

So, what's going on here? Watering with only 1 gal in an 8 gal pot? I don't see how that's producing enough runoff, meaning the water isn't saturating the soil.

Stonington is 40% peat moss. Is this holding the water too much?

It looks a lot better to me than it did just a short while ago. Leaves aren't praying though, maybe try moving the light just a little closer and see if she perks up.

The plant does look better. Very healthy.

 

[Papa OG]

I feel it's inconsistent watering schedule, with cooler temps. Causing the slump. We all know peat moss is like a sponge, it will retain water for absorption. Probably why there is little to no run off. I let the plant tell when it needs water, not my brain. If you read the leaves, you can see the saturation.

 

[bluter]

edit : dragged wrong reply from a different thread

 

[cbdhemp808]

I feel it's inconsistent watering schedule, with cooler temps. Causing the slump. We all know peat moss is like a sponge, it will retain water for absorption. Probably why there is little to no run off. I let the plant tell when it needs water, not my brain. If you read the leaves, you can see the saturation.

Perhaps the "suffocating effect" that Azi is talking about is happening. I have never grown with peat moss. I only use coco in my custom soil mix, and I get very good drainage. Maybe the trick is to run more water through the peat moss medium, and there would be hydrodynamic effects to pull the water through better. Maybe insufficient water leads to too much sponge effect. Stonington at 40% peat moss... that's a heck of a lot of peat moss. In my custom soil mix, I use about 2 gal of coco coir in 15 gal of soil.

 

[bluter]

Perhaps the "suffocating effect" that Azi is talking about is happening. I have never grown with peat moss. I only use coco in my custom soil mix, and I get very good drainage. Maybe the trick is to run more water through the peat moss medium, and there would be hydrodynamic effects to pull the water through better. Maybe insufficient water leads to too much sponge effect. Stonington at 40% peat moss... that's a heck of a lot of peat moss. In my custom soil mix, I use about 2 gal of coco coir in 15 gal of soil.

is this like a promix grow ? if so it holds like "soil". which is to say not really lol.

promix and sunshine are peat based too and built to mimic dirt, but looser. peat will wick moisture but doesn't hold it as long as dirt. there's usually some perlite and neutral media added. neutral media is essentially dirt with the organics cooked out of it. i'm guessing the stonington is similar.

the watering protocol is the same as soil.

edit : or at least close.

coco is a different animal. it's a waste product from the textile and furniture industries. it waters and dries much different than a peat base. coco for growing is a fantastic use of the material.

 

[cbdhemp808]

coco is a different animal. it's a waste product from the textile and furniture industries. it waters and dries much different than a peat base. coco for growing is a fantastic use of the material.

Coconut coir is a raw material made from ground up coconut husks (the part outside the hard shell). I get mine in compressed blocks from a guy who imports it by the pallet from Thailand and India.

I am personally unfamiliar with growing in peat moss, and I can tell you I never will. Most people responding here are saying that peat moss holds water, and the OP's medium is 40% peat moss.

 

[bluter]

Coconut coir is a raw material made from ground up coconut husks (the part outside the hard shell). I get mine in compressed blocks from a guy that imports it by the pallet from Thailand and India.

that is exactly what it is. more of it is produced every year than we consume. it's used to stuff furniture and stuff.

edit : the compressed bricks are for our industry.

I am personally unfamiliar with growing in peat moss, and I can tell you I never will do that. Most people responding here are saying that peat moss holds water, and the OP's medium is 40% peat moss.

promix can be up to 70% or more. there are different mixes.

 

[cbdhemp808]

that is exactly what it is. more of it is produced every year than we consume. it's used to stuff furniture and stuff.

edit : the compressed bricks are for our industry.

OK, I see the confusion now. What we growers call "coconut coir" or "coco" is different than what "coir" is known for in the furniture industry, etc. Agricultural coir is the "pith" of the coconut husk. It's granular, absorbs water, and is spongy when wet. The stuff used for floor mats, stuffing, etc., are the whole fibers:

fiber-type coir

a handful of agricultural coconut coir

 

[bluter]

OK, I see the confusion now. What we growers call "coconut coir" or "coco" is different than what "coir" is known for in the furniture industry, etc. Agricultural coir (aka "pith") is ground-up coconut coir fiber. It's granular, absorbs water, and is spongy when wet. The stuff used for floor mats, stuffing, etc., are the whole fibers:

yes. they are companion industries. the agri-coir part that is used in growing is a by-product of the fibre. for years the coir was stockpiled as waste. using it as a grow media is a total win.

 

[cbdhemp808]

yes. they are companion industries. the coir part that is used in growing is a by-product of the fibre. for years the coir was stockpiled as waste. using it as a grow media is a total win.

That makes sense. If you look at coconut husk, it contains both pith and fiber. Our coir is the pith, and you'll see a few fibers in it. It's not ground-up fiber. [I edited my replies above.]

 

[bluter]

That makes sense. If you look at coconut husk, it contains both pith and fiber. Our coir is the pith, and you'll see a few fibers in it. It's not ground-up fiber. [I edited my replies above.]

i'm an advocate for using it even though it's not my current media. it's replaced neutralized soils in other potting mixes as well. also good.

a little mixed feelings though. some family used to sift and cook soils for use in potting soils. it's an industrial process, there's still a market, but it could be easily replaced by coir with better environmental outcome.

 

[Keffka]

a little mixed feelings though. some family used to sift and cook soils for use in potting soils. it's an industrial process, there's still a market, but it could be easily replaced by coir with better environmental outcome.

This is what makes transitioning to cleaner and more sustainable practices difficult that many people don’t consider. While yes it’s good for the species and planet as a whole, lots of peoples livelihoods are decimated in the process and very rarely are they able to attain the same success in the newer industries. We’re not animals, it’s not as simple as “oh well deal with it” whole communities are often destroyed in the process.

 

[bluter]

This is what makes transitioning to cleaner and more sustainable practices difficult that many people don’t consider. While yes it’s good for the species and planet as a whole, lots of peoples livelihoods are decimated in the process and very rarely are they able to attain the same success in the newer industries. We’re not animals, it’s not as simple as “oh well deal with it” whole communities are often destroyed in the process.

i live in a place where the gov't is spinning in the air to keep an oil based economy even though it's a complete non-starter. their election platform is all oil, guns, and drunks driving trucks. yeehaw.

 

[cbdhemp808]

I live in Hawaii and would very much like to see local coir production here – like a co-op where everyone can bring their husks and run them through a machine. For now I'm using the imported stuff. I'm using it as a soil amendment and getting great results. About 2 gal per 15 gal mix. It enhances water permeation, distribution, and drainage in the pot, and retains some moisture. I also use it for a mulch layer on top of the soil.

If we really wanted to go super eco eco... best would be to make big, covered compost piles of chopped-up husks, let them break down, and then separate out the fibers.

 

[Keffka]

i live in a place where the gov't is spinning in the air to keep an oil based economy even though it's a complete non-starter. their election platform is all oil, guns, and drunks driving trucks. yeehaw.

Some folks have no vision and fear progress. They have no problems utilizing the fruits of progress to sow fear though. It’s an amazing high wire act of contradictions and hypocrisy. Allowing fear to dictate decisions is irresponsible at best and genocidal at worst as we see play out over and over again. I’ll never understand refusing to adapt out of fear of change.

I live in Hawaii and would very much like to see local coir production here – like a co-op where everyone can bring their husks and run them through a machine. For now I'm using the imported stuff. I'm using it as a soil amendment and getting great results. About 2 gal per 15 gal mix. It enhances water permeation, distribution, and drainage in the pot, and retains some moisture. I also use it for a mulch layer on top of the soil.

If we really wanted to go super eco eco... best would be to make big, covered compost piles of chopped-up husks, let them break down, and then separate out the fibers.

Coco is amazing microbe food as well. It can really kick the soil food web into hyperdrive. It’s a really good amendment for potassium as well when in a living soil.