Newbie water question

[Timhomegrow]

First time grower so be easy on me

Tent grow, 1000watt LED, potting soil. Blue Dreamatic auto and Majin Buu.

I'm doing the runoff method with watering, watered on 5/4. Pots (3gal size) are still somewhat heavy, soil still moist with finger test. Guessing they will need water on 5/8. Is that normal for it to take that long to dry?

Currently I do not have fans in the tent other than the exhaust fan and carbon filter. In tent fans arrive today. Could this be a reason?

So far happy for my first grow, they haven't died and I'm learning alot ha

 

[Emilya Green]

Hi @Timhomegrow and welcome to the forum!

I would like you to read my thoughts on watering. This article has helped many new growers figure out how to properly water. Good luck!
The link is down below in my signature lines.

 

[Nunyabiz]

For me personally I try to get my soil tilth to the point to where I water every single day in a 25 gallon fabric pot.
If it were me, I would transplant into at least 5 gallon fabric pots and if you're going to bottle feed then just use coco with 25% pumice and 5% precharged biochar "filled to the brim" and water every day with 1/4 strength nutrients.

If you want to stick with soil then do a Clackamas Coots soil recipe and use about the same aeration of 25% pumice about 5% precharged biochar and 5% rice hulls.
Add a little cover crop and a couple inches of barley straw for mulch, preferably in the largest fabric pot you can manage.
Also add a few worms.
Properly done you should be watering everyday because your soil tilth is right.

If you stick with what you have then follow Emily's watering post .
More than likely you're going to start having problems in about 3 weeks in 3 gal plastic pots with 2 gals of potting mix.

 

[Timhomegrow]

For me personally I try to get my soil tilth to the point to where I water every single day in a 25 gallon fabric pot.
If it were me, I would transplant into at least 5 gallon fabric pots and if you're going to bottle feed then just use coco with 25% pumice and 5% precharged biochar "filled to the brim" and water every day with 1/4 strength nutrients.

If you want to stick with soil then do a Clackamas Coots soil recipe and use about the same aeration of 25% pumice about 5% precharged biochar and 5% rice hulls.
Add a little cover crop and a couple inches of barley straw for mulch, preferably in the largest fabric pot you can manage.
Also add a few worms.
Properly done you should be watering everyday because your soil tilth is right.

If you stick with what you have then follow Emily's watering post .
More than likely you're going to start having problems in about 3 weeks in 3 gal plastic pots with 2 gals of potting mix.

I'm limited in space 32"x32"64" so I can't let them get too big. Wish I used the fabric pots from the start, may repot them but is 5 gal too big for my setup?

 

[Nunyabiz]

I'm limited in space 32"x32"64" so I can't let them get too big. Wish I used the fabric pots from the start, may repot them but is 5 gal too big for my setup?

I'd use the largest fabric pot that fits in your space if you're using soil.
5 gallon fabric is fine for coco.
You're going to have no choice but to up pot pretty soon, 2 gallons of soil will get root bound pretty quick.

 

[Emilya Green]

Apologies Tim... just a sec...
I am starting to get annoyed with this continual bad advice Nun. First, the OP made no indication of interest in coco or any other type of grow, he was asking for advice on his current grow. Then after dissing his current grow method, you follow up giving horrible advice about watering and uppotting, and advice that is contrary to what i first advised by reading my watering thread, on his supposed immediate need to uppot. My methods provide a clear indicator as to when to uppot and how NOT to get rootbound and you have offered totally contrary opinions.

@Timhomegrow, this is a great example of what happens when you come into an open forum asking for advice. Everyone will give it, even sometimes telling you that what you are doing is crap and you need to change everything and do it like they say, instead. Nunya does this to people all the time, talking about his "living soil", and I am tired of simply watching it happen without saying something about it, because all it does is end up confusing new growers.

Nunya also mentioned problems that are down the road in 2 or 3 weeks. What he is alluding to is that your soil is going to become weak in nutrients, and at some point you are going to need to uppot into some fresh soil and a larger container. This will get you through a couple more weeks, but by that time you will be going into bloom, and then the feeding needs dramatically change, and your soil is not going to be able to supply all the plant needs. You are going to need to supply nutrients. Nutes come in all sizes, flavors and expense levels. You will no doubt look for advice in this area too, and again, be careful because you will again be deluged with opinions, and maybe not opinions that are agreed upon by everyone. Pick someone you can trust for advice... and I suggest looking on forums for people who have a following and have plenty of grow journals and tutorials to show people exactly what they are doing. If someone doesn't have that to present to you, take their advice with careful consideration.

 

[Nunyabiz]

Apologies Tim... just a sec...
I am starting to get annoyed with this continual bad advice Nun. First, the OP made no indication of interest in coco or any other type of grow, he was asking for advice on his current grow. Then after dissing his current grow method, you follow up giving horrible advice about watering and uppotting, and advice that is contrary to what i first advised by reading my watering thread, on his supposed immediate need to uppot. My methods provide a clear indicator as to when to uppot and how NOT to get rootbound and you have offered totally contrary opinions.

@Timhomegrow, this is a great example of what happens when you come into an open forum asking for advice. Everyone will give it, even sometimes telling you that what you are doing is crap and you need to change everything and do it like they say, instead. Nunya does this to people all the time, talking about his "living soil", and I am tired of simply watching it happen without saying something about it, because all it does is end up confusing new growers.

Nunya also mentioned problems that are down the road in 2 or 3 weeks. What he is alluding to is that your soil is going to become weak in nutrients, and at some point you are going to need to uppot into some fresh soil and a larger container. This will get you through a couple more weeks, but by that time you will be going into bloom, and then the feeding needs dramatically change, and your soil is not going to be able to supply all the plant needs. You are going to need to supply nutrients. Nutes come in all sizes, flavors and expense levels. You will no doubt look for advice in this area too, and again, be careful because you will again be deluged with opinions, and maybe not opinions that are agreed upon by everyone. Pick someone you can trust for advice... and I suggest looking on forums for people who have a following and have plenty of grow journals and tutorials to show people exactly what they are doing. If someone doesn't have that to present to you, take their advice with careful consideration.

I'd suggest that you put me on ignore just like I am doing to you right now.

I said nothing that wasn't factual.

I prefer to give people advice on what should be the easiest way to get a good grow with the least amount of problems.
So when someone has a flat tire my suggestion is to permanently repair or replace the tire.
Your advice is pull over and pump it up every 5 miles.

You're advice on watering is going on the assumption and frankly the need to have soil that doesn't have proper aeration with subpar soil in small plastic pots.
My advice is simply get your soil right in the first place and theres no need to play water roulette, proper soil with a good tilth in large fabric pots you can water just like Coco and have a whole lot less problems from start to finish.

To me if you cant water at least every 48 hours then your soil tilth isn't quite right.

Sweet, ignore is actually block now, excellent, that's appreciated.

 

[Emilya Green]

I'd suggest that you put me on ignore just like I am doing to you right now.
I

I said nothing that wasn't factual.

I prefer to give people advice on what should be the easiest way to get a good grow with the least amount of problems.
So when someone has a flat tire my suggestion is to permanently repair or replace the tire.
Your advice is pull over and pump it up every 5 miles.

How come we cant block people on this site? Ignore is useless, we need a way to BLOCK so we dont have to be subjected to nonsense.

I would block your nonsense Nunya, but then I wouldnt be able to counter the bad advice you give.... I prefer to keep you in sight.

 

[Nunyabiz]

The only one giving bad advice is you.

 

[Stunned]

Good Lord people.....
Get a room

 

[multiVortex]

Good Lord people.....
Get a room

Username checks out.

 

[skirk]

In the world of fishing, we call that rising to the bait.