Organic bottle nutes run off?
- Thread starter Virandell
- Start date
And to help remove the plant's waste products. In nature, that's not an issue because the plant is growing in the biggest container of all, lol. Also, because there's always something - and, usually, lots of somethings - that fill the niche of breaking down these products by using them as food.
It's probably still a good idea to do, once in a while. It seems somewhat doubtful that each and every cannabis plant is going to use 100% of what you feed it... since there isn't really a "one size fits all" nutritional formula. Therefore, you'll still end up with concentrations of certain portions of what you do feed them. Again, not really an issue in nature, because something will "move in" and end up consuming it.
If you're one of those people who can/do create a complex biosphere in your container instead of just growing a cannabis plant in it, then watering to runoff would be far less important, and might even be contraindicated.
The above is "IMHO," of course.
If I see runoff initially then I wait and slow down. I have been letting the soil get slowly saturated. After I feel it is saturated and I see runoff again, then I'm done. Then my count starts to track the wet/ dry cycle. I think compost teas and feeding the biology in the soil will help consume any excess and in turn feed your plant. That has been my focus lately. I still have to add amendments to keep them completely happy but that's been a learning process. I've had some deficiencies to deal with. I think that has a lot to do with my ignorance of the amount needed during specific growth cycles. I don't like seeing my expensive nutrients being wasted and running off. I try to keep my containers in shallow trays to hold some of that runoff so it can be mostly used when needed.
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks alot buddy for answer I think I will water then every maybe 3rd watering to 10% run off
BigDannel
Well-Known Member
Definitely water until run-off each time. The bigger concern is that you said you need to lift up the fabric pots, does this mean they're just sitting directly on the ground? If they are, this limits drainage and airflow at the bottom and you can end up with a constant 1"-2" of water that stays in the bottoms of the pot, causing the plant to essentially be over-watered. Get those fabric pots up off the ground a few inches, they make pot risers and plant stands but you can make due with some bricks and cut up a milk carton, anything that will allow air under the pots will be a huge help!
I am onboard with this. Well said. A lot of times, if the run through the bottom of the container starts quickly then it is likely that the soil has gotten so dry that it tends to repel the water. Slowing down will allow the pieces of soil material to absorb the water slowly and as it gets moist it will be able to absorb more water. We can see this happen in nature when a heavy rain during a drought will run off the surface of a field or lawn. Then, maybe an hour later, another storm or rain shower moves through and this time no water runs off the surface. This is because the soil was able to absorb some of the water from the first rainfall and is now better able to absorb the new water.
That was the way I used to look at it but now I just leave it there. If I water and see some run-thru and I know that the soil was not overly dry I stop. I might come back 30 minutes later and give more water and if that runs through then I feel the soil is close to saturation. Most of the containers I use have small feet to keep the bottom of the pot out of the water. The pots that do not have the small feet are sitting in saucers that have ridges which keep the container out of the water anyway.
BigDannel
Well-Known Member
@Emilya has an excellent write up - The Proper Way To Water A Potted Plant. Read it through and follow it, you won't have any issues
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
I water just up to the point of runoff, wait 20 minutes and then water just to the point of runoff again, making sure that I saturate the soil. Runoff is messy, wasteful and just plain sloppy. I try to avoid it. I certainly do not strive for 10%, even in a synthetic grow, but especially not in an organic grow. If I am in a nutrient line that needs a flush now and then to clear salts and leftover nutes, then I actually flush, 3x the container size instead of providing myself with an unknown by watering to excessive runoff each time, and wondering always whether 10% every time is actually enough to clean things out.
Regarding whether this changes with organic nutes...
If it comes from a bottle or mixed as a powder into your water, something is chelated, and something could build up in your soil. You may need to flush at some point, possibly several points in the grow, depending on the nutrient line. If you instead add your nutrients to the soil in the form of raw minerals, then no, there is no need to ever flush or water to excessive runoff.
Regarding whether this changes with organic nutes...
If it comes from a bottle or mixed as a powder into your water, something is chelated, and something could build up in your soil. You may need to flush at some point, possibly several points in the grow, depending on the nutrient line. If you instead add your nutrients to the soil in the form of raw minerals, then no, there is no need to ever flush or water to excessive runoff.
I am basically watering just like @Emilya mentions in msg #8 (just above this one). Been following that thread for awhile, before I registered for this message board and have recommended it to others who are just getting started in growing in containers whether it is Marijuana or some sort of houseplant.@Emilya has an excellent write up - The Proper Way To Water A Potted Plant. Read it through and follow it, you won't have any issues
She is right, watering each time to some sort of what is called run-off is messy and wasteful of materials and time.
BigDannel
Well-Known Member
I agree. I don't have a pump or a way to automatically get water out of the tent, so 10% run-off would be pretty messy and excessive in my opinion. I like to get the soil wet slowly to start off, I use a 16 oz drinking cup which helps me only do a little at a time, I also find it easier to control than a gallon jug or a watering can. I'll give the plant about 16 - 20 oz to start and then go take a break for a few minutes so that it can saturate the soil. Then I'll water around the edges, using the 16 oz cup again. I'll do this a few times until I see a little bit of run-off at the bottom. I'll take another few minutes, then return to water in the middle of the rootball. Usually a few cup-fulls is good, once I see drips underneath is when I stop.
I'll let it drip out but there's usually not that much. I use a towel to soak it all up and wipe down the bottom of the tent and then wring the towel out back into my cup and dispose, simple and it works. It's not the fastest way but I like taking it slowly and knowing approximately how much run-off I'm getting. Usually I'll have about 20 oz of "run-off" at most from 2 plants in 5 gallon pots.
