Run off water

[Gee]

I use the proper PH to water my girls in 10 gallon pot bags. I also use organic liquid fertilizer (forgot name) with a bit of feather meal during veg. Two questions:

I have a plastic pan underneath them to catch the water. The extra water that passes to pan generally gets absorbed back in to the bag. Is that ok that I leave the water there to be reabsorbed or should it run off?? It has lots of fertilizer and nutrients?

2nd, the bags I use are porous throughout the bottom and sides. After I water I notice much of the soil is not evenly moist. Did I purchase the wrong planter bag? It would be nice if the side weren’t so porous to help all water flow through the soil evenly (like a plastic pot that you’d fill with a few inches of water and it goes straight down)

I almost feel like the bags should have less porous sides that the bottom. I could alway wrap the sides in some plastic wrap but then that is like a plastic pot.

Thanks

 

[Nunyabiz]

First because the bags are porous all around is why the roots air prune.
Which gives you a root system far more dense than you could ever have in a plastic pot.

If you have dry spots its because you aren't using a wetting agent such as Yucca or Aloe vera.

And no you do not want them sitting in the water.
The pots should be sitting on plant elevators so there is at least an inch of air flow under the pots

 

[Gee]

Glad I asked. Ty

 

[Gee]

Follow up question.

I realize I forgot to mention. This is my second watering in the bags since transplant. The first water the soil went up to edges. It had no side leaking. Noticed the soil shrank in second watering to let water fall to sides leaving dry spots possibly???

 

[Nunyabiz]

You just need to water slowly and use a wetting agent so the soil is no longer hydrophobic.

Goodbye from Maximum Yield

In print and online, Maximum Yield is your source for cannabis and cultivation knowledge, with informative grow articles and tips to enhance your life with mmj.

www.maximumyield.com

 

[bobrown14]

You can let your containers sit in the water run off.

Where do you think the water disappears to?

I'll answer - the plants roots are up-taking that along with any nutrients in that water and its going to be perfectly fine.

My pots sit it water the entire grow veg thru flower.

IF the soil is dry - you aren't watering enough. Just slow down your pour and spread the water around as your pour it in. Aloe is a good wetting agent.

 

[Nunyabiz]

That's not really the best option for fabric pots.
If they sit in water the roots will grow through the pot and you can damage them, also they dont air prune.
Air space is best.

 

[bobrown14]

Sit them in some Per-lite under the fabric pot. The plant should be using up the run off over night tho - that's not really sitting in water. Overnight aint that long a time.

My response was more about not letting plants sit in water. Lots of plants grow this way. If you've ever seen a living BOG you know this to be true you can grow plants in water. As long as the water is worthy, the plants will thrive.