She's drooping
- Thread starter Doctor Trevor
- Start date
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
Hi Doc, and welcome to the forum! 
A constant droop like that indicates watering problems, and most likely you are seeing the effect from the lower roots being forced to shut down because they are sitting under water and cant get the oxygen they need. It is imperative to let our containers dry out all the way to the bottom between waterings, so that the air can be sucked down clear to the bottom and middle of that rootball. The fastest way to cause this to happen is to water regularly and with a set amount, paying no attention to the water that might still be in the bottom of the container. Use the lift method to determine when the container has dried out and only then water to saturate the soil.
I wrote a piece explaining how to properly water a potted plant... I invite you to read it. The link is down below.
A constant droop like that indicates watering problems, and most likely you are seeing the effect from the lower roots being forced to shut down because they are sitting under water and cant get the oxygen they need. It is imperative to let our containers dry out all the way to the bottom between waterings, so that the air can be sucked down clear to the bottom and middle of that rootball. The fastest way to cause this to happen is to water regularly and with a set amount, paying no attention to the water that might still be in the bottom of the container. Use the lift method to determine when the container has dried out and only then water to saturate the soil.
I wrote a piece explaining how to properly water a potted plant... I invite you to read it. The link is down below.
- Thread starter
- #3
Doctor Trevor
Well-Known Member
Thank you for responding, Emilya.
I checked the drip tray under the plant. It's very dry.
Dr. Trevor
(not a real doctor)
I checked the drip tray under the plant. It's very dry.
Dr. Trevor
(not a real doctor)
Sctanley007
Well-Known Member
All you need to do is listen to Emilya...Ive followed her advise and taken it a bit further and weigh each pot the first time the plants are dry to slight droop. Then moving forward I can predict, most times within a few hours, when the plants will be bone dry and water. Always results in a full root ball.
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- #5
Doctor Trevor
Well-Known Member
I'm reading her article now. Thanks.
Sctanley007
Well-Known Member
You wouldn't see water in the drip tray...its water that is locked up in the bottom of the pot. If you lift the pot it will fill heavier in the bottom third. I had a plant lock up once and it took a lot of patience to let it dry out.
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- #7
Doctor Trevor
Well-Known Member
I'm using one of those cloth pots for Lupe (I named her 'Lupe') and felt all around it. Completely dry. Before writing, I thought she needed more water.
I water her with three hydration spikes. Last Friday, I fed her some Foxfarm nutrients, mixed in a pint of water. I do this twice a week, following Foxfarm's feeding schedule.
I water her with three hydration spikes. Last Friday, I fed her some Foxfarm nutrients, mixed in a pint of water. I do this twice a week, following Foxfarm's feeding schedule.
Nunyabiz
Well-Known Member
What is your medium, Coco or Soil?
And how much or when do you water now?
If its coco, then it needs to be watered every single day and keep the coco moist at all times.
If its soil, then you need to make a judgement call.
If your soil is not aerated properly then probably should follow Emily's advice.
If its properly aerated with good soil tilth then it should be kept moist, probably water almost as often as coco.
Edit: a pint of water twice a week I would guess shes dry as a bone and needs WAY more water
And how much or when do you water now?
If its coco, then it needs to be watered every single day and keep the coco moist at all times.
If its soil, then you need to make a judgement call.
If your soil is not aerated properly then probably should follow Emily's advice.
If its properly aerated with good soil tilth then it should be kept moist, probably water almost as often as coco.
Edit: a pint of water twice a week I would guess shes dry as a bone and needs WAY more water
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- #9
Doctor Trevor
Well-Known Member
I use Foxfarm soil. I never packed it down and let it stay loose for aerating.
The plant is watered automatically with hydrostaves, which I've been using since the first day; she's on week ten, now.
The drooping started in the last day or two.
I'll finish reading Emilya's article and decide what to do.
The plant is watered automatically with hydrostaves, which I've been using since the first day; she's on week ten, now.
The drooping started in the last day or two.
I'll finish reading Emilya's article and decide what to do.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
Is the drooping constant or does it change with the day/night cycle?
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- #11
Doctor Trevor
Well-Known Member
I've never seen her droopy. I last looked at her on Friday when I fed her and she was fine.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
and maybe you are underwatering... by not saturating the medium with your innovative watering method and your measured amount of water.
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- #13
Doctor Trevor
Well-Known Member
The hydrostaves were recommended by a friend. I feed her twice a week with nutrient, dissolved in a pint of water.
Could it be, now that's she's beginning to flower, that she just needs more water than before?
Could it be, now that's she's beginning to flower, that she just needs more water than before?
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
yes, the watering needs could definitely now be greater than those staves your friend recommended can handle.
But wait a sec...
You mixed up the nutrients that were recommended for that week, in just a pint of water? And then you applied this to the soil? Did you make any adjustment to the tsp/gallon recommendations given or are you just winging it when it comes to the nutes?
Regarding the twice a week watering with a specific amount of water... you are doing this all wrong. My recommendation is to throw those hydrostaves away and learn to properly water your container of soil to saturation and then learn to watch the wet/dry cycle. You don't have a wet/dry cycle... you are watering by the calendar.
But wait a sec...
You mixed up the nutrients that were recommended for that week, in just a pint of water? And then you applied this to the soil? Did you make any adjustment to the tsp/gallon recommendations given or are you just winging it when it comes to the nutes?
Regarding the twice a week watering with a specific amount of water... you are doing this all wrong. My recommendation is to throw those hydrostaves away and learn to properly water your container of soil to saturation and then learn to watch the wet/dry cycle. You don't have a wet/dry cycle... you are watering by the calendar.
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- #15
Doctor Trevor
Well-Known Member
I made the adjustments in regards to the nutrients. I've fed the plant twice a week this way (making a quart of nutrient at a time and splitting it). I've also used Sledgehammer once a month. Last time was a week and a half ago.
I will water Lupe soon. She's in a three gallon pot. I'll add a quart of water to the pot and wait an hour before checking on her.
Thanks, everyone, for your help.
I will water Lupe soon. She's in a three gallon pot. I'll add a quart of water to the pot and wait an hour before checking on her.
Thanks, everyone, for your help.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
How exactly did you use the sledgehammer? It is designed to be a soil rinse. Did you do a flush of the soil, or just add this as if it were a nutrient?
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- #17
Doctor Trevor
Well-Known Member
I slowly poured a gallon of the solution in the pot while it sat in the sink. After ten or fifteen minutes, I returned her to her tent.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
A 3 gallon container of water should be able to absorb a whole lot more than 1 quart of water. Why are you insisting on being so stingy with the water? Throw those staves in the garbage can and properly saturate this soil. You can NOT overwater by giving too much water at a time.
That is more like it... did this gallon produce runoff? It sounds like you finally saturated the soil. Now sit on your hands for a few days and see how fast the plant can use all of this water before you even think, about watering again.
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- #19
Doctor Trevor
Well-Known Member
The sledgehammer was about ten days ago.
I'm reading what you wrote regarding adding a quart at a time. Should I just repeat this until the drip tray is wet?
I'm reading what you wrote regarding adding a quart at a time. Should I just repeat this until the drip tray is wet?
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
yes indeed... keep going with the small amounts until no more can be absorbed. Treat the soil as if it were a sponge that you are trying to fill up with the max water it can hold.
You didn't answer how you used the sledgehammer. Did you use it mixed with 3x the container size of water to flush through the soil, cleaning it of any left over salts and debris, or did you just add it to your water as if it were a nutrient?
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