The Proper Way To Water A Potted Plant

[Emilya Green]

So what are you recommending to use (pot size) ? thru grow : germination/seedling stages (very small) seedling/veg (3 gallon) veg'flower (5-10 gallon) ??? have transplanted to final container in seedling stage ( 1 liter to 10 gallon) ?

Safeman,
there are no hard and fast rules... it depends on the types of containers you use, and your skill levels in reading your plants.

I start out in solo cups. From there I move up to 1 gallon size. If I am using hard sided containers, I will then move up to 3 gallon, and if I am going with an extended veg period, I will move up to 5 or 7 gallon (or larger) to finish out in. If I am using smart pots, I can stay at the 1 gallon size clear up to time to move over to the flower tent, where I can just set the smart pots down into 3 or 5 gallon containers for the easiest transplant ever, and as long as I get at least 2 weeks to establish in the larger containers before switching to flower, I am good.

 

[safeman]

Safeman,
there are no hard and fast rules... it depends on the types of containers you use, and your skill levels in reading your plants.

I start out in solo cups. From there I move up to 1 gallon size. If I am using hard sided containers, I will then move up to 3 gallon, and if I am going with an extended veg period, I will move up to 5 or 7 gallon (or larger) to finish out in. If I am using smart pots, I can stay at the 1 gallon size clear up to time to move over to the flower tent, where I can just set the smart pots down into 3 or 5 gallon containers for the easiest transplant ever, and as long as I get at least 2 weeks to establish in the larger containers before switching to flower, I am good.

Thanks ! at present I transplant in final container (10 gallon) in the seedling stage. doing this helps in plant stress in transplanting. Have used "air-pot's" way to much work in Using landscaping containers (very thin plastic) Really don't care much for smart pots. Feel that a plant is going to get root bound no matter what size(with-in reason)

 

[Emilya Green]

Thanks ! at present I transplant in final container (10 gallon) in the seedling stage. doing this helps in plant stress in transplanting. Have used "air-pot's" way to much work in Using landscaping containers (very thin plastic) Really don't care much for smart pots. Feel that a plant is going to get root bound no matter what size(with-in reason)

safeman,
transplanting so early to a large container is usually very detrimental to properly growing this weed. Most people do not have the skill necessary to water correctly in this situation, and many people using this method, fail at growing a large amount of weed per plant.
Your reasoning for doing this is totally wrong. If you transplant correctly, there is never any stress in transplanting... to the contrary... done correctly will produce a dramatic growth spurt in your plants. Too much work you say... and I say the result of laziness will be seen in the final yield. There is no way a plant that has not had a chance to develop a root system is going to outproduce a plant that has been carefully successively uppotted several times throughout the grow, forcing the rootball to develop in each of the containers.
Lastly, no, smart pots are not for everyone and do take some extra work to do it right. Your feeling however is incorrect.... done correctly, my 2 month old vegging clones in 1 gallon smart pots prove that rootbound can be held off for much longer than in hard sided containers, while producing a solid rootball that is easily transplanted directly into a larger container without removing it from the origininal smart pot. Talk about zero stress. I absolutely love smart pots, and will never finish in a hard sided container again.

 

[safeman]

Thanks again ! your reasoning sounds solid - will re-thinks my thoughts on smart pot's

 

[klahsfhuwfhy]

I have just fed plants with a low ph, of around 3 or 4 ph meter is broken, what will happen? I'm growing in coco coir but it's first grow and sick of using ph down and crappy ph meteres breaking. (Perhaps I should invest in a decent one)
I want to transplant them from coco into soil. I currently have them in 18 (4gallons) but want to transfer into organic soil in 20L air pots. Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[klahsfhuwfhy]

Here's leaves 2hours later, think il buy a decent ph meter tomorrow and then flush with ph 6 or neutral? Has the low ph made the leaves twist?

Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[SHRuuM]

What PH are you feeding the girls at?

Here's leaves 2hours later, think il buy a decent ph meter tomorrow and then flush with ph 6 or neutral? Has the low ph made the leaves twist?

Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[klahsfhuwfhy]

Could have been ph4. Was a mistake! I'm going to buy a digital ph meter tomorrow


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[Emilya Green]

I have just fed plants with a low ph, of around 3 or 4 ph meter is broken, what will happen? I'm growing in coco coir but it's first grow and sick of using ph down and crappy ph meteres breaking. (Perhaps I should invest in a decent one)
I want to transplant them from coco into soil. I currently have them in 18 (4gallons) but want to transfer into organic soil in 20L air pots.

a low pH of 3 or 4 is quite acidic, and way out of the usable range. Your plants will not be able to pick up any of the nutrients you just gave them and if the acidic level is too low, you could have damaged some of the finer roots. Transplanting at this time from coco to soil is not recommended. The pH needs of the two mediums are so different that you will never be able to find a proper mix unless you were to remove all of the coco, and to expose the roots to this much manipulation just to get them in soil would be very stressful to both you and the plants. Maybe it would be best to finish out in the coco, learning how to do it correctly? It is perfectly possible to get a very nice yield out of coco, done right.

Here's leaves 2hours later, think il buy a decent ph meter tomorrow and then flush with ph 6 or neutral? Has the low ph made the leaves twist?

K,
It sounds like you are on the right track. Get a decent pH meter and adjust for the correct range for your medium. Most people have the best luck aiming for around 5.8 pH in coco. Do not adjust to pH 6 or 7, as this is way too high. I am curious too if you are keeping the coco wet by watering a couple of times a day or if you are letting it dry out all the way to the bottom each time between waterings?

And yes, the low pH has caused the leaf twist... what else could it be, sunspots? The leaves are reacting the acidic mix at their feet and they are showing you what they think of it... and trust me, that twist is a complaint, not a compliment.

 

[safeman]

I have just fed plants with a low ph, of around 3 or 4 ph meter is broken, what will happen? I'm growing in coco coir but it's first grow and sick of using ph down and crappy ph meteres breaking. (Perhaps I should invest in a decent one)
I want to transplant them from coco into soil. I currently have them in 18 (4gallons) but want to transfer into organic soil in 20L air pots. Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

You should be OK - have you ever look at "PH Perfect" nutrients by advanced nutrients (never have to check ph again)

 

[Regnad Kcin]

Glad I have been able to help Big; that makes me very happy. <snip> .....never got to the point where she was able to reach the 2 or 3 day wet/dry cycle, but no sweat, she can still perform well at whatever her schedule in that container is; you just need to find her rhythm and carefully adjust your watering to the two different needs of your plants.....If you carefully let her dry out the soil at her own pace, using the lift method or the wilt method, you will find her wet/dry period. Once you do, let her do what she will with it. Over time she might be able to shorten it up a bit, but now her goal is to build buds, rootbuilding is done. Buds is what she will concentrate on once you let her have her natural cycle with the soil without interference by watering inbetween. She wont be as massive as the other plant, but if you get out of her way and let her make the decisions about watering, she will do the best she can do.

Don’t look now, Emilya, but your Zen is showing!

I’ve been riveted to this thread ever since I discovered it a couple days ago. I’m thinking that I probably have Big Budha’s problem as well with a relatively undeveloped root system on this my first grow. The ideas that this topic has engendered have helped me refine the way I’m looking at my current “try everything” first grow, as well as how I proceed with the next batch of 3 AK-47’s now just entering veg from seed.

Thanks for your thoughtful responses to everyone and your gentle manner. You’re a breath of fresh air!

 

[juicy steve]

Great post, never thought about watering from the outside in.

I have a watering question, I've learnt the hard way how easy it is to overwater. However I have to leave the babies next week for 7 days. I don't want them to dry out in my absence so I need to water enough for them to live but I don't want to crazy either. Any tips?

 

[Emilya Green]

Great post, never thought about watering from the outside in.

I have a watering question, I've learnt the hard way how easy it is to overwater. However I have to leave the babies next week for 7 days. I don't want them to dry out in my absence so I need to water enough for them to live but I don't want to crazy either. Any tips?

Hey Juicy... well, you havent told me enough. If you are in larger containers they should be able to withstand a 7 day period if you water them real good before you leave... but personally I would try to hook up some sort of pump and timer system to get them water half way through that time. Growing this weed is a commitment, just like having a pet... and you wouldn't leave a pet alone for a week.

My concern however is that somehow you think that you have to control how much water you give your plants, ie, in watering enough to live but not getting crazy with it. Are you not watering to saturation/runoff each time that you water? Overwatering usually does not describe how much water you give in any one session, because that is a given... you water until the soil can't hold any more; overwatering describes in 99% of the cases, someone who waters too often... someone who never lets the soil dry out all the way to the bottom. In veg, this is necessary to produce outstanding plants, but in flower the strategy changes a bit, but still you would always water until the soil could not hold any more, you just water a bit more often.

So my question to you is, are you somehow deciding for your plants the amount of water that they are being given, instead of letting them and your container determine that for you?

 

[Lansky]

Hi Emmie, I will echo many of my fellows in here who expressed their gratitude after reading your thread. I am starting my first fully organic grow and I am glad I read this. I realize that the type of water is an entire different subject in itself, but I was curious to know what you are using and why? Thank you for taking the time to educate us.

 

[Emilya Green]

Hi Emmie, I will echo many of my fellows in here who expressed their gratitude after reading your thread. I am starting my first fully organic grow and I am glad I read this. I realize that the type of water is an entire different subject in itself, but I was curious to know what you are using and why? Thank you for taking the time to educate us.

When doing an organic grow, the main thing that you are trying to avoid is using tap water. The chlorine/chloramine product that is added to city water supplies is put in there to kill the very bacteria and microlife that you are trying to grow in your container. I would rather dump dirty lake water on my plants than hit them with city water, and have actually done that a couple of times. Rain water is good too if you are able to collect it.
Generally however, I use RO water. If you have to buy it by the gallon, it is fairly cheap at .79c/gallon here, or even better, spend about $120 and get a good RO system for under your sink (my choice). Next best is distilled water, but that is overkill... as long as the chlorine is gone, you are all good. The last alternative for those who are rich and just want to throw money at their plants, give them spring water... it has all the minerals, no chlorine.

 

[Gazoo]

When doing an organic grow, the main thing that you are trying to avoid is using tap water. The chlorine/chloramine product that is added to city water supplies is put in there to kill the very bacteria and microlife that you are trying to grow in your container. I would rather dump dirty lake water on my plants than hit them with city water, and have actually done that a couple of times. Rain water is good too if you are able to collect it.

Generally however, I use RO water. If you have to buy it by the gallon, it is fairly cheap at .79c/gallon here, or even better, spend about $120 and get a good RO system for under your sink (my choice). Next best is distilled water, but that is overkill... as long as the chlorine is gone, you are all good. The last alternative for those who are rich and just want to throw money at their plants, give them spring water... it has all the minerals, no chlorine.

Here in Northern Cal ( Bay Area) you can get RO Water in front of most FOOD MAX stores, they have those kiosk type
dispensers out front that will dispense up to 5 gal at a time for .30 cents a gal.. Also they have a posted maintenance
date tag with dates of service and filter change dates checking the hand written dates it looks like they keep service
between 4 and 6 week schedule.

 

[Emilya Green]

Here in Northern Cal ( Bay Area) you can get RO Water in front of most FOOD MAX stores, they have those kiosk type
dispensers out front that will dispense up to 5 gal at a time for .30 cents a gal.. Also they have a posted maintenance
date tag with dates of service and filter change dates checking the hand written dates it looks like they keep service
between 4 and 6 week schedule.

very nice... nothing like that here in the midwest that I have seen. I would do that. Or, if you get tired of hauling the water, as I did, that under the sink unit starts looking real good.

 

[Gazoo]

very nice... nothing like that here in the midwest that I have seen. I would do that. Or, if you get tired of hauling the water, as I did, that under the sink unit starts looking real good.

Yup that’s my Emergency Water Supply

I Collect Rain Water & Recycle my
De-Humidifier water when needed. I also add a little Hydrogen Peroxide
3 or 4 days prior to use. Total PPM before Nutrients is Never over 30 PPM,
The Kiosk RO When I tested was 10 PPM.

 

[odinsmaster]

I put a apex RO system in last week, really like it. Just put a in final line, I put the line in a bucket and turn the valve on. Total cost was under 200$.

My well water is about 450ppm, so now we have good drinking water also. Now it reads 0ppm

 

[Lansky]

Thanks for your answer. My tap water is at 75ppm, one of the best in the country, but it still has some fluoride and chlorine (I could not find Chloramine in the report but I am pretty sure they put some) and PH is at 7. Is it worth installing an RO system still?