The Proper Way To Water A Potted Plant

[Emilya Green]

Maybe there is no contradiction. By cycle-less I mean no wet/dry cycle; I thought people just ran their air pumps continuously. I know oxygen is what's important, but you seemed to be scientifically emphasizing how wet/dry cycles are crucial for weed thriving. It confused me when you say weeds thrive by seeking out water, but they're always in contact with water in hydro and still thrive... then you really mean roots seek out oxygen?

It is my belief that roots seek out water. This is not contradictory in hydro, since it can clearly be seen that roots grow toward the water flow. Plants need oxygen, but it would be hard to prove that they seek it, moreso than the water.

In a container, wet/dry cycles are crucial for developing the plant. Roots need oxygen and they need the soil to drift through the pH range to unlock synthetic nutrients. I fail to see why you are asking a soil and container expert to compare what I know with what happens in a hydro grow. First of all, I am not a hydro expert and second, this thread had nothing to do with hydro until you asked your questions, and clearly in your lead question you did in fact ask me to compare between the two systems, "Is a pot of soil superior when watered correctly?"

So, you got my answer. It was yes... if done correctly.

 

[ConstantGreen]

Ok, sorry to bother you about hydro. My other question, if you don't mind elaborating, was why are weeds better with or need wet/dry adversity more than other plants?

 

[nivek]

Oh ya, by the way, in my opinion,, duct tape,,,, it's not a 'man' thing,, it's a 'it works' thing,, might be the odd woman that uses it as well,, well, she might be odd, might not,, i don't really know

 

[MaxHeadroom]

Oh ya, by the way, in my opinion,, duct tape,,,, it's not a 'man' thing,, it's a 'it works' thing,, might be the odd woman that uses it as well,, well, she might be odd, might not,, i don't really know

All of the women in my life love duct tape *lascivious grin*

 

[Emilya Green]

Ok, sorry to bother you about hydro. My other question was why are weeds better with or need wet/dry adversity more than other plants?

Weeds have evolved and adapted to be amongst the most efficient, successful and tenacious species in the plant kingdom. Weeds however are not usually a desired crop, and they are forced to live as predators, stealing nutrients, space and sunshine from producing and desirable plants in a field, and they do this by going deep. Weeds are usually outnumbered and picked on as the most undesirable plant in the field. Weeds with their deep taproots make some species almost impossible to remove. Some send out runners, both above and below ground, linking weeds into a colony, again to increase their survivability. Weeds have developed these protective mechanisms to increase survivability against cultivated plants, and watching how the deer around my house love to eat my tasty outside pot plants, it is a wonder that they do survive in nature.

All plants in a container need a wet/dry cycle to get oxygen to the roots. Not all container plants however are weeds with tap roots as deep as they can go. Some plants develop their roots right below the surface of the soil and some go no deeper than mid-container. The only reason we stress a complete wet/dry cycle for our weeds is because the main roots go as deep as they can go in these plants, and it becomes vitally important when trying to make this special class of plants thrive, to take special care to get oxygen to those deep roots.

 

[Emilya Green]

Already a sticky! Thank you !

 

[nivek]

very well done,, indeed,, should be mandatory reading, as i stated earlier,,

seems watering should be such a basic, near the first step in the journey one has to mount,, but no one is born knowing this stuff,, plants do tho,, right outa da chute,, clever things,,

once ones soil is moist,, it only takes the tiniest bit more water to put it over the edge,, to turn that healthy soil to choking mush,,

it is very easy to see mush in pictures,, look for reflections in the soil,, mush,,

sorry for hijacking the thread,, but i know there are folks that don't read,, can't read,, don't like to read, are too busy to read,, or maybe they are just totally visual folks,, nutin wrong with that,, so,,

when yer plant looks like this,,,

it's time to water,, maybe a bit late,,




disclaimer::,, no viable valuable 'female' plants were harmed during the making of this post..

 

[DeanB]

Oh ya, by the way, in my opinion,, duct tape,,,, it's not a 'man' thing,, it's a 'it works' thing,, might be the odd woman that uses it as well,, well, she might be odd, might not,, i don't really know

I would like to read what you have to say, but your writing style makes it hard with all the double commas,, in all your posts.
my eyes to my brain just doesn't recognize it as normal writing. I don't get it.

 

[nivek]

 

[buddha buds]

beautiful post ! Massive apreciation for the effore you put in ! how do you give reps?

 

[Radogast]

I really wish I had seen this 2.5 weeks ago. Theres a LOT of bad info out there..I followed it.
Thank you.

I wish I had seen this 1.5 years ago ---Great post Emilya +reps

 

[Radogast]

beautiful post ! Massive apreciation for the effore you put in ! how do you give reps?

Reps are given by clicking on the 6 pointed star on the bottom left of a post - between "Blog this post" and the warning triangle.

 

[buddha buds]

effort ** sorry

 

[Emilya Green]

effort ** sorry

didn't even notice... I am fluent in typonese.

 

[Curly Beaver]

I have learned some valuable tips from you Emiya, but I just re-read this thread before watering/feeding tonight.... and it's like a light bulb clicked on for me.... I'm sure everyone will think I'm an idiot but "if" new growers get something out of it, well I guess it's OK then

Before tonight, if I had 6 plants that I was watering/feeding with Fox Farms, and say 6 with Mills nutrients, I'd wait until one started to wilt, then if it was Fox Farms, ALL 6 PLANTS got pulled and watered/fed (IF THEY NEEDED IT OR NOT.) If I was going to get everything out for 1 plant then all of them utilizing that nutrient (or water) were going to get watered/fed. Same with the other group. What I'm getting at is I looked at them as a group, not individual plants. Figured I'd get the mess out once and be done with it for a week or so.

From now on...(DUH)... each plant will be looked at as an individual.

Why something so obvious took me almost 6 months to figure out I don't know.

+Rep

 

[kotsotronic]

Ohmm namma Shivaya...Thank you watering bible Emilya....I ll print it and hang it in my Cabinet to remind me that i am a noob...

 

[arteekay]

Before tonight, if I had 6 plants that I was watering/feeding with Fox Farms, and say 6 with Mills nutrients, I'd wait until one started to wilt, then if it was Fox Farms, ALL 6 PLANTS got pulled and watered/fed (IF THEY NEEDED IT OR NOT.) If I was going to get everything out for 1 plant then all of them utilizing that nutrient (or water) were going to get watered/fed. Same with the other group. What I'm getting at is I looked at them as a group, not individual plants.

We did exactly the same thing with our first four, all got watered on the same day because we artificially decided that was what was best. "Droopy", a Northern Light Autoflower from our first grow journal, was perpetually overwatered for probably 5 weeks. Thankfully the other three did ok with our schedule, but they could have been so much more.

Thankfully I found Emilya and her posts, can't remember if it was in my own journal or someone else's, but it doesn't matter. I found her and got it sorted out with a good month still to go.

Thanks again Emilya, I've sure I've said it elsewhere but you deserve to hear it again anyway.

 

[Kingsnake235]

Edited to add: I've added this thread to my signature, as I'm quite sure I'll be referring to it often.

likewise.

 

[Jamesnns]

FYI for all us noobs.
THIS is what happens when you over water. You kill them.

 

[arteekay]

Great picture and post Jamesnns. There's no quicker way to love them to death than by overwatering.