If it's dry below an inch BS

[Grebs]

Ok I'm new so maybe I just don't get it. I see time and time again people say it's cool to water if the soil is dry an inch below the surface. Or up to a knuckle or 2. Well, what is it? I'm a perpetual over waterer because of this.
Why do people constantly keep saying this? Look at my journal. I'm bone dry an inch below. Even lower! Yet I constantly over water. I've gone a week between waters and still over watering. I can stick my finger up through the bottom hole and feel no wetness and yet im over watering. (This last sentence made my dirty side laugh a lil)
Every post I read I can almost guarantee someone will say it's cool to water after the top is dry. Well? Am I the only one who still can't seem to get it right? So many people giving same advice. Up to your knuckle they say.
Either is just bad advice or I'm just the most unlucky person when it comes to this.
I believe everyone who's commented in my journal and respect there opinion (and everyone else's). I just don't get why people still say to water if the top is dry in other posts. Its frustrating reading such different opinions when I'm making my plants suffer

 

[Major PITA]

Short answer: total BS.


IMO, it is terrible advice.

I'm sure most of is sick of my watering posts, but trying to tell if a plant needs water by sticking your finger in the top of the pot is like trying to diagnose a sick person by feeling their forehead. It might tell you a tiny bit about their condition, but not much.

Every growing container has a perched water table at the bottom. This is also where root rot develops. The top of the soil should ALWAYS be dry unless you just watered. The bottom of the pot is probably still very wet, and cannabis HATES that.

The best way to tell if a plant needs water is to give it some. If it was truly thirsty, it will react positively, immediately. You can watch them change over the next few minutes. On the other hand, if you add water and there is no immediate change, after an hour, you can be positive you made things worse. Stop! Let it dry - perhaps for weeks.

Once properly watered, even in something as small as a solo cup, new plants can go up to two weeks without water. Giving them small amounts of water frequently, is the big mistake most new growers make. They slowly drown their plants since it works OK for a while but eventually causes rot.

 

[Grebs]

Thank you! I'm determined to not water mine until I see REAL signs of them needing it. Still hard for this newb from watering them after a few days have passed.
I know I have stunted my growth already because of overwatering. Most are lst by now but I just don't have anything long enough to even mess with. Get it though your head grebs, this isn't a flower outside that yoy water every day.
I mean really, a whole week without any water and my plants,still show no sign of needing any water. Who goes that long? Why is this so hard to comprehend that maybe they just don't need much early

 

[Rifleman]

Don't water until the leaves droop. Yeah its a mantra I haven't succeeded at either. So much so that I'm to the point of tossing half my current grow. I'll have 4 more dwc buckets going this week and if I can't find room for the potted plants then so be it, off with their heads.

 

[Kush Girl]

That's why I don't use that method. I started with that method but was having over water issues so started research and found using the weight method is best (imo) When my girls are light weight time to water

Sent from my LGMS428 using 420

 

[Nismo12]

A technique we used when we first started was weighing them. Just to get the feeling for it. Take a pot of the same size you are in, fill it with dirt and weigh it. When you plants get close to that weight, water. Then we got to the point to where we could pick them up and tell if they were dry. After a while you will be able to recognize the slight drooping or wilting of the leaves and know when to water. Just comes with time. Major PITA hit it on the head though.

Also if they are small, we have gone 10 days without giving them anything. If you wait until they need it and send the roots searching for water, it will pay off in the end. You have to remember it is a weed...not a rose.

 

[Papageno]

I agree with PITA...

If you don't see signs of them needing water then you are slowing the growth rate by adding water. Roots will grow faster (so the plant grows faster) when they are searching for water.

If you want your plant to grow as fast as can be and hit real turn around targets...in soil...you don't water more than once a week and more like every 2 in the beginning. Deep in bloom it will go up but that all depends on how successful you are.

The lift or weight method is common for early adopters. But when you start pushing it and see the benefits you will understand.

Until you start flushing you really want to let it dry out each time. Deep water...long dry out.

 

[Grebs]

Came home to this after about 5 days since last watering. If this doesn't need water then I have something serious going on

 

[xave420]

that method is great for the beginning and in veg when the plant isn't as big, but what about for flowering? I have heard some growers say to let it dry out too and also have heard to keep it moist, so what I do is try to feel the weight of the pot too and just try to observe if the plants are showing that they need water or not.

 

[xave420]

Came home to this after about 5 days since last watering. If this doesn't need water then I have something serious going on

they might actually be under watered and need a good watering. see how light the containers feel.

 

[Kush Girl]

that method is great for the beginning and in veg when the plant isn't as big, but what about for flowering? I have heard some growers say to let it dry out too and also have heard to keep it moist, so what I do is try to feel the weight of the pot too and just try to observe if the plants are showing that they need water or not.

That's exactly what you do they will let you know what they need
Happy growing

Sent from my LGMS428 using 420

 

[Papageno]

Yeah that looks just under watered. If it doesn't perk up start a thread and PM me I will fix that.


Bloom it really depends a lot more on how you are growing. To say you are growing in soil is usually a farce. To truly grow in soil is complex and a different topic then most growers care to understand. So growing in a living compost that only needs untreated tap water and pH is irrelevant is different then growing in a dead high coco medium where you are dumping in fertilizers. So depending on lets say your sophistication of growing you will have slightly different answers to the "watering in bloom" question.

I grew this with no fertilizers just tap water. So the water cycle is not dependent on when the plant needs something...all it gets is water when dry. They would get drier faster when deep in bloom. Now some people are using fertilizers and have to modify schedules and stuff so it gets a bit complicated some times. Due to that they try to water on schedules which makes things a bit more complicated. But really you should be able to look at the plant and see what it needs and know...you will get there.



:add : Yeah definitely not dry in bloom..never soaking though!

 

[Major PITA]

that method is great for the beginning and in veg when the plant isn't as big, but what about for flowering? I have heard some growers say to let it dry out too and also have heard to keep it moist, so what I do is try to feel the weight of the pot too and just try to observe if the plants are showing that they need water or not.

This watering is all about getting plants started. It works well most of the way through veg. By that time most growers will get a feel for when to water.

The wet/dry cycle is all about building healthy roots. By the time plants are in bloom that part of the grow is done. I do NOT let plants get dry once in their final pots, well developed, ready to flip, or in bloom.

 

[Ego11]

I am by far not a seasoned vet but from my experiences so far I have been using a moisture probe and although I believe it's ph meter and light meter to be highly inaccurate the moisture meter seems to be fairly close.

I leave it in one pot and water when the scale is between 1-3 if I leave it an extra day I can usually see signs of needing water. At this time the weight test does prove to work as my pots are as light as a feather.

Reminds me the girls need a drink tonight! Woo-hoo I get excited on feeding days means for the next 5 or so days I see some rapid growth.

This method hasn't failed me yet.

 

[Major PITA]

Came home to this after about 5 days since last watering. If this doesn't need water then I have something serious going on

Tough call, but my post above will tell you. Water one. See how it reacts.
I'm not so sure they need water. It is very possible, but...
When my plants need a drink, it is the very top and outer most branches that show it. It isn't the leaves themselves that droop. It is the small stems and branches that hold those leaves that droop.
Some of your still have perky leaves at the top so I'm unsure. Give 'em a drink. If they look electric and the leaves point to the light in a few minutes, they were too dry. If no change, I'm afraid there is something else going on.
My "two weeks" without water assumes a fully watered plant to begin with. I dunk my pots and water from the top down so they are saturated.

Getting ready for its bath and shower.

 

[SlantEye]

Let this girl dry up by accident she came back to life in about 2 hours. I got damn lucky

 

[Grebs]

Ok here is a question. When watering a plant in a 1 gallon pot, how much water does it take for a good water?
Reason I ask is because I'm giving the plant 200 ML (6.763 OZ). It almost immediately starts running out. The water will sit on the top and has a hard time soaking in. I waited about 10 minutes and emptied the run off back into my bottle to measure and there was 100 ML that ran out. Maybe my whole problem is my soil sucks. Now I'm wondering if my plants are even getting enough water to begin with.
Basically these plants are getting 100 Ml (3.3 OZ) every watering in a 1 gallon pot.
gonna repost this on my journal as well

 

[Papageno]

There are lots of good posts and videos on this. The rule of thumb is 10-15% over water each time. So make sure the drip pan fills with that much of the water you put in and make sure it actually goes away. The point is to remove excess build up of fertilizers and other stuff to prevent a number of problems.

I use stones in my drip pans or 2x4 scraps to lift the pots above the pan for real runoff. Then let it evaporate since the pots are not sitting in the pan.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Depending on what growing medium or soil you are using, it usually takes time for it to get properly soaked. Up to ten minutes. Or longer. The first watering is just prep. Let it soak, water it again, slowly. Sometimes you have to run your hand around inside the rim of the pot to close up the gap created by drying /shrinkage.
Dig around in there a little after and check it out. You might find some dry spots.

 

[Grebs]

I found some serious dry spots. It's like the happy frog is clay. I watered 1 again and it showed improvements so I did it to the rest.
The light wound up turning off soon after so I checked on them this morning right befor work. Light just came on. They are looking better but nothing to write home about.
Will see after work.