Watering, first grow.

[evatil]

After doing a tonne of research to try and answer this qu for myself, I know how many times this has been asked. My problem is that I'm getting conflicting info.

Some say you can't overwater a well-drained potted plant, some say you can. Some say leave it a few days between watering, some say water every day and then every 4-5 days don't water for 24 hours.

I'm slowly getting my head around it by just watching and learning from my little seedlings and my rehab project plant that I adopted a month ago.

I've gathered by not watering constantly, the roots grow, searching for water which in turn means more growth above the soil because the root system is bigger.

Figuring there's variables with watering due to day temps, medium, pots and... everything, so I'm hoping I can get some more tailored advice.

 

I'm growing some autoflowers (White Widow, Lowryder, and some mysteries). I started them out in jiffy peat pots with peat pellet soil. Once they were above ground and going well, I moved them to some small plastic pots I had laying around (removed peat pot). Would have preferred to put them into their final rhizo fabric pots but there was a delay in my order getting to me, so... ya make do.

Rhizo pots arrived on Sunday. Got my act together and transplanted the first one I started (WW) into the rhizo this morning. Hadn't watered since Sunday, so I could try and make sure once the trasplant happened, it'd be a good thing for her instead of a stressful thing.

 

Slowly but surely over this week, I intend on moving them from their plastic starters and into a rhizo pot each where they will stay and nature can take it's course. Pots are 12L. My soil mix is a fairly even mix of peat moss/perlite/compost mix. So I have the moisture retention in the peat moss and aeration of the perlite plus the organic goodness of a compost mix that includes coco coir, compost, manure teas, worm teas, castings and other stuff including beneficial bacteria.

 

What should my watering schedule look like? I'm probably way overthinking it and I'll learn on my own through trial and error but just want an idea from people that know their stuff. I've also been adding a very small amount of worm tea and seasol once a week to their water.

 

Dog is going blind and I can't have the pots out in the yard because she knocks them over not being able to see them, sometimes. They're up on a deck that gets full sun from 9am until sunset and it gets quite warm up there. Two weeks ago, I was distracted for a day where it got to 41° and my big plant and clone I was given got heat stress from being out in the heat in black plastic pots. Clone is still recovering but big one has sorted herself well after a bit of TLC and also adding seasol and worm tea in her water.

 

Plants are under 24 hour lights at the moment. Sunshine with supplemental light at night in the form of a 130W CFL in a reflector.

 

So, should I water every day in smaller amounts then let them dry for 24hrs every 4-5 days or water until run off and drench the pot then wait a few days between watering?

 

Sorry for the novel, just want to learn as much as I can during my first run so I know more next grow.

 

Here's a picture of them from today. WW is 10 days since popping her head up and the others range from 5-8 days since emerging. Still early.

 

 

While I've got you here, I want to mulch the top of my pots to feed the microbes and protect the top of the pot from drying out. The sun here is pretty intense and anything of a darker colour absorbs quite a bit of heat. Going to Bunnings tomorrow and want to get a good green and brown mulch for them. Any reccomendations?

 

Cheers guys!

 

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Edited March 28, 2018 by evatil

[pedro de pacas]

Without reading all that, i'd say yes you need to water them

[kloud9]

Without reading all that, i'd say yes you need to water them

Helps if you read it bro Pedro [emoji106]

 

 

Posted from the OZ Stoners mobile app

 

Asking about good mulch to buy at Bunnings [emoji106]

Edited March 28, 2018 by kloud9

[evatil]

I know it's a question that's asked regularly by newbies to growing. I do apologize for that, just wanted a little clearer understanding but will just stop overthinking it and see what works and what doesn't. It's my first crop and a learning curve, after all.

Just want to try and do this right. I have diagnosed OCD and tend to focus on getting everything perfect. I also have ADD which obviously screws with my patience. I'm hoping to eventually grow some medicine to help with my cognitive issues as nothing pharma works without awful side effects.

 

Only looking to Bunnings as I want to get this sorted before everything closes over the Easter period and have a tonne of things to do tomorrow. Was going to Bunnings anyway to get some reno stuff, so thought I could kill two birds with one stone.

 

 

Posted from the OZ Stoners mobile app

[pedro de pacas]

I know it's a question that's asked regularly by newbies to growing. I do apologize for that, just wanted a little clearer understanding but will just stop overthinking it and see what works and what doesn't. It's my first crop and a learning curve, after all.

Just want to try and do this right. I have diagnosed OCD and tend to focus on getting everything perfect. I also have ADD which obviously screws with my patience. I'm hoping to eventually grow some medicine to help with my cognitive issues as nothing pharma works without awful side effects.

 

Only looking to Bunnings as I want to get this sorted before everything closes over the Easter period and have a tonne of things to do tomorrow. Was going to Bunnings anyway to get some reno stuff, so thought I could kill two birds with one stone.

 

 

Posted from the OZ Stoners mobile app

You will fit in around here no probs 

what was the question ?

[ooodog]

Straw type of mulch layer will help. With your mix, any mulch would will be beneficial.

[evatil]

Just wanted to know how frequently I should be watering at this stage. Also wanted to know would it be better to water until run off every few days OR daily water in small circles around the plant and every 4-5 days I do 24hrs with no water.

 

Got a plant that's in flower, too. Have been watering her to run off whenever the first inch of soil feels dry and feeding her once a week with 1/2 strength Potash.

 

Don't know anyone that grows that I can chat to about my questions. Don't really know anyone that smokes either, I kinda keep to myself.

 

Posted from the OZ Stoners mobile app

[Auqadoll]

Well you do now

[evatil]

Straw type of mulch layer will help. With your mix, any mulch would will be beneficial.

Cheers mate! I have an unopened bag of organic cow manure that I picked up at a nursery a few weeks ago that I forgot about until I went into the shed just then. Maybe top the pots with some of that plus some lucerne? Would love to attempt to grow as organically as possible, trying to avoid bottles after having a dirty lurk through some posts on here. Was thinking of using organic Charlie Carp if I need anything bottled in regards to nutrients. Got a few good things happening in the soil so because of the nutrients in the soil and because of their short life, my autoflowers may have what they need without adding much at all.

 

Posted from the OZ Stoners mobile app

[evatil]

Well you do now

You're a legend, doll. Thanks for reminding me of that, mate x

Cheers mate! I have an unopened bag of organic cow manure that I picked up at a nursery a few weeks ago that I forgot about until I went into the shed just then. Maybe top the pots with some of that plus some lucerne? Would love to attempt to grow as organically as possible, trying to avoid bottles after having a dirty lurk through some posts on here. Was thinking of using organic Charlie Carp if I need anything bottled in regards to nutrients. Got a few good things happening in the soil so because of the nutrients in the soil and because of their short life, my autoflowers may have what they need without adding much at all.

 

Posted from the OZ Stoners mobile app

 

Posted from the OZ Stoners mobile app