Over Watering Vs Keeping The Soil Moist

[Week4@inCharge]

My understanding is that keeping the soil moist keeps the microbes alive, letting pots dry out can be detrimental to the life cycle of these microbes. How do you not over water in such a scenario? I'm preparing pots at the moment for the next grow, cooking up some microbes with some added amendment in the soil, hoping to have mature bed by the time I transplant the new ones. Because of the moisture in these pots, I'm a little worried about possibly overwatering these ladies. Soil in 7 gallon fabric pots. FFOF and FFHF.

 

[farangar]

If you use fabric pots and fill a tray with perlite, add water to the tray so the perlite sucks up the water and then place the fabric pot on top of the perlite, you now have a home made SIP that will keep the soil moist at all the times through capillary action, providing of course you keep the tray filled with water.

I have tons of beneficial bugs such as hypoaspis miles ever since growing like this.

 

[Weedvin]

My understanding is that keeping the soil most keeps the microbes alive, letting pots dry out can be detrimental to the life cycle of these microbes. How do you not over water in such a scenario? I'm preparing pots at the moment for the next grow, cooking up some microbes with some added amendment in the soil, hoping to have mature bed by the time I transplant the new ones. Because of the moisture in these pots, I'm a little worried about possibly these ladies.

I use equal parts silica sand( this type of sand does not hold water at all) and sphagnum peat moss ( neutral pH and is replenishable natural source, peat moss usages means the destructions of OUR WETLANDS) I can water every single day without worry, NONE.

 

[Gumdrawp]

My understanding is that keeping the soil moist keeps the microbes alive, letting pots dry out can be detrimental to the life cycle of these microbes. How do you not over water in such a scenario? I'm preparing pots at the moment for the next grow, cooking up some microbes with some added amendment in the soil, hoping to have mature bed by the time I transplant the new ones. Because of the moisture in these pots, I'm a little worried about possibly overwatering these ladies.

Blumats, any drip irrigation system, handwater a little every day and try to stay around 10% of soil volume as water, if you're watering by hand and overwater in a pot you're probably fine--waterlogging a 4x8 bed is a little worse to deal with. Cover crop helps keep water in the soil and penetrate better and any mulch helps hold it longer. You're gonna get gnats and some other issues you wouldn't normally have but predatory mites or nematodes and having good biology will knock it down.

If you're not in a large bed the weight check is probably gonna be your friend for a while, you can get a reference point for weight by mixing your soil dry adding about 15% water and mixing throughly then use that as reference for field capacity. Another way I've been told to check is you should be able to pick up a fistful of soil and squeeze a single or couple drops of water out but not ever a stream or constant drip.

There are also a handful of meters that can give your soil moisture measurements volumetrically or via pressure in the soil although they're typically a bit pricy.

 

[Week4@inCharge]

Blumats, any drip irrigation system, handwater a little every day and try to stay around 10% of soil volume as water, if you're watering by hand and overwater in a pot you're probably fine--waterlogging a 4x8 bed is a little worse to deal with. Cover crop helps keep water in the soil and penetrate better and any mulch helps hold it longer. You're gonna get gnats and some other issues you wouldn't normally have but predatory mites or nematodes and having good biology will knock it down.

If you're not in a large bed the weight check is probably gonna be your friend for a while, you can get a reference point for weight by mixing your soil dry adding about 15% water and mixing throughly then use that as reference for field capacity. Another way I've been told to check is you should be able to pick up a fistful of soil and squeeze a single or couple drops of water out but not ever a stream or constant drip.

There are also a handful of meters that can give your soil moisture measurements volumetrically or via pressure in the soil although they're typically a bit pricy.

Excellent points covering a lot there thanks. I didn't mention initially that the soil is in 7 gallon fabric pots, will update the OP. Thanks guys, some great advice here!

 

[Boatguy]

Excellent points covering a lot there thanks. I didn't mention initially that the soil is in 7 gallon fabric pots, will update the OP. Thanks guys, some great advice here!

It is easier to keep your plants from drying out, than to drown your plants with too much.
You got this

 

[myke]

Mulch covers the soil so it doesn't dry out.Spray bottle to keep it moist.

 

[ComfortCreator]

I'm finishing a 10gal run, dont worry its easy.

First you want that perlite in there and lots of it. That is your only real insurance against slow draining and overly wet soil.

Wet dry cycle. In veg, let it dry out almost completely. Teach those roots to dig further and deeper.

In flower, you water when it is moist, not dry. Carefully measure what goes in and what comes out. Adjust waterings and frequency as needed. I find in larger pots in peak flower I water every 2 or 2 days depending upon the particular strains and the rh going into the room (drier means more frequent waterings).

Add a pinch of Recharge or other mycos frequently to waterings during flower to insure the herd is good. I find it far less important to add teaspoons of mycos then a pinch every so often.

 

[Week4@inCharge]

I'm finishing a 10gal run, dont worry its easy.

First you want that perlite in there and lots of it. That is your only real insurance against slow draining and overly wet soil.

Wet dry cycle. In veg, let it dry out almost completely. Teach those roots to dig further and deeper.

In flower, you water when it is moist, not dry. Carefully measure what goes in and what comes out. Adjust waterings and frequency as needed. I find in larger pots in peak flower I water every 2 or 2 days depending upon the particular strains and the rh going into the room (drier means more frequent waterings).

Add a pinch of Recharge or other mycos frequently to waterings during flower to insure the herd is good. I find it far less important to add teaspoons of mycos then a pinch every so often.

Wouldn't letting it dry out be detrimental to the microbial life cycle? And measure what going in? (pH?) I'm just using water. I do see the importance of root growth. Gonna be tricky keeping thing wet and dry at the same time during veg. Strongly considering the Blumats.

 

[m4s73r]

5% water to soil volume. So if your in a 20 gallon pot, only water it 1 gallon of water. In mid flower you may want to jump that up to 1.5 gallons.

 

[m4s73r]

Wouldn't letting it dry out be detrimental to the microbial life cycle? And measure what going in? (pH?) I'm just using water. I do see the importance of root growth. Gonna be tricky keeping thing wet and dry at the same time during veg. Strongly considering the Blumats.

This is why you run a good moisture meter. I use this one. I got a bucket of soil and got it right in that sweet spot and then calibrated my meter. This will be invaluble for keeping moisture in that sweet spot. Stick to that 5% rule.
Also, No on blumats. Until you know how to water correctly and have done so for a period of time, hand water. And if you do decide to automate some water, use www.dripworks.com. I put together a drip system for 2 4x4 beds for under 100 bucks. Add a water flow meter and never go over 5%. As long as you have some mulch on top of your pots, your soil wont dry out from evaporation.

 

[Week4@inCharge]

This is why you run a good moisture meter. I use this one. I got a bucket of soil and got it right in that sweet spot and then calibrated my meter. This will be invaluble for keeping moisture in that sweet spot. Stick to that 5% rule.
Also, No on blumats. Until you know how to water correctly and have done so for a period of time, hand water. And if you do decide to automate some water, use www.dripworks.com. I put together a drip system for 2 4x4 beds for under 100 bucks. Add a water flow meter and never go over 5%. As long as you have some mulch on top of your pots, your soil wont dry out from evaporation.

I'll check into all that, thanks, great advice. I did a quick 7 divided by 5% and got 140...lol ..what da heck is 140? I'll figure it out. Oops... it was supposed to be 7x5%>>> Doh!! Need coffee bad today...
Interesting... 6 cups! is that daily or just when the top is dry?

 

[m4s73r]

I'll check into all that, thanks, great advice. I did a quick 7 divided by 5% and got 140...lol ..what da heck is 140? I'll figure it out. Oops... it was supposed to be 7x5%>>> Doh!! Need coffee bad today...
Interesting... 6 cups! is that daily or just when the top is dry?

Well if your in a 7 gallon pot, just pick it up to see how light it is. The soil shouldnt stay dry with 2-3 inches of mulch on it. Or even just cover the top with plastic. (before i used living mulch i just cut some panda film and used it on top the soil). That will keep water evap to a low and keep the top of your soil from dying out. This is bad if your using a peat moss mix. It becomes hydrophobic and you will watch your water roll out the sides of the pot and not down into the soil. Then your buying a whetting agent to penetrate the top crust.

 

[ComfortCreator]

Wouldn't letting it dry out be detrimental to the microbial life cycle? And measure what going in? (pH?) I'm just using water. I do see the importance of root growth. Gonna be tricky keeping thing wet and dry at the same time during veg. Strongly considering the Blumats.

Blumats still need a human in charge to set the levels.

There is no way around learning how to water the plants.

You are searching for a solution to solve the fact you dont know how to water...the solution is to do it!

Roots are why you water. There is no preset amounts. More roots and bigger plants use more water.

 

[m4s73r]

Thats the thing, watering organics is like measuring ph/ppm for hydroponics. Have a good meter and your chance of success goes up. Even if you buy one of those 8 dollar 3 in 1 meters on amazon. the moisture reader can help teach you how your moisture is in your soil. I used a cheap one for years. got a bucket of soil, got it all to that perfect moisture, stuck in the meter and read it. From that point on it came all about keeping that meter from ever moving up or down.
Since I didnt read it above, are you in fabric pots, grassroots pots, or plastic? That answer will change everything about how your water.

 

[Week4@inCharge]

Thats the thing, watering organics is like measuring ph/ppm for hydroponics. Have a good meter and your chance of success goes up. Even if you buy one of those 8 dollar 3 in 1 meters on amazon. the moisture reader can help teach you how your moisture is in your soil. I used a cheap one for years. got a bucket of soil, got it all to that perfect moisture, stuck in the meter and read it. From that point on it came all about keeping that meter from ever moving up or down.
Since I didnt read it above, are you in fabric pots, grassroots pots, or plastic? That answer will change everything about how your water.

7 gallon Fabric Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil (mentioned in OP and I know how we can miss that, I do it all the time)

 

[sweetsengineer]

It is easier to keep your plants from drying out, than to drown your plants with too much.
You got this

Good tip . People tend to miss that.

 

[Week4@inCharge]

Good tip . People tend to miss that.

This I'm gonna do .. I should sticky that to the OP...lol.. great point guys, I'll be watering a lot less than my usual, the 5% is excellent input.

 

[sweetsengineer]

This I'm gonna do .. I should sticky that to the OP...lol.. great point guys, I'll be watering a lot less than my usual, the 5% is excellent input.

I learned this from an old boss and when you flush sometimes , cause you can basically “drown it , or what would look like you are) you are just flushing the s y stem . These 0lants are amazing

 

[m4s73r]

7 gallon Fabric Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil (mentioned in OP and I know how we can miss that, I do it all the time)

LOL shit i did miss it. Right on the end. So in Fabric pots yeah you will water daily. Make sure to water with a whetting agent so the sides dont get super crusty. Then when your ready graduate to Grassroots living soil pots. What feed are you planning on using? Or are you doing really small plants?