If I stick my pinky into the soil one knuckle deep

JuicyyFruit

Member
And pieces of the soil stay on my finger is it too early to water? After transplanting from a solo cup to I believe a gallon pot and watering three days ago?
 

NoDrama

Well-Known Member
And pieces of the soil stay on my finger is it too early to water? After transplanting from a solo cup to I believe a gallon pot and watering three days ago?
Stick your finger all the way in, is it moist at the tip? If so then you don't need any water.
 

GrowinDad

Well-Known Member
If you are not sure, wait another day. Always a good rule of thumb. And then one time you will be wrong, your plant will wilt, you will water, she will be fine, and you will never wonder again when it is time.

For what it is worth, in my setup environment, I water every third day. But that's my room with my pots, my soil mix, my RH, my temp, my level of watering, etc. Just saying that once you get it figured out, you need think about it much.
 

s10erwin

Active Member
You can add a little stress in between feedings by allowing your pots or medium to dry out. Get an idea by picking them up and recognizing weight when fully saturated with slight run off compared to bone dry on the verge of wilting. If you feed right, you can save a lot of water and wasted nutrients over the course of a grow. Every little cent counts when you get into a larger operation.
Cheers
 

bigsteve

Well-Known Member
Instead of a finger try using a long skinny bamboo skewer. I use one to poke down into the soil. You can see where on the stick the dirt clings to the bamboo.

Good luck, BigSteve.
 

ayr0n

Well-Known Member
Stick your finger all the way in, is it moist at the tip? If so then you don't need any water.
That is definitely what she said.
And pieces of the soil stay on my finger is it too early to water? After transplanting from a solo cup to I believe a gallon pot and watering three days ago?
I've found that the leaves and the weight of the pot are better indicators than sticking fingers in there...You can really see it if they want water, and after getting accustomed to what it'll look like you'll be able to spot it right away...
 

Dr. Who

Well-Known Member
No, that means your cake isn't done yet.....

Actually,,,when running combo or straight synthetic grows. I water a metered amount every day. This amount is just what the plant needs to make it to the next day at lights on. If I don't water for a few hrs, they begin to wilt.
The amount I water each one is based on long ago trials. The size of the container and the size of the plant, along with the plant being in veg or bloom are the deciding factors. I like the fact that the roots get o2 everyday instead of "whenever" you water! I do this in my water only soil grows too!

What method works the best?

The one that YOU like best!

I always liked the finger method (2 knuckles deep is better, but you can learn to judge by 1) over the weight method.
They both work great. It's just a matter of what works best for you.
 
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NoDrama

Well-Known Member
The guide is to not let your roots sit in unoxygenated water for any length of time. Pythium is a punk ass motherfucker.
 

Joven Agricultor

Well-Known Member
I went from watering every 3 day to every 2 days during flower (3.5 gal/soil, decent sized plants vegged over 5 weeks from clone)

I thought my plants needed it thats why I increased watering. Then I thought maybe i was over watering a bit, so I'll let it go another day, back to 3 days. We'll 12 hours later at 2.5 days, all my leaves were laying flat, just a plant that looked like a skeleton of nugs, my heart sank. I watered immediately, within 30 minutes they were back to normal :) I've been watering every two days since, and sure got to know how to read my plants water needs.
 

TheYokel

Well-Known Member
I went from watering every 3 day to every 2 days during flower (3.5 gal/soil, decent sized plants vegged over 5 weeks from clone)

I thought my plants needed it thats why I increased watering. Then I thought maybe i was over watering a bit, so I'll let it go another day, back to 3 days. We'll 12 hours later at 2.5 days, all my leaves were laying flat, just a plant that looked like a skeleton of nugs, my heart sank. I watered immediately, within 30 minutes they were back to normal :) I've been watering every two days since, and sure got to know how to read my plants water needs.
I swear that's the one thing I love about my OGs... they are really light feeders.

I would go through so much money in water if I had to water as often as you. I have to buy mine, tap water is fucking horrible here.
 

Joven Agricultor

Well-Known Member
No, that means your cake isn't done yet.....

Actually,,,when running combo or straight synthetic grows. I water a metered amount every day. This amount is just what the plant needs to make it to the next day at lights on. If I don't water for a few hrs, they begin to wilt.
The amount I water each one is based on long ago trials. The size of the container and the size of the plant, along with the plant being in veg or bloom are the deciding factors. I like the fact that the roots get o2 everyday instead of "whenever" you water! I do this in my water only soil grows too!

What method works the best?

The one that YOU like best!

I always liked the finger method (2 knuckles deep is better, but you can learn to judge by 1) over the weight method.
They both work great. It's just a matter of what works best for you.
You know, I go by mostly a visual look now, but really, I'm constantly fingering the ladies soil and picking them up in their pots. So I got to say it's a combination of the look of the plant, the way the soil feels and how heavy the bucket its. When I let my plant droop as mentioned above, it was because my soil felt moist, bucket was light, plants weren't quite as perky, but soil felt moist, so I waited, mistake! So I go by all three, kind of like when it comes to harvest, I'm looking at overall appearance of my plants, along with swollen calyx's, trichomes starting to amber, not just looking at one thing.
 

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
You know, I go by mostly a visual look now, but really, I'm constantly fingering the ladies soil and picking them up in their pots. So I got to say it's a combination of the look of the plant, the way the soil feels and how heavy the bucket its. When I let my plant droop as mentioned above, it was because my soil felt moist, bucket was light, plants weren't quite as perky, but soil felt moist, so I waited, mistake! So I go by all three, kind of like when it comes to harvest, I'm looking at overall appearance of my plants, along with swollen calyx's, trichomes starting to amber, not just looking at one thing.
Kudos.
Look is something that is picked up over time and with each plant. you get to learn them and what they need.
 
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