Couple of questions on watering, I hope you can help

[Don't Fear the Reefer]

Hello everyone,
I have a couple of questions on watering, that I hope you can help me with.

1) I know @Mañ'O'Green recommends to water the entire pot, not too much or too often, but is this advice also recommended for seedlings?
I will be growing in fabric pots using peat mixed with about 20% perlite and vermiculite.
I don't want to overwater, I also read that peat can become hydrophobic, so have ordered some yucca powder just in case.

2) Would it be ok to water the plants say 1/2 hour to an hour before the lights come on?
I read that mornings are the best time to water, but I will be growing in prohibition land so don't want to draw attention to the grow by opening the tent when the lights are on, as the lights are very bright.
I only have blinds up and no curtains, there is some light leak with just an intake flap open, but I don't think it's too bright to draw too much attention (at least I hope so).

I haven't started my grow yet, hopefully this weekend, I've just been setting everything up.

Thanks for reading and look forward to your thoughts.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Hello everyone,
I have a couple of questions on watering, that I hope you can help me with.

1) I know @Mañ'O'Green recommends to water the entire pot, not too much or too often, but is this advice also recommended for seedlings?
I will be growing in fabric pots using peat mixed with about 20% perlite and vermiculite.
I don't want to overwater, I also read that peat can become hydrophobic, so have ordered some yucca powder just in case.

2) Would it be ok to water the plants say 1/2 hour to an hour before the lights come on?
I read that mornings are the best time to water, but I will be growing in prohibition land so don't want to draw attention to the grow by opening the tent when the lights are on, as the lights are very bright.
I only have blinds up and no curtains, there is some light leak with just an intake flap open, but I don't think it's too bright to draw too much attention (at least I hope so).

I haven't started my grow yet, hopefully this weekend, I've just been setting everything up.

Thanks for reading and look forward to your thoughts.

1. It does not matter the life stage of the plant. You always water the entire pot. It is all about keeping the microbes in the pot healthy. Water peat to just run-off not more. Then wait until the pot looses 50% of its water weight before watering again. Make sure there is an air gap under the pot. I use Yucca Weekly.

2. No. it is best to water 2 hours after lights on or at least 2 hours prior to lights out. The interaction between the plant and soil microbes is amazing. The plant will exude substances out of the roots at night to encourage the microbes in the root biome to make the nutrients the plant wants. The microbes work on this and then during the first two hours of light the plant takes in these wanted nutrients. If you water too early these nutrients can get washed out of the root zone and are lost to the plant. Then plants do not like to go to bed with wet feet so don't water too close to lights out.

What you need to learn about watering will come with practice. Here are the basic rules: Never let the soil dry out. Soil and or coco can become hydrophobic if allowed to dry. This means it repels water. This in turn will create dry pockets in the soil and the roots and microbes will die there. If your soil - coco have accidentally dried out use a surfactant to help re-wet it. I like yucca powder. Don't let soil remain soggy by watering too much too often. Root rot, damping off, molds, fungus gnats and other problems start in soggy soil. When you do water water the entire pot. How to learn when to water starts before you plant the seed. Fill your container with fresh soil/coco and weigh it (heft it) this is the lightest weight and consider it a dry pot. Now slowly water until the soil/coco will no longer absorb the water and run-off begins; weigh the pot (heft it) this is the maximum water, the wettest the pot can get. The difference between wettest and driest is the maximum water weight, for ease of explanation lets just say the water weighs 20 pounds. When the pot loses 10 pounds (half of the water weight) it is time to water again. There is an art to watering. Coco can be fertigate many times a day if you want to continually present fresh balanced nutrients to the roots.



PS just turn your lights off for a few minutes to water. The plants won't notice.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

@Don't Fear the ReeferWelcome to AFN

 

[Don't Fear the Reefer]

Hey @Mañ'O'Green , I hope you don't mind me tagging you again.
I am about to prep my soil, I have filled up the pots, and will be using Plant Magic products.
They recommend using 2.5 ml of root stimulant and 0.5 ml of bio silicon, to prep the soil.
Just wondering as Autoflowers need less nutrients is it ok to feed using root stimulant and bio silicon at their recommended dosages.
They recommend using the the root stimulant and bio silicon throughout the grow. Should I go with half or full dosages.

Thanks for your help or anyone else who has any opinions on the Plant Magic range.