New Grower Finally after 5 year of waiting, decided it's time for a new Grow.

[Don't Fear the Reefer]

Hmmm ... I think MoG probably means when the plant is up and has a decent root system.
Watering the whole pot to run off (when the plant is established) will keep the soil "fresh" and push out any unwanted excess built up salts.

Ideally to start with, you'll want your roots to search for water (bigger root system = better plant). So it's a case of not underwatering .. but too much water and the roots wont go searching.

MoG is one of the best advisers out there, but i think there may have been a misunderstanding somewhere of age (unless i've misunderstood something)

I'll PM you a draft of my lazy ass grow guide - it's very basic and although really designed for a 1 plant, autopot user in soil - the same will still aplly fro at least the first 20 days.

Thanks very much, would be interesting to get @Mañ'O'Green opinion if possible.

 

[Don't Fear the Reefer]

Hi @blue , just found what Man O Green said about watering.
"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.
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. "
What do you think?

 

[blue]

Hi @blue , just found what Man O Green said about watering.
"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.
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. "
What do you think?

Hi again - MoG has a lifelong experience in farming and growing - you won't go far wrong if you follow his advice.

The weighing and starting off right is a great idea. It's all a bit too involved for me as i'm more of an "eco grower" .. (eco with my time lol), so i don't bother with ph meters, ec meters, scales, temps, rh, complicated nute linups etc etc etc - but i guess that comes with experience and knowing my setup well.

Good luck with the rest of the grow

 

[Don't Fear the Reefer]

Thanks blue, when I grew the three plants previously I only used a small amount of water when starting out and they grew fine to start off with.
So what Man O green suggests is a totally new idea for me.
I can see the sense in yours and Man O Green ideas.

 

[blue]

Thanks blue, when I grew the three plants previously I only used a small amount of water when starting out and they grew fine to start off with.
So what Man O green suggests is a totally new idea for me.
I can see the sense in yours and Man O Green ideas.

Sounds like a great idea if it works well. More sciency than my approach - but different apporaches doesn't = wrong .. just different.

Sounds like when the seedling comes up (if it hasn't already) you'll be waiting until the pot is 50% of it's wet weight before giving another feeding until run off?

 

[Don't Fear the Reefer]

Sounds like a great idea if it works well. More sciency than my approach - but different apporaches doesn't = wrong .. just different.

Sounds like when the seedling comes up (if it hasn't already) you'll be waiting until the pot is 50% of it's wet weight before giving another feeding until run off?

I believe so...
Still waiting on the seeds to sprout it's been 4 1/2 days so far.
I had a thought, I have all the gear and no idea
My last approach was just like yours, didn't worry about anything and still got a grow to completion ah well All I can do is wait...

 

[blue]

I had a thought, I have all the gear and no idea

hahaha - that's basically everyone when they start growing! I'm sure we all did the same!

I was thinking yesterday, everything is relative to your past experiences. And when i say things like "an easy grow" .. it's realitve to me having done a more complicated grow (with lots of measureing, and testing .. and calibrating"

Once you find a method that you like and works well for you - it all becomes easier, and you can start tailoring your grows to your own situation.

Some people have loads of time and LOVE doing the science - making sure all the parameters are in check and maxing the plants potential.
Other people like to spend as close to ZERO time in the grow room as possible and still pull a harvert after 70-80 days.

I've done both - but without the first, i wouldn't have been easily able to do the second.

It's best to stick to one mentor for each grow (as too many chefs spoil the broth). I treid lots of different styles when i started out, and took advice from loads of great growers. It ended up that the method i started with and the most simple method, was the method i ended up using as my style. (although a lot more relaxed after a decade or so practice)

 

[Don't Fear the Reefer]

I think I would prefer an easier grow, I am not one for science, too complicated for my brain.

 

[Don't Fear the Reefer]

We have life
The Fastbuds Gelato is up.
1 up, 1 to go.
Will add pictures if the other pops up.

 

[2budz]

When I drop seeds in soil I water the pots to runoff. Drop the seeds, then just spray the top to keep it damp until a few days after they sprout. Then I will lightly water right around the plant the first few days. Then once they have their second set of leaves I’ll start watering normally as needed. I’ve also tried to drown a plant by watering to runoff every time I watered and she’s doing just fine lol. Don’t recommend it was my “do everything wrong” plant.