Tommy McCain
Manure Connoisseur
Whats going on my name is Tommy. Some of you have seen me around the forum for a few months and I figure it is time to post. I guess for some "street cred" as they call it. I have been a grower for a few years but not posted on any forum. I have only grown organic except once (just to see what the hype was) and I was not pleased with chemical results. I started with organics and will stick with it. Also, I am not an autoflower grower and more of a photo guy. Luckily for me I had an extended trip earlier this summer and had to restart my garden about a month ago. I have a veg cabinet so I decided to run a few faster autos (freebees) in my flower cabinet in some smaller pots (I usually run one 15 gallon pot and a 7 gallon in my flower cab).
OK, I have everyone up to date. Now.
After every grow I would hope every grower asks "what did I do well on this grow?" and "What did I f#@K up? Last year I added Blumats to my 15 gallon bed after asking myself what I did wrong.
As an organic grower I struggled with keeping my pots hydrated sufficiently to keep that microbe party going. I would harvest and look at my roots and feel like they did not use every inch of the soil. After reading some on the subject I learned that watering you plants daily the water will wash down the same path in the pot. Over time the pots would develop "dry spots" on the edges that no roots would grow into. So I switched to blumats and have never been happier. Root growth is off the charts and my plants are happy and so am I (auto watering system...are you kidding!!! SO SWEET).
Below are two "experiments" I have been running with the three autos I am running. I know other have done this before. I am not the inventor of either of these ideas (although I haven't seen the surface blumat used with a 5 gallon pot before).
This is a Surface Blumat on a piece of capillary fabric. It has been on this pad for three weeks now. there are very small roots coming out of the bottom of the pot. When it dries up it opens a small valve and water from a reservoir opens and wets the bottom of the pot.
NYCD Auto Root and shoot growth took off after the Blumat addition.
My other two plants are in a SIP. I put weed fabric down and then added perlite. I then fill it up with water til about 2-3cm below the pot. Again root growth CRAZY!!!
Look at those roots coming out! I love it.
Happy Plants. (Barney's Farm Sweet Tooth Auto and Dutch Passion Master Kush)
These plants are water only with some kelp and neem top dress. I have also watered in with fulpower, silica, and aloe. I still top water but much less. The plants use WAY more water then you think if you are just top watering. Let me know what you guys think.
OK, I have everyone up to date. Now.
After every grow I would hope every grower asks "what did I do well on this grow?" and "What did I f#@K up? Last year I added Blumats to my 15 gallon bed after asking myself what I did wrong.
As an organic grower I struggled with keeping my pots hydrated sufficiently to keep that microbe party going. I would harvest and look at my roots and feel like they did not use every inch of the soil. After reading some on the subject I learned that watering you plants daily the water will wash down the same path in the pot. Over time the pots would develop "dry spots" on the edges that no roots would grow into. So I switched to blumats and have never been happier. Root growth is off the charts and my plants are happy and so am I (auto watering system...are you kidding!!! SO SWEET).
Below are two "experiments" I have been running with the three autos I am running. I know other have done this before. I am not the inventor of either of these ideas (although I haven't seen the surface blumat used with a 5 gallon pot before).
This is a Surface Blumat on a piece of capillary fabric. It has been on this pad for three weeks now. there are very small roots coming out of the bottom of the pot. When it dries up it opens a small valve and water from a reservoir opens and wets the bottom of the pot.
NYCD Auto Root and shoot growth took off after the Blumat addition.
My other two plants are in a SIP. I put weed fabric down and then added perlite. I then fill it up with water til about 2-3cm below the pot. Again root growth CRAZY!!!
Look at those roots coming out! I love it.
Happy Plants. (Barney's Farm Sweet Tooth Auto and Dutch Passion Master Kush)
These plants are water only with some kelp and neem top dress. I have also watered in with fulpower, silica, and aloe. I still top water but much less. The plants use WAY more water then you think if you are just top watering. Let me know what you guys think.
Last edited: