New Grower Watering Plants - trying a new way

[pop22]

Just a thought, if you can place a pot on a scale, say a bathroom type scale, you would be able to get a visual on water use more or less. The digital glass top kind, they switch off automatically so all you'll have to do, is lift the pot slightly, put it down again, and bob's ya uncle..... Dunno, perhaps useful in your scenario.

A mechanical one might do it too, but less accurate, at least In the cheaper end of scales.

Yes, I've thought about that. I might pick one plant and test that idea. Of course, different plant will consume at different rates, but the vilume of water needed will always be the same for any given size of pot. Maybe this:
Water a pot till it has some runoff. wait maybe a day, them weight the pot. That would give you the saturated weight and tell you how much water you used. Reduce that amount by, say 10-15 % and that may be the max watering. I'll give that idea a test!

 

[pop22]

BR459.......isn't that the phone number for Junior Sample's Auto Sales???....LOL :Sharing One:

 

[woody]

How old will your plants be before you try your new watering technique pop

 

[SHRED]

I am finding that the actual watering amount is less important than how long you let them dry out. I overwatered once in my current grow but that was because I watered to soon between waterings.

 

[pop22]

How old will your plants be before you try your new watering technique pop

I'm using the "10%" method with all my plants, from seedlngs up. Also a trick from The Rev: watch the lowest fan leaves. when they get the slightest sign of droop, water then. I'm doing this until I figure the best point at which to water, which should be a little before that happens. I may get a moisture meter and add that to my testing. I'm not looking for precise amounts, etc, just looking for a more plant friendly way to water without over watering.

 

[pop22]

I am finding that the actual watering amount is less important than how long you let them dry out. I overwatered once in my current grow but that was because I watered to soon between waterings.

just looking for a more plant friendly way to water without over watering.

 

[Dark Matter]

hey pop! Great idea man!

I was sort of thinking about tinkering with a few pots and like an IV type of watering system.... Where it would be constantly waterd by separate " needles " supplying the water to different sections of soil.

If we start off with the IV attached to the inside of the pot with the water outlets attached throughout the IV line, We can control in the input throughout the grow. add nutrients as u would normally via the IV...?

I think this would work very well, but only if I spent a lot of time working it all out. and there would need to be a lot of water outlet....hmm....

Sorry for hijacking this bro!

Peace

 

[81camaro]

Good topic. I'm committing to a dryer run this round, my second. I've got a small box and when the dirtpots are too wet, humidity rises and temperature follows. Water is an excellent heat conductor. Have you noticed how hot the kitchen gets when you boil spaghetti? I used to mist a lot, but have completely stopped. I did test my soil. 3:1 Fox Farm Ocean Forest and Perlite. A 1 gallon dirtpot took 4 cups of water before runoff. I also do what the moisture meter says. $10 and worth every penny. My best friend really. Keeps me from being stupid and drowning my plants, and certainly they can drown. Plants up top breathe CO2, but roots need oxygen. Kept wet too long, root rot sets in. In the greenhouse seeds videos they recommend an extended dryout for 5 days between the 2nd and 6th weeks of flower, then a big slam of nutes. They pick up the pots and man they are light. The hydro start/ soil finish is also something I'd like to explore, what a difference in size in those side by sides. Also went from 3 to 5 gal pots and I'm not going back, watering is so much more consistent. The window for over and under watering seems larger. Next round will probably be a big single in maybe a 10 or more. I'm in scrog so no flushes either. I'm thinking buildup will be less also in a big pot.

 

[pop22]

Good topic. I'm committing to a dryer run this round, my second. I've got a small box and when the dirtpots are too wet, humidity rises and temperature follows. Water is an excellent heat conductor. Have you noticed how hot the kitchen gets when you boil spaghetti? I used to mist a lot, but have completely stopped. I did test my soil. 3:1 Fox Farm Ocean Forest and Perlite. A 1 gallon dirtpot took 4 cups of water before runoff. I also do what the moisture meter says. $10 and worth every penny. My best friend really. Keeps me from being stupid and drowning my plants, and certainly they can drown. Plants up top breathe CO2, but roots need oxygen. Kept wet too long, root rot sets in. In the greenhouse seeds videos they recommend an extended dryout for 5 days between the 2nd and 6th weeks of flower, then a big slam of nutes. They pick up the pots and man they are light. The hydro start/ soil finish is also something I'd like to explore, what a difference in size in those side by sides. Also went from 3 to 5 gal pots and I'm not going back, watering is so much more consistent. The window for over and under watering seems larger. Next round will probably be a big single in maybe a 10 or more. I'm in scrog so no flushes either. I'm thinking buildup will be less also in a big pot.

Great info thank you! Up to now, I've been growing mostly organic. But I'm planning an all out soil grow, and going high tech with it too. Haven't worked out all the details yet, but that will be a new thread when I'm ready.

Good to see the interest here!

:Cool bud:

 

[pop22]

and check this out, Arduino moister probe!

http://www.electroschematics.com/6519/simple-soil-moisture-sensor-arduino-project/