New Grower Watering

[zeeker]

Whenever watering, be it water only, or with nutes, is it better to give just enough water to get by for a couple of days or should you drench the soil each time you water and have a lot drain out the bottom of the pot, then let it dry out again?

 

[Joe Dirt]

I think you're going to get opinions that go in both directions on this one. I have done it both ways due to different conditions on different grows and I really saw no difference in performance or yield.

 

[zeeker]

Mostly concerned about about what the flushing intervals would/should be with each method. Don't want to get locked out

 

[Joe Dirt]

Keep your pH right, you won't get locked out.

Without going into all the detail as to why, I had to put my plants on a three day watering/nute schedule a while back. Every third day, I would put 2 gals of water/nutes in 12 gals of soil (several plants). At that rate of watering, the soil would be dry enough to need watering by the third day. Toward the end of the grow, I had to use a little more water. I did water them very thoroughly once a week for the two week final flush. I had no issues with the grow, yield, or quality of finished product.

 

[The Squid]

By all means please trust Joe Dirt man. He's the bee's knees yo.

IME I have had over watering issues and have had better success with using much less water than more. Now I am talking about young seedling stage. From first day to about 10 days or more. I use a mist a maybe a shot, like an oz of ph water, every 3-4 days sometimes, that's it. Then when it has two sets of true leaves or more, I'll give a full water until a little runoff, but don't just drench it.

Now this also depends on what kind of lights, heat and ventilation you have going on. Outside will most likely dry much faster,especially without rain. And high heat HPS lights will do similar. Fans and air flow dry things out too. Canna likes a good damp/dry cycle. After that are older though I give full waterings with runoff. This is just my take on it.

 

[zeeker]

Makes total sense what you and Joe are saying, quantity wise and when. I've read several other places that it's best to drench 'em, then let them dry, then repeat. Others state give a little each day.