Still trying to figure out the watering thing

intothemystic · #1 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 08:13 PM

I could really use some experienced eyes on this-- thanks for any help here.

Super Lemon Haze, 36 days from seed, FFOF soil, 5 gallon bucket. 130w CFL, good temps, ph, rh.

Last watered on Tuesday, distilled water, no nutes. On Wed. a few bottom leaves were curled down the middle. Thursday night the top leaves started drooping. No yellowing that I can tell. (In the picture the tips seem yellow, but that may be the lighting as it looks pretty green to me).

The watering prior to that was the previous Saturday. Distilled water with 1 tsp/gal Grow Big. No drooping after that one.

The soil is dry down to 4-5" and the bucket feels like it's time to water. But I've got a 3-way tester that registers between moist and wet in several spots. Then again I've heard that those testers are unreliable.

Any advice would be appreciated-- thanks.

shooter1 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 09:08 PM

As for the watering thing, you can buy a moisture meter at lowes for like $6 dollars...well worth it, takes the guesswork out of it imo.

intothemystic · #3 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 09:11 PM

Thanks for the reply shooter1. I bought a $10 3-way tester (moisture, ph, light) and everything I've read says they don't work that well. Maybe a moisture-only tester would be better? For $6 I wonder but I'll look into it-- thanks.

dbonics · #4 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 11:27 PM

Those soil moisture testers are junk. 1-2 inches of the top soil being dry is plenty dry enough to be watered again

intothemystic · #5 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 11:31 PM

Hey dbonics-

Thanks for the feedback. The soil seems dry but the drooping leaves are confusing, they seem to point to overwatering. Not sure what to do.

dbonics · #6 (**permalink**) 10-10-2009, 11:39 PM

The drooping you're seeing is lack of water. You'll see the plants droop starting from the bottom up. I have seen it tons of times in my plants.

Like I said once an inch or two is dry. Go ahead an watering. And as long as you have decent drainage, you shouldn't have to worry about overwatering

intothemystic · #7 (**permalink**) 10-11-2009, 12:04 AM

Thanks again dbonics. I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here, just wondering why the drooping would start the day after watering. I did the usual volume of water with 20% runoff, did the plant really start drying out after 16 hours?

Anyway, I'll take your advice and water it. Thanks.

dbonics · #8 (**permalink**) 10-11-2009, 01:42 AM

Well drooping a day after watering, was the soil dry at that point? Or was the soil still wet and the drooping started?

I do know that haze strains are sensitive to over fertilization. That might be a factor if there a decent amount of remaining nutes in your soil and then you feed on top of that.

What ph exactly are you setting your water and your water-nute solutions too?

intothemystic · #9 (**permalink**) 10-11-2009, 03:57 AM

The soil seemed moist when I first noticed the drooping. I thought it might be overwatering since I had just watered the day before beginning the light cycle.

You may be right about the additional nutes. Except for a few issues when it was a seedling, I've had no problems until now.

As for ph, I've only got a soil test kit which comes up around 7, though this is subjective as I'm comparing the color of the soil/solution to a color chart. I'm using distilled water and FFOF soil so I figured things couldn't be too screwed up, but maybe I'm wrong.

I appreciate the help. I watered earlier today and we'll see how it goes.

dbonics · #10 (**permalink**) 10-11-2009, 06:10 AM

Well I'm sure your distiller water prolly has a ph of 7.5+ I'm sure. Nutes being acidic will bring down your water solution ph. But you really need a digital ph tester for your water. Even a variance of half a point can drastically affect the ability of your plant to uptake nutes.

Let me know how it goes

intothemystic · #11 (**permalink**) 10-11-2009, 07:07 AM

Thanks for the follow-up, dbonics. I'm on a bare-bones budget right now but a digital ph meter is on the list.

I think I'm going to go ahead and switch to 12/12 on Monday on the SLH. That'll be about 40 days from sprouting and I'd like to have something by Christmas.

Checked out your grow- that's a sweet looking Strawberry Cough. Hope the clones work out well too- that's another thing I want to try someday.

Thanks again for all the help.

dbonics · #12 (**permalink**) 10-11-2009, 05:39 PM

Yeah I started off bare bones too a few years ago. I know how it is.

And cloning is easy btw. Just a matter if having the extra space to keep mothers and cloning space around

intothemystic · #13 (**permalink**) 10-12-2009, 05:45 PM

dbonics- just a quick update:

I think you were right on all counts.

1. Needed watering.

2. Overfertilization.

Yesterday a couple of tips were showing signs of nute burn. So I gave it a flush and it looks much better this morning- still some drooping on top but the folded-up bottom leaves are open and there's lots of new growth all around.

One thing I learned is that symptoms may not show up immediately, so it's hard to pinpoint cause and effect. For example, because nute issues didn't show up right after I fed with them, I didn't think that was the problem.

Similarly with the watering-- I thought, how can it be dry when I just watered? Well, I suppose a plant's needs change over time so you've got to pay attention to what's actually happening and not just a set schedule.

Thanks for the help on this, dbonics. It's cool of you to pass on your wisdom. I also appreciate the positive thoughts on cloning-- that'll be a part of the next grow for sure.

Blunts. · #14 (**permalink**) 10-12-2009, 09:41 PM

Hey so did you say you were underwatering instead of overwater? Because i feel like my plants are showing overwatering symptoms too but they have been like that for a few days without water, do you think it could be under watering now?

intothemystic · #15 (**permalink**) 10-13-2009, 01:38 AM

Hey Blunts,

Not trying to be unhelpful, but I'm a total noob so I'm hesitant to advise. From what I've been reading on GC, there are so many variables that make one grow different from another that it's hard to generalize, esp. when it comes to diagnosing problems.

In my case, I was pretty sure that temps, ph, RH, lights, and type of water were okay. How are yours? Have you tried the 2" stick-your-finger-in-the-soil test? Do you have a general idea how heavy your container feels when it's just been watered as opposed to when it's due for watering?

Hopefully someone will see your post and offer better guidance. Maybe you could post pictures and/or provide more specific info about your grow? Hang in there. Lots of cool people here to help.

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#2 (permalink) 10-10-2009, 09:08 PM
shooter1 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 10	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing As for the watering thing, you can buy a moisture meter at lowes for like $6 dollars...well worth it, takes the guesswork out of it imo.

#3 (permalink) 10-10-2009, 09:11 PM
intothemystic Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 125	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing Thanks for the reply shooter1. I bought a $10 3-way tester (moisture, ph, light) and everything I've read says they don't work that well. Maybe a moisture-only tester would be better? For $6 I wonder but I'll look into it-- thanks.

#4 (permalink) 10-10-2009, 11:27 PM
dbonics Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 216	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing Those soil moisture testers are junk. 1-2 inches of the top soil being dry is plenty dry enough to be watered again __________________ My current grow: blueberry x cinderella99(c99) come on people, don't be lazy if ya like what you see or read, give a brotha some rep

#5 (permalink) 10-10-2009, 11:31 PM
intothemystic Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 125	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing Hey dbonics- Thanks for the feedback. The soil seems dry but the drooping leaves are confusing, they seem to point to overwatering. Not sure what to do.

#6 (permalink) 10-10-2009, 11:39 PM
dbonics Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 216	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing The drooping you're seeing is lack of water. You'll see the plants droop starting from the bottom up. I have seen it tons of times in my plants. Like I said once an inch or two is dry. Go ahead an watering. And as long as you have decent drainage, you shouldn't have to worry about overwatering __________________ My current grow: blueberry x cinderella99(c99) come on people, don't be lazy if ya like what you see or read, give a brotha some rep

#7 (permalink) 10-11-2009, 12:04 AM
intothemystic Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 125	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing Thanks again dbonics. I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here, just wondering why the drooping would start the day after watering. I did the usual volume of water with 20% runoff, did the plant really start drying out after 16 hours? Anyway, I'll take your advice and water it. Thanks.

#8 (permalink) 10-11-2009, 01:42 AM
dbonics Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 216	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing Well drooping a day after watering, was the soil dry at that point? Or was the soil still wet and the drooping started? I do know that haze strains are sensitive to over fertilization. That might be a factor if there a decent amount of remaining nutes in your soil and then you feed on top of that. What ph exactly are you setting your water and your water-nute solutions too? __________________ My current grow: blueberry x cinderella99(c99) come on people, don't be lazy if ya like what you see or read, give a brotha some rep

#9 (permalink) 10-11-2009, 03:57 AM
intothemystic Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 125	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing The soil seemed moist when I first noticed the drooping. I thought it might be overwatering since I had just watered the day before beginning the light cycle. You may be right about the additional nutes. Except for a few issues when it was a seedling, I've had no problems until now. As for ph, I've only got a soil test kit which comes up around 7, though this is subjective as I'm comparing the color of the soil/solution to a color chart. I'm using distilled water and FFOF soil so I figured things couldn't be too screwed up, but maybe I'm wrong. I appreciate the help. I watered earlier today and we'll see how it goes.

#10 (permalink) 10-11-2009, 06:10 AM
dbonics Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 216	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing Well I'm sure your distiller water prolly has a ph of 7.5+ I'm sure. Nutes being acidic will bring down your water solution ph. But you really need a digital ph tester for your water. Even a variance of half a point can drastically affect the ability of your plant to uptake nutes. Let me know how it goes __________________ My current grow: blueberry x cinderella99(c99) come on people, don't be lazy if ya like what you see or read, give a brotha some rep

#11 (permalink) 10-11-2009, 07:07 AM
intothemystic Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 125	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing Thanks for the follow-up, dbonics. I'm on a bare-bones budget right now but a digital ph meter is on the list. I think I'm going to go ahead and switch to 12/12 on Monday on the SLH. That'll be about 40 days from sprouting and I'd like to have something by Christmas. Checked out your grow- that's a sweet looking Strawberry Cough. Hope the clones work out well too- that's another thing I want to try someday. Thanks again for all the help.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

#12 (permalink) 10-11-2009, 05:39 PM
dbonics Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 216	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing Yeah I started off bare bones too a few years ago. I know how it is. And cloning is easy btw. Just a matter if having the extra space to keep mothers and cloning space around __________________ My current grow: blueberry x cinderella99(c99) come on people, don't be lazy if ya like what you see or read, give a brotha some rep

#13 (permalink) 10-12-2009, 05:45 PM
intothemystic Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 125	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing dbonics- just a quick update: I think you were right on all counts. 1. Needed watering. 2. Overfertilization. Yesterday a couple of tips were showing signs of nute burn. So I gave it a flush and it looks much better this morning- still some drooping on top but the folded-up bottom leaves are open and there's lots of new growth all around. One thing I learned is that symptoms may not show up immediately, so it's hard to pinpoint cause and effect. For example, because nute issues didn't show up right after I fed with them, I didn't think that was the problem. Similarly with the watering-- I thought, how can it be dry when I just watered? Well, I suppose a plant's needs change over time so you've got to pay attention to what's actually happening and not just a set schedule. Thanks for the help on this, dbonics. It's cool of you to pass on your wisdom. I also appreciate the positive thoughts on cloning-- that'll be a part of the next grow for sure.

#14 (permalink) 10-12-2009, 09:41 PM
Blunts. Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 17	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing Hey so did you say you were underwatering instead of overwater? Because i feel like my plants are showing overwatering symptoms too but they have been like that for a few days without water, do you think it could be under watering now?

#15 (permalink) 10-13-2009, 01:38 AM
intothemystic Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 125	Re: Still trying to figure out the watering thing Hey Blunts, Not trying to be unhelpful, but I'm a total noob so I'm hesitant to advise. From what I've been reading on GC, there are so many variables that make one grow different from another that it's hard to generalize, esp. when it comes to diagnosing problems. In my case, I was pretty sure that temps, ph, RH, lights, and type of water were okay. How are yours? Have you tried the 2" stick-your-finger-in-the-soil test? Do you have a general idea how heavy your container feels when it's just been watered as opposed to when it's due for watering? Hopefully someone will see your post and offer better guidance. Maybe you could post pictures and/or provide more specific info about your grow? Hang in there. Lots of cool people here to help.