I know they're too be used as an entire medium, or mixed together with soil, or layered... but I just layered on top to.protect from sun heat and to soak up needed water and maybe aerate the top of the soil a little bit.. is there any other actual benefits from doing it just I'm top of the pot and soil?
I've seen people do it but don't exactly know why. They're used a lot as a base in hydro growing mostly Not really sure they aerate the top of the soil much. Maybe some people might use them for bug prevention...but that's just a straight up guess there. LOL But the soil you grow in needs to be extremely light and arid for the best drainage possible. The roots don't like constant moist soil and it's super important that you always let the plant use the water you gave it last time....almost completely (like you should be able to lift the container and it feel light as a feather first) before watering again. You water very slowly and deliberately and soak the plant well. Then you go away until it's used all that and is almost dead dry. You do this regardless of how many days it takes to get dry. A young plant in a large container of soil will take much longer to use up the initial water given it when planting so it might be a couple weeks or more before it would need watered again. The older, more mature plant with a more expansive root system uses water and food faster than the younger plant would, so you end up watering more often. But the key is using a very light and arid soil (preferably one of the good quality grow soils for best results) so the plant can grab the water it needs and the excess can drain away from the roots. Give it a shot and see if it works, hurts or helps. But read up on tending the plant for sure. Getting the very basic stuff (like the watering thing) down before getting in too deep will help you out a lot and calm your nerves and help make it fun instead of intense. It's not rocket science or I wouldn't be doing it. But the more I school myself, the better grower I have become. There are some excellent vids on You Tube about the MJ plant, taking care of it, how to feed it, water, etc. Pretty much anything you would need to know is there. Take the time to read up and listen/watch some of the videos and you'll fel much more comfortable about what you're doing.
I do it my self, I even use perlite too, helps with certain bugs and helps spread water through out the top without showering the top roots either. I use Coco so it helps with fungus gnats for sure. And my plants love it. OnePrays Outdoor Grow. OnePrays Outdoor Grow.
Yea I'm really doing it for bugs, I figured, these lil fers won't like being smothered and being something on top of the soil all the time, I figured it work and help keep the top of the pot cool from the sun
Damn that's great advice man thank you.. I have been watering too often I feel, I've gotten better with it but I'm understanding the size of plant and root mass has to do with intake, the type of pot all plays a role on when to water... my 2nd biggest plant in a smart pot is now takin up more water taste then before, I almost water like every other day... mind you it's very hot here and humid right now but gonna be over in a few days .. I know the one inn ground has been having too much fuckin water and not enough dry time and I know if it can just have a couple days to use that water up that I will see some new growth rapidly