Having to water every day?

Are you indoors or outdoors?

If indoors, how big is the pot you are using? And how much are you watering them each time?

 

Well you shouldn't be leaving the water in the catcher. It it sits there it can cause the roots at the bottom to rot. But it seems like everything is ok. Are your plants showing any signs of over watering? Leaves that are drooping from overwatering will be firm and curled down, even from the stem of the leaf.

Yellowed, droopy and wilting leaves (possibly exhibiting mineral deficiencies). Leaf curl over - ram's horns' - roots are unable to uptake nutrients at that strength because they are infected.
pH becomes more acidic (pH should rise slowly in a healthy system)
'Burnt' root tips (browning tips may also be a result of light exposure, or over fertilization)
Reduced water consumption and rising nutrient strength
Brown colored roots. (Note: GH "Micro" will stain roots brown as well; stain darkens @ ppm's. Healthy root should be white or slightly tan)

You should be watering your plants with enough water that it runs out of the bottom of the pot every 3-4 days.

 

If you are meeting your plants' needs without overdoing it then you're fine. Try more than just the finger-poke test -- lift the pots after you water them to feel the weight and then lift them again when you think it's time to water, they should feel noticeably lighter. Or, you can get a cheap moisture probe at Home Depot etc.

 

try more water, less frequent. maybe 1 - 1.5gal ?

 

Are they pieces of Vermiculite? It's used to improve drainage. They come standard in most potting soils. Vermiculite feels like a little piece of Styrofoam. you can smash it with your fingers but it pops back into shape. If so those aren't bad for your plant.

 

The less you water in one sitting, and the more frequently you do so, the better off your plants will be. You can feed a plant higher amounts of nutrient more rapidly this way, it's how you can go from germination to this (photo below) in 6 weeks, the plants here are four to five feet tall, and are in week 3.5 of 12/12. These plants were hand watered, daily to twice daily during veg, and twice to three times daily during bloom. It really depends on your set up and environment, if the plant/s are happy then you're probably giving them what they need.

edit: A tip to know when and how often you should water, and a cleaner alternative to using your finger, is gently lifting the pots to get an idea how light and heavy they are at watering and when they're thirsty. You'll get to 'know' your plants much better this way in a soil/less medium. And this way, if a lot of water is sitting at the bottom, you won't be drowning them if it's dry near the surface.

 

Never tried it like that, But it makes sense. I'm more of an outdoor Gorilla kinda guy. So, for the most part, I let mother nature decide when to water.

 

All I can say is that this advice is completely contrary to the vast experience of all the seasoned growers here on GC and other forums. If it works for you then great, but if so then there has to be more to it.

Watering a little bit at frequent intervals is a quick way to kill your plants. MJ roots and the beneficial microorganisms in the soil need oxygen, and if you keep the soil constantly moist you will drown them and promote root rot. MJ likes to be thoroughly watered and then allowed to dry out a bit in between waterings.

If someone has found a better way then that needs to be explained in clear detail, otherwise it more likely will lead people to kill their plants.

 

Have you never run an automated drip system? You can set a system up so it's near constantly watering at a small flow. Or have you grown in a hydro bubbler, where the roots are completely submerged in liquid nutrient except for the air bubbling around them?

I never said I don't let my soil dry out. How do you think my plants grow 5 feet tall in 6 weeks from germination? I just harvested 6+ lbs from less than 2,500 watts in 10 weeks from seed this way, organically even.

Environment is key, and you can't begin growing using more complex methods or so rapidly without making sure your environment is stable and healthy for the plants.

I am not an inexperienced grower, I have been doing this for decades, I have traveled and lived around the world specifically for growing cannabis and judging competitions in the Netherlands, Australia, Canada and the US, and I was moderating forums when GC was first making its appearance in the community. You're right in that some less experienced growers environments could not handle such frequent watering, due to inadequate ventilation and nutrient regime, pest problems, disease and all the other issues 90 percent of growers face on a daily basis. Once you've overcome those obstacles, watering frequently is a matter of choice based on the way you've configured your environment, and your desired speed of growth.

Edited to add: frequent watering in fact aerates the root system more than it drowns it. The more often you can safely apply liquid to your medium, the more often it force-draws oxygen into the pot as well, while you water, and while it dries, the liquid movement is being displaced by the only thing left available; air.

 

good stuff here..kitty....i water every day also with nutes using coco...i am the pump.....and if the plants use it give em what they want...also...never follow advice on the forum until you have checked it out thourghly and understand why it works before you do anything new to your grow...