Hi guys. So I need some advice. How often do I water my plants? I reckon I may have overwatered them once or twice because the leaves are looking odd...Anyway, it's been almost a week now, just wondering if I did the right thing/what to do. Thanks ! PS-The soil is only dry about 1-2.5 inches down.
Personally, this is the method I use: Stick a chop stick a few inches down into your soil. Just check it every day, if it feels damp, don't water, if it feels dry, water. Couple that with a visual inspection of your plants- i.e. if the fan leaves start to droop, they need water- and it's almost impossible to fuck it up. Good luck.
Thanks. I watered them today simply because it's been a long ass time (6 days or so). I usually just try to go by how the soil feels, I'm going to just space the watering cycle out more to about once or twice a week.
No problem. You may also want to note that cuttings and small plants use up less water, more or less depending on the conditions, because they have a small root mass. However, once your plants grow big, you may be watering every day or once every three days. Also make sure you have good drainage. For a gallon container for example, you should see run-off thirty seconds to a minute after you begin to water. It's not a set rule, but that more or less gives you an idea of what good drainage should look like. You can even go as far as using a scale to measure your soil's dry weight versus wet weight to tell you exactly when it's time to water.
Remember plants are evolved to survive droughts but not over watering. Why ... theres no where on Earth except the rain forests where its perpetual water even there its not. Letting your plants dry some before watering again is just fine. I use the 2-3 inch method if its dry there I water. I also do the weight method. Pick it up..light its dry, heavy its wet. Just remember you can easily kill your plants from over watering but your plants are adapted to survive for dry spells. Not saying let them get bone dry but if they do there recoverable. Soaked constantly like there in a ocean they just give up. This is a cheap tool I have as well that I use. I find it fairly accurate. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001A5OR5I]Amazon.com: Luster Leaf 1820 Rapitest Soil Moisture Meter: Patio, Lawn & Garden[/ame]
I was also thinking about possibly pruning/trimming those curly leaves sometime in the near future...Or should I let it go? I don't know whether it's due to overwatering or not. I couldn't imagine, as i Had waited 6 days and it didn't change.
I too am on my first grow.. I over watered one time as well... I decided to just let the plants tell me what they need... I pretty much wait till the leaves start to droop just a little bit.. make sure your using a half mix of nutes and not a full strength batch or you'll torch em. I've been doing water-water-feed for my feeding schedule during early veg just to ensure I don't give them the nute burn...hope your op does well
I thought that may have something to do with it so I upped to wattage to 60. We'll see. They got ample water and will get fertilized again next week (I'm using like a 25% ratio). Hopefully those damn curling leaves recover.
I know, I know. Once I get my next paycheck, I'm buying a light (suggestions?) but for now, I'm using CFL's all night (60w) and natural daylight all day. If lighting is not the problem is it too much/ too little ferts?
60w equiv or 60 watt actual. Nutes I think its better to ere on the side of caution that you can correct. To much you kill it.
No nutes for the first 2 weeks or so as for a moisture meter save your money and use your finger, if the soil feels dry about an inch down then its time to water, water till you have about 20% water run off out of the bottom, that helps reduce salts that build up in the soil over time. Also look up the PH thread and read it. PH is very important to a healthy plant. Also dont waste your money on soil PH meters or dropper solution test kits. Niether are very accurate and only give you a general idea. A good starter digital PH meter by Hanna or Milwaukee will cost you about $25-30 and some bottles of PH Up & Down about $20.00 and some calibration solution about $10.00. PH isnt something to skimp on, it will help determine if you have a healthy plant or an unhealthy one that wont produce as much bud as a healthy one can.
I've only nute'd them once, and that was with 25%...I'm waiting a week or so before I do it again. I'm hoping it's just over-watering, but it hasn't gotten any better today.