So, I'm getting all set up for this year's grow season to grow outdoors, but I only have one problem. I don't know how much to water at once. What I plan on doing is growing next to this cliff. I'm going to dig a 1x1 hole and fill it with Fox Farms Ocean Forest and transplant my seedling there once it hits its vegetative stage. I just need to know how much water to bring with me considering I plan on visiting it weekly, unless I need to visit it more often for watering. My spot will give my plants about 6-7 hours of direct sunlight. I've haven't seen anyone say an approximate amount for outdoor growing. I've just seen people say water it until a drop comes down from your pot, but that doesn't apply for the great outdoors.
There are a few factors to consider with your senario... First I would dig a larger hole than 1x1 at the very least break up the surrounding soil to loosen it up... How well will the soil surrounding your 1x1 hole drain if its clay you basically are digging a bucket for water to pool in if it rains hard... It also depends how often it rains and how well the soil holds water... The size of your plant matters... a smaller plant won't need as much water as to where a 5-6 foot monster could be watered every day.... Climate and humidity for your area is it going to be 80-90 all summer and dry cuz you plant will transpire like crazy and the soil will dry out quickly around your rootzone... You might consider adding some silica pellets to the mix they will absorb a lot of water and then make it available for the plant later if it needs it... Hope this helps a little... Good luck brother...
I live in Alabama so there's a lot of clay in the soil. I'm growing Power Plant but it probably won't get that tall considering the room it has to grow. Do you think about a gallon weekly would be enough if it didn't rain hard that week?
[quote name='"Xcuz"'] I live in Alabama so there's a lot of clay in the soil. I'm growing Power Plant but it probably won't get that tall considering the room it has to grow. Do you think about a gallon weekly would be enough if it didn't rain hard that week?[/quote] No way a gallon a week will be enough in the summer heat in Alabama. I'm just north of you where it isn't quite a hot and we still water anywhere from twice a week to once a day in the summer. The heat in Bama is freaking brutal.
I agree with joker... 1 Gallon of water a week will not be sufficient unless it rained on like three other days... sounds like your going to be toting a lot of water... might you consider finding a creek bed to plant by or perhaps close to a swamp... I create mounds of dirt right in the middle of a swamp by me and my dirt mound wicks up enough water to keep my girls happy... I didn't water my plants even one time last summer and they were 8-10 foot monsters... they were 2 feet tall when they went outdoors...
Not only will your watering needs vary based on soil, temps, rainfall, humidity, topography, etc -- but also the plant's needs (even in a completely controlled environment) will vary over time. You can't water by the calendar or by the gallon, you have to water by the plant's needs. It will tell you when it wants water. Only 6-7 hours direct sunlight? That's not a lot for a sun-loving plant.
I can put it in a different spot in a big power line clearing that runs almost directly East to West, so it gets full sunlight. There are rarely used trails somewhat nearby but there aren't trails that go through it and it seems to be very discreet and very overgrown. It would get full sunlight all day, but my only other watering schedule could be twice a week. Carrying a lot of water isn't really a problem because most of the way to my grow site I can just follow rarely used RR tracks, so not much of terrain I have to go through.