Hello all! Been trying to get on for 2 days finally here!
Well I transplanted my plants and they are loving it ( excellent advice from this site and members and admin!) Im just a bit unsure on my top level of compost because i do not have the ideal enviroment it seems to be drying out very quickly is this ok it drys down to an inch from the top within a day! Is this normal?
If not is it ok to very lightly water this top level carefully just to stop this evaporation!
I will be definately getting a 6" extraction on monday just trying to battle it out till then!
Full Version: Top level of compost drying very Quick
Hi JJ,
The top inch of soil/compost drying out b4 the bottom is normal!
When was the last time you watered? The cycle is in final pots of 6.5Ltr and above is from 3-5 days generally, the next time you water weigh the pots b4 watering they should be very light! the compost should be coming away from pots at all sides! Now water using a fine rose as this will disperse feed better! once watered in lift and feel pots again they should (if the plant has been properly watered?) weigh a ton!
So! do NOT! feed on the basis of the top inch or so of soil look to the base of the pots! Hope this helps!?
Ben
The top inch of soil/compost drying out b4 the bottom is normal!
When was the last time you watered? The cycle is in final pots of 6.5Ltr and above is from 3-5 days generally, the next time you water weigh the pots b4 watering they should be very light! the compost should be coming away from pots at all sides! Now water using a fine rose as this will disperse feed better! once watered in lift and feel pots again they should (if the plant has been properly watered?) weigh a ton!
So! do NOT! feed on the basis of the top inch or so of soil look to the base of the pots! Hope this helps!?
Ben
You can cover the compost with hydroclea to reduce evapouration from the top layers, it also prevents watering from disturbing the surface and allows the roots to use more of the pot. However I would only bother in final pots.
QUOTE(BenTheFlowerPotMan @ Oct 18 2008, 01:44 PM) 
the compost should be coming away from pots at all sides!
Actually, no - this means that you've left it just a bit too long - by this stage the fine feeder roots at the sides will have started to die off meaning that the root system will have to heal itself,
So - yes to doing the 'wet/dry' cycle, but don't leave them quite that long before giving them a good watering.
No worries! I bow to the Scribble!
Ben.
Ben.
Thankyou all for your time and advice!!!
Yeah, like scribble says
I've recently started using a layer of clay balls on top of the compost and mine are taking c5 days between watering (pots c7-8 ltrs)
I've recently started using a layer of clay balls on top of the compost and mine are taking c5 days between watering (pots c7-8 ltrs)
just gave em 3ltrs of water for 8 plants in 3ltr pots they are 13 inches the plants does this sound to much or too less? would cling film help?
water them until you get it running out in to the saucers, then let them stand in the water for 25-30 mins then pour the excess water away, next watering should be in about 3 days
e2a; just checked your profile and its says your using biogrow
i'm presuming thats bio bizz grow, if it is then your gonna need the bloom as well, it's a 2 part feed
e2a; just checked your profile and its says your using biogrow
i'm presuming thats bio bizz grow, if it is then your gonna need the bloom as well, it's a 2 part feed
Thank you leroy!
Yes bio bizz grow i have bloom and top max im gonna put them under 12 12 to mo should i have used the bloom all ready?
QUOTE(OT1)
Same story for the move to the final pots. Once in the final pots let them root out the soil ball before flowering, as a general rule of thumb once all the plants are showing roots at the drainage holes. Go to 12/12.
You should not need any feed right through these stages. Once you are on 12/12 start feeding 1 ml of both grow and bloom to a litre of water.
At about week 2 of flowering change the mix to 1 ml grow and 2 ml bloom per litre.
At week 3 [21 days] a one off feed of a heaped table spoon of epsom salts per 10 litres add to that 1 ml of grow and 2 ml of bloom.
Round the 4 week mark, the mix is 1ml gr and 3 ml bl.
Once you start to see browning of pistils change to 2 ml gr and 1 ml bl keep with that till the end.
All you really need is grow and bloom + a little epsom salts.
Does this make sense?
An added point, if you see the tissue between the veins on the lower leaves turning a lighter green at any point its likly the first signs of Mg shortage starting an addition of a little epsom salts to the next feed should keep things right. Don’t over do this or else you can lock out other nutrients.
You should not need any feed right through these stages. Once you are on 12/12 start feeding 1 ml of both grow and bloom to a litre of water.
At about week 2 of flowering change the mix to 1 ml grow and 2 ml bloom per litre.
At week 3 [21 days] a one off feed of a heaped table spoon of epsom salts per 10 litres add to that 1 ml of grow and 2 ml of bloom.
Round the 4 week mark, the mix is 1ml gr and 3 ml bl.
Once you start to see browning of pistils change to 2 ml gr and 1 ml bl keep with that till the end.
All you really need is grow and bloom + a little epsom salts.
Does this make sense?
An added point, if you see the tissue between the veins on the lower leaves turning a lighter green at any point its likly the first signs of Mg shortage starting an addition of a little epsom salts to the next feed should keep things right. Don’t over do this or else you can lock out other nutrients.
great ! read that before thanks for the reminder forgot all about it!!!!!!
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