As of now I do have a few questions about watering. First, how much water would you use for one plant? Like, when the plant is ready to be watered, how much would you use? I know there can probably a couple different answers depending on the soil. I guess I’m asking in general because I want to know how much is too much when adding nutrients. I know in the early stages of the plant you don’t want to give it a lot of nutrients, around 1/4 of what is called for is what I’ve been seeing a lot over the internet, and then gradually increasing. So how much water would you use for a plant without diluting the nutrients?
Also, what should the pH of the water be with the nutrients added. I read in one of the forums that a good pH level for water would be between 5.5-6.5. Would this still be true after nutrients is added or does the range maybe fluctuate a little bit?
Get a ph meter, you will need it for a grow, and a tds meter if you can.
Soil ph is best @6.5ish…
When the plant is ready for watering, put it in something to collect excess water, make sure water is ph balanced to 6.5ish, KEEP TRACK OF THE AMOUNT OF WATER, drench the soil till water comes out the bottom. Wait 30 minutes for the soil to soak up excess, add more if saucer is dry. You want a little water left in the saucer, then you know the plant has enough. 10% to 20% excess water is good. Hopefully, you kept track of how much water that was, with the 10%-20% runoff.
Measuring the fertilizer, follow directions, mix enough in the water for how much water you are using, start with a gallon for ease, mixed fertilizer is good for 3 days, usually.
The tds meter measures the fertilizer in the water. Ultimately, you want to know that number going in during watering, and coming out. Test properly fertilized water before and test water in the saucer, after
You can get by without the meters, BUT, if you have an unhealthy plant, you will need them to figure out what is wrong.
this is depending on which soil you use but if it’s organic and not a soil less a mostly peat and perrilite mix is soil less and need a lower ph 5.8 in 5.5-6.1 range 10-20% run off.
When using nutrients use less is more approach keep the ratios close to bottle recommendations but start light and work your way up as plants get bigger watching for signs of stress
1st off all; You do not differentiate between water and water with nutrients added. If growing in soil; You adjust PH to 6.5 after nutrients are added.
How much water to use when mixing is determined by what strength (ppm) you are attempting to set your nutrient strength at.
Once you have placed your plant into a growing pot; You drench the entire pot until you see runoff in your tray, or runoff. then you do not water for 2-3-4 days depending on how long it takes for medium to almost completely dry out.
Highly recommend having a pH AND TDS/PPM meter for keeping the media steady at a minimum. I bought both meters in a set on E-Bay for about 30 dollars for the set. Mudder is the name brand and they have worked fantastic for me. I tried to go without on my first grow and got into trouble more times than not.
I also highly (no pun intended) recommend that you download Robert’s free e-book on growing marijuana. It has helped most of us get through some hard times during our grows. Good luck on your grow. Jerry