When to switch from watering to drenching

When my plants were about 2 weeks old, I switched from misting them to watering around them.
Now I’m wondering when I should switch from watering them to drenching them until the water runs out the bottom. Any advice is appreciated.
If it matters at all, this is how they look right now…

Super Skunk, 25 days old, 3 inches tall, 6 inches across:

Super Skunk, 25 days old, 3 inches tall, 7 inches across:

White Widow, 25 days old, 2 inches tall, 5 inches across:

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This has got to be the hardest thing to teach someone. There’s no real right or wrong, it’s more about how you feel the plant will take all that water. They definitely need to be bigger to water till runoff, but how big is the question.

There needs to be enough roots in the soil to absorb all the water, so wait till the plants are really growing well with lots of leaves and side branches starting. You’ll know the time if you trust yourself.

They look really good so far.

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One of the reasons I dont start seeds in big pot is root system takes so long to cover entire pot you cant water toroughly for weeks. I start my seeds in starter plugs and charge my very small pots (smaller than solo cups) with Calimagic and hydroguard ( I grew in coco, now promix) and about a week later when roots are coming out the side of my plugs I transplant them into the small pot that have dried just enough to not have too much moist for the seedlings, they will fill the pot with roots faster so you can start watering with runoff much sooner, less chance of overwater. When they have grow enough I either transplant them into my 3.9gal pots or into 0.9gal pots if I need to stall them until I have place to flower them.

Yes I agree, transplanting up is always preferable for this reason. The plants grow much faster.

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That seems to be the consensus, with one caveat - these are autoflower, and several people here said they don’t like to be transplanted and that putting them directly into the big pots would be fine. So, even though I started them in styrofoam cups, I immediately moved them to their final destination after being told that.

Yes, you’re right, autos are the exception, they don’t like to be transplanted and should be planted in their forever homes after sprouting.

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You can drench now, as long as you wait till its dry before your next watering. The roots grow and follow the water. You may want to start watering in a wider circle around the plant.
I wouldnt water till runoff, but you can def wet all the the soil, just make sure to let… it… dry… before you water again.

@TommyBahama, I grow 2 autos of different strains on each grow and I would suggest you try the cardboard jiffy pots that I use along with rapid rooter pods. They are great for starting the growth rapidly.
Northern Lights auto 10 days old


You can plant the pot directly in the final home and don’t have to worry about stunting the growth.

I’ve had much better results with the autos using these cardboard pots and it saves me space for a while the plants are smaller.

Do the cardboard pots just dissolve over time, or do the roots just grow right through them? I have the same question for the rapid rooters as well…

They dissolve in the soil. The plants grow through the rapid rooter pod to the soil.

Rapid rooters and algae… they go hand in hand… dont like them… jiffy pots will hinder growth on alot of different strains… some roots never make it through those jiffy pots… :wink:

Not knocking @OldSkunk … just hate both of those products… if that’s all your use too … please expand … if it’s working for you , then please continue… but if that’s where you started and it’s still working… please expand… so many easier things to use and so many better results to be had… :wink:

:v::sunglasses:

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I use the jiffy pots as well, I just transplant then out of it when ready, I dont trust the dissolving part. I’m sure it works, just as easy to cut the cardboard off and replant it.

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