Help! Helping Autistic son with new outdoor grow

[Oldchucky]

If you can figure it out, go to the search function and type in under thread, title, new simplified way to Water! Then go back to the beginning, if it comes up! Or, maybe you can search by member. Comfortably numb. I don’t know how to link stuff! I think Aquaman made it a sticky if you want to try and scroll through those!

 

[Oldchucky]

You need one of these! With a pot Of that size is the only way to find out what is going on moisture wise in the middle or lower! Then you can adjust your watering accordingly! You can jam it in through the side of the pot, and probe to wherever you want to!

 

[roadiewifelife]

I would move the fan to one end and have it blow straight through the other end try and tunnel some of that heat out. How hot is it outside the greenhouse?

Thanks for the advise on the fan! It's 67 outside today.

 

[Phyto]

I'm 2 blocks from the beach.

Yeah the pots are HEAVY without water so there's no way we can lift these babies!

When I lived up in HumboCo, I was about the same distance to the ocean and grew in a 14X8 chicken wire and 2x4 greenhouse covered with 4 mil plastic, the plants loved it!!! I even grew in the native soil, which was a fantastic loamy sand amended with the top layer of chicken coop dirt that was about 2 years old, never even had to fertilize!

 

[Grower1974]

A ready to water 45 gallon pot, will absorb close to 10 gallons of water in FFOF…..

It would take around 20 minutes per pot to fully saturate the soil completely and correctly.

Don’t worry about green house temps outside as long as the doors are open and air flow moving through it. Outdoor plants can tolerate 93-98° temps no problem.

With pots that big and filled with FFOF, you will not ever have to add nutrients most likely.

That size pot will go at least 8-12 days before it dries enough to need water.

 

[DougV]

They at least let you know if it’s soaking wet or bone dry! Just sticking your finger in up to the knuckle isn’t going to tell you, Jack!

Of course, my apologies for not having your wisdom. I’ve learned nothing in 60 years of growing.

 

[Grower1974]

Of course, my apologies for not having your wisdom. I’ve learned nothing in 60 years of growing.

He’s not wrong. A finger in a 45 gallon pot isn’t going to show anything.

Many times in fast plant growth stages, a plants roots will draw in moisture from the middle/bottom faster than the surface even completely dries out.

 

[TreeBee]

How are the plants doing?

 

[roadiewifelife]

Update for my buddy @TreeBee and those who took the time to reply and are following along.

So thanks to @Oldchucky and his trusty water meter suggestion, that made a light bulb go off.

I said, "Son, how much water have you been giving the girls?"

He goes, "I take a gallon and spread it between them," very matter of factually and proud of himself.

I said, "WHAT?!?! ONE GALLON FOR 6 PLANTS?!"

He nods.

Instead of losing my mind, I mean I did tell him to stop watering the plants because he was overwatering our strawberries and we got the whole greenhouse infested with fungus gnats, I told him that the water meter was coming the next day and we'd test the bags and go from there. I wasn't sure if he was confused by what I was asking and just didn't understand or if he was really using 1 gallon of water for 6 plants. My head about exploded and I did so good keeping my screaming thoughts to myself.

Water meter arrives and low and behold they are dry as can be. I told him to go give each plant 2 gallons each and then put DE powder on the top of the soil (for the damn gnats!) and then we'd check them again this morning. We checked this morning and they were kinda mid-moist. I instructed to put another gallon in each and put more DE on the soil. We are now in the wet zone of the meter and I told him no more watering until that meter says its time.

I'm going to continue to update this thread as the grow continues with photos and emergencies (hah!) so stay tuned! It's going to be a very interesting 4 months full of insanity I'm sure!

Mother of the year over here... :)

 

[Oldchucky]

I kind of thought you might be better off with something like a gauge that you can teach him how to use and explain to him that the soil has to dry out! Instead of just taking your word for it! L O L! I know how far that gets you! Eventually, you can just go, go, check the plants, and see if they need watering! And you will at least be in the ballpark! Good luck

 

[TreeBee]

Update for my buddy @TreeBee and those who took the time to reply and are following along.

So thanks to @Oldchucky and his trusty water meter suggestion, that made a light bulb go off.

I said, "Son, how much water have you been giving the girls?"

He goes, "I take a gallon and spread it between them," very matter of factually and proud of himself.

I said, "WHAT?!?! ONE GALLON FOR 6 PLANTS?!"

He nods.

They should perk up really fast if thats all it was

 

[Stokes]

how much does the temperature fluctuate between night and day, and living near the beach im assuming your water is heavily treated. What is the ph of the water? Is there a pretty consistent breeze?

I saw where atleast one plant you have going is blueberry muffin, are they all the same plant? Those stems are very very purple, alot of that is pheno dependent, but it seems fairly early for that to show up. Never ran it tho so i cant tell you for sure.

What are all the other plants potted in, they seem to be doing well.


Take close pictures of any markings on leaves or discoloration around edges.

Why is there diatomaceous earth? Did you have bug issues?

That humidity definitely needs to come up, and way to get a fogger in there or something to raise rh? Temperature/humidity have a massive effect on plants ability to regulate hydration and nutrition