can't diagnose this watering issue

[NewEnglandFarmer]

Bear with me please, first year growing.

Have an Orange Blossom Special plant from Greenpoint in a 7g smart pot. 15 weeks since germination from seed. In Coast of Maine Stonington soil mix, I've added some Coast of Maine Stonington Plant food about 4 weeks ago since it likely used up the existing nutrients. Doing this all organically.

I was away for 5 days and when I returned it looked droopy and had a few yellow and dying leaves. It's been very hot and dry, figured it was thirsty (soil seemed dry) so I removed the unhealthy leaves (maybe 6 or 7) and gave it 3 gallons of water. The first gallon had 4 tablespoons of fish hydrolysate mixed in, has been a good month since it's had any feeding.

Hot and dry weather continued, so 3 days later came back and gave it another 2 gallons. Even hotter the next couple days (nineties), so I stopped by this morning (3 days after last drink) with another couple gallons. It looked pretty droopy (photo below). We had a light rain sprinkle earlier this morning so the top of the soil was damp. I stuck a finger down to try and see what the soil below was like, really hard to tell but when I put a finger way down the edge along the fabric of the bag, it felt dry. So I gave it another 2 gallons.

Water is from a local brook, pH is 6.9.

I can't tell if it's water-logged or thirsty. Wondering if I'm not giving enough volume of water so that only the top half or so of the soil is getting damp? Does 2 gallons seem like enough to deeply water a 7g fabric pot? I'm not really seeing any runoff below so maybe that's the problem...

Or am I overdoing it with too much water?

Such a rookie question, I know, but am a little puzzled. I have some other plants in the ground and they're doing great, get watered about once a week, but this fabric pot has me a little unsure.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Flint_Fredstone]

Too much water.. let her dry out a little.

 

[NewEnglandFarmer]

OK, thanks for confirming that. I just don't know how to read these smart pots. Have heard they dry out wicked fast in the heat. I'll try waiting 5-6 days and have a look to see if she perks up.

You think 2 gallons is enough to water thoroughly?

 

[TheBioMaster]

I usually go by how heavy the pot feels when I pick it up.....when they get lite, water.

 

[Madbud]

I’m leaningtowards heat, black cloth on a 90° day reaches 140° easily. Try wrapping it with a light color towel or carpet remnant.

 

[NewEnglandFarmer]

I’m leaningtowards heat, black cloth on a 90° day reaches 140° easily. Try wrapping it with a light color towel or carpet remnant.

I can do that.

It's shaded during the hottest part of the afternoon--mostly gets morning and mid-day sun. But could still be getting that rootball hot.

She was looking terrific until last week. Need to recover before flowering begins soon.

 

[Beachwalker]

OK, thanks for confirming that. I just don't know how to read these smart pots. Have heard they dry out wicked fast in the heat. I'll try waiting 5-6 days and have a look to see if she perks up.

You think 2 gallons is enough to water thoroughly?

If you wait 5 - 6 days in this heat you may have a dead plant?

Under and Over watering look alike and it's hard to tell the difference in a pic; to me it looks under-watered but it's hard to tell through a picture? agree with the comment about the heat on the black fabric above

If that were my plant and I didn't know if it was under or over watered I might cut a small hole in the grow bag down near the bottom and stick my finger in and find out good luck

 

[tomatoesarecooltoo]

Looks too big for that pot. Any reason it cannot join its friends in the ground?

 

[NewEnglandFarmer]

Looks too big for that pot. Any reason it cannot join its friends in the ground?

No room in the garden. This is a bit of an experiment anyway in using smartpots.

I thought you could grow a plant out for a season in a 7g smartpot and it wouldn't get rootbound--just only get so big. Is that not true?

 

[tomatoesarecooltoo]

No room in the garden. This is a bit of an experiment anyway in using smartpots.

I thought you could grow a plant out for a season in a 7g smartpot and it wouldn't get rootbound--just only get so big. Is that not true?

Imo a big plant like that will be much more self sufficient with some room to search for its own water and nutrients, as you are experiencing with your other plants. Doesn’t mean it cannot be done though.

 

[tomatoesarecooltoo]

If you do decide to give it more soil I don’t think its too late.

You could leave the plant where it is gently cut the fabric off of the root ball and build a mound of soil around it, and then hit it with a compost tea.

 

[4plant]

I don’t think it’s possible to over water a big plant like that in a small smart pot. I give my plants 7g everyday in 30 gallon pots and it’s barely enough.
I’d ph you water to 6.0 and go until you get runoff. You could try a light foliar spray with a bit of kelp to see if they perk up.

 

[Oh gosh]

If you find it looking welted again give it a half gallon and wait 10-15 mins. If she perks up you know it's under watered.

 

[Freaky75]

I usually go by how heavy the pot feels when I pick it up.....when they get lite, water

I waight the pots first when dry and again after the runoff stops dripping to see how much water they hold and water at 40% usually does it for me . Happy farming

 

[Jimidee]

If you find it looking welted again give it a half gallon and wait 10-15 mins. If she perks up you know it's under watered.

This looks like the best thing you could do. Plants will start to recover from drought quickly after a watering.

 

[NewEnglandFarmer]

I went to put an old white flannel sheet around it this evening. Actually looked noticeably better--but still a few droopy leaves. Soil felt slightly moist but my no means wet.

Foliar spray is a good idea...funny you should mention kelp because I added some kelp meal and compost topdressing just last week.

I think a foliar spray at dawn one morning this week would be a good idea.

I'll try and check on it every day or two. Another scorcher day tomorrow and then some cooler air's supposed to roll in and maybe fire off some thunderstorms tomorrow night. I think I'll hold off on any more water until that's over with just in case we get a drenching.

4plant interesting you say you water daily. You're not the first person I've heard say that about smart pots in the heat. I'll try and check on her daily. I can definitely see where a plant like that would drink up a lot of water in this weather.

 

[Madbud]

You would be surprised how little rain makes it into the pot, the leaves shed most of it. Theres no harm misting plants with clean water on superhot days, sunburn Is probably caused by spraying with nutes or other chemicals on bright days imo.

 

[4plant]

We use to call it Syringing on golf greens, on super humid days we would put the sprinkler heads on for one rotation. It’s supposed to let the heat draw the water off the top of the leaves rather than from inside them.

 

[NewEnglandFarmer]

Well looking at the radar this afternoon not sure we're going to get thunderstorms after all. At least the clouds are easing the heat a little bit although it's muggy as hell today.

I'll do a quick check on those plants later today and see how they look. Will bring a couple gallons with me, if they seem droopier than they looked last night I'll give 'em another drink.

 

[NewEnglandFarmer]

Took a look yesterday afternoon, tried lifting the pot, definitely didn't feel heavy and the ground beneath was stone dry. Gave it 2 gallons, then came back this morning and gave it another 2 gallons. It looks a lot better. I think it got terribly dry when I was away the week before last and then when I watered it last week it wasn't enough to really soak the whole thing. I'll try to keep a closer eye on it and give daily waterings in any hot weather.

I'm sure it was stressful but hopefully she's over it and able to gear up for flowering, which should start sometime in the next week or two. I'll give her some fish meal this week and maybe a kelp and compost tea foliar spray.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. My experience so far is teaching me that smart pots are trickier than growing in the ground for sure!