Dry Soil Is A Pain To Water - So Don’t!

[JWM2]

If you’re like me and you premix your soil sometimes it can dry out and get too dry. When you uppot a new plant you water it and the water runs out the bottom.

There’s an easy solution to this.

Don’t water your dry soil!

Instead first spray the soil down with a light mist from your foliar feeding bottle to wet the grow medium. Then water your plant.

Problem solved.

 

[MIMedGrower]

I always scratch up the top half inch of soil and pour a cup or two of water slowly over the surface and let it soak in before watering fully or feeding.

Spraying like you suggest would work the same way.

Also best to wet roots before fertilizing regardless.

 

[Lethidox]

what i found to work extremely good if you don't have those pesticide sprayers where you can put liquid in ( usually pesticides ) and just pump it and spray like a big misting spray bottle basically. what i do instead cause im cheap/broke all the time is i go to the kitchen faucet if your plants can fit in yours. take the sprayed turn the water on extremely.. low and spray. works great for me takes a while and i have to hold the button down but it basically works like a drip irrigation system/mister.

what i found out yesterday is DONT shove a ton of water on your plants all at once. will uplift the soil and expose any roots near the surface lol. I was watering in a 1gallon water bottle. has a nice handle but i guess too much water at once so all my roots got exposed near the top. plants need to be transplanted soon anyways so i just covered back up and will back fill next transplant.

 

[crimsonecho]

Mulch the soil and either go sip or drip irrigation. Never dries never crumbles ime.

 

[Dbear180]

I feed about 2.5 gal each time. The first half gallon I pour slow to let my medium expand back to the sides & then I pour all the rest at once.

 

[MIMedGrower]

A drop of dish soap in the water will help penetrate the soil. Works like a wetting agent.

 

[Lethidox]

what i also seen on youtube that i never seen before but was cool was some guy hooked up a garden hose to his watering can. it was a watering can with just a long nosel not the sprayer ones and he shoved the end of the hose on it and used the open end. gets into areas you can't really get too if the plant is bushy plus you can control the flow easily by shoving your finger ontop of the hose to slow the pressure down

 

[Madmax]

All i do has been mentioned.i use watering can ,give them a little bit ..strike up a joint and wait for that little bit to soak in.then give them some more...

Agree 100% with the mulches..they are brilliant..

 

[SmithsJunk]

A drop of dish soap in the water will help penetrate the soil. Works like a wetting agent.

Dude, thank you. I was about to say this if you hadn't. Adding a drop or two of dish soap breaks the surface tension, problem solved.

This is by far the most beneficial and easiest solution. It helps to deter and kill fungus gnat larva if you add some white vinegar as well. Another benefit is complete soil saturation, where untreated water can leave dry spots deep in the soil causing root damage and decreased nutrient uptake.

 

[gwheels]

I found the spray bottle really helped me with watering seedlings in solo cups too. I was a chronic overwaterer and now i just spray around the plant and it works perfectly.

 

[JWM2]

I like seeing all the different ways people solve this problem. Very interesting stuff. For me it’s jjst simpler to take my spray bottle and give em a quick mist. Takes a half second and then I can water them. But that’s me.

 

[Ina]

I wet my soil mix a little before I plant/uppot.That problem with watering appears when you use it absolutely dry.

 

[JWM2]

I wet my soil mix a little before I plant/uppot.That problem with watering appears when you use it absolutely dry.

For sure. It’s only after long storage. Once you get moisture into it, it’s good to go. This shouldn’t be needed very often. I like to put air holes in my buckets so they don’t condensate and create mold. I hate mold.

 

[Trustfall]

I don’t miss this one bit. I’m in love with the coco!:cool: