How to water properly.????

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DiverDown

DiverDown

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Grown with super soil. Outside.
I need to set up a self watering system for someone else to take of them while I am away having spinal surgery. Then when I return I won't be able to bend down or get on the ground. The milk jugs is the only thing I can think of. What would you do?
 
az2000

az2000

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It is not the FF product, because the only issues are those that are in the cloth pots and not the one in the ground.

Maybe the salts in Fox Farm Ocean Forest are leaching away in ground, but collecting in the pot where it dries fastest (the salts would rehydrate each watering and be potent?). I've never used Fox Farms anything. From what I've seen (problems posted) both OF and Happy Frog seem dense/heavy, slow drying. And, OF seems to burn (or, the bag doesn't make it clear enough that it doesn't need additional nutrients.

Does OF's bag show the guaranteed analysis? I looked at Google images and couldn't see anything. That could justifiably lead to the soil being called hot (if the bag gives the impression it contains no nutrients. I.e., at least MiracleGro's potting mix says 0.21-0.11-0.16. That's hot. But, at least you now about it when you buy it. (Maybe Fox Farms Ocean Forest does too. I couldn't see it.).
 
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az2000

az2000

965
143
The milk jugs is the only thing I can think of. What would you do?

Home Depot sells drip-irrigation stuff. There is a PVC fitting which goes from hose-bib to 3/4" slip fitting. (<<link) From there you could use PVC and drip-irrigation adapters to get down to the 1/8" drip tubing. Someone at Home Depot should be able to help you get from the hose bib to the drip outlets (the pieces to put it together in between. There are so many pieces it can be overwhelming to figure out. But, I guarantee that you can get from hose bib to 3/4" PVC pipe, down to barb fitting for the drip tube. You're just making a hose-end "manifold" for the drip tubes.).
 
oldskol4evr

oldskol4evr

12,306
438
I've never used Fox Farms, just using Promix and a few amendments. I don't have any problems with it myself, but I constantly see newer growers get in a mess by using it along with other nutrients and end up getting either Ph issues, nute lock, or nutrient burn. I am basing my observations by the zillions of posts that I, and you, have answered when someone is using FF and is having issues with overfeeding. Some strains seem OK with it, some don't. I have no problem with folks using it, but inevitably, when someone posts a "What is wrong" post, it is often related to overfeeding, overwatering, or both. Growers who use FF and then add nutrients to it seem to have a lot of problems. I'm sure it is a good medium, but in my experience with newer growers, it isn't the best option until they get a little experience and get away from feeding a 6 inch plant like a small Oak tree.
completely agree and you called it,when they add,i use it in my medicine grows on ocassions,from seed to harvest nothing but teas,there is a misconception of all soils,folk just wont to grow and stuff that work for me dont you thing,life,all learning curve,you probally already know all bag soils are a peat base and fillers added,you wouldnt know this from reading the bag,truth comes in with texture testing,all that stays above the water line that represent organic matter is all peat,nothing at all wrong with it,perlite,vermiculite,wood chips,and just a tad that cant even register as organic matter,i visit other sites and hear and see same thing all the time and wondered if you could show me,im serious no one ever has,you called it all the way,you can even take your pro-mix and do a jar texture test,it will be the same,what floats isnt what stays down is soil-silt,folk talk about the eco system a thrash peat moss,why? a plant is a plant and will decompose and become silt-soil it was put here for us to figure out and can and will be planted,ive used pro-mix also,it just takes too long to get to silt,i got hands full with other gardens,but no doubt a silt in long run,were im at i cant be water every other day and such,to much at a time kills me,thats why i elect to use amended soil,pro-mix is amended also with lime right same with everything it up to the gardner to know when and how,just sayin
 
oldskol4evr

oldskol4evr

12,306
438
It is not the FF product, because the only issues are those that are in the cloth pots and not the one in the ground.
heat friend,the cloth might be great inside,but not outside unless you can stay on top of it,the ground provide all needed and dont need much feeding from the roots searching for moisture and produce mass roots,clay in that soil holds water and when you think it dry it not,dig a hole in dead ass summer and measure how deep you go before you find moist soil,probally about 6 to 8 inchs deep,right were the roots are the strongest,for next year,get you some plots amended if needed,you would be surprised what you stand on and call shit dirt ,dont do this in a indoor grow kind rap going on,you would be surprised the outcome of that test,adding perlite to ground,hell no just opened a can of worms of having to water all the time,moist soil will feed that plant it only take what i wants,leaf health test is were it at,it will tell you exactly what the plant is up taking,if your low on something threw this test then your not spending money and wasting on other things,if it shows your def in P why would you add a fertilizer that has even across the board NPK values to that plant,you just increase the problem if you dig,if you have established soil and water for your one week holiday it will probally just be showing signs of need of water if you dig,as i gorrilla grower you find out real quick visiting your crop will bring attention and they will let you grow the shit out of it,just about a week before your gonna harvest bamm they gone,you think they give a shit thric are ready hell nah they wont the plant,ive went couple weeks without visiting and spent the night at grows just to work them and water next day were im not spotted,folk dont have peatience to wait all night to see were your at,ninja style baby hahahah
 
oldskol4evr

oldskol4evr

12,306
438
I need to set up a system for someone else to take over this duty while I am in the hospital for spinal surgery. Plus I won't be bending either. The milk jugs should work, but I need to set it up properly. How many milk jugs? Is there a better way. Pretend your can't bend over or get down on the ground. What would you do?
i got same bro,why do you think i try to teach easy no money methods,what i discribed is your milk you just drank ,the jug a little hole smaller the better ,gravity will feed that plant slow like it needs,and a shop vac for cleanup,every thing i do is cheap but effective,i have a monthly income there aint no buy this and that,all my feeds are plants from my veggie garden or wild weeds from property fermented,what better way to feed a plant,all your doing is taking all the nutrients from them and concentrating it into feed it already there just saying,i be damn if i would let them cut my back or neck open,aint happening ,i wish the best karma friend,if got injured in 2010,i been walking around,slow and slinging foot and all,addicted to pills and the whole nine yards,i found the more of them i take the more i hurt,it takes me 3 hrs in morning to get moving but i do after a hour of headache making pain i can funtion great as long as i dont take breaks hahahah,i have friends that had surgery and it worked great UNTIL they gain weight and lose weight and right back to a chair they go,nope not me i have mind washed myself to enjoy the pain it lets me feel alive,with these injuries depression is more the enemy than the wound
 
oldskol4evr

oldskol4evr

12,306
438
I have the best green thumb I know. I can grow anything as if my life depended on it. This is how I figured out that the watering is my issues. I figured it out before the plants really suffered. My issue is I need to be able to have someone else take care of them for me for a week. The best way is to leave the hose running slowly on them. But someone else doesn't have the time. I can set up a system with milk jugs. I just need to figure out how much many jugs to use per pot. 10 gallon cloth pots. This soil disperses water to the edges of the pot and down the sides. I am losing the nutrients too this way. I won’t be using this soil next time.
your asking for disaster bro letting someone roll in on your grow and i asure you there will be bitching afterwards,what is your feed schedule and how much is what you have to figure,i dont feed all mine at same time,doesnt make sense to me to feed when not needed,the jug again a small hole in bottom stick a 1/4 air tube ,like for fish air pump,silicne around the tube on outside,sit the jug above the soil level,water has no choice but to level period,sit the jug above the soil line,pour your mix in and place the tube right in front or beside the stalk,let gravity drain the jug bro
 
oldskol4evr

oldskol4evr

12,306
438
let me add this,with the 1/4 hose,if it is coming out to fast,eake a bread tie or piece of wire place on the tube and twist in to you have a slow trickle,your doing the same thing as a omiter on the drip system if you dig,or a redneck regulator haaha,dont knock it to you try,i would almoist bet do this you will find your plants dont need as much moisture as you thought,in ground you want to get water to absorb out to the drip line,drip line is the edge of your canopy same as trees,how you think they live with nothing,the morning dew settles on leaves and as it rolls off the leaves i cant go to the base of tree,the stretched roots get all there water from the drip line
 
Beachwalker

Beachwalker

7,055
313
New grower here. I have issues watering. I have 5 plants. Between 5-6ft each. Went outdoors in June in 10 gallon pots, and one directly in the ground. (Space restrictions). The one in the ground has always been perfect. The ones in the pots have had issues. I could not figure out why the potted ones have discolored and shriveling leaves and not growing as well. I had to do something, afraid to lose them.
So I took the worst one and planted it in the ground. I sliced the pot in half and the middle layer of the soil was dry like sand and came pouring out. ...........The bottom and tops of the soil was moist. Thus the watering is the issue........ I had been watering, getting plenty of water in the pots, letting it soak as I watered the others one at a time. ThenI would go back and do it again., 3 times. Obviously the fox farm soil does not evenly soak up the water. I used a small pot for a seedling and I had to constantly water and stir the soil to get it fully wet, took a few hours for a 5” pot.
Thus, what is the best way to fix this. .......... someone said use a milk or soda container and make a slow drip system. If I do this. Say with one gallon milk jugs, how much water do you think would be sufficient.????????. Ten gallon pots, how many gallons of water would be sufficient.???
Not likely a Foxfarm issue, I've been using it for years and I've never run into anything like that? ..did you let the plants dry out at some point?

Anyway poke some holes in it with a chopstick right around the part you think is not getting wet, just don't go too deep! Good luck
 
Rikismom420

Rikismom420

244
63
I've never used Fox Farms, just using Promix and a few amendments. I don't have any problems with it myself, but I constantly see newer growers get in a mess by using it along with other nutrients and end up getting either Ph issues, nute lock, or nutrient burn. I am basing my observations by the zillions of posts that I, and you, have answered when someone is using FF and is having issues with overfeeding. Some strains seem OK with it, some don't. I have no problem with folks using it, but inevitably, when someone posts a "What is wrong" post, it is often related to overfeeding, overwatering, or both. Growers who use FF and then add nutrients to it seem to have a lot of problems. I'm sure it is a good medium, but in my experience with newer growers, it isn't the best option until they get a little experience and get away from feeding a 6 inch plant like a small Oak tree.
When. Was researching growing mediums before planting it was FFOF was a recommend soil,maybe great marketing , I have autos and use it with part coco and don’t think I use it again , not that it seems hot it just doesn’t seem to drain well, maybe more perlite.. this is getting pricey...seeds are oh so dang expensive....😌. Think I may have a male plant , will put in new thread.and always
 
jumpincactus

jumpincactus

Premium Member
Supporter
11,609
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i hear you say this all the time and been waiting for you to prove the fox soil is too hot,really i am ,i pop seeds in the stuff,do a NPK and PH test on the stuff,compare to your pro mix then lets see the results,you want hot soil you subcools recipe,that shit is hot,and growers are mis directed if its use,it goes in bottom 2 or 3 in of your pots and is designed for flower stage,i have done test on ocean ,happy and it is the same ,every bag,every bag,i dont use any bag soil without testing,a cheap 12 buck NPK test kit is the best insurance for soil no doubt. just to make a point,plant one seed a green bean they will pop ground in a matter of a day and be 6in tall in 3 days,if that bean pops and grows,no way i n hell the soil is to hot,define hot for me because im dumb fonded of this too hot shit
used FF for years before I started my own mixes. I agree with @oldskol4evr everyone says FF is too hot and this and that but years in it and even seedlings started in it and never an issue. I used to germ my beans direct into FF without germin the old skool way and never an issue. Personally I think the ole skool way of germin in paper towels and such are when we can have problems. When you remove the seeds from the paper towels you tear the delicate root hairs that imbed in the paper towels and that can cause problems. So I pop them right in the soil from day one. I have also noticed doing it this way seems to allow for better and stronger root development. I aint never seen any elves in the forest pulling up sprouts from paper towels and stickin em in the ground. Best way is always going to be the way it happens naturally in the real world
 
jumpincactus

jumpincactus

Premium Member
Supporter
11,609
438
New grower here. I have issues watering. I have 5 plants. Between 5-6ft each. Went outdoors in June in 10 gallon pots, and one directly in the ground. (Space restrictions). The one in the ground has always been perfect. The ones in the pots have had issues. I could not figure out why the potted ones have discolored and shriveling leaves and not growing as well. I had to do something, afraid to lose them.
So I took the worst one and planted it in the ground. I sliced the pot in half and the middle layer of the soil was dry like sand and came pouring out. ...........The bottom and tops of the soil was moist. Thus the watering is the issue........ I had been watering, getting plenty of water in the pots, letting it soak as I watered the others one at a time. ThenI would go back and do it again., 3 times. Obviously the fox farm soil does not evenly soak up the water. I used a small pot for a seedling and I had to constantly water and stir the soil to get it fully wet, took a few hours for a 5” pot.
Thus, what is the best way to fix this. .......... someone said use a milk or soda container and make a slow drip system. If I do this. Say with one gallon milk jugs, how much water do you think would be sufficient.????????. Ten gallon pots, how many gallons of water would be sufficient.???
get you some surfactants. FF and most soils can and will form channels where the water will flow straight down little channels and the water wont spread out evenly thruot the pot.

Check this link for more info. It really does work. https://plantcaretoday.com/wetting-agents.html
 
C

Creed5732

2
3
Diver sounds like you and I have similar issues. Back problems etc. I am attempting to setup a ebb n flow system so that i do not need to do much but once a week. check on newts etc. just wondering how many times a day to flood err the ebb part? I have set up an auto-siphon (Bellsiphon) and just do not know how often to flood them on the 10 min cycle?. not meaning to hijack your thread but a possibility to get something you could work out. Maybe a small pump and run to waste might be more appropriate in your case.
 
DiverDown

DiverDown

127
43
i got same bro,why do you think i try to teach easy no money methods,what i discribed is your milk you just drank ,the jug a little hole smaller the better ,gravity will feed that plant slow like it needs,and a shop vac for cleanup,every thing i do is cheap but effective,i have a monthly income there aint no buy this and that,all my feeds are plants from my veggie garden or wild weeds from property fermented,what better way to feed a plant,all your doing is taking all the nutrients from them and concentrating it into feed it already there just saying,i be damn if i would let them cut my back or neck open,aint happening ,i wish the best karma friend,if got injured in 2010,i been walking around,slow and slinging foot and all,addicted to pills and the whole nine yards,i found the more of them i take the more i hurt,it takes me 3 hrs in morning to get moving but i do after a hour of headache making pain i can funtion great as long as i dont take breaks hahahah,i have friends that had surgery and it worked great UNTIL they gain weight and lose weight and right back to a chair they go,nope not me i have mind washed myself to enjoy the pain it lets me feel alive,with these injuries depression is more the enemy than the wound
I grow and use so I don't need all the pills. Got a family to care for. Can not move without crying for relief. Can not afford MMJ. So I don't want anything to happen to these babies!!!
 
DiverDown

DiverDown

127
43
Diver sounds like you and I have similar issues. Back problems etc. I am attempting to setup a ebb n flow system so that i do not need to do much but once a week. check on newts etc. just wondering how many times a day to flood err the ebb part? I have set up an auto-siphon (Bellsiphon) and just do not know how often to flood them on the 10 min cycle?. not meaning to hijack your thread but a possibility to get something you could work out. Maybe a small pump and run to waste might be more appropriate in your case.
I do not do hydro. They are outside. Sorry about your back! Everything you do kills!
 
Beachwalker

Beachwalker

7,055
313
When. Was researching growing mediums before planting it was FFOF was a recommend soil,maybe great marketing , I have autos and use it with part coco and don’t think I use it again , not that it seems hot it just doesn’t seem to drain well, maybe more perlite.. this is getting pricey...seeds are oh so dang expensive....😌. Think I may have a male plant , will put in new thread.and always
Hey Rikismom check this out haven't used it yet but I'm giving it a try when I finish up my ffof on-hand
Screenshot 20190816 172159 Chrome


But only for the price because im a ffof fan, ffof is not hot I've used it for years with no problems including drainage, I add 25% perl8ite
 
DiverDown

DiverDown

127
43
heat friend,the cloth might be great inside,but not outside unless you can stay on top of it,the ground provide all needed and dont need much feeding from the roots searching for moisture and produce mass roots,clay in that soil holds water and when you think it dry it not,dig a hole in dead ass summer and measure how deep you go before you find moist soil,probally about 6 to 8 inchs deep,right were the roots are the strongest,for next year,get you some plots amended if needed,you would be surprised what you stand on and call shit dirt ,dont do this in a indoor grow kind rap going on,you would be surprised the outcome of that test,adding perlite to ground,hell no just opened a can of worms of having to water all the time,moist soil will feed that plant it only take what i wants,leaf health test is were it at,it will tell you exactly what the plant is up taking,if your low on something threw this test then your not spending money and wasting on other things,if it shows your def in P why would you add a fertilizer that has even across the board NPK values to that plant,you just increase the problem if you dig,if you have established soil and water for your one week holiday it will probally just be showing signs of need of water if you dig,as i gorrilla grower you find out real quick visiting your crop will bring attention and they will let you grow the shit out of it,just about a week before your gonna harvest bamm they gone,you think they give a shit thric are ready hell nah they wont the plant,ive went couple weeks without visiting and spent the night at grows just to work them and water next day were im not spotted,folk dont have peatience to wait all night to see were your at,ninja style baby hahahah
I have put cardboard around the black cloth pots due to the sun and wind drying them out. The soil is the best way, always.
 
DiverDown

DiverDown

127
43
When. Was researching growing mediums before planting it was FFOF was a recommend soil,maybe great marketing , I have autos and use it with part coco and don’t think I use it again , not that it seems hot it just doesn’t seem to drain well, maybe more perlite.. this is getting pricey...seeds are oh so dang expensive....😌. Think I may have a male plant , will put in new thread.and always
used FF for years before I started my own mixes. I agree with @oldskol4evr everyone says FF is too hot and this and that but years in it and even seedlings started in it and never an issue. I used to germ my beans direct into FF without germin the old skool way and never an issue. Personally I think the ole skool way of germin in paper towels and such are when we can have problems. When you remove the seeds from the paper towels you tear the delicate root hairs that imbed in the paper towels and that can cause problems. So I pop them right in the soil from day one. I have also noticed doing it this way seems to allow for better and stronger root development. I aint never seen any elves in the forest pulling up sprouts from paper towels and stickin em in the ground. Best way is always going to be the way it happens naturally in the real world
I always start my tomatoes seeds from drying on a paper towel. Never an issue. But that is drying after I have taken them out of the tomatoe and before storage. Seeds aren't my issue.
 
DiverDown

DiverDown

127
43
Not likely a Foxfarm issue, I've been using it for years and I've never run into anything like that? ..did you let the plants dry out at some point?

Anyway poke some holes in it with a chopstick right around the part you think is not getting wet, just don't go too deep! Good luck
Now THAT is a good idea!!!!!!
 
DiverDown

DiverDown

127
43
your asking for disaster bro letting someone roll in on your grow and i asure you there will be bitching afterwards,what is your feed schedule and how much is what you have to figure,i dont feed all mine at same time,doesnt make sense to me to feed when not needed,the jug again a small hole in bottom stick a 1/4 air tube ,like for fish air pump,silicne around the tube on outside,sit the jug above the soil level,water has no choice but to level period,sit the jug above the soil line,pour your mix in and place the tube right in front or beside the stalk,let gravity drain the jug bro
As I have had fish tanks a plenty , I know what you are saying. Use the air line in the jug!!!! Great idea. Now all I have to do make sure I have enough, so a 10 gallon pot would take maybe 2 gallons of water with this system. No way to check. Because my issue was after I cut the pot, the dry soil was exactly in the middle layer, too far for my finger. I suppose I could try a stick, but the roots are very thick and I wouldn't want to damage them. But that idea is great too!!!!,
 
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