Is there a care schedule for indoor soil plants? I am a newb and looking for some advice on when to water, feed nutrients, spray the plants, etc. I gather so far that veg is around 6-8 weeks, and the flowering poeriond for my plants are 58 and 60 days. Any stickies or guides anywhere?
Thanks in advance.
- DHD
The basic watering principle to be followed is this.
You want wet and dry cycles for your soil.
When the plant is placed in its new pot. Feel the weight of it and the soil dry by lifting it up.
Once you saturate the media the first time to set the soil you lift the pot and feel again the weight difference.
Now the watering doesn't happen on a schedule, rather when the plants need it. So everyday lift the pots and when the right time/day comes you will know based on the lightness of the pot. Other signs may be the plant starting to droop.
The reason you want this is for a couple reasons.
1.) The roots need oxygen.
When the soil is dry they breathe well and consume oxygen best. But if the soil is too dry roots die and plants starve. So you need dry soil exposure in bits between waterings.
Now the water contains oxygen. And the plant consumes that fairly quickly. so once consumed from the water.
The plant basically can't absorb o2 anymore until the water gets soaked up through the roots or into the air.
As the soil dries it wicks in new oxygen into itself allowing the plant to breathe well again.
So the cycle goes saturate soil the plant drinks+feeds. Then as the soil dries it's roots grow and it breathes oxygen.
The other reason for the wet dry cycles. Is to kill pests in the soil.
The moist soil can breed bugs/pests/disease. So allowing the soil to dry out kills larvae etc.
It's an effective way to control things like gnats. It interrupts their life cycle.
Next principle will be feeding.
While you need to find your own rhythm.
Many people go water, feed, water, feed, etc.
Some people water, water, feed.
Some people use light nutes and feed everytime.
You will have to experiment and see what works best for your application.
