Soil wont get wet wtf???

[KDB42]

I transplanted to a bigger pot like 4 days ago and watered. Today the soil (ffof) was dry so I watered again. Only this time I noticed only the top maybe half inch was wet. Under the top layer was bone dry at least to half way down the 5 gal pot. I ended up pouring and stirring to get it wet but still isn't all the way wet. In the bottom somewhere is absorbing water cause it was pretty heavy to lift. What could be the problem? Only thing I did different this grow was use a watering can this time. Could that be it? Please help.

 

[KDB42]

Oh I forgot to add the middle 2 or 3 inch diameter had no problem getting wet. Its the same soil from the same bag.

 

[LexLuthor]

Did you water it really fast? Maybe the water passed thru without soaking in because of it going too fast. Also, the dryer peat moss gets, the more ability it has to repel water, I don't know about other ingredients, but FF is made up of about 60% peat moss, I think.

One more thing, did you fully saturate the entire pot of soil when you transplanted? To the point of runoff? That could be another issue is it wasn't properly saturated to begin with so the water will take the path of least resistance, which is where it went last time when you transplanted, because of the hydrophobic nature of peat moss.

 

[KDB42]

Yeah I watered till the whole top was like a puddle let it soak in for a few minutes then kept watering. The soil was pretty dry in the left over bag before I transplanted. How do I fix it without over watering. Wait a day or two and water again?

 

[PipeCarver]

Did you water it really fast? Maybe the water passed thru without soaking in because of it going too fast. Also, the dryer peat moss gets, the more ability it has to repel water, I don't know about other ingredients, but FF is made up of about 60% peat moss, I think.

One more thing, did you fully saturate the entire pot of soil when you transplanted? To the point of runoff? That could be another issue is it wasn't properly saturated to begin with so the water will take the path of least resistance, which is where it went last time when you transplanted, because of the hydrophobic nature of peat moss.

Does it suck the water up from the bottom? Let the water sit in a puddle of water a couple of inches deep does the water disappear? if so its dry =. If you let it dry out until its hard after a few times of doing that it gets compacted pretty hard and as said above when the peat is dry its harder to penetrate. Some of the mixes come with only 17% - 20% perlite I add an extra 15% ( about 1 pot for every 8 pots of soil mix ) to help separate the peat & allow more aeration to the soil.

 

[Habosabin]

I think they make surfactants for that.

 

[LexLuthor]

Yeah I watered till the whole top was like a puddle let it soak in for a few minutes then kept watering. The soil was pretty dry in the left over bag before I transplanted. How do I fix it without over watering. Wait a day or two and water again?

Did water run out of the bottom of the pot? If not, that would indicate that the soil is not soaked properly.

 

[LexLuthor]

I think they make surfactants for that.

Fox Farm soil should already have a wetting agent, it helps.

 

[KDB42]

Yeah water came out the bottom. Also I couldn't get a hold of perlite so I used pumis about the same size as large perlite pieces.

 

[freezeland2]

Yeah I watered till the whole top was like a puddle let it soak in for a few minutes then kept watering. The soil was pretty dry in the left over bag before I transplanted. How do I fix it without over watering. Wait a day or two and water again?

Did you mix and water the soil first while preparing the transplant pot? Or just dump a bag of dry soil in the pot and add plant then water?

if you premix the soil with water prior to transplant it helps avoid issues like this IMO.

 

[freezeland2]

Yeah water came out the bottom. Also I couldn't get a hold of perlite so I used pumis about the same size as large perlite pieces.

Did it runs down the sides?

 

[KDB42]

Did you mix and water the soil first while preparing the transplant pot? Or just dump a bag of dry soil in the pot and add plant then water?

if you premix the soil with water prior to transplant it helps avoid issues like this IMO.

Yeah I guess I should of known that but never thought the soil wouldn't absorb water. Its the same way I've done it the other couple grows.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

On occasion, a bag of peat will dry out. The only way to revive it is by soaking, just exactly like the peat pots.
If it refuses to stay wet, it might have been contaminated.

 

[Ponky]

In promix I water the surface and let it soak in. Pouring on like a couple liters. Then I smoke one. Come back and pour the rest of the water. And it doesn't overflow the side. Actually swells up and drinks the water. It likes to go down the sides on the inside of the pot without soaking in.

 

[Aqua Man]

Take a coat hanger and poke holes from top to bottom water slowly and should be fine after.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

It can actually take a while to really soak the soil.
We use a wand sprayer on a 1 gallon hand pump tank.

 

[Aqua Man]

When soil is allowed to get bone dry it can become hydrophobic and create channeling. Poking holes top to bottom will help eliminate this. Don't worry about the roots they will be fine.

 

[KDB42]

In promix I water the surface and let it soak in. Pouring on like a couple liters. Then I smoke one. Come back and pour the rest of the water. And it doesn't overflow the side. Actually swells up and drinks the water. It likes to go down the sides on the inside of the pot without soaking in.

Yeah ill have to do that. Especially the smoke one part ill check it tomorrow and keep checking to see if its dry and soak again. I guess eventually it'll have to soak it up.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

When soil is allowed to get bone dry it can become hydrophobic and create channeling. Poking holes top to bottom will help eliminate this. Don't worry about the roots they will be fine.

Its the same as stabbing a hay fork in the ground to water plants outside in hard dirt.

 

[KDB42]

When soil is allowed to get bone dry it can become hydrophobic and create channeling. Poking holes top to bottom will help eliminate this. Don't worry about the roots they will be fine.

Yeah that's what I did with my moisture sensor meter (about the only thing its good for) then ended up stirring it around best I could while watering. It helped but still seemed dryer then it should of been in some parts.