Watering, how media, pot size/shape and environment affect it

[Frankster]

So I'm kinda noticing that after I fill my water table, that if I tip the plant to it's side a little bit, much will drain out that otherwise wouldn't, is this an acceptable practice to utilize? I think draining them out some actually helps restore them to a state of equilibrium, were the water is built back up, but not completely waterlogged....

Been working really hard on ensuring that anything that's got tight roots is getting full penetration.
Two of the bigger ladies, who's currently sitting in a single gallon pot vegging.

 

[Aqua Man]

So I'm kinda noticing that after I fill my water table, that if I tip the plant to it's side a little bit, much will drain out that otherwise wouldn't, is this an acceptable practice to utilize? I think draining them out some actually helps restore them to a state of equilibrium, were the water is built back up, but not completely waterlogged....

Can absolutely do that and a perfect example of how to manipulate the perched water table as saturatiom zone stays the same height in a given media. When you tilt it less media will be below that height so water will run out of the media that's now above that height forcing it out.

 

[Frankster]

Yea, I kinda think some of the water stay's in the voids below, usually along the sides and bottoms, must be in a vacuum of sort's that the water overhead creates, then it slowly runs out anyhow so it's useless excess, needs to be removed. Water that doesn't have anything actually holding it, just sort in limbo between the margins of capillary pull, and the gravity pulling it downwards.

Parts of the water table, but not quite.

 

[Greenthumbsucker]

Yeah lots of good Info here. IL be coming back to this alot. Thanks aqua.

 

[GDub51]

to Aqua Man: Great section and will be a great resource for all growers. FOR ALL ORGANIC GROWERS; I have something to add I learned this year. I grow outside, SoCal, coastal mountains, in tall pots (21"H 20" diameter at top and 15" at the bottom) I also re-use my soil. This year, after two years of organic growing with added mycorrhizae, I found that at recharge the leftover rhizomes make up a lot of the volume and made the soil too dense even after adding in the usual stuff to expand it...perlite, vermiculite, and pumice and it still would not drain well. I had to dump all and start over adding in now 40% perlite, vermiculite, and pumice as well as some fresh soil to the old to get the right consistency and drainage. So if you are adding mycorrhizae you need to add more aerating ingredients at re-charge to accommodate for the added mass of the rhizomes.

 

[Aqua Man]

to Aqua Man: Great section and will be a great resource for all growers. FOR ALL ORGANIC GROWERS; I have something to add I learned this year. I grow outside, SoCal, coastal mountains, in tall pots (21"H 20" diameter at top and 15" at the bottom) I also re-use my soil. This year, after two years of organic growing with added mycorrhizae, I found that at recharge the leftover rhizomes make up a lot of the volume and made the soil too dense even after adding in the usual stuff to expand it...perlite, vermiculite, and pumice and it still would not drain well. I had to dump all and start over adding in now 40% perlite, vermiculite, and pumice as well as some fresh soil to the old to get the right consistency and drainage. So if you are adding mycorrhizae you need to add more aerating ingredients at re-charge to accommodate for the added mass of the rhizomes.

Great info brother

 

[Flexnerb]

EurekAlert!!

Lol....could tbey use tbe fukushima water to grow hemp and phytoremediate the cesium out of the water instead of dumping it in the ocean? This sounds like a great idea!

Is there something im missing here?

If done without contaminating the soil its a great idea..it'd have to be done right. I think they can. What are they waiting for?

 

[BionicKroniK]

Yeah I will definitely be editing and rearranging... for now I'm getting my info out so I can go back and revise it after. Do a better job of specific sections so ppl don't need to read for a day to find what they are looking for. It's a subject with many moving parts that are all important so it will be a challenge to get the info out in a simple manner that's easy to read... but I'll get it there, just gonna take some time.

Some awesome stuff AM, tyvm!

 

[lvstealth]

@Aqua Man can you sticky this in the basic growing section

 

[Aqua Man]

@Aqua Man can you sticky this in the basic growing section

I can.

 

[tobh]

so when is the THCFarmer Bible coming out? These posts you create remind me of the old Overgrow Bible. Used to have a copy on a harddrive that was destroyed long ago. A consolidated collection of practically every detail about diagnosis, techniques, processes, etc. Thing was invaluable. You're singlehandedly compiling a very similar consolidation of information.

 

[Aqua Man]

so when is the THCFarmer Bible coming out? These posts you create remind me of the old Overgrow Bible. Used to have a copy on a harddrive that was destroyed long ago. A consolidated collection of practically every detail about diagnosis, techniques, processes, etc. Thing was invaluable. You're singlehandedly compiling a very similar consolidation of information.

I'm far to lazy. Besides all this info is out there brother... maybe over time I'll do a few more and lump em together ... by that I mean years lol.

 

[Frankster]

I'm far to lazy. Besides all this info is out there brother... maybe over time I'll do a few more and lump em together ... by that I mean years lol.

Yea, I don't think it would be exceptionally helpful, tbh. I mean, it's certainly an interesting thought, I've considered the same things. The way things are done now, you can pretty much study in length just about anything you want, if you simply take the time, research. ie. Google it. What this place does more than anything is highlight the tremendous differences in many of our grows, and how environmental factors, techniques, regimes, and the many multiples of things that add up to a great growing experience.

If you can't quickly find an answer to most basic problems here just posting up the information, and some pics, something is really wrong, and needs fundamental re-evaluation. Usually it's the obscure that baffles everyone. It's difficult to get off track here, unless you got a bunch of terrible habits, or your simply MIA.

That's what I would vote for is: A bad habit thread, or perhaps a proclivity or propensity thread, or something along those lines.... Especially ones that have technique wide application.

The best idea I think actually, is a developmental thread...

 

[Frankster]

Or like check the boxes here, and if you fall into this category of x-factors with your grow, these are the other factors that you should be doing also...
The problem with organizing information is that there's so many damn ways to do it, and depending on how your audience is approaching it, it works differently everytime.

Keeping things dynamic above all else is where most of the upper level growers seem to be learning here, or rubbing off on others, simply fraternizing and associating, with some sort of peer review process really helps people grow their game in the long run, over time, at least it certainly has for me.

Or simply just reviewing the many grow logs here that exist that are similar to your specific setup. You pick things up just by watching, in many instances. Asking Questions, ect.. This place is truly an asset to just about every level growers out there, IMO>

 

[Aqua Man]

Or like check the boxes here, and if you fall into this category of x-factors with your grow, these are the other factors that you should be doing also...
The problem with organizing information is that there's so many damn ways to do it, and depending on how your audience is approaching it, it works differently everytime.

Keeping things dynamic above all else is where most of the upper level growers seem to be learning here, or rubbing off on others, simply fraternizing and associating, with some sort of peer review process really helps people grow their game in the long run, over time, at least it certainly has for me.

Or simply just reviewing the many grow logs here that exist that are similar to your specific setup.

Problem is there are to many variables. But yeah that could work. Just take a load of work.

 

[Frankster]

Bingo Aqua, these little emogi but

Problem is there are to many variables. But yeah that could work. Just take a load of work.

Personally, I think these emoji buttons below are pretty much the most helpful kinda support that anyone can have. Simply having a thumbs up, or this or that, a response to an inquiry is invaluable in so many ways that learning can not simply accomplish. Some will always need positive feedback, and ongoing affirmation, that in and of itself, is a process.

When people start to think a certain way, and have validation, a pattern develops.
Learning is a active process, your either a participant, or simply an observer. Of course you can learn quite a bit simply observing, but real learning takes more.

You either go though your checklist and do the things you need to, everyday, or you don't. You've got to really be on top of things to nip them in the bud sometimes, especially if your wanting to stay ahead of the curve. Everything here for me is about developing habits.

 

[lvstealth]

i would like to see one 0f these great posts on humidity. im playing a lot with my environment. i have found a few things out, but i get lost in the humidity. i understand how it is made and temperature effects and the vegetation holding it... what i am lost on is how to control it. funny enough, but i have found (for me anyway) if i run my dehumidifier in the room constantly, keeping it at about 38 to 40%, it is much easier to control my tent. even when i need high humidity i start with it that low and it works, if i dont the exhaust fan just pulls it out. so... im confused. if i could just understand, i could devise a system to control it.

but that is just me not being smart enough to grasp the science, grrrrr

 

[Aqua Man]

i would like to see one 0f these great posts on humidity. im playing a lot with my environment. i have found a few things out, but i get lost in the humidity. i understand how it is made and temperature effects and the vegetation holding it... what i am lost on is how to control it. funny enough, but i have found (for me anyway) if i run my dehumidifier in the room constantly, keeping it at about 38 to 40%, it is much easier to control my tent. even when i need high humidity i start with it that low and it works, if i dont the exhaust fan just pulls it out. so... im confused. if i could just understand, i could devise a system to control it.

but that is just me not being smart enough to grasp the science, grrrrr

VPD (vapor pressure deficit)

Ok i was gonna sit down and write out a whole article but i have been lazy so instead instead I'm going to copy paste because im lazy. This is not my work so let start. You may find this very long but its worth the read. Some may want to skip ahead. I have added here and there to what i feel is...

www.thcfarmer.com

 

[Frankster]

i would like to see one 0f these great posts on humidity. im playing a lot with my environment. i have found a few things out, but i get lost in the humidity. i understand how it is made and temperature effects and the vegetation holding it... what i am lost on is how to control it. funny enough, but i have found (for me anyway) if i run my dehumidifier in the room constantly, keeping it at about 38 to 40%, it is much easier to control my tent. even when i need high humidity i start with it that low and it works, if i dont the exhaust fan just pulls it out. so... im confused. if i could just understand, i could devise a system to control it.

but that is just me not being smart enough to grasp the science, grrrrr

Controlling VDP is a big plus, no doubt. The plant has several different systems, much as humans do... Circulation not only delivers digested nutrients to our cells, but water, O2... and removes waste product, and removes excess CO2. There's a multi-layed dynamic process in play.

Plants are much the same, perhaps a little less complex. Systems... The VDP works much like our Blood Circulation, is a feedback loop (transpiration). Humidity regulates this rate.... There is a gradient that's always passing though the plant from it's roots up off the tops of the leaves. Then Photosynthesis links into that system, but works form the top downward, though the surface of leaves.... That's were all the magic happens, for the most part....

But be advised, it's not static though the life cycle, it changes. High humidity during earlier stages, much lower at the end.

Light & Humidity plays a huge role in regulating this process. Optimizing these various systems in relation to one another promotes synergy. ie. a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.

See the xylem in the first pic? That's basically where the two systems interact together.
The palisade mesophyll in there is much like our lung tissues (alveolar sacs) in many ways, but also like the mesentery in our gut also.... Plants are different than us, in the respect that they "breath in" much of their energy and nutrition, not simply absorb most of it, like animals do. There ability to process energy is much more simple, limited.

 

[Frankster]

That was a bit of a long one aqua, so feel free to add or subtract from any of that. I think I explained it well enough, but your much better than I on the plant physiology side of things...

I'd like to see a thread on how oil production occurs in the plant... at the molecular level.