how often to water during flowering?

my question is, do you think it makes sense to water smaller amounts, but more frequently during the flowering phase so that the plant doesn't have to put much energy into making the roots search for water? i was thinking that this way, it could put more energy into the buds... or is it still better just to wait several days between waterings to keep the roots from being waterlogged?

i've been watering every 4-5 days, with b'cuzz cocosubtrate, and it seems like it takes about that long for my plants to drink 1/2 to 3/4 gallon each. they started out getting watered about every 5 days, and now it is more like every 4 since they've gotten bigger, although this last time, i let them go 5 again, and they seem very happy.

water whenever the soil a inch down is dry... just stick yer finger in and that'll gauge it for ya

lumberjack_ian said:

water whenever the soil a inch down is dry... just stick yer finger in and that'll gauge it for ya

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that's cool, thanks for chiming in, lji... but actually, i'm not really having a problem with figuring out when my soil is dried out enough to water again.

what i'm really wondering is if anyone has any thoughts about whether tweaking my watering routine so that i water with a smaller volume of h2o, but do it more often, would it benefit the bud growth?... you know, so the plant doesn't have to put a bunch of energy into its roots growth, searching for water. does that make sense?

LoveIt said:

that's cool, thanks for chiming in, lji... but actually, i'm not really having a problem with figuring out when my soil is dried out enough to water again.

what i'm really wondering is if anyone has any thoughts about whether tweaking my watering routine so that i water with a smaller volume of h2o, but do it more often, would it benefit the bud growth?... you know, so the plant doesn't have to put a bunch of energy into its roots growth, searching for water. does that make sense?

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i know what your getting at
some people will let it dry at the very end just before harvest to "harden things up" and whatnot

i've never tried that, just to let you know


i suggest watering whenever the soil gets dry about an inch down....
as long as you have decent drainage from your pot, that'll do ya good...


think of it this way
the plant grows in a whole big cylce
meaning
the chlorophyll soaks up sunlight
and uses products the root uptakes and the energy from the chlorophyll to make new compounds... new growth

so, starving your plant of water is starving your plant of bud growing necessities...

sorry for the long rant... but it comes down to

how will the buds grow without the water?

Watering more frequenly would cause the soil to be moist always. Not good could cause root rot problems. M.J. Likes a wet, dry soil. So water well then allow the soil to dry out before watering again.

gardenandcats said:

Watering more frequenly would cause the soil to be moist always. Not good could cause root rot problems. M.J. Likes a wet, dry soil. So water well then allow the soil to dry out before watering again.

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exactly

you can't really give your plants too much water when watering

you just generally can't water too frequently (if you're soil dry's out fast, say you have lots of perlite or vermiculite or something, or like some you're plants just drink a lot)

water, wait to dry out, water, wait to dry out, etc, etc

you're plant will thank you for such kind treatment =]

LoveIt said:

they started out getting watered about every 5 days, and now it is more like every 4 since they've gotten bigger, although this last time, i let them go 5 again, and they seem very happy.

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if it works so well, why fuck with it?

yeah, you are all totally right... thanks for setting me straight! i think i was just a bit over-the-edge-stoned when i wrote that lol

i gotta say, though... the concept of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" doesn't jive as a motto for me. i'm not really satisfied unless i always try to improve... even on things that seem fine.

If you have grown weed successfully especially growing the same strain again, sometimes if it ain't broke don't fix it is a very good thing to keep in mind. Messing with the watering schedule is a good idea though, and if you can track results... heck, you can figure out exactly how much water the strain wants. But to just screw w. your schedule (if its working out well) without a proper way to test it.. that really wont do much

i let mine go a day or 2 extra without water occasionally...my previous batch i experimented with letting some plants go without water longer than the others...after i harvested i pulled the roots to look at them...major difference in the the ones i watered more than the ones i let go longer without...i use floros so i do have a longer grow cycle...more roots equal more bud... i think using HPS lights, the growing cycles being much faster i doubt that you will see that much benefit from "starving the babies"..

but if i'm wrong i'm sure GK will slap me silly

headspace said:

i let mine go a day or 2 extra without water occasionally...my previous batch i experimented with letting some plants go without water longer than the others...after i harvested i pulled the roots to look at them...major difference in the the ones i watered more than the ones i let go longer without...i use floros so i do have a longer grow cycle...more roots equal more bud... i think using HPS lights, the growing cycles being much faster i doubt that you will see that much benefit from "starving the babies

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so, clearly you witnessed a difference, but you didn't say what it was, just that you could tell a big difference in the roots. what was the difference, describe it if you have sec, plz... i'm curious about the amount of roots in each, and the density of the rootball. thanks!

JohnnyPotSeed1969 said:

if it works so well, why fuck with it?

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Truth

I was still in high school when this thread was active. It’s amazing someone dug it up!