Water/nute retention?

Greeting everyone... I'm growing autos in potting soil that I added perlite and worm casing to in 3gal fabric pots. My issue and I hope my fellow farmers can help me, is when I water or feed the water come right out. I can hardly put in a quart before It's draining right back out into the drain pan causing it to over flow. Is this good or is it bad? I feel like I'm wasting nutes. I have moisture meters in the soil and they practically always read close to dry? Should I leave the runoff in the drain pan and let it wick back into the plants. My girls are 4 weeks old now and looking pretty healthy. I really can use your opinions. Thanks in advance

Don't leave the pots sitting in runoff nutes!

Maybe try coco next time; it's nearly foolproof

Sounds like you may have added to much perlite. But that's just a guess

If it's doing this I would just let them drink the runoff in the tray. Shit happens. They'll chug up all the water themselves. In soil it shouldn't be an issue...

Hydrophobic soil.. As stated above, let em soak up the runoff.. I bottom water all the time..

Calvin is right they need to drink those nutrients. U want that run off to carry salts away and get dumped off, but if the water isn't absorbed by your soil it should eventually soak it up from the tray.

As said above you may have used to much pearlite, or it could be as simple as your media when bone dry does not absorb water well. (Hydrophobic/ repells water) as also stated above. Lots of media when crusty dry the water just races through and never absorbs. Try breaking up the first couple of inches of soil, and water real slow right at the base of the plant. Real slow

Okay farmers I have tried things here and nothing seem to have helped, detergent, soap, and soaking the plants. I think I may have added to much perlite. I pour in water and in less than 10 seconds it's running into the catch pan. Is there something I can do correct the perlite issue?