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How does overwatering kill?

!!!

Now in technicolor
Veteran
You can't overwater in a DWC because the oxygen is constantly being oxygenated (at least to my knowledge), so why does watering a soil plant with oxygenated water constantly result in 'overwatering'?

Is the new oxygenated water not displacing the current water in the soil?
 

XIII

Member
From my understanding, the oxygenated water does indeed replace the 'stale' water - but the plants root stay wet for days with only the little oxygen that your water can hold.

This alone is just not enough oxygen for the roots to survive. As the water is used by the roots, the vacuum that is created in the root ball is filled with fresh O2. Without the chance to fully absorb water, the root ball never pulls in oxygen and quickly suffocates!

In addition, regardless of the amount of oxygen cannabis in general prefers a wet/dry cycle in nature. This is how it grows best, allowing the roots to grow while it is dry because of the abundance of oxygen and allowing the plant to grow during times of excess water and nutrients.

Hope this answered your question!

-XIII
 

XIII

Member
Sorry, it wouldn't let me edit my post. In case you were asking why water cannot constantly be dripped onto soil, well it can... so long as it is a very slight amount. An example is a blumat dripper or a wick system. In this scenario the roots are still receiving air in one portion of the pot and water/nutes through another. The entire pot can't be completely saturated, though.

However a plain pot of soil, to my knowledge, could not constantly be actively watered because soil does not hold air like other mediums do. For example I have heard the coco holds 30% oxygen even when fully saturated. Soil becomes much less oxygen permeable when wetted than coco/perlite/hydroton!
 
E

EvilTwin

XIII...
You explained that very well. And one further consideration is that constantly wet soil provides a perfect environment for anaerobic mivro-organisms that are the basis for the dreaded root rot. Sp lack of exygen and root rot...both plant killers...
ET
 
G

guest 77721

Overwatering is hard on a developing plant. The roots have to develop at the same rate as the leaves to keep the plant in balance. The roots grow in the soil to get water for the top of the plant. When the soil is wet all the time, the roots stop growing or grow slowly because they can get all the water they need.

The imbalance occurs when the leaves are much larger than the roots and the roots can't supply enough nutrients for the leaves. Overwatering shows up as stunted growth, tight internode spacing and deficiencies on the lower leaves.

When growing in soil, it is important to get a well draining soil mixture and establish a water cycle when the plant needs it.
 

FreezerBoy

Was blind but now IC Puckbunny in Training
Veteran
When growing in a DWC there is a gap of several inches between roots and water. This means the upper roots (the air roots) are just less than bone dry. Saturated soil leaves the air roots soaking wet rather than surrounded with air. Some plants air roots are so hungry, they grow above the ground to keep away from water altogether.

Further, once water hits the soil it stops oxygenating. Water in a DWC never stops oxygenating.
 
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*mistress*

Member
Veteran
You can't overwater in a DWC because the oxygen is constantly being oxygenated (at least to my knowledge), so why does watering a soil plant with oxygenated water constantly result in 'overwatering'?

Is the new oxygenated water not displacing the current water in the soil?
in dwc the medium is usually hydroton, lava rock, aquarium gravel, etc. these are very porous media. water run right thru them... can hand water all of these, w/ either wicks included, extended to external water source, or just hand water daily... w/ or w/our air stones... will not be over-watered. some soils holds lots of water...

but can aerate soil by adding lots of pumice, perlite, hydroton, sand, bark, etc...

~50% soil/50% inert soil aerating amendments should work to reduce chance of over-watering... plants are 45% oxygen; they need it just as much as they need water... plants are only ~4% total dried weight npk ca mg s+mircos...

enjoy your garden!
 

guineapig

Active member
Veteran
Once your "oxygenated water" hits the soil medium, all of the oxygen molecules escape into the atmosphere.....its kind of like all the carbonation fizzing out of the soda when you twist the cap.....the oxygen doesn't hang around long enough in the root zone to have much of a positive effect.....

It would be nice to have the benefits of DWC combined with the benefits of soil/organic gardening......the research continues despite preliminary setbacks.....

:ying: kind regards from guineapig :ying:
 
already stated correctly but simply put, it locks all the oxygen out of the soil which will cause the roots to get not oxygen which will cause it to die.
 

osirica420

Active member
Once your "oxygenated water" hits the soil medium, all of the oxygen molecules escape into the atmosphere.....its kind of like all the carbonation fizzing out of the soda when you twist the cap.....the oxygen doesn't hang around long enough in the root zone to have much of a positive effect.....

It would be nice to have the benefits of DWC combined with the benefits of soil/organic gardening......the research continues despite preliminary setbacks.....

:ying: kind regards from guineapig :ying:

i got a waterfarm going with worm casting, guano, and himalayan sea salt... all organic!!!:woohoo:

its pretty much liquid soil, i got a 30watt air pump filling it with o2..

almost 4 weeks flower and colas very large...

fully organic dwc is definitely doable...
 

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