Can soil be too water retentive? - Indoor Grows - Soil - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

afman916 · 02-23-2017, 04:30 PM

So I've got my Clackamas mix priming/cooking in 5 gallon smart pots in anticipation of transplant here in a few weeks. I initially watered with a batch of AACT to kick off the microherd, and since then have hit each pot with some purified water (maybe quarter gallon) twice. This has all occurred over the past three weeks.

My question is - is it possible for soil to retain too much water? Since the initial watering (about a gallon of tea per pot) the soil has never even approached dry. It's gone from various shades of damp to wet. I also have it mulched with straw in an attempt to kee the toil layer moist as I've read a dry top can lead to dead microlife.

I didn't have the best method of measuring out ingredients for the mix, and my mix may be slightly peat-heavy, but not by more than say 1/2 cu ft or so.

Thoughts? Can soil retain water too well in a way that's detrimental to plant health? If so, any ways to tell and what could I do to remedy the issue, if it exists?

Weird · 02-23-2017, 04:59 PM

it can go anaerobic if it remains stagnant

Mikell · 02-23-2017, 05:03 PM

Extra peat is good, Coots mix is fairly hot. Peat can retain too much water, you're waiting for it to lose about 1/3-1/2 it's weight before watering again.

Without plants in the soil, evaporation is the only factor. It doesn't need water very often.

Microbes are hearty creatures, not glass houses. A dry surface crusts, this is a better reason to mulch.

brown_thumb · 02-23-2017, 05:06 PM

I've killed many plants with soil that didn't drain well. At US$6-12 per seed, it's a painful learning experience. I started with Victory Sea Blend straight from the bag and it killed my plants. My current mix is 50 percent VSB with 25 percent perlite, 12.5 percent vermiculite and 12.5 percent rice hulls. Even that mix might be too much clay.

Floridian · 02-23-2017, 08:18 PM

I would remove it from the pots and mix in a good skosh of perlite maybe 25% of the total mix

02-23-2017, 08:24 PM

um... Yah! It can be, it's called clay. Clay is bad for growing MJ.

TerraPretaGrown · 02-23-2017, 08:58 PM

what they all said Yes it can be too wet for too long needs to drain away, the room temps can play into that too as well as not enough air flow and humidity too high

02-23-2017, 04:30 PM	#1
afman916 Newbie Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 19	Can soil be too water retentive? So I've got my Clackamas mix priming/cooking in 5 gallon smart pots in anticipation of transplant here in a few weeks. I initially watered with a batch of AACT to kick off the microherd, and since then have hit each pot with some purified water (maybe quarter gallon) twice. This has all occurred over the past three weeks. My question is - is it possible for soil to retain too much water? Since the initial watering (about a gallon of tea per pot) the soil has never even approached dry. It's gone from various shades of damp to wet. I also have it mulched with straw in an attempt to kee the toil layer moist as I've read a dry top can lead to dead microlife. I didn't have the best method of measuring out ingredients for the mix, and my mix may be slightly peat-heavy, but not by more than say 1/2 cu ft or so. Thoughts? Can soil retain water too well in a way that's detrimental to plant health? If so, any ways to tell and what could I do to remedy the issue, if it exists?
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02-23-2017, 05:03 PM	#3
Mikell Dipshit Know-Nothing Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Van Isle, BC Posts: 4,971	Extra peat is good, Coots mix is fairly hot. Peat can retain too much water, you're waiting for it to lose about 1/3-1/2 it's weight before watering again. Without plants in the soil, evaporation is the only factor. It doesn't need water very often. Microbes are hearty creatures, not glass houses. A dry surface crusts, this is a better reason to mulch.
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02-23-2017, 05:06 PM	#4
brown_thumb Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 2,094	I've killed many plants with soil that didn't drain well. At US$6-12 per seed, it's a painful learning experience. I started with Victory Sea Blend straight from the bag and it killed my plants. My current mix is 50 percent VSB with 25 percent perlite, 12.5 percent vermiculite and 12.5 percent rice hulls. Even that mix might be too much clay.
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02-23-2017, 08:18 PM	#5
Floridian Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 1,899	I would remove it from the pots and mix in a good skosh of perlite maybe 25% of the total mix
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02-23-2017, 08:24 PM	#6
CheifnBud2 Guest Posts: n/a	um... Yah! It can be, it's called clay. Clay is bad for growing MJ.
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02-23-2017, 08:58 PM	#7
TerraPretaGrown Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Eastern Washington, Posts: 196	what they all said Yes it can be too wet for too long needs to drain away, the room temps can play into that too as well as not enough air flow and humidity too high
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