You could, and one of the keys to doing that is, trim the roots once in a while, like once a month.
Safe Gardener
Active member
I'll make sure to follow that advice, as in the past while the results were good the rootball always looks like it should be bigger/more dense. I usually end with tidy cat kitty litter hempys (about 3gal+/-) and have been happy with the results each time but didn't cut the roots before the last transplant.
So you think I should cut the roots give a week for them to get settled then flip?
Short of cutting the roots: you can take a steak knife and slice the root ball from 4 sides.
Works for me.
Works for me.
Safe Gardener
Active member
Thanks, Pinball Wizard. When I said cut the roots, slicing laterally was what I had in mind.
Your plants look good. Are those Hempy pots?
Yeah, or scissors all the way around and on the bottom.
Dang, bro, nice looking plants there!
DoDad
Member
I'm having a problem with drooping lower leaves right after I water. Eventually they will die and have to be removed. It happens every time I water after the plants are more than 60 days old.
My guess is the roots are drowning. I'm in perlite/verm 3:1 and 3 gallon buckets and not sure what do try next.
My guess is the roots are drowning. I'm in perlite/verm 3:1 and 3 gallon buckets and not sure what do try next.
I water about every third day; using the three to one mix.
I water before lights out. The leaves droop some, but are always back upright when the lights come back on.
If it's not draining out by then?...cut back some on the vermiculite; which holds water.
I always read that you shouldn't water the first two hours after lights on, and the last two hours before lights out. Do you know something different?
I've always watered before lights out...since 2005.
I would not call it advice....it's what I do.
There's no reason for it to not drain away. I consider the leaves drooping before lights out; and then bouncing back when the lights come on, as a sign the plants like it like that.
I would not call it advice....it's what I do.
There's no reason for it to not drain away. I consider the leaves drooping before lights out; and then bouncing back when the lights come on, as a sign the plants like it like that.
The leaves bouncing back will naturally happen when you give thirsty plants water. I just always thought they did a BETTER job of absorbing nutrients when you feed them in the middle of the 'lights on' part of the cycle. I'm not putting you down for your way.
JustSumTomatoes
Indicas make dreams happen
I usually water at night outdoors cause of security reasons, but I've noticed the plants leaves seem to bounce back quicker in daylight hours. My guess would be that the plants are more active during the day doing photosynthesis and uptake the water quicker. It could also be that leaves tend to reach up and praise the sun during the day and appear more perky than when they droop down at night giving the illusion they've quenched their thirst quicker during the day.
I seriously, only look at my indoor garden as I water in the first hour of their daylight. No point in seeing if they droop, because they will.No point in messing with them, because they will probibly hate it.
Its hard to do videos on here but there is a time lapse vid of a pot plant growing and it shows a plant rise and droop throughout its life.
This aint it but its ok...
[YOUTUBEIF]https://youtu.be/Xqod2VdmMOA[/YOUTUBEIF]
https://youtu.be/Xqod2VdmMOA
Its hard to do videos on here but there is a time lapse vid of a pot plant growing and it shows a plant rise and droop throughout its life.
This aint it but its ok...
[YOUTUBEIF]https://youtu.be/Xqod2VdmMOA[/YOUTUBEIF]
https://youtu.be/Xqod2VdmMOA
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DoDad
Member
Thanks.
Ok, I'll try adding perlite.
I am in 3 gallon pots now. So, I should I add 1 gallon of perlite to every 3 gallons of 3:1 mix to get a 4:1 ratio?
DoDad
Member
I have something like that and only water it when it says dry. It still drowns the roots.
Attachments
I don't understand that. Every drop of excessive water/nutes should drain out of the pot in 30 minutes.
Do you have enough drain holes? I drill extra holes in my pots.
I used to be religious with my watering regime. I had a decent outdoor garden at my buddy's. Plants got so large in the containers they were in, they needed watering first thing in the a.m. , always before 8 a.m. . Then they would need it again at about 2-3 p.m. . After awhile it just seemed to make sense to water firast thing in the morning. Plants are "waking up" and like a drink like we like breakfast. Makes sense in my head anyways, lol. I do the same indoors. When not at work, plants get a drink as soon as the lights come on.
DoDad
Member
I have just the 1 drain hole 2" up from the bottom like the standard Hempy.
One thing I don't do is run them BONE ASS DRY before I water them again. It will show dry on the meter but not zero. Maybe I'm over watering.
starke
Well-known member
I started out with the 70/30 perlite/vermiculite mix, then tried 75/25 and still had issues with excessive moisture. I would experience random spots/discolorations that I could never fully identify, droopy leaves etc. When I discontinued the vermiculite and went with about a 70/30 mix of perlite and expanded clay balls my problems stopped. Had the same issue in wick cloners with the vermiculite. Although not a traditional Hempy once you remove the vermiculite, I think you will like the results. Hell even Hempy himself switched to coco in the end.
