Watering an hour before lights out

[AloeRuss]

Hi

All though this is not happening in coco but in soil, I think reaction should be identical.
I have a room that was set and switched to bloom before I took over.
The previous guy could only water late into the night, so he switched the timer to wake up the room at 11 pm.
I, on the contrary, cannot be there at any time other then the morning hours, an unfortunately it is not negotiable.
I know enough to understand that feeding the plant and then put it to sleep, is not something that should be done.

After placing call to house and garden, I asked them what the worst that can be expected.
The answer surprised me. The guy was sure that it is completley fine to water plants right before they go to sleep.

I didn't agree. But what is the worst I can expect out of this situation. I still have 5-6 weeks to go.

 

[Coconutz]

Its gonna put an extra load on the dehumidifier(if there is one...)
The plants are going to release a shit ton of moisture for about 3 hours right after the lights go out and theres gonna be a lot of extra water running out of the pots still.
Its best to water at the start of the light cycle so the pots can start to dry a bit before the plants release all that water into the air.

 

[Eighths-n-Aces]

just leave the lights off for one night and adjust the timers to match your hours. one long dark cycle is not going to fuck up anything.

 

[stoned40yrs]

Ask the plants. Mine want water the entire lights on period and then they don't want any during lights off. I watch the way they water/feed themselves with blumats

 

[Hash Man]

just leave the lights off for one night and adjust the timers to match your hours. one long dark cycle is not going to fuck up anything.

Peak power rates do not allow that freedom alot.

 

[Snype]

My plants get watered constantly because I'm in RDWC. When I was in E&F with hydroton, I watered every hour during lights on and every 3 hours when lights were off. According to the data of my logs, plants take the nutrients when they need to and they leave it in the rez and just take the water when they don't need them.

 

[Snow Crash]

I've never seen any issues with watering times. Actually, I'm kind of nonchalant about it and the time of day I water hasn't led me to any kind of conclusion or demonstrated anything worth notice.

I think it's more about getting the frequency correct. I am aware that plants do uptake a lot of nutrition earlier in the morning and will "poop" out some sugars for the microbes later in the day after they've been cruising for a bit. But really, it shouldn't much matter as long as they need the water and the timing on the frequency is good. I figure, plants are probably accustomed to the random rain patterns in nature, but that they likely take advantage of moist morning conditions. For a foliar feeding program I think what time of day that is applied is crucial. But for general root drenches... Nothing on my end to speak against night feedings.

The jump in RH at lights off that was mentioned above is worth being aware of but with adequate ventilation that should be fine.

 

[WelderDan]

I gotta agree with Snype. I use DWC and the plant is immersed in nutrient solution 100% of the time. I also toss a few clones outside, and they get water/fed when it's convenient for me. They thrive.

Besides, in nature, the rain doesn't wait for the sun to go down, or to rise. Plants sorta evolved to deal with that

 

[AloeRuss]

Thank you for the feedback.
Coconutz - there is a humidifier there but the room is huge. It holds 200
Having all that moisture during bloom cannot be good at all.
Also, I though that plants do not process any food while lights out. How bad is it for them to be sitting in all that water for 12 hours?

See. The cost of electricity during the night differs greatly from the one during the day.
In order for me to make the case for it, I have to point to some serious problems that may arise if we will continue feeding in the dark.

Now that I have some veterans attention here, can you help me list real and serious problems that will happen if we will continue.

Excess moisture is a bad one.

Thanks again

 

[stoned40yrs]

Thank you for the feedback.
Coconutz - there is a humidifier there but the room is huge. It holds 200
Having all that moisture during bloom cannot be good at all.
Also, I though that plants do not process any food while lights out. How bad is it for them to be sitting in all that water for 12 hours?

See. The cost of electricity during the night differs greatly from the one during the day.
In order for me to make the case for it, I have to point to some serious problems that may arise if we will continue feeding in the dark.

Now that I have some veterans attention here, can you help me list real and serious problems that will happen if we will continue.

Excess moisture is a bad one.

Thanks again

Yer funny AR. You need some broscience to convince your employer to get raped on his electric bill to fit your preferred working times.
Your excess moisture one doesn't cut it if the grow area is moving the moisture laden air out and bringing in fresh air during lights off. I watered for years in soil right before lights off and never had problems (not that that means much).

 

[hush]

I water my plants sometimes that close to lights-off, and I've never seen a problem from it. It really shouldn't matter, if you are regularly watering/feeding your plants. What I mean is, there really shouldn't be that much of a humidity jump from it if you are keeping your medium moist. You did say you are in soil, not coco, so that might be a difference here, but in coco you ideally want to feed frequently, so the medium stays rather moist at all times as a result.

I really don't think it matters, but there are exceptions to every rule, so maybe something about your grow room might affect things. If there would be a problem at all, it would be like someone said, creating a spike in the humidity during the night period. But if that happens, my suggestion would be to water more often so that it never gets that dry in the first place.

Of course, this presumes you are using soil with good drainage properties.

 

[AloeRuss]

Thank you all.

No help desk in no Philippines can even come close to amount of knowledge I am taping into with you guys.

 

[RonSmooth]

Irrigation systems are simple to make. A water pump, tubing, a bucket and some connectors.

You only need 1/2" hole into the flowering room to run the main line. 1/4" lines off that to the pot.

Since you can't be there you'd have to get a short cycle timer. But once you are set up, you can run multiple feelings or just a single one. You don't even have to be there.

This would solve your problem, save you some time in the long run and allow for multiple feedings.

watering In the dark is not really an issue in the first place unless it negatively affects your environment.

EDIT:

Sorry. Missed the "not coco, soil." part

 

[zeke99]

Ask the plants. Mine want water the entire lights on period and then they don't want any during lights off. I watch the way they water/feed themselves with blumats

that is very interesting. so this was observed in containers, what size and what medium if you don't mind a few questions. What type of containers, exactly? And this was during flower production as well as early veg?

 

[stoned40yrs]

that is very interesting. so this was observed in containers, what size and what medium if you don't mind a few questions. What type of containers, exactly? And this was during flower production as well as early veg?

I only have blumats hooked up for flower right now. 3 gal plastic containers. Plant size from 2.5' indicas to 5.5' sativas. All in coco. The blumats stop dripping about an hour after lights out and start up again about .5 to 1 hr after the lights go on. You also have to factor in no air movement during lights off and during lights on lots of air movenent from one fan and a large fan sucking all the air from the grow area every few minutes. Never the less the plants in my grow area only take water during lights on.

 

[zeke99]

I only have blumats hooked up for flower right now. 3 gal plastic containers. Plant size from 2.5' indicas to 5.5' sativas. All in coco. The blumats stop dripping about an hour after lights out and start up again about .5 to 1 hr after the lights go on. You also have to factor in no air movement during lights off and during lights on lots of air movenent from one fan and a large fan sucking all the air from the grow area every few minutes. Never the less the plants in my grow area only take water during lights on.

This is all very helpful. So you turn off the exhaust fan with lights off and it's a sealed room?

 

[stoned40yrs]

This is all very helpful. So you turn off the exhaust fan with lights off and it's a sealed room?

All fans are off during lights off but it's not sealed, there are open vents to the cold garage and the warmer second story on the house. I'm sure there is some air movement, probably not much.

 

[zeke99]

All fans are off during lights off but it's not sealed, there are open vents to the cold garage and the warmer second story on the house. I'm sure there is some air movement, probably not much.

To be certain I'm not asking you to experiment on your plants on my behalf, but have you ever left the fans on during the dark period to see if that would result in a change of the behavior?

 

[stoned40yrs]

To be certain I'm not asking you to experiment on your plants on my behalf, but have you ever left the fans on during the dark period to see if that would result in a change of the behavior?

I see your point but I'm not jacking up my electric bill any more than I have to. I'm a subsistence grower.

 

[zeke99]

I see your point but I'm not jacking up my electric bill any more than I have to. I'm a subsistence grower.

No I really was just curious if you had and if so, had noticed a difference. Just thinking in terms of how the plant "works".