Watering Living Soil

[RC Cola]

So I’m reading this article BAS Watering Living Soil and they talk about using 5-10% of the container volume of water in gallons. Okay that’s easy math, but is this per week like they were talking about before? What do you guys do? I’ve realized this morning that instead of doing TLO with grobuckets only, I’m going to do the other half with a 3x3 living soil bed. My goal is to have to water only once a week so I can go on vacation without too much worry. It would also be nice since getting water into my basement is a PITA.

 

[Justblazin]

You ever heard of blumats? They can be a bit of a pain to set up but when you get them dialed in they are pretty much set and forget. But its good to check on them once a day if possible but some people leave them for extended periods of time. They work amazing with living soil, always keeps your soil at the moisture level you set it at.

 

[RC Cola]

You ever heard of blumats? They can be a bit of a pain to set up but when you get them dialed in they are pretty much set and forget. But its good to check on them once a day if possible but some people leave them for extended periods of time. They work amazing with living soil, always keeps your soil at the moisture level you set it at.

Can I use the ones where one side just goes into a bucket of water? Or do I have to get a reservoir one? How high above does the reservoir need to be above the plants?

 

[Justblazin]

Can I use the ones where one side just goes into a bucket of water? Or do I have to get a reservoir one? How high above does the reservoir need to be above the plants?

Nah I've heard they don't work good for cannabis.
They are good for house plants.
Definitely get trompf blumats

 

[RC Cola]

Nah I've heard they don't work good for cannabis.
They are good for house plants.
Definitely get trompf blumats

I actually bought tromphs and still have them. I must have smoked too much because I just realized the reservoir only has to be two feet higher than the bed. For some reason I thought it was six and that’s why I didn’t use them. I will now.

 

[Justblazin]

I actually bought tromphs and still have them. I must have smoked too much because I just realized the reservoir only has to be two feet higher than the bed. For some reason I thought it was six and that’s why I didn’t use them. I will now.

I think you want it at 3 feet above pots, the higher the better the pressure the better they work.

 

[RC Cola]

I think you want it at 3 feet above pots

Okay cool I think I can do that. Thank you!

 

[OldG]

5 to 10% of volume per day...every day.

But i pull up on the big planters to see if they are saturated and skip a day here and there. With BIG planters you need less water per volume...like in the 45 gallon the most water it ever takes is 2 gallons and usually 1 gallon per day is adqueate.

 

[RC Cola]

5 to 10% of volume per day...every day.

But i pull up on the big planters to see if they are saturated and skip a day here and there. With BIG planters you need less water per volume...like in the 45 gallon the most water it ever takes is 2 gallons and usually 1 gallon per day is

Fuck it I’m just using grobuckets
Edit: lol if you know my personality I’m laughing while saying this.

 

[JL2G]

So I’m reading this article BAS Watering Living Soil and they talk about using 5-10% of the container volume of water in gallons. Okay that’s easy math, but is this per week like they were talking about before? What do you guys do? I’ve realized this morning that instead of doing TLO with grobuckets only, I’m going to do the other half with a 3x3 living soil bed. My goal is to have to water only once a week so I can go on vacation without too much worry. It would also be nice since getting water into my basement is a PITA.

I'm all ROLS, gotta keep the soil wet/dampish or the "living soil" will perish.
I water pretty much every day, enough to keep the soil wet up top, and on the sides of the airpots. Having some type of mulch up top can help alot with ROLS in particular keeping the topsoil moist.

5 to 10% of volume per day...every day.

But i pull up on the big planters to see if they are saturated and skip a day here and there. With BIG planters you need less water per volume...like in the 45 gallon the most water it ever takes is 2 gallons and usually 1 gallon per day is adqueate.

Yep, like G said.

 

[RC Cola]

Thank you all for the good advice. It makes sense now.

 

[Dbear]

Look into getting a solus meter or something similar. I use one everyday, takes all the guessing out of who needs water & how much & who's ok for another day.
These are my water content/ph readings & runoff readings from the flower tables today. I do em twice a day just to see where/how things are going

 

[BH]

biological theres species that need air/dry and some want more anaerobic environment . Key is not to go far ethier way cause both can be non beneficial

your medium , roots and biological need air to function just like water , key is right balance . with even coco is to let it dry as close as u can before it’s too dry ( another pro is not allowing fungus gnats be a issue from over watering ) . So if can lift your plant when dry, than water it and lift once fully saturated, don’t think u have to do it every time cause once you get ur cycles demands and which strain or zone is taking more . It’s accomplishable np . you can then know if the plant is fully saturated. Example is if ur medium becomes dry capped you could water it once or a bunch and it still never going to let the medium be fully saturated witjout letting medium be bottom feed or submersed under water . Thing is inless monocropped and same size plants and ur room is stable, yes I could see automation working and being a great Allie. But if you have certain pheno’s or even ur room is making certain pots based on where they are zoned need more water. U need to water em based on need not on schedule

Thing is in start of cycle and every time u up-pot you need to promote the root zone but also fungi/bacteria to look for water . If you over water ur plants will not produce air roots and also promotes your good bacteria and fungi to be killed or bad pathogens to become a issue.

like I start with party cups, 200-300mls per pot, 2nd up-pot stage would be 1 gal @ .25-1/5 gal of water depending on root mass . final pot size (I use 5-10 gal) @ 1-4 gallons per pot.

once you lift ur pots and by mid way in season or a few rounds u def can know what demands more but also which pots are drinking more. Without doing that and just scheduling or testing only certain zones based on their demands is just asking for over drying or over watering . My wording makes it sound like hard work but hardest part is letting your roots breath and not ofer watering but also knowing how much to water . Once that skill is mastered in garden, you just conquered if not biggest issue in gardening

 

[RC Cola]

Thank you for taking the time to explain that!

 

[BH]

amazing info on living soil and organics

 

[BH]

another amazing video submitted!