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- #41
I need advice, plants 5 weeks old looking terrible!
You don't need the rock at the bottom. It just takes up space that could be used for more dirt.
A well draining soil and a pot with multiple drainage holes (or a cloth pot) is all you need.
If she has constant wet roots she could wilt.
A plant with a big root system could drink up all you give her if the weather is good. Some growers have to water their potted plants multiple times a day so they don't wilt.
The plant is already very stressed. Transplanting her is a small risk but the alternative is just as bad or worse. She won't be able to last like this for the rest of the summer.
I would be assessing her roots at least to see if they are slimy and smelling them for signs of rot.
A well draining soil and a pot with multiple drainage holes (or a cloth pot) is all you need.
If she has constant wet roots she could wilt.
A plant with a big root system could drink up all you give her if the weather is good. Some growers have to water their potted plants multiple times a day so they don't wilt.
The plant is already very stressed. Transplanting her is a small risk but the alternative is just as bad or worse. She won't be able to last like this for the rest of the summer.
I would be assessing her roots at least to see if they are slimy and smelling them for signs of rot.
Once it's sealed on the outside it doesn't breathe, so what type of clay doesn't matter at that point.
Also, what Virgin Ground said for the rest!
Also, what Virgin Ground said for the rest!
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- #44
I'd do it regardless of what it looks like for a couple more days! It will definitely make it easier to keep the plant happy as it flowers. At that point it will be much more stressful to transplant it.
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- #46
I understand your thinking but I’m wondering …what if it just needed water and it was dry that could also be because I think it does have very good drainage especially with the few chunky rocks I put at the bottom I always see water run out when I water it. So my thinking is if it comes back by tomorrow and starts looking a little bit better I doubt that overwatering was an issue don’t you think? I just want to cover all my bases so I don’t rush to judgment and do some thing that could make things worse. I have another plant in the exact same pot but it’s a different color and it’s doing fabulously well no drooping at all then I have A few in 10 gallon plastic pots with tons of drainage holes around the bottom, see pic below one is a tad droopy and one is not at all
but they’re both getting the exact same attention it’s just really hard to say at this point since I’m so new at this
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- #47
Not yet!
The two pots in the pic are wider and less deep, so that's one difference there.
As VG said, the rocks at the bottom don't help with drainage, they just take up room that could have soil in it. If you're interested, check out syenite's post on the "perched water table," with a great video demonstration as well! Start at 6:32 if you're pressed for time after reading the post. It shows how rocks raise the perched water table making for a shallower pot.
Also VG and I both recommended that you transplant now (if you feel comfortable doing it without too much damage), as cannabis plants will always to better in cloth pots than tall narrow decorative pots.
The two pots in the pic are wider and less deep, so that's one difference there.
As VG said, the rocks at the bottom don't help with drainage, they just take up room that could have soil in it. If you're interested, check out syenite's post on the "perched water table," with a great video demonstration as well! Start at 6:32 if you're pressed for time after reading the post. It shows how rocks raise the perched water table making for a shallower pot.
Also VG and I both recommended that you transplant now (if you feel comfortable doing it without too much damage), as cannabis plants will always to better in cloth pots than tall narrow decorative pots.
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- #49
One of the best ways to determine when to water is using the lift method, where you either pick up or tilt back the pot to see if it's light enough to water again. That's hard to do in a ceramic pot. Easier in a black plastic one but they can get really hot in the sun.
If you're going to transplant the ceramic pot plants you'll need one tall enough to take the existing roots.
How are you determining how often to water now?
If you're going to transplant the ceramic pot plants you'll need one tall enough to take the existing roots.
How are you determining how often to water now?
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- #51
So I scoured every nursery in my neighborhood today but couldn’t find any black fabric pot that was large enough !
I would have to order one online by then it would probably be too late I did manage to score a very tall 12 gal pot that looks pretty good but it is black plastic although it has tons of holes around the bottom and the sides for water to escape.
Also good news, my plant is looking much better after watering so I’m pretty sure it was too dry not too moist: but I’m going to wait and see how it looks in the morning normally I don’t water unless The soil seems dry and the leafs start to droop just a tiny bit because I read a lot of posts about it being better to water less than overwater to make the roots stronger.
I also check the soil about three or 4 inches down to see if it feels dry and if it does I’ll water- it’s usually about every 4 to 5 days that I water.
It’s my understanding that you’re supposed to protect the roots from sunlight so I’ll have to do this either before the sunrises or later this evening I don’t know, though the plant is super heavy and I don’t know if I can manage to do this by myself I might need to have someone come over tomorrow and help me. Again I appreciate your help so much thank you very much for always replying and giving me your insight!
I would have to order one online by then it would probably be too late I did manage to score a very tall 12 gal pot that looks pretty good but it is black plastic although it has tons of holes around the bottom and the sides for water to escape.
Also good news, my plant is looking much better after watering so I’m pretty sure it was too dry not too moist: but I’m going to wait and see how it looks in the morning normally I don’t water unless The soil seems dry and the leafs start to droop just a tiny bit because I read a lot of posts about it being better to water less than overwater to make the roots stronger.
I also check the soil about three or 4 inches down to see if it feels dry and if it does I’ll water- it’s usually about every 4 to 5 days that I water.
It’s my understanding that you’re supposed to protect the roots from sunlight so I’ll have to do this either before the sunrises or later this evening I don’t know, though the plant is super heavy and I don’t know if I can manage to do this by myself I might need to have someone come over tomorrow and help me. Again I appreciate your help so much thank you very much for always replying and giving me your insight!
Yes, transplant in the shade to protect the roots. If you can lay it on its side at the edge of the deck you might be able to get it to slide out if you tip the bottom a bit. And if you have any old white towels/sheets/burlap bags you can keep the sun off the black pots.
It's a lot less fragile at this stage than it looks. I split apart my clones from a single cup and replant them separately, and I've never lost one!
It's a lot less fragile at this stage than it looks. I split apart my clones from a single cup and replant them separately, and I've never lost one!
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- #53
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- #54
Under watered? Was that my problem for the drooping? Perhaps i need some training on proper watering, Plant was dry.I'm glad they're on the mend!
FFOF works well if you will be continuing with the nutrients, as the stuff FF puts in there is barely enough for young cannabis plants. Growers I know that use OF still start feeding from the second set of leaves.
The Recipe 420 soil looks to have a lot more nutrients in it:
Ingredients: Aged forest products, coir, sphagnum peat moss, pumice, earthworm castings, feather meal, seabird guano, crab meal, fish bone meal, oyster shell lime (pH adjuster), dolomite lime (pH adjuster), bat guano, alfalfa meal, kelp meal, and wetting agent (yucca schidigera saponin).
Source
Though they do pitch their own nutrient line so maybe those are all at low levels like FFOF! Hard to tell from looking at the product info.
Folks here have a lot of experience growing in FFOF, so that's where I would lean as it's a known quantity. But I'm sure the Recipe 420 stuff will work well too. Not much of a recommendation I know.
I transferred my girl this morning from her terra-cotta pot to a plastic one and I can tell you the roots were very intact there was no water in the pot at all as a matter fact the pot felt dry!
I was able to just lift the plant out by the tree trunk without even laying on its side, Everything was all stacked together in one clump and it came out in one piece so I think she was just underwatered, I'm wondering if changing the container urgency may have been a bit hasty?
I will say however it is easier to have a lighter container so that you can check to see how moist it is by lifting it up! I couldn’t do that with my heavy terra-cotta plant although I did have it on wheels and was easily able to move it around!
Gave her a little more soil to fill the larger pot and hope she recovers from her drooping quite fast! I will keep an eye on her and if she shows a startling difference, I may consider moving the other two out of the terra-cotta pots although they seem to be doing okay, 5 out of 6 of my plants has a little droop. Doesn't matter if the they are in plastic or terra-cotta the drooping is the same so maybe i need to water more vs less, Thoughts?
You asked:
There is no substitute for knowing when your plants need water vs. spending the rest of the grow wondering if the droop is too wet or too dry.
Don't forget to look around the house for old light colored towels to take the sun off the black pots if you have them.
And then you answered your own question:
There is no substitute for knowing when your plants need water vs. spending the rest of the grow wondering if the droop is too wet or too dry.
I say move them all. As I said about the glazed terracotta pots a month ago:
Don't forget to look around the house for old light colored towels to take the sun off the black pots if you have them.
Bruceleaf
Well-Known Member
less is more 
Unless you're watering a plant! 
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- #58
Hate to sound negative, but use the lift/tip method. Those meters are notoriously inaccurate. Where on that 12" probe is the measurement coming from? An average along the length? The bottom?
I bought one too when I started growing and used it for about a month until I learned how to figure out when to water without it.
I bought one too when I started growing and used it for about a month until I learned how to figure out when to water without it.
Hey LKV - yes we all bought probe meters too, finally figured out how to repurpose - they are best used by the grill as double hot dog or marshmallow roaster 
I think what I noticed from the start is the terra cotta pot was long and cylindrical or in 80‘s vernacular - tubular dude. Think the root mass was not sufficient enough in that shape to protect itself from the heat since the pot was long and narrow. Anywho my 2 cents but you are in great hands with VG, Shed and this whole cast of 420 brain trust characters
I think what I noticed from the start is the terra cotta pot was long and cylindrical or in 80‘s vernacular - tubular dude. Think the root mass was not sufficient enough in that shape to protect itself from the heat since the pot was long and narrow. Anywho my 2 cents but you are in great hands with VG, Shed and this whole cast of 420 brain trust charactersSimilar threads
