Too Much Water, Too Little?

[digitS']

We get those questions on TEG. Or someone will say, "It isn't getting too much water. I'm only watering it once a day!" Or, "I let it dry out completely but the fungus gnats come back!" Or, "I mist it twice a day! Why is it wilting?"

Different plants have different needs and different sized plants have differences between tissue and soil moisture. I can't come up with a rule of digitS' to cover them all. I'm not much good at container gardening but I've got lots of flats of this and that, at this time every year. I'm running some of them through a basin today - tedious. The watering wand is so much quicker but I do sooo much better, allowing them to soak in a basin .

So. When do I water? When do I not.

If you asked an experienced greenhouse worker with lots of plants to care for, he or she might squint off into the distance and say, "Oh, you just know." Push them for a better explanation and they might tell you to pick up the containers. You don't have to see the soil surface; just pick 'em up. But, what are you supposed to know by their weight?

Today, I have weighed several flats before soaking. None of the plants were showing any distress from dry soil. Then I weighed the flats after they finished dripping, an hour or so later. They doubled their weight.

So ... to water month-old basil in a flat of 4-packs , weigh them after they are thoroughly soaked and when half of that weight is gone ... soak them again. Fully soaked, half the container's weight plus is free and available moisture for the plants' use.

Steve

 

[so lucky]

I generally go by the weight or the color of the potting mix.

 

[baymule]

I set out plants today that I started inside. I lost several to mold that ate 'em off at the root. But I still had plenty to plant. When to water? Who the heck knows? I thought I was doing OK, but I rotted the poor things.

 

[thistlebloom]

Sometimes you can tell by the foliage. I don't mean wilt. Before they get that dry there is a subtle change in the green of the leaf.

I think the soil has a large part in the too much/ too little equation.
Some soils seem to have maybe too much organic matter that holds moisture around the stems for too long.

This year I did something a little different in my seed trays. I used regular potting soil (the no fertilizer added stuff) and then added an inch of sterile seed starting mix on the top where the seeds would be germinating. I've noticed that it drys out faster than the soil below.
I have no idea if it makes a difference or not, I was just hoping to give the seeds a little help while germinating and avoid having to up pot so soon due to the sterile mediums lack of fertility.