Overwatering or underwatering in pots - top soil question

[obijohn]

Yeah, I know watering is pretty simple shit and haven't had many issues growing over the years. But for some reason last year and the year before after taking a hiatus from growing for 6 years, I ended up overwatering (among other things) and had stunted and/or ruined plants.

This year I put my clones in small pots to root, and left them there for a month, resisting the urge to keep watering and letting the roots get established. Put in pots a little larger last weekend and all good. However, the soil I used was damp to begin with, so I just added a little bit of water around the cube/stem.

Pots are maybe 12 inches deep, trying to ramp up rather than put in a container too big to avoid overwatering, just step by step. So after all the long winded bullshit above, simple question:

Pots feel pretty heavy, put I can put my finger in the top to my knuckle, and it's bone dry now. Is there any benefit to misting the top layer without really watering where it goes down far into the soil, or just best to wait until the pot feels lighter?

 

[crimsonecho]

let it get light no need to mist but mulching can help keeping the top soil moist

 

[Herb & Suds]

Roots don’t grow in the top section of the pots
Watering issues generally come from not adjusting during various growth stages
I never met anyone successful in watering plants by sticking fingers in soil
Inadequate light can cause perceived watering issues as well
Some food for thought

 

[crimsonecho]

Roots don’t grow in the top section of the pots

when you mulch they do tho. when you don’t they don’t because your topsoil becomes the mulch.

 

[Herb & Suds]

when you mulch they do tho. when you don’t they don’t because your topsoil becomes the mulch.

I guess I’ll never know I fill my pots to the top with medium and barely room for water pooling

 

[waterproof808]

You basically want to wait until pots get lighter but not to the point where the leaves start to droop.

 

[crimsonecho]

I guess I’ll never know I fill my pots to the top with medium and barely room for water pooling

yeah but the thing is why use precious medium with all that good stuff mixed in as a mulch. i mean if roots are not gonna grow into it, i prefer to leave a a couple of inches empty and mulch with coco disks and shit. that way all the medium in there is covered by roots.

2 inches here 2 inches there thats another full pot of organic goodness for another plant. thats my angle and my 2 cents tho i know everyone has a way of growing and not pushing anything to anyone i’m more mature than that at this point haha

 

[obijohn]

These are in the sun mostly, in Ocean Forest. Bottom moist and heavy, top bone dry. I'll wait til the pots feel lighter, but I hate letting the top dry out, then it's resistant to absorbing water, runs right thru it.

 

[Lordhooha]

These are in the sun mostly, in Ocean Forest. Bottom moist and heavy, top bone dry. I'll wait til the pots feel lighter, but I hate letting the top dry out, then it's resistant to absorbing water, runs right thru it.

Tbh I water daily whether they need it or not in soil at that. It really doesn’t hurt. I’ve yet to see issues with overwatering as long as your environment is good to go.

 

[Kassiopeija]

Just keep the top moist by adding 1/3rd of water in between a full watering and bingo! Organics need moisture to work, bonedry soil gets hydrophobic too. Mulch helps in that regard

 

[twentyeight.threefive]

Roots don’t grow in the top section of the pots

Roots grow in the top sections of my pots?

 

[Hollatchaboy]

If you top dress and mulch, you'll get roots growing out the top.


Imo, roots don't normally grow close to the surface, because it's usually drier there.

 

[Herb & Suds]

Roots grow in the top sections of my pots?

View attachment 5136116

Of course they do

 

[Herb & Suds]

If you top dress and mulch, you'll get roots growing out the top.
View attachment 5136124

Imo, roots don't normally grow close to the surface, because it's usually drier there.

And why would that be a good thing?

 

[twentyeight.threefive]

Of course they do

Well you said they didn’t.

 

[Herb & Suds]

Well you said they didn’t.

OMG
I forgot to account for every possibility therefore nothing can be an absolute
Great catch

I gotta get back to skimming the pool on that note

 

[twentyeight.threefive]

OMG
I forgot to account for every possibility therefore nothing can be an absolute
Great catch

I gotta get back to skimming the pool on that note

Oh someone pointed out you were wrong so you’re pissy. I get it now.

 

[Herb & Suds]

Oh someone pointed out you were wrong so you’re pissy. I get it now.

NOPE
I am cool
Just not seeing the big picture of making roots grow out the top of the pot until you enlightened me
Kinda like how cool Auto's are
Have a great day

 

[twentyeight.threefive]

NOPE
I am cool
Just not seeing the big picture of making roots grow out the top of the pot until you enlightened me
Kinda like how cool Auto's are
Have a great day

I don’t “make” my plants roots grow out of the top of the pot. They are healthy and want to fill all the space they can. I just feed them and they grow where they want.

What do autos have to do with this conversation? Yeah you’re definitely pissy today, hope you get in a better mood later.

 

[beansin]

if you dont keep your mulch layer misted then the worms/soil bugs dont come up to eat your top dressing . that's what i have been noticing .