Overwatering or underwatering in pots - top soil question

obijohn

Well-Known Member
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?
 

Herb & Suds

Well-Known Member
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

Well-Known Member
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

Well-Known Member
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

Well-Known Member
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.
 

twentyeight.threefive

Well-Known Member
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

Active Member
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 .
 
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