Earthboxes, and watering from the bottom up

sharon1

Active Member
On my very first grow here in Cali., living in the southern area close to the coast.

I have 7 plants going, outdoors right now because hubby needs to install my overhead ballast for a closet grow.

I promise to post pics a little later. I don't have the hook-up to take pics from my camera on this laptop, so when I can I'll use my other PC, so I can show off my babies.

4 are White Widow and 3 others are unidentifyable....just extra seeds that the company sent in an unmarked bag as a bonus.

I have 2 babys in what is called an earthbox that my son gave me. He swears by these things....he says the tomatos he grows in them yield much more than ones just stuck in the ground.

So I humored him and stuck in 2 plants.
I did not set up the earthbox with the dirt and fertilizer stuff it recommends. I just stuck in the Fox Farms Oceanic mix.
They are just seedlings at this point, no nutes yet.

My question for the wise sages of growdom, is: will the plants do alright even if they are watered from the bottom up? I hear and read that mj doesn't like this system of watering. I know I'll still have to topwater when I feed...but what say you all?

Thank you for any advise.
 

phyzix

Well-Known Member
You should completely soak the medium (container capacity) every time you water to encourage root development in all parts of the container. This requires considerable drainage to do effectively without overwatering or causing root rot, which is the main reason that pearlite is so widely recommended.

So think about it...what difference does it make whether you water form the top or bottom if you're going to get the complete medium wet anyway?

Whoever told you contrary likely was giving their plants too little water too frequently. This discourages root development and decreases yield.
 

sharon1

Active Member
Thank you!

I was wondering I guess...if wicking the moisture up from the bottom was sufficient. Just to clarify, you water through a tube that fills a bottom resivior. The water wicks up from 4 corners that has soil pushed into the chamber, but the bulk of the siol sits on top of a grate-like fixture that sits above the water chamber by several inches.

I have the mj bible, and somewhere within there I remember reading that they didn't like this type of system.
We shall see. I'm a beginer, so I'ma learning ;)
Will be back with pics by tomorrow.

Thanks again.
 

phyzix

Well-Known Member
Just don't let water sit in the bottoms of the pots for extended periods of time, and make sure that when the water wicks it will reach container capacity.

Cannabis plants love to have their medium get pretty dry between waterings.
 

tahoe27

Member
sharon1--I am on my 5th round of EB's using it exactly as the instructions say...for tomatoes. I water the mix from the top once or twice, then ONLY through the tube. The plants take what they need. Used the (one time) fertilizer and dolomite. Lots of advice comes from a different way of growing, but I can tell you it works for me!

PERFECT everytime. Can't speak for others, but my plants love EB's..extraordinary bud. USE MIX. The Fox stuff is ok, but it isn't as good. Tried it. The EB MIX is the best, but expensive, but it is made for this type of system....why risk it with other "soils" that my screw it up? :)
 

Serapis

Well-Known Member
I water my plants from the bottom up at least once a week. I have hydroton on the bottom of my pots and the pots sit in a tote tray to collect overrun. I like to water from the bottom when i am not feeding. My theory is it forces the roots to grow a bigger mass at the bottom of the pot, where it belongs. I think you'll be fine.
 
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