First time grower - watering question

Jjgrow420

Well-Known Member
Any cheap moisture meter is absolutely garbage. It can tell you if your pots wet or dry, which so can you by looking at it.
If you want to know actual specific osmotic pressure/turgor pressure you need a proper tensiometer which measures in millibars. This one's pretty decent and easy to read. The higher the number the drier the soil. You can find the optimal number (usually between 80-120 millibars) and keep it around that. Good luck.
 

MartianMan999

Active Member
Yes, I use it all the way through. I mix my soil with perlite, fruit and flower 4-9-3, and worm castings. Then top dress with the 4-9-3 and worm castings once a month. I also use a little bio thrive bloom during flower, but don’t know if it’s really necessary.
If I’m using Big Bloom as a base every other day feeding at 2 tbsp half gallon - would earthworm and bat G be too much? I’m using tiger bloom on my burnt tipped plant (just started) and treating the dirt now with DE. Seems I have bugs I could be ignoring in the soil. Outdoor is something else.

growing problem make my head hurt any info is dope
 

MartianMan999

Active Member
Any cheap moisture meter is absolutely garbage. It can tell you if your pots wet or dry, which so can you by looking at it.
If you want to know actual specific osmotic pressure/turgor pressure you need a proper tensiometer which measures in millibars. This one's pretty decent and easy to read. The higher the number the drier the soil. You can find the optimal number (usually between 80-120 millibars) and keep it around that. Good luck.
Dude thank you. I always questioned the 3-1 I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the Ph dial move the red way - either cause I haven’t done nutrients until late veg or it’s cause it is full of shit. Also, the water at the bottom is what we need to know so I feel you 100 - I’m in 5 gals n they’re hard to pick up
 

Jjgrow420

Well-Known Member
Dude thank you. I always questioned the 3-1 I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the Ph dial move the red way - either cause I haven’t done nutrients until late veg or it’s cause it is full of shit. Also, the water at the bottom is what we need to know so I feel you 100 - I’m in 5 gals n they’re hard to pick up
I'm not plugging this one in particular or anything, it's just a good meter that's affordable and accurate. There's others if you search but that's what I am using now.
 

StareCase

Well-Known Member
... Dude thank you. I always questioned the 3-1 ...
Those 3 in 1 meters are only good for the moisture readings. The light and pH readings on those things are rather suspect so I don't even use those. Perhaps I should have mentioned that a few posts ago.
... I’m in 5 gals n they’re hard to pick up ...
My ladies are usually woven through and secured to a SCROG net - as well as being in 5 gallon pails. Even though the nets are mobile, it's still much easier to stick a probe into the medium than it is to shimmy each plant out of their berth.
 

MartianMan999

Active Member
Any cheap moisture meter is absolutely garbage. It can tell you if your pots wet or dry, which so can you by looking at it.
If you want to know actual specific osmotic pressure/turgor pressure you need a proper tensiometer which measures in millibars. This one's pretty decent and easy to read. The higher the number the drier the soil. You can find the optimal number (usually between 80-120 millibars) and keep it around that. Good luck.
This thing is badass dude.
 

MartianMan999

Active Member
Those 3 in 1 meters are only good for the moisture readings. The light and pH readings on those things are rather suspect so I don't even use those. Perhaps I should have mentioned that a few posts ago.

My ladies are usually woven through and secured to a SCROG net - as well as being in 5 gallon pails. Even though the nets are mobile, it's still much easier to stick a probe into the medium than it is to shimmy each plant out of their berth.
I feel that ! All my plants went into flower and born months apart lmao they are beefy but they are so different and could be why I’m having issues. Treating them the same when they’re incredibly different too. Started Tiger Bloom and the PH at a gal/2 tsp rocks it to acid 5.5-5.7 - hoping my plants react okay one of em did already. Took the yellow tint out. Anyone know why the tips on all my plants went discolored once they hit flower? I bought 10 gal Vivosun aero bags and transplanted into FFOF from HF. My roots are everywhere I have to top dress one of em so they don’t lurk out. No room to go or? We’ll see when she gets out into a 10 gal. Much love ❤
 

MartianMan999

Active Member
It's a good tool to dial in precise moisture levels. Helps you understand how much is too much water etc.
I’ve spent a lot of money being a first time grower but I got 4 more seeds to pop (I’m at about 80% germ success rate. This one I stuck my finger in the dirt out down perlite dropped seed in OFHF and walla - 3 days and she was higher than my container. Anyways, I wasn’t sure I wa gonn keep it rolling but I have indoor tents and I’m moving everything indoors and might buy one of these. Watering is my biggest issue I think. Fuck outdoors dude we have stray cats n shit n it ate all the leaves off one of mine - she bounced back but she’s not the same ya know. Having to use a puffer for DE, wondering if it’ll rain 4 days and expose your roots - bugs bugs bugs. It’ll be a better exp inside I think.

Sorry, but also- I’m gonna buy strain specifics so I don’t have 4 randoms
 

MartianMan999

Active Member
It's a good tool to dial in precise moisture levels. Helps you understand how much is too much water etc.
Bro it tells you the moisture of the whole pot right? So you know at the bottom there’s water etc. then you can water trial and error or can you water some wait check water again just in case ?
 

MartianMan999

Active Member
I'm not plugging this one in particular or anything, it's just a good meter that's affordable and accurate. There's others if you search but that's what I am using now.
If it works it works right. Unfortunately, quality requires $ if the company isn’t on some hoe shit and overcharge. I feel like if that works I’d rather go with what I know then randoms that don’t
 

Jjgrow420

Well-Known Member
Bro it tells you the moisture of the whole pot right? So you know at the bottom there’s water etc. then you can water trial and error or can you water some wait check water again just in case ?
Well, if it won't tell you if you have dry pockets unless you probe that dry spot I suppose. Your medium should generally be evenly moistened then measured after about at least an hour or so to let the water disperse through the pot.
 
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MartianMan999

Active Member
The trio isn’t organic if that matters to you. But since you ordered it already you’ll have to use it. I used to use for a long time until I went organic.
Thanks t Buzz - what’re you using? I’m making the shift into indoor (Midwest) all 8 seeds hatched got 8 babies I didn’t plan on having
 

turbobuzz

Well-Known Member
Thanks t Buzz - what’re you using? I’m making the shift into indoor (Midwest) all 8 seeds hatched got 8 babies I didn’t plan on having
I use fox farm fruit and flower 4-9-3 mixed with happy frog, worm castings, and perlite. Then top dress with the same every month or so. And a little biothrive bloom during flowering.
 

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