Problem with fast drying soil

R

rego

Member
hello i am growing 3 plants in (soil) that consists from peat and perlite . Thepeat dries very fast something like 4 hours after the watering. What should i do should i water more times at the same day ? thanks
Soil:
Fioriplus
- electricalconductivity :40mn/m(+/-25%)
-ph: 5.5-6.5
-totallubrication: enriched with peat with a totalfertilization 1,5 kg/m3
-organic matter: 80% dry weight
-mixture ofpeat: (blonde-black) 90-95%
-pearlite: 5-10% (i added more soknow it is something like 30-35%)
-calciumcarbonate (CaCO3): 3-5 kgr/m3
-humidity:60-70%
 
massah

massah

Well-Known Member
welp...you've managed to make soil that doesn't hold water...you'll have to either setup a drip system to keep it getting watered...or water it every 6-8hrs...
 
MidnightJoker

MidnightJoker

Well-Known Member
I really think you have too much perlite. I would start over with a different soil, and just use it straight from the bag.
 
H

Hipster2U

Well-Known Member
The trouble with peat is that once it dries out it's very hard to get it wet again. Is it too late to mix some vermiculite into the soil? Also, you might try setting the pots into a pail of water almost up to the soil line and let them soak for half an hour then remove and allow to drain. Bottom up watering instead of top down watering.
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
Hipster2U said:
The trouble with peat is that once it dries out it's very hard to get it wet again. Is it too late to mix some vermiculite into the soil? Also, you might try setting the pots into a pail of water almost up to the soil line and let them soak for half an hour then remove and allow to drain. Bottom up watering instead of top down watering.
Click to expand...
^^^^^^WORD^^^^^^

Sounds like you never got it wet to begin with and ^^ is exactly what you need to do.

Wet
 
F

frmrboi

Well-Known Member
Hipster2U said:
The trouble with peat is that once it dries out it's very hard to get it wet again. Is it too late to mix some vermiculite into the soil? Also, you might try setting the pots into a pail of water almost up to the soil line and let them soak for half an hour then remove and allow to drain. Bottom up watering instead of top down watering.
Click to expand...
and add a little dish detergent too as a "weting agent"
 
PeyoteReligion

PeyoteReligion

Well-Known Member
Do not add dish detergent...also is the whole pot drying out or just the top layer? Cannabis does not like wet feet so make sure you are acctually not holding water. The top of my soilless mix will dry out a few hours later because my room is well ventilated. But when I lift the pot its still get some weight to it so I know it doesn't need to be water yet even though the top inch looks that way.
 
jawbrodt

jawbrodt

Well-Known Member
Could you transplant to bigger pots? It'd help, if you could go bigger, and don't add any more perlite to the new soil. Maybe even add some vermiculite, like you were thinking.
 
$waGgEr

$waGgEr

Active Member
the suggestions givin are good but maybe chang watering style.. water enuff in each pot that a lil water runs out the holes at the bottem. and water every other day or every 3 days chech the soil by as said lifting the pot (wet soil weighs more then dry) and or stick your lil finger in the soil an inch or more to see it its still wet. i dont use perlite.. i think its useless..
 
R

rego

Member

Thanks for all the answers. My plants are in plastic glassesand they are something like 5-7 cm height. I am currently injecting water withneedle at several layers of the soil at watering. So i will keep on with thesame method and maybe i will do what Hipster2U said (Also, you might try setting the pots into apail of water almost up to the soil line and let them soak for half an hourthen remove and allow to drain) buti am afraid that this will damage the roots(over watering)...And when they willbe like 15cm tall i will transplant them to soil without peat... more advisesare welcome... Thanks
 
Stoobie

Stoobie

Well-Known Member
Most peat based soils have some sort of surfactant already included (the good ones anyway). You could try soaking the soil for a bit as someone mentioned, but the best advice was from frmrboi, who said to use dish washing detergent. Don't use anything with perfume or anitbacterial poison in it. All you need is a couple drops per gallon of water. Of you're uncomfortable with dishwashing detergent, you could buy the exact same thing at a garden store for more money if it makes you feel better.

For more on your issue, read this: http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/publications/Soilfacts/AG-439-25/

Good luck to you.
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
rego said:

Thanks for all the answers. My plants are in plastic glassesand they are something like 5-7 cm height. I am currently injecting water withneedle at several layers of the soil at watering. So i will keep on with thesame method and maybe i will do what Hipster2U said (Also, you might try setting the pots into apail of water almost up to the soil line and let them soak for half an hourthen remove and allow to drain) buti am afraid that this will damage the roots(over watering)...And when they willbe like 15cm tall i will transplant them to soil without peat... more advisesare welcome... Thanks
Click to expand...
Overwatering is NOT the amount of water, but the frequency, watering too often and keeping the soil constantly wet.

When you DO water, you need to totally saturate the medium, get good runoff and then allow to dry before doing it again.

That 'needle' thing at different layers is totally wrong, leaving air pockets and dry spots. This will damage the roots and cause uneven root growth.

Pick up the pots and feel the weight. With what you are doing I'm sure they are pretty dry since you aren't watering adequately.

Set the pots in a pail and water from the top until the water in the pail comes up close to the top of the soil. Let them sit in this water for 1/2hr or so. They will be fully saturated. Notice the weight when you remove them.

Do NOT water again till they are as light, or close to, as they were before you put them in the pail. That will be a proper wet/dry cycle.

Don't worry about changing soils. The soil isn't the problem, your watering methods are the problem.

Put your 'needle' water injector out of reach where you won't be tempted.:mrgreen:

Wet
 
F

frmrboi

Well-Known Member
rego said:

Tanks a lot i will try to find a environmental friendly dish washingdetergent...
Click to expand...
maybe friendly for the environment but not plants the old style detregent is made with phoshates, a nutrient benificial to all plants that's why it's been replaced as it promotes algae growth where ever the waste water is dumped.
 
R

rego

Member
Wetdog said:
Overwatering is NOT the amount of water, but the frequency, watering too often and keeping the soil constantly wet.

When you DO water, you need to totally saturate the medium, get good runoff and then allow to dry before doing it again.

That 'needle' thing at different layers is totally wrong, leaving air pockets and dry spots. This will damage the roots and cause uneven root growth.

Pick up the pots and feel the weight. With what you are doing I'm sure they are pretty dry since you aren't watering adequately.

Set the pots in a pail and water from the top until the water in the pail comes up close to the top of the soil. Let them sit in this water for 1/2hr or so. They will be fully saturated. Notice the weight when you remove them.

Do NOT water again till they are as light, or close to, as they were before you put them in the pail. That will be a proper wet/dry cycle.

Don't worry about changing soils. The soil isn't the problem, your watering methods are the problem.

Put your 'needle' water injector out of reach where you won't be tempted.:mrgreen:

Wet
Click to expand...
should i water them this way every time?
 
W

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
Only when they get over dry.

You could put a saucer under the pots for the runoff. Let them sit in this for 1/2-1 hr and they will absorb quite a bit of the liquid. Then, remove or dump the saucer (if you keep one under the plant). You don't want it constantly sitting in any liquid and it will absorb all it's going to in that 1/2-1 hr time.

Wet
 
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