Soil always staying saturated in bottom of my soft pots...is this ok/ common?

Slyness41

Slyness41

Active Member
My soil is always super wet compared to the top 3/4 of soil, not sitting in water, and in 3gal. softpots, so just from normal watering. Is this normal, I'm scared it's going to create an overwatering problem, can't use my nute line NFTG if I cannot actually ADD anything...
 
Bugeye

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
Slyness41 said:
My soil is always super wet compared to the top 3/4 of soil, not sitting in water, and in 3gal. softpots, so just from normal watering. Is this normal, I'm scared it's going to create an overwatering problem, can't use my nute line NFTG if I cannot actually ADD anything...
Click to expand...
Good soil mixes will both retain moisture and provide good aeration. If you have a very small plant in your pot, it won't take much water until it gets bigger. Hard to say what you have going without a better description of your soil.
 
Slyness41

Slyness41

Active Member
Soil is Nectars #4 straight out of bag. Has lots of coco, pearlite, is really light mix. 3.5 gallon fabric soft pots.
 
Slyness41

Slyness41

Active Member
The moisture is being read by my ph/ moisture meter. It pegs the moisure out if I go to bottom 3" or so of soil.
 
Slyness41

Slyness41

Active Member
I have 3 autos, mid 3rd week. They are growing pretty well, just having some issues being presented on my leaves. I worry about that constant moisture in the pots, don't want root issues...
 
Chip Green

Chip Green

Well-Known Member
I use nothing but cloth/felt pots (whatever they are? and I have noticed young plants staying kinda wettish toward the bottom as well. As the roots filled in, the plant took in more water and it happened less frequently.....I ended up making little stands (wire mesh and scrapwwod), to let some air flow under the pots, helped out a lot in the shorty phase...

I looked at it like, say a toddler for instance, can only drink one beer, and it takes awhile...
Teenagers can take down a sixpack (maybe more) is a few hours...
A seasoned, drunkard adult can suck down a 12er (and the two nasty IPAs in the garage fridge, his buddy left there) starting just before leaving work, and be pissing in the yard before midnight...

It will drink larger quantities AND faster as it grows.

My extreme fears of overwatering, actually led to underwatering at times....
 
drsaltzman

drsaltzman

Well-Known Member
I keep my smart pots off the floor.
Bought a wire shelf at Home Depot.
Sit them right on it.
Enough room for water to drain fully out and get some airflow underneath.
But not too high like a plant stand where it cuts off your vertical space.
 
Slyness41

Slyness41

Active Member
Thanks guys for response, yea mine are suspended in the air on a wire mesh rack, I never keep them on a flat floor. Temperature can also become a factor.
Chip that explanation was hilarious!!
 
Smok3yMcChok3y

Smok3yMcChok3y

Well-Known Member
Chip Green said:
I use nothing but cloth/felt pots (whatever they are? and I have noticed young plants staying kinda wettish toward the bottom as well. As the roots filled in, the plant took in more water and it happened less frequently.....I ended up making little stands (wire mesh and scrapwwod), to let some air flow under the pots, helped out a lot in the shorty phase...

I looked at it like, say a toddler for instance, can only drink one beer, and it takes awhile...
Teenagers can take down a sixpack (maybe more) is a few hours...
A seasoned, drunkard adult can suck down a 12er (and the two nasty IPAs in the garage fridge, his buddy left there) starting just before leaving work, and be pissing in the yard before midnight...

It will drink larger quantities AND faster as it grows.

My extreme fears of overwatering, actually led to underwatering at times....
Click to expand...
How'd you know I like to piss in the yard at 11:30?
 
Organic Altruism

Organic Altruism

Well-Known Member
Chip has the right idea. You said that your plants were only in the 3rd week. They haven't the root mass to absorb all the water that gets trapped near the bottom. As they mature, they will drink it up. Maybe don't do a full thorough watering next time? I fear that if the bottom stays saturated too long your roots will not want to grow there.
 
ANC

ANC

Well-Known Member
Water needs a way out, I make holes in all pots and bags, at best I might lift the lowest side hole an inch to keep some water for large plants outdoors.
 
Slyness41

Slyness41

Active Member
Organic Altruism said:
Chip has the right idea. You said that your plants were only in the 3rd week. They haven't the root mass to absorb all the water that gets trapped near the bottom. As they mature, they will drink it up. Maybe don't do a full thorough watering next time? I fear that if the bottom stays saturated too long your roots will not want to grow there.
Click to expand...
Same here, yea I'm going to be more on top of this, I don't want my girls getting root rot!
 
B

Bookush34

Well-Known Member
I have found the watering the whole pot when plants are small can cause the roots to not stretch and search for water.

what I have been doing recently is using a 2L pop bottle with a bunch of little holes drilled in the cap.
Then only water 2" around the seedling. letting the soak go downward instead of spreading out over the whole pot.

this causes the roots to go deep. also you don't get stagnant damp soil.
you know how you water the whole pot to run off with a small seeding and you don't have to water again for like 10+days ( mainly with autos because you usually run them in their final pot out the gate)
 
GeneBanker

GeneBanker

Well-Known Member
I like a fan blowing across the canopy, and one down the center line of my pots helps with this. If you are really concerned, a three way soil meter is 8 bucks. Helps get a real"er feel of whats actually happening in there.
 
Slyness41

Slyness41

Active Member
Yea, i always water at the stem, and I think going into the 3 gals of soil is a mistake due to that. My friend used peat pots and they took to the final soil better than the sticking them in final pot from the get go like I did.
 
Slyness41

Slyness41

Active Member
Already have a ph/ moisture meter.. just wanted to know why with the very minute amount of nutes/water I DO give the pots are always super wet at bottom.
 
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