SOIL BASICS
of water than cacti, succulents or plants
like orchids that absorb water and nutrients through foliage and aerial roots. Water
uptake and consumption will also depend
on the size of the plant and pot, as well as
on temperature and humidity. A simple
rule of thumb is to ensure that the temperature remains around 75°F when the
lights are on and that there is anywhere
from 30 to 50 per cent relative humidity
in the garden. This type of atmosphere
will promote healthy water uptake by the
plants along with a dense and vigorous
root system so long as harmful pathogens
are not introduced. Water every plant only
when it needs it, judging by weight. This
can be tedious work for larger gardens, but
it will ensure that every plant gets touched
at least one time in the grow room. I feel
a plant is ready for water when I can pick
it up easily, despite its overall mass.
A gallon of water weighs
roughly eight pounds
without any elements
“
added into it, so once fertilizer is added to
the mixture and given to the plant there
is a noticeable weight gain. I feel that providing water to the plant approximately
six to 12 hours before it can show any
signs of wilt is ideal, if possible. If you’re
using liquid fertilizers or supplements, I
recommend consistent usage as opposed
to alternating feedings with water—use
lower nutrient concentrations more often
and it should provide the intended results.
These guidelines are my recommended
‘basic building blocks’ any time I am
gardening in soil.You’ll likely want to
change a few things in your garden,
but that’s okay—this guide is intended
to be for reference only, not a set of
immutable rules that will apply in the
same manner to every soil-based garden.
Every grower faces a different
situation and every garden
reflects the grower’s
individual
style. MY
“
the kind of root development that wick
systems create due to the constant capillary action in the root system—these
roots are ductile but thick and usually fill
up any available space in and around the
growing medium. I assume that because
the capillary action initiates the uptake of
the proper amount of oxygen and water,
the plant is able to produce the exact
root system it needs for constant feeding
and ideal elemental absorption.
Watering your soil is a topic that everyone seems to have different opinions
about. How much water should go into
each container? How often should I
water? Should I fertilize with every watering? This is an issue that is often made to
seem more complex than it really is—you
should water the soil based on the types
of plants being grown. For example, fastgrowing annuals that develop vigorous
root and shoot growth in order to produce a fruit, flower or seed at the end of
their cycle might consume larger volumes
I feel a plant is
ready for water
when I can pick it
up easily, despite
its overall mass.
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Maximum Yield USA | March 2012