If you’ve ever had a plant before, you know that overwatering is just as deadly to a plant as under-watering. When you’re doing an indoor weed grow, you have options when it comes to cannabis plant watering. It can be done by hand, you can have a misting system, or you can use a reservoir and irrigation system.
Watering By Hand
This is by far the most time consuming as well as an inaccurate method of cannabis plant watering. You must be careful not to over-water your plants unless you’re using a metered device to water by hand.
If you’re growing in soil, put your finger into the soil up to your knuckle. If the soil is dry all the way up, you need to water the plant. When you grow in a different medium (perlite or coco coir), you’ll need to water the plant every 1 to 2 days. In both cases, you should water until there is a runoff in the drain or out of the bottom of the pot.
If you choose to do a nutrient water blend every time you water, make sure that there’s a 10% to 20% runoff. This keeps the nutrients from building up in the soil, which can be dangerous for the plant’s health. To keep a steady stream of nutrients in the soil, water your plants at the same time of day consistently.
Misting Systems
Misting systems can either be hooked up to a home’s plumbing or to a reservoir tank that you’d need to keep filled on a regular basis. They’re typically run by a timer and a pump, so access to a power outlet is also necessary. The timer is set to mist the plants at regular intervals to keep the humidity levels optimal as well as provide water for the plants.
Generally, these systems are just used with water, spraying a mist of droplets that are 1/10th the width of a human hair. However, nutrient bases can be added to the reservoir to provide the plants with nutrients along with water.
Depending on the size of your indoor weed grow, you can choose between low and medium pressure sprayers. High-pressure sprayers have the potential to damage the plants.
If you have a smaller indoor growth operation, a low-pressure system should work just fine. Only when you have to cover significant square footage should you consider a medium pressure system. Medium pressure will allow the mist to reach further and cover more plants. The beauty of a system on a timer is that your plants are fed at the same times every day.
Reservoir and Irrigation
Using a reservoir with irrigation, also called an automatic drip system, allows you to water your plants on a schedule using a timer and pump. The reservoir must also contain an air stone and air pump to keep the water oxygenated. When the pump is activated, water is forced through the piping and drips onto the plants until the timer shuts off.
Cannabis plant watering with an irrigation or drip system gives you a finely controlled distribution of water; however, the reservoir must be flushed, cleaned, and refilled regularly to maintain a clean and effective system.
Because the irrigation system is on a timer, you will need to keep careful track of when it’s time to flush the system and do so during a time period when the system is not watering the plants.
Cannabis plant watering is essential for healthy growth and a high-yielding crop. When setting up your indoor weed grow, choose the watering system you know will work best for your daily routine.