When to water and how much, practical cultivation advice.

Watering, practical cultivation manual

When taking the first steps in cultivation, uncertainties and doubts are the stimulus to learn. You start by wondering what type of seed to choose? or which vase to choose and the measurements? Which fertilizers to administer?

However, one of the most common questions is always: When and how much to water the plants?

We offer you our advice on watering plants in a practical and functional way.

The water given to the plants is decisive for the quality and productivity of the cultivation.

Although it may seem trivial, this common and daily action is much more complex than one might believe.

In response to the main question, as much as we want to try to convey all the experience possible, our advice will still have a limit which is due to the numerous quantity of variables that determine this action such as:

• Temperature and Humidity

• Pot size and amount of substrate

• Size of the plant

• Root system dimensions

As well as other more specific factors up to considering the phenotype of the plant. Considering this specific factor, it should be noted that even plants of the same variety can have different growth behaviors, forming structures that require different fertilization and water. As always, over time, experience will help you manage this and many other parameters better and better.

Temperature and Humidity:

It is necessary to take into account the climatic conditions in order to water correctly, both with indoor and outdoor cultivations.

The temperature and humidity parameters of the cultivation area when working outside or of the cultivation room ( Grow room ) when working inside are therefore of fundamental importance. The external environment cannot be controlled in any way and adverse climatic events such as: intense cold and rain can damage the crop, favoring the onset of parasites and fungi. Indoors, of course, the problem is significantly reduced but the rule is always the same: careful and timely control of the temperature and humidity parameters is necessary, which constitute the first indicators of the plant's needs.

In environments with higher temperatures, to prevent the water from evaporating too quickly, mix perlite or coconut fiber with the soil, in order to increase the capacity of the substrate to retain water and reduce the possibility of a deficiency or stress occurring water.

In outdoor cultivations, which end later (October/November), it is important to reduce the quantity of water administered because the combination with the rains could cause the onset of fungi and mold (botrytis, downy mildew, etc.).

Knowing how to intervene based on the situation is the most important rule.

Pot size and amount of substrate:

The size of the pot and the quantity of substrate are closely linked, the larger the pot, the greater the quantity of substrate and consequently the nutrient solution or water administered.

Pay close attention at the beginning of cultivation (first 10/20 days) when you have small plants in 18/30 liter pots. The needs of such a small plant will be significantly reduced and watering in the same way as an adult plant (daily or almost daily) would be a serious mistake, it should be enough to give water or nutrient solution once a week always taking into account the climatic conditions as mentioned before.

The most complex thing is the first watering phase because the substrate is poor in oxygen and by providing an excessive quantity of water you risk suffocation of the roots and subsequently problems in growth and metabolism. If the substrate is saturated and this condition persists, the roots will rot, fungi will develop and the plants will remain "stunted" and deformed, pale and spotted.

A plant grown from 60-110 cm allows the grower much more, allowing slight errors because the absorption capacity is higher and everything becomes easier. The type of substrate must be taken into account, because as indicated previously, the addition of coconut fiber for example increases the water capacity as well as keeping the substrate lighter and more aerated.

Plant size:

The size of the plant is obviously fundamental to proportioning the right dose of nutrient solution. As already mentioned briefly previously, it is very important to avoid the substrate being saturated, especially in the first 7/20 days of the plant's life, gradually increasing the size as the size of the plant varies. In any case , feminized Cannabis plants do not like excess water and even more so if we are managing autoflowering plants that cannot tolerate it in any way, so it is good practice to always avoid it.

Root system dimensions:

Root development is closely linked to the phenotype and more generally to the genetics of the plant, although in general the rooting of seed plants is homogeneous when quality seeds are chosen. The roots of plants will grow differently depending on the type and regardless of the skill of the grower. Knowing the genetics being cultivated well enough to be able to distinguish the phenotype will also allow the grower to administer the appropriate quantity of nutrient solution to the plants, always obtaining better results. One method to increase root production and develop them more quickly is to use a good rooting agent .

Practical tips:

• The water or nutrient solution must always be given in dark conditions when working indoors, therefore before the lights are turned on or early in the morning when outside, to prevent the heat from burning the roots and leaves of the plant , watering done in the evening should be avoided because it could lead to an excessive increase in humidity with consequent appearance of insects and diseases.

• Weighing the pot is a technique widely used by growers to understand whether the substrate is dry or not. This type of technique is based on experience but you just need to proceed in a practical way, weighing the dry pot and the watered pot and marking these parameters. This will allow you to understand if the plant needs water or not, furthermore after the first few times it will be simple and automatic to understand simply by lifting the pot, as expert growers do.

• Always use nutrient solution or water at room temperature considering the temperature of your grow room or outside.

• When administering the nutrient solution it is important that it is well mixed before checking the PH and EC electroconductivity parameters , especially when working in hydroponics. With the soil being a buffer element this element is less important.

• Always keep the measuring instruments calibrated so as not to encounter mismatches in the parameters which would seriously damage the cultivation, especially when growing in hydroponics the nutrient solution immediately comes into contact with the roots and is quickly absorbed; giving solutions with incorrect parameters several times would lead to irreparable damage to your plants.

• Always use new fertilizers and soil, and never store the prepared nutrient solution but do it from time to time.

All information contained is for informational and educational purposes only. We urge all users not to make any practical use of this information in connection with cannabis seeds. In fact, let us remember that:

In Italy the cultivation of cannabis seeds is prohibited (Art. 28 and 73 of Presidential Decree 309/90) if you do not have a specific authorization (Art. 17 Presidential Decree 309/90)

Therefore, cannabis seeds may be used exclusively for collecting purposes and for genetic preservation and are marketed with the reservation that they are not used by third parties in conflict with the law. Cannabis seeds are excluded from Presidential Decree 309/90, which means that they are not to be considered narcotic substances (L. 412 of 1974, Art. 1, Paragraph 1, Letter B; New York single convention on narcotics of 1961 and table 1 Ministry of Health decree 11 April 2006).