By bottom feeding only, are the new roots up top not water deprived. I currently take each solo cup submerge about 1-2" in my water pot and count to 5. The ones I have in clear cups are showing that the water/moisture level is only approaching the 2" area from the bottom which seemingly is leaving a large void ?
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Bottom vs Top Feeding
- Thread starter zappa883
- Start date
Interesting question, I've considered bottom watering myself. Only been watering from the top this far.
I've noticed sometimes I'm killing the roots at the bottom part of the pot when I am watering it too little from the top. Leaving only the top area moist and bottom bone dry. Could be bad soil mix not leading the water? Too much air spaces?
I've noticed sometimes I'm killing the roots at the bottom part of the pot when I am watering it too little from the top. Leaving only the top area moist and bottom bone dry. Could be bad soil mix not leading the water? Too much air spaces?
just have to get a soil mix that drains well and holds a little moisture throughout the cup or pot, evenly.. the mix I have now (after testing out a bunch of different mixes, the one I have now I like so far) but I water it until it drains from the bottom, which is pretty quickly, but there is enough moisture being held in all the soil, just not soaking wet, just damp
I like top watering just because I know I can get all the soil damp, and at least with the gallon pots in the grow tent... I can't/won't flood the entire bottom of the tent, because then it would be a huge PITA getting the excess out.. and I'm not taking 80+ plants moving them around and dipping them into water every 5 days or so.. just too much for nothing.. and those little saucers things on the bottoms that you can put under the pots cost like $0.75 or maybe $0.50 up here, but either way... $40 for those is a bunch of crap lol, so I like my top watering.
I like top watering just because I know I can get all the soil damp, and at least with the gallon pots in the grow tent... I can't/won't flood the entire bottom of the tent, because then it would be a huge PITA getting the excess out.. and I'm not taking 80+ plants moving them around and dipping them into water every 5 days or so.. just too much for nothing.. and those little saucers things on the bottoms that you can put under the pots cost like $0.75 or maybe $0.50 up here, but either way... $40 for those is a bunch of crap lol, so I like my top watering.
Indoors, I neither top nor bottom water, I use a 1 gallon low pressure plastic pump sprayer from Home Depot,
I pump it up, set sprayer nozzle on medium, push the tip into the roots, in the middle of the plant and spray until
the pot feels right, I have under watered in the past couple of weeks and have gotten a fungus on the leaves, which
I have since pinched off, the new growth is fine, no yellow spottiness. Lesson learned, don't under water, nor over water, be patient and you will get it right, your plants will reward you with nice growth, as long as the temps are in the plant's comfort zone, keep the soil on top as dry as possible to keep down hatch of eggs, and flying gnats, and aphids.
Ghosty...
I pump it up, set sprayer nozzle on medium, push the tip into the roots, in the middle of the plant and spray until
the pot feels right, I have under watered in the past couple of weeks and have gotten a fungus on the leaves, which
I have since pinched off, the new growth is fine, no yellow spottiness. Lesson learned, don't under water, nor over water, be patient and you will get it right, your plants will reward you with nice growth, as long as the temps are in the plant's comfort zone, keep the soil on top as dry as possible to keep down hatch of eggs, and flying gnats, and aphids.
Ghosty...
I've always done top watering, and my method up till now was to water UNTIL it ran out the bottom of the pot...so there was no question that the bottom of the soil was getting watered. These peppers don't like it as wet as other things I've grown though, so I've been backing off and watering less, and I agree it is tricky to figure out how much....should you flood the pot to ensure even dispersion of the water, but potentially over-water, or water more carefully but risk damage to various areas of the roots by letting the soil dry out. Tough to answer.
ok, i top water. i wait till the leaves show signs of sag(needing water) and then i water i add some water then go to the next plant, and then back to the first and water a little more, then cycle again. i do this so that the soil has a chance to fully absorb the water. i keep doing this till water comes out the bottom. every 3-4 weeks i do a flush with just water till a get a nice stream of water coming out the bottom. let it sit till no more water is coming out, then i water with ferts. the plants really like the flush and feed. and if you live in an apt like i do, i bought a couple 5 galloon buckets that i place a terra cotta pot (which fits perfectly on top the bucket) and place the smaller pot inside the terra cotta and water the bucket will collect the runoff, and i then take it out and pour it over the flowers in out complex and they seem to enjoy it as well.
well it really depends on the soil/substrate you use, because with some, soaking it until water flows out the bottom can really soak up a lot of water, but at least for me, it doesn't take much water to have it run through to the bottom, but still holds some water.. and I use a small amount of ferts every other time I water so they always get a little fert in the soil, even if some runs out, I would say 1/2 the time the water doesn't really run out the bottom much on some of the pots, but I know that I put enough water in there for that size pot and the soil I have in there for the bottom to be wet, just based on practice.. I also have some shredded pine chips on the tops of the pots that dry out really quickly and tend to keep the fungus gnats down a little.. but mainly I always use those BTI things too, that helps a ton.. they are going outside soon, so it doesn't really worry me much now.
don't really need to over think it much, just try a few different things and see what works for you
For me bottom feeding is the way to go for indoor plants. Keep in mind they stay in 3.5 x 3.5 pots placed in trays until I move them outside. I have an indoor water storage barrel I use with a submersible pump. I keep it really simple which has been a win-win combination for 3 years. Outside I use a drip irrigation system I put together last season and you can't beat its simplicity and effectiveness. I just throw a switch and turn a few valves here and there.
I used the pot saucers only once and will never again, they hold in too much moisture which you can feel every time you move the plant. I even drill holes around the pots I use outside about 0.5 (in) up from the bottom. You can never have too much drainage!! Too much moisture causes them under perform and rot.
I used the pot saucers only once and will never again, they hold in too much moisture which you can feel every time you move the plant. I even drill holes around the pots I use outside about 0.5 (in) up from the bottom. You can never have too much drainage!! Too much moisture causes them under perform and rot.
I popped holes in the side of my solo cups as well. Weather here is geared for a plant out about end of may.
What I may try after today's multiple twin and triplet separation surgery for 20+ solos = 40-50 by the time I'm done is to apply a good bottom suction session and then use my "turkey baster" to ensure the top gets watered aswell. Will stick with the PM BP for the transplant surgery and hope the recovery is fast.
What I may try after today's multiple twin and triplet separation surgery for 20+ solos = 40-50 by the time I'm done is to apply a good bottom suction session and then use my "turkey baster" to ensure the top gets watered aswell. Will stick with the PM BP for the transplant surgery and hope the recovery is fast.
So the conclusion must be that there are many successful methods, all depending on grow medium used? People here are doing so many different things it seems.
Does this mean I use bad soil, when dry it shrinks leaving gaps between soil and pot. So when watering it just goes down the sides and to the bottom of the pot. How to prevent this? Fill more soil in the gap?
This leaves the bottom wet, top dry.
Does this mean I use bad soil, when dry it shrinks leaving gaps between soil and pot. So when watering it just goes down the sides and to the bottom of the pot. How to prevent this? Fill more soil in the gap?
This leaves the bottom wet, top dry.
that does seem like not the best soil, I like my mix, which takes after Baker's Peppers and I use about 40% pine chip bark mulch/fines, and then some peat moss, compost from a leaf pile in the back yard and some vermiculite, works great so far.. I would suggest searching some of the soil threads on here and checking them out, just do potting or soil mixes on here, there's been a bunch, and just take what info you want from them and go from there
Im trying a little experiment on my Serrano's and Jalapeno's.
I put holes 1/2 way up the cans or bottles and just fill them up now and then. Right away I see a difference in how many bugs I have.
The homer bucket could probably use 2 bottles but it just an experiment.
and
Notice the Serrano at the bottom of this picture, as it is deformed. that leaf has 2 points WTF?
I put holes 1/2 way up the cans or bottles and just fill them up now and then. Right away I see a difference in how many bugs I have.
The homer bucket could probably use 2 bottles but it just an experiment.
and
Notice the Serrano at the bottom of this picture, as it is deformed. that leaf has 2 points WTF?
That's a cool experiment Cayennemist. Maybe the solution to those having difficulty feeding from the bottom is to use a spray bottle to lightly wet the top part. That should help reach those roots at the top. I double cup mine in red cups until I transplant them outside. I top water those and water drips down to the bottom. I let them dry out real good and the roots grow through the holes in the bottom and get moisture from the excess water that drips down (I water and let drip but not fully). I like letting them dry out so that the roots start growing through the wholes of the first plastic cup. You get a nice root system that way 
. They do this before they get rootbound too.
. They do this before they get rootbound too.
I only bottom water before transplanting to 6" containers and up...then I top water using a drip fertigation system...when I start top watering, I side dress with some 13-13-13...about a Tbsp under the drippers...that way, when the plant gets water, it gets something to eat too...
IMO bottom watering is better for seedlings...one thing is it makes the roots "dig" for moisture...not saying dehydrate them...just make them try and get some water...
IMO bottom watering is better for seedlings...one thing is it makes the roots "dig" for moisture...not saying dehydrate them...just make them try and get some water...
I prefer to bottom water indoors, I lift the small pots up, if they feel lightweight then I'll water the flats that they're sitting in, probably a third the way up. The larger 1 and 2 gal containers sit in deep oversized saucers.
The saucers get filled with water, I usually have to refill the saucers 3 times to get the plants where I want them. But with over 80-2 gal pots indoors by the time I get through all of them its time to start the first again. I use a couple of 2 gallon watering cans
One fills up with water while I'm dumping the other out into the saucers. The whole process takes 1/2 an hour and is only needed once a week.
With doing that method...
I can tell the pots are somewhat heavy and the plants have wicked up the water. The top of the soil stays dry.........hence less or no pests around.
Indoors the pots can stay wet for a longer period of time. I water the large containers once a week if needed and the 5 1/4" pots that are in the trays usually twice a week. It all depends how humid and the temperature of the grow areas.
Outdoors........the containers can be dry within a half a day in prime heat.
I'll hose the containers down until the water comes out the drain holes. A moisture meter would help outdoors, but either I lift or tilt a container to see how light it is or for the bed plants I just feel the soil a few inches down. If dry I'll use a drip hose or shower the soil with a hand sprayer on the garden hose.
Greg
The saucers get filled with water, I usually have to refill the saucers 3 times to get the plants where I want them. But with over 80-2 gal pots indoors by the time I get through all of them its time to start the first again. I use a couple of 2 gallon watering cans
One fills up with water while I'm dumping the other out into the saucers. The whole process takes 1/2 an hour and is only needed once a week.
With doing that method...
I can tell the pots are somewhat heavy and the plants have wicked up the water. The top of the soil stays dry.........hence less or no pests around.
Indoors the pots can stay wet for a longer period of time. I water the large containers once a week if needed and the 5 1/4" pots that are in the trays usually twice a week. It all depends how humid and the temperature of the grow areas.
Outdoors........the containers can be dry within a half a day in prime heat.
I'll hose the containers down until the water comes out the drain holes. A moisture meter would help outdoors, but either I lift or tilt a container to see how light it is or for the bed plants I just feel the soil a few inches down. If dry I'll use a drip hose or shower the soil with a hand sprayer on the garden hose.
Greg
Likewise. I don't use the same fertilizing regimen as AJ, but otherwise do exactly this.
I do it to prevent indoor excess moisture problems and to encourage rapid root expansion in small volume containers.
Once they're outside, no amount of moisture is going to cause a problem on a top-watering here. And there's no rush to expand root structure. I haven't tested, but I suspect they've filled out my containers around this time of year. The rest is just keeping them alive and with proper nutrients.
I'm getting better at it, but am still learning from y'all!
edit: 1000th post!