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water Question on watering in 5 gal. buckets

jessxcr

jessxcr

I may have got a little gun shy on overwatering. I don't want to underwater and leave for work on a hot day to come back and find my plants dead. I know you have to factor in the different variables, but what is the normal amount to water your plants when they are in 5 gallon buckets each time they need water? I know you need holes for drainage and I have plenty but when I water, it never comes out the holes. I feel as though only the top few inches soaks up water, so that would mean the roots way down aren't getting water. My plants seem to be doing well but as they grow I'm sure that water needs to reach further down. Tonight on one of my plants I must have put in 2 gallons of water and nothing had started coming out the drainage holes. The mix was very dry before I watered. I'm using ProMix BX. I stopped so I didn't overwater the rest of my plants in case I did one.
 
I give mine 2 plastic Folger coffee cans of water. Didn't have a container size, just said 33 oz for net weight. Seems to be enough for mine. I'm also using 5 gallon containers.
 
You should water deeply, until it comes out the bottom. I use a hose with a shower head type of sprayer on it (not sure what to call it? a wand?) so I don't know the volume.

Maybe you need bigger holes, because with Pro-Mix BX + 2 gallons there should definitely be water coming out the bottom I think.
 
It's only been mid 70s lately so they have been getting water every 3-4 days. Supposed to creep into the upper 80s to 90s by the weekend.
 
As Avon said i think that you should water until it drains out of the bottom. You will need it on the really hot days, besides any water that can't fit simply leaves! :P
 
I would not water until the plants tell you they need it....by that I mean when they start to sag (wilt) a bit...short dry spells won't hurt the plants and if anything it makes them stronger...I use 5 gallon nursery containers and give my plants a pint of water twice a day...

your key to how much water is how hot is it...days here are consistantly in the low 100s right now and will be this way until the September cool down...

I know this may sound extreme, but if you can carefully pull one of your plants out of the bucket, inspect the very bottom of the soil...your soil can be bone dry on top and in the bottom of the bucket, it can be soaking wet mud...and you don't want that...

hot weather/temperatures + overwatering = root rot...
 
I use 5 gallon lowe's buckets with about 15 - 20 1/2 inch holes around the bottom (not on the bottom, but about 2" up from the bottom.) Temps here have been in the upper 90s for a few weeks now. I usually water with 2 gallons of water per bucket every 2-3 days but I also never see any water come out of the drainage holes. Yesterday I even broke a plastic clothes hanger and shoved it into each and every hole just to make sure that they weren't clogged up or soemthing. I'm using Fafard's so it soakes up the water pretty well but yea anyways, I've never seen water come out of my drainage holes either, But my plants are doing well and producing pods so I don't guess theyre hurting too bad.
 
coheed196 said:
I use 5 gallon lowe's buckets with about 15 - 20 1/2 inch holes around the bottom (not on the bottom, but about 2" up from the bottom.) Temps here have been in the upper 90s for a few weeks now. I usually water with 2 gallons of water per bucket every 2-3 days but I also never see any water come out of the drainage holes. Yesterday I even broke a plastic clothes hanger and shoved it into each and every hole just to make sure that they weren't clogged up or soemthing. I'm using Fafard's so it soakes up the water pretty well but yea anyways, I've never seen water come out of my drainage holes either, But my plants are doing well and producing pods so I don't guess theyre hurting too bad.
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I have 4 holes on the bottom of each 5 gal. bucket and 6 around the sides right at the bottom. 2 inches up from bottom with no bottom holes I would think would lead to bottom puddle. Just my opinion.
 
Justaguy said:
I have 4 holes on the bottom of each 5 gal. bucket and 6 around the sides right at the bottom. 2 inches up from bottom with no bottom holes I would think would lead to bottom puddle. Just my opinion.
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Yea my holes are about 2" from the bottom, but I didn't put holes in the bottom because my buckets sit on concrete so I wasnt sure if the water would even drain out of the bottom holes or if the concrete would stop it.
 
As long as it works for you. Many different members have many different ways. Check out AlabamaJacks threads. He is a role model for all humble green thumbs.
 
Justaguy said:
As long as it works for you. Many different members have many different ways. Check out AlabamaJacks threads. He is a role model for all humble green thumbs.
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Yea, I've followed pretty much everything he says, he's basically my go-to guy, if I have a question Ill just search for his threads
 
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