Im curious how many of you completely saturate the soil with water upon transplant or only do a more "normal" watering.
I recently transplanted some superhots into 5 gallon buckets from the 1 gallon containers they were in. In the past with my indoor plants Ive always completely saturated the new growing medium when I pot up. Then I just give it a good week or even more before I water again and let the plant settle in. The idea of course is that a full watering settles the medium and wets any organic ammendments in the soil that I added as well as providing a good moisture source for the microherd to populate and start working on breaking down any granulars Ive added.
However, the peppers dont seem to like it. They really are in a different catagory when it comes to watering. Its been awhile since Ive grown peppers and I forgot how much they really like to dry out. I admit my indoor plants usually go from 1 gallons to 3 gallons.. not 1 gallon to 5 gallons like I did with these peppers so thats probably part of the problem.
Regardless, the peppers have been complaining a bit, dropping a few leaves here and there and not putting much growth out. Im pretty convinced their overwatered and Im going to start just giving them a normal watering next time when I transplant. Its been about a week and with the finger test if I get way down in there it still feels slightly damp. I am hardening them off at the moment and left them out a tad to long one day and some got slight sunburn. Nothing big but a little bit. Ive backed off on the natural sun a bit and they havent gotten any new burns so I think Im good there. They just dont seem to be growing much though.
The temps are 60's to low 70's outside during the day with good sun and probably 40's-50's at night in the garage where I put them for the night.
I suppose its probably a combination of overwatering and cool temps that are causing the no growth and little bit of leaf drop Im seeing? I would assume once they throw more roots and fill the pot better things will improve.
Any thoughts?
I recently transplanted some superhots into 5 gallon buckets from the 1 gallon containers they were in. In the past with my indoor plants Ive always completely saturated the new growing medium when I pot up. Then I just give it a good week or even more before I water again and let the plant settle in. The idea of course is that a full watering settles the medium and wets any organic ammendments in the soil that I added as well as providing a good moisture source for the microherd to populate and start working on breaking down any granulars Ive added.
However, the peppers dont seem to like it. They really are in a different catagory when it comes to watering. Its been awhile since Ive grown peppers and I forgot how much they really like to dry out. I admit my indoor plants usually go from 1 gallons to 3 gallons.. not 1 gallon to 5 gallons like I did with these peppers so thats probably part of the problem.
Regardless, the peppers have been complaining a bit, dropping a few leaves here and there and not putting much growth out. Im pretty convinced their overwatered and Im going to start just giving them a normal watering next time when I transplant. Its been about a week and with the finger test if I get way down in there it still feels slightly damp. I am hardening them off at the moment and left them out a tad to long one day and some got slight sunburn. Nothing big but a little bit. Ive backed off on the natural sun a bit and they havent gotten any new burns so I think Im good there. They just dont seem to be growing much though.
The temps are 60's to low 70's outside during the day with good sun and probably 40's-50's at night in the garage where I put them for the night.
I suppose its probably a combination of overwatering and cool temps that are causing the no growth and little bit of leaf drop Im seeing? I would assume once they throw more roots and fill the pot better things will improve.
Any thoughts?