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Just like any other kind of plant you may wish to grow your cannabis plants require water and nutrients in order to grow healthy and strong and produce the optimal amount of flower for you to harvest and enjoy! Seems like common sense right? But did you know that overwatering cannabis plants is among the primary issues first time growers run into when they try to grow their first crop at home?
It’s true! Much like with any other plant you might bring into your home the number one killer and cause of all health and growth issues is typically too much water from well meaning humans trying to help the plant grow. Luckily it is easy to learn when and how to properly water your cannabis plants – and your regular houseplants too!
How to Water Weed
One of the most common weed grow problems people report when they first try to grow on their own is that the plants simply will not grow or that they grow in poor health. This is because many well meaning plant owners often end up overwatering marijuana plants thinking that the issue is not enough of the precious liquid.
While it is true that all living things – including us! – require plenty of water in order to survive, grow and thrive there is always a limit to how much you an have of any good or beneficial thing before it becomes harmful or even dangerous. We as humans may need water to survive but if you drop one of us alone in the middle of the ocean our prospects for survival dramatically decline.
Watering pot plants – and all plants for that matter – is a delicate balance. You always want to provide just enough for the plant to survive and thrive but never so much that it begins to drown and suffer. Conversely of course giving your plants too little water will also ensure that they are unlikely to survive and thrive. In order to produce the best cannabis possible it is important to learn the best methods for watering weed before you start your home grow.
One of the trickiest aspects of learning how to water weed is the fact that it is not an exact science. There is no rigorous and set in stone guideline that will aid you in exactly the same way for every single possible strain and growing situation. The amount of water weed needs to grow properly will vary based on the size of the plant, the stage of growth it is currently in or the medium in which you choose to grow your plant in!
Weed Grow Problems
Depending on the stage of maturity your plant is currently in your cannabis plant will require more or less water to properly thrive. Understanding these life stages and the water weed requires at these different stages will be crucial to the success of your grow. Remember that overwatering cannabis is the number one reason most novice growers fail to produce the best possible harvest.
In the earliest stages of growth it is important to water delicately with a fine mist or light stream so as to not disturb or destroy the very delicate plant, In this stage the plant is very fragile and even the force of water flowing from a watering can is enough to do considerable damage. Wait for the soil to completely dry out between each application of misted or lightly drizzled water into the growth medium. This usually averages to watering your plants once every two to three days.
How much water the soil is capable of holding is largely determined by the medium you choose to grow your plants in. Certain growing mediums have advantages over others and the ability to retain more water is one strength that can aid in reducing the amount of times you need to water your weed. It is important to understand this when you decide on a medium so you do not accidentally waste your time watering pot plants that do not need it causing harm and reducing the potential of your grow.
Making sure the container your plants and growing medium are contained in is large enough but not too large is also an important factor when you are considering why it might be your weed plants not growing properly or healthily. It is also important that there are holes in the bottom of the contain to allow any water not absorbed by the growth medium to escape and be repurposed.
The more compact your soil or growth medium to more water it will retain meaning that you will need to water your weed less often. This also makes it much easier to waste time, energy and resources overwatering marijuna resulting in your weed plants not growing. If it takes longer than three to four days for your soil to become dry then you might be watering the weed too much and restricting its ability to properly thrive and grow.
Other Important Considerations
Container size and drainage are incredibly important but they are far from the only factors in a successful cannabis grow. Not only does the size and drainage of the container dictate the level of moisture retention it can also save you from accidentally drowning the poor thing before it has a chance to properly thrive.
Temperature and light intensity are also very important to keep in mind. In cooler or warmer environments cannabis plants will grow at different speeds and sized based on how they are tended and cared for. Plants that receive more heat and light overall are certain to require more water than those that do not and will also grow to be much more robust and produce much more of the buds all cannabis users know and love so much.
The overall health of the plant will also largely determine its water needs. A plant that is thriving and growing quickly will obviously require more water more often than a plant that is sickly, small or struggling against disease or an infestation of pests. In some cases it may be necessary to reduce the amount of water a plant receives in order to help it better thrive or rebound from a health concern.
How Can I Tell My Plant Needs Water?
If you’re wondering how exactly you can know and be sure that it is time for your plant to receive some more life giving and nourishing water then never fear because there are many surefire and tried and true methods to find out.
Here are some signs it might be time to give your little green friend a drink:
A very thirsty plant is prone to drooping and will look weak. If your plants have gone without water long enough to get to this stage it should be fairly clear that water is the necessary solution to get them standing up straight tall and happy again. The catch here of course is that a plant that has been overwatered will also tend to look this way so you will have to use your best judgement to know if it is lack of water or too much water that is the cause of the concern.
One way to tell the difference between an overwatered and a water starved plant is that the drooping leaves on an overwatered plant will curl inwards and the entire plant should look dark green and oversaturated with water. With a little experience telling the difference between these two states becomes easy and obvious – a water starved plant will have dry soil for example.
Slightly underwatering your plants is always better than overwatering so it is always best to err on the side of caution if you are uncertain. If the plant looks healthy and the soil isn’t yet dry you can likely wait another day or two before you water it again.
If this stage is overlooked and the plant goes even longer without water expect to see the leaves turning colours and beginning to fall off. Instead of the vibrant and happy green colour cannabis is known for the leaves will begin to yellow and decay. This is a surefire sign your plant is in desperate need of a good drink, While it is normal for a mature plant that is ready for harvest to have its leaves turn yellow a plant in the early stages of its growth should never have yellow or brown leaves if it is getting the water and nutrients it needs.
And of course the simplest method to know if your plant needs a little drink is to just check the soil! If it has been a few days and the soli is dry give your little green friend a sip! Remember to water well but dont water too often!
If you’d rather have someone else do all the growing, curing and clipping for you Haute Health has a wealth of top quality cannabis strains made by craft Canadian expert growers. Check out some of the cool and exciting strains we currently have on offer including great choices like the red headed stranger strain, the slymer strain, the delightful blueberry pie strain and of course the world famous presidential OG strain!
