Watering is a fundamental process in the cultivation of cannabis and a bad watering is the main cause of health problems of our plant, did you know that?
In today's guide we tell you all the secrets to keep your cannabis crop strong and healthy with effective irrigation.
When and how to water your cannabis plants?
You are probably thinking that there is nothing complicated about watering plants, well let me tell you that most novice growers make mistakes in watering, resulting in health problems for their plants! As much as it is a basic process of cannabis cultivation, it is a fundamental part and must be done correctly.
We would love to be able to tell you exactly when to water the plants and how much water to give them, but it is very relative to our crop.
Marijuana plants are mainly composed of water, up to 80 or 90% is H20, which means that they are very dependent on watering to perform all their functions, such as photosynthesis. Therefore, if a cannabis plant is not watered frequently, it will wilt and die very quickly.
To get a general idea of how much water to give your plants, a survey of professional growers found that the average water requirement for a plant is 4.5 liters per 500 grams of post-harvest buds.
If it is the first time you grow a strain, it is difficult to know how much your plant will yield once harvested. In these cases, the ideal is to monitor the plant day by day and see how it evolves, but in addition to this we leave you some data that will surely help you.
Different stages of our plant
The first weeks of the plant, we recommend using a sprayer to water, so that we avoid bending the stem or branches in this delicate stage of the plant. Ideally, spray 2 to 3 times per day and always wait until the plant has absorbed the water before spraying again.
Then, once the plant is an adult, switch to watering and do it whenever you notice the substrate or the soil is dry. If the first 3 cm of soil is dry, it means it is time to water it. By following this rule you will most likely find yourself watering your plants once a day or once every few days.
Another point to take into account is the soil we are using. A denser soil will retain moisture longer and will require less watering than a lighter soil, for example. It is also important that if the plant is in a container, such as a pot, it should have holes in the bottom to drain excess water and thus prevent the formation of pests and fungi due to excess moisture.
A good way to know if the water you pour on the plant drains well or not, is to notice how long it takes the soil to absorb the water you pour on it. If after 3 or 4 minutes there is still water or if after 3 days without watering you notice the soil is wet, it means that it is not draining well.
Often the effects of lack or excess of water appear several days later, so it is always good to be attentive to these details.
Size matters...
Another important point in determining how much water to give your plant is the size of the pot. Ideally, start with a small pot and change pots as the plant grows.
A pot that is too large in the first few weeks can lead to the plant drowning. On the other hand, a pot that is too small for an adult plant leaves it with no room for its roots to grow and can cause them to knot and tangle, which is detrimental to the growth of our plant.
Finally, the last tip of today's note is the following: when it comes to cannabis, it is always better to underwater it than to overwater it. If it lacks a little water, the plant will recover quickly once we give it, but if we are giving it too much water it will kill the plant little by little.
And you... Do you have any tips for growing cannabis? We'll read you in the comments!
