If you know how to properly water your favorite plant, you can avoid some mistakes when growing. Since many grow beginners are afraid of the plant drying out, they provide it with sufficient water. But beware. Overwatering is one of the most common mistakes when watering plants. So the saying "more helps more" is wrong in this context. When, how often and with what water you should water the plants, we explain to you below.
If you use one of our Bonsanto Mini Grow Boxes to grow your favorite plant, the only knowledge you need is our Bonsanto growing instructions. The advantage of using Bonsanto components is that you do not need a PH meter, EC meter, temperature or humidity meter. This makes your work much easier when growing the plant. Bonsanto components such as fertilizer, soil and grow box are very beginner-friendly tuned.
If you do not own a Bonsanto grow box, the following information is relevant for you.
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What do plants need water for?
Water is vital to your plants for several reasons. First, plants need water for the process of photosynthesis, and second, water serves as a nutrient transporter by helping the plant pull important nutrients from the soil. Furthermore, water helps regulate a plant's temperature.
When and how should plants be watered?
To know when the right time to water the plant, there is a simple rule of thumb. The plant needs new water when approximately the first 1-2 cm of the soil surface has dried. You can easily check if this is the case with your finger or a ruler. Also, when growing indoors, we recommend watering the plant before turning on the lights.
How much water your plant needs depends on several factors. If your plant is in the seedling stage, it is best to use a spray bottle for watering, as the water requirement is quite low at this stage. If you want to know more about your plants in the seedling stage, check out our blog article "Instructions seeds germinate" . Furthermore, the larger the plant and the larger the pot, the higher the water requirement.
When watering plants, you should also be careful not to pour the water into the pot all at once. We recommend that you divide the water into portions and pour it into the pot gradually. Feel free to let a few minutes pass between portions. Also, when pouring the water, distribute it throughout the pot as best you can. The soil around the edge of the pot should not be left dry either. Dry spots can hinder the water absorption of your plant.
How can you recognize good water quality?
To find suitable water for watering plants, you should consider the following criteria. If you use a Bonsanto Growbox for cultivation, you have the great advantage that you do not need to pay attention to this paragraph. The Bonsanto soil regulates the temperature, the EC and pH value of the water as well as the water hardness. So you don't need any measuring devices and you can use any water for watering your favorite plant. In this case, please refer to our Bonsanto growing guide.
If you don't own a Bonsanto grow box or are interested in the theory, consider the following:
Temperature
When watering plants, make sure that the water has a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius. If you use water that is too cold or too hot, the roots of your plant may suffer thermal shock.
EC value
The EC value of the water also contributes to healthy plant growth. EC stands for electrical conductivity and indicates the salt concentration in the water. You can prevent over- or under-salination of your plant by making sure that the EC value of the water does not exceed 0.5 when watering plants.
pH value
The pH value indicates how acidic or basic a solution is. Since the right pH level supports the nutrient uptake of your cannabis plant, you should not use water with a pH level that is too high or too low. Cannabis plants like a slightly acidic grow environment, so the pH of the water should be around 6.0 to 6.5.
Water hardness
Another factor that affects the quality of water is the hardness of the water. Water hardness indicates the mineral content of the water, where hard water has a high concentration of minerals and soft water has a low concentration of minerals. When watering plants, you should use medium hard water with a value of 140 - 210 ppm.
What water sources are suitable for watering plants?
There are several sources of water that growers rely on depending on their preference. First, there is tap water, which is of course the cheapest and most convenient water source. However, European tap water has too high EC and pH in most cases. Measure the temperature, EC- and pH-value of your tap water and fill it into a container if it does not correspond to the necessary values for watering plants. Then leave it in your home for several hours (e.g. overnight). This should cause the temperature of the water to adjust to the room temperature and the EC and pH values to drop. If both values are still too high despite aerating the water, you can lower the pH with a pH regulating solution and adjust the EC value by filtering the water.
In addition, many growers like to use still mineral water from the supermarket. But here, too, you should be sure to check this for the correct pH and EC value and, if necessary, regulate the water so that it is suitable for watering plants. We do not recommend the use of rainwater for indoor growing! Rainwater often contains pollutants absorbed by the environment, which could harm your grow. If you use the Bonsanto Growbox you can also save measuring here, because the Bonsanto soil regulates these values by itself. Everything you should follow when growing in the Bonsanto Growbox, you can find here .
How to recognize problems with watering plants?
There are two typical mistakes that occur again and again when watering plants. Probably the most common problem with indoor growing is overwatering the plant. Overwatering drowns the roots of your plant, so that the plant can no longer be supplied with sufficient oxygen. The problem of overwatering is difficult to remedy, so you should remember: Less water is more! You can recognize overwatering by firm and drooping leaves, which are often yellowish in color. If your plant is growing very slowly or not at all, this can be another sign of overwatering. If you have overwatered your plant, we recommend that you transplant the plant into new soil and remove the rotten roots first. Always let the soil dry out before you start watering again!
On the other hand, if the leaves of your plant are brown, brittle and drooping, this is a sign of the error of underwatering. To fix underwatering, you should soak your plant in water. Remember to water your plant whenever the top layer of soil is dry.
How to avoid overwatering?
An easy way to avoid overwatering is to choose the right grower soil. The Bonsanto Premium Grower is beginner friendly and has perlite, so overwatering is almost impossible and not so harmful to your plant.
General tips at a glance:
- The water should be at room temperature for watering plants
- Pour the water before turning on the lights
- Water the plant slowly, not all at once
- Water the plant only when the top layer of soil is dry
- Avoid under- and overwatering
- Optional: Check the quality of the water before planting if you do not have a Bonsanto Growbox
- Follow our our growing instructions, when growing in the Bonsanto Growbox
Now nothing should go wrong when watering plants!
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