I think I may be doing something wrong with regards to my watering schedule. I have two gallon pots and a 250 gallon reservoir. I grow with three inch, crouton size rockwool in an ebb and flow bed. I water once per day, usually on my clones. Is that excessive? It’s more than what I was feeding my plants through the winter. Am I doing something wrong? Thank you for your help.

-John Plumlee

The amount of water required is dependent on so many variables, but you can be sure it will change throughout the life of the crop. A good suggestion is to pick-up the containers and get a "feel" for their weight just after watering, and when they feel dry. This can help you determine your watering frequency. At the start of flowering they will drink lots, mid-flowering a fair amount and much less at ripening; as a rule of thumb you want the containers to dry out a little between waterings, although never allow them to dry completely Constantly wet soils breed problems.

Cheers,
Erik B.

Erik Biksa

Erik Biksa holds a diploma in agriculture with majors in fertilizer sciences and crop production. Erik has amassed over 18 years of indoor gardening experience and intensive research. Since first appearing in Maximum Yield in 1999, the “Ask Erik” column and numerous articles have reached growers throughout the world.