2 questions about watering.

mikaroni said:

OK, here is a better picture to show their size. So, it sounds like I should fully water until runoff based on what you guys are saying?

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If you had fungus gnats on the yellow stickies you probably overwatered and thats the early leaf damage too. To start, the roots grow an inch per day in good soil. The way to water this plant is easy really, you water thoroughly then wait and wait and wait til the soil dries, especially in nonporous containers. You can water to runoff, flood the basement if you want but you gotta wait til the soil dries, especially the top two inches to prevent gnats. Keep in touch Rookie.

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Kerowacked said:

If you had fungus gnats on the yellow stickies you probably overwatered and thats the early leaf damage too. To start, the roots grow an inch per day in good soil. The way to water this plant is easy really, you water thoroughly then wait and wait and wait til the soil dries, especially in nonporous containers. You can water to runoff, flood the basement if you want but you gotta wait til the soil dries, especially the top two inches to prevent gnats. Keep in touch Rookie.

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Thanks man. I'll water until runoff instead of just halfway.

A small plant in a large plant should not be watered to runoff. Something that small requires very little water.

How much to water partially depends on your medium. Water-to-runoff is only good if you have really well draining soil. Too much clay or peat and it’s just going to hold so long the roots rot. I like having about 20% fresh coco coir in my soil, but it also originally had some, plus pumice, perlite, and native soil.
Coco mixed inseems to keep my plants happy even when the soil feels like it is getting dry (I lift the pot and it is light). I test with a Rapitest moisture meter occasionally but just to get really deep to track moisture low. If it reads 2.5-3 or less I water using a mister or that setting on hose-head, or the lightest of showers. Misting takes time but is the best because the water gets better aerated (roots need oxygen!) and it doesn’t move your soil around causing your light material (perlite) to float. You want your nice, airy soil to stay nice and airy.
On that last note, some people use just a mix of coco and perlite, or just one or the other.
They both drain very well (though coco’s micro-pockets help hold air and water that your roots can access it dries) and these mediums when just them should be watered until runoff.

I'm starting to think that Black Gold brand soil has crappy drainage. It takes 7+ days to dry out. could be how small the autos are though too I'd imagine. Starting next grow, I'm going coco all the way... and fabric pots.

mikaroni said:

I'm starting to think that Black Gold brand soil has crappy drainage. It takes 7+ days to dry out. could be how small the autos are though too I'd imagine. Starting next grow, I'm going coco all the way... and fabric pots.

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As many people will tell you and I’m learning more about personally-
Mind your roots!
Also, I find, if you can get some coco-fiber to mix in to your soil, the better (up to 40ish%?) even if you have to water more. Or perlite.

MAGpie81 said:

As many people will tell you and I’m learning more about personally-
Mind your roots!
Also, I find, if you can get some coco-fiber to mix in to your soil, the better (up to 40ish%?) even if you have to water more. Or perlite.

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There is perlite, although looks like it needs a bunch more. Coco i doubt is in it. Plenty of wood chips and sticks in it, not happy about that. This is the last time I do Black Gold soil.

The courser coco is usually the better stuff, the fine stuff is what wont drain well.

mikaroni said:

There is perlite, although looks like it needs a bunch more. Coco i doubt is in it. Plenty of wood chips and sticks in it, not happy about that. This is the last time I do Black Gold soil.

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If your doing a l.o.s., water 5% by volume. If your using bottled nutes, water to 20% runoff.

mikaroni said:

There is perlite, although looks like it needs a bunch more. Coco i doubt is in it. Plenty of wood chips and sticks in it, not happy about that. This is the last time I do Black Gold soil.

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Are you trying to do organic?
The wood chips and chunky stuff is part of the soil. As it breaks down it feeds the microorganisms that are probably the most important aspect of soil. With good soil(good microbes and nutrient rich material) you don’t have to feed as much (less money!) and your plant will be more resistant to disease and even some bugs.
I like to have a mix of fine and chunky coco in my soil, with a layer of chunky on top to keep the soil from moving too much if I water “hard”. The coco provides aeration and water control, while the soil provides nutrients.