Water From The Top, Or Let The Plant Suck It Up From The Tray?

Hello everyone... So I've been doing some research and I can't find a definitive answer. In fact, all I can find is one camp saying make sure to water from the top and not let the plant suck it up, and another camp saying just the opposite and that letting the plant suck up the water helps prevent over watering.
Ok so, it's easier for me to fill my trays and let the plants absorb from the bottom, and it seems to work quite well. Rather than having to hand water all the plants and disturb the top layer of soil, it's so much easier to just fill the tray.
What do you guys think? Anyone with solid experience?
Thanks in advance,
GS

No dont water from the tray, dont even water the pots in it. Take each pot out water/feed allow to drain (on the sink for eg) then put back under the light.

you wanna water from the top for nute dispersement if u have pellets or a solution mixture,watering from the bottom wont do anything for her.Just replace top soil periodicaly and there wont be an issue, every 2-3 weeks a new layer on top.

I have seen both methods and both work fine, there is no difference between the 2 if you compare the results.

Yup, both work just fine. I've tried them both and there's been no noticeable difference.

Thanks for all the input! Glad to see people with actual experience! All my nutes are dissolved in the water, nothing in the soil, so I should be good. Thanks again for the input!
GS

*BUDS said:

No dont water from the tray, dont even water the pots in it. Take each pot out water/feed allow to drain (on the sink for eg) then put back under the light.

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Since you are the lone person who disagrees, can you explain why it's not ok? I'm being serious, and if you have a serious thought or experience to share, I'd like to hear it.
GS

GodSlave said:

Since you are the lone person who disagrees, can you explain why it's not ok? I'm being serious, and if you have a serious thought or experience to share, I'd like to hear it.
GS

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Feed from the top to get your nutrients in the entire pot. Gravity will pull the water down and out the bottom of the pot.

Gravity will not pull the water solution UP through the soil very far. It just doesn't work that way. Sure it may work feeding from the bottom but it is not optimal. Just don't turn your medium into sludge when watering and you won't have overwatering problems.

PeyoteReligion said:

Feed from the top to get your nutrients in the entire pot. Gravity will pull the water down and out the bottom of the pot.

Gravity will not pull the water solution UP through the soil very far. It just doesn't work that way. Sure it may work feeding from the bottom but it is not optimal. Just don't turn your medium into sludge when watering and you won't have overwatering problems.

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Well, all I can say is after I water, the entire container is moist, including the top. And, I don't have over watering problems. My problem is I am in a cramped tent, and it's very hard and time consuming to water each individual plant, not to mention I have to rub the buds and pull them aside to get to the pots, not good. Much easier to pour into the tray and let them absorb. And your right, gravity will not pull the water up, but absorption and wicking will.
Thanks for the input,
GS

Don't worry, plants learned a long time ago to get water by going down when it's not available from the top. It doesn't rain everyday, yet plants don't die outside. Roots are good at that. Give them the water, and they'll find a way to get it.

laserbrn said:

Don't worry, plants learned a long time ago to get water by going down when it's not available from the top. It doesn't rain everyday, yet plants don't die outside. Roots are good at that. Give them the water, and they'll find a way to get it.

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Right on, that's what I was thinking when I started doing it, but I was slightly concerned, so I wanted clarification.
THANKS AGAIN! +rep
GS

hows this the movement of water from the top to the bottom of the pot acts as a piston and drives out old air and pulls new air into the soil, your wickin theory doesnt do that, besides the weight and surface tenstion that water has by character would make for a poor method of watering from the bottom up, go to any nursery or highend greenhouse, all watering is done top of the pot, also nature doesn't distrubute water from the bottom up when it rains, plants water from the top will develop a root system quiker as well

LT1RX7 Drifter said:

hows this the movement of water from the top to the bottom of the pot acts as a piston and drives out old air and pulls new air into the soil, your wickin theory doesnt do that, besides the weight and surface tenstion that water has by character would make for a poor method of watering from the bottom up, go to any nursery or highend greenhouse, all watering is done top of the pot, also nature doesn't distrubute water from the bottom up when it rains, plants water from the top will develop a root system quiker as well

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I do see what you are saying, but there are also times when plants grown close to creeks, rivers, etc, in drought states like mine, do rely on water absorption for their needs. And following that line of thinking out, wouldn't a plant grown close to a creek and absorbing water mostly, be wicking up good nutrients from deeper soil?
All I know is I've been doing it for about 3 weeks now and have seen no ill symptoms, and there are other growers saying they have used the same method without problems.
Idk what's right or wrong really, I'm just thinking out loud and sharing personal experience
GS

I think that if you search this forum long enough you'll find enough people that have had success watering from the bottom to draw your own conclusions. It works. I personally water from the top, but that's because it's easier for me that way. All of my plants are in individual trays, it would be annoying trying to reach down to them to water them. I have done it in the past when I had multiple pots in the same tray and it worked just fine. The soil stays moist all the way through, only those that haven't tried it would say otherwise.

laserbrn said:

I think that if you search this forum long enough you'll find enough people that have had success watering from the bottom to draw your own conclusions. It works. I personally water from the top, but that's because it's easier for me that way. All of my plants are in individual trays, it would be annoying trying to reach down to them to water them. I have done it in the past when I had multiple pots in the same tray and it worked just fine. The soil stays moist all the way through, only those that haven't tried it would say otherwise.

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Again brother, right on!
GS

I never said it "wouldn't work" but that it is not optimal. Watering from the top provides fresh air which is essential in the root zone. It will also develops a larger, more full root mass and Will take in much more water and nutrients accordingly. But if you think it's too hard to spend a few minutes with you plants, pull them OUT of the tent and water them then you are the type who will cut corners the whole way during your grow. Your product will show it. You will still get a product most likely, but it will not be to its full potential. Just though I would explain a little better. Both techniques will WORK, but which one is more efficient is a different story I guess.

I just don't reccomend cutting corners, that's all.

PeyoteReligion said:

I never said it "wouldn't work" but that it is not optimal. Watering from the top provides fresh air which is essential in the root zone. It will also develops a larger, more full root mass and Will take in much more water and nutrients accordingly. But if you think it's too hard to spend a few minutes with you plants, pull them OUT of the tent and water them then you are the type who will cut corners the whole way during your grow. Your product will show it. You will still get a product most likely, but it will not be to its full potential. Just though I would explain a little better. Both techniques will WORK, but which one is more efficient is a different story I guess.

I just don't reccomend cutting corners, that's all.

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Dude, you have no clue what your talking about. You don't know me, I don't cut corners on anything, as a matter of fact, I go out of my way to make sure everything is perfect. Don't friggin sit there and talk down to me when you have no clue what you're talking about. I've been a hydro grower for over 10 years, and recently switched to soil, so I asked a question to get clarification, dude, I know how to grow pot.
And as for me being lazy... I have a job, I don't have all night to spend pulling each and every plant out for watering once I get home from a 12 hr day. Until you walk in my shoes, you need to step off and keep your mouth shut about things you know nothing of.

Do you have any real evidence that it will reduce my harvest or otherwise harm the plants? Have you done it yourself and found your plants suffering?
And your not exactly correct on the water pulling O2 in, the soil does that on it's own as it drys out. Although water does contain minute amounts of O2, this isn't a fish tank we're talking about, plants do not get their O2 from water.
Q. Why do you think your plants suffer when over watered? A. Because they can't get any O2 to the root zone.

GS

And I KNOW he's not trying to call me lazy or act as if he's somehow a mightier grow than I am. Nothing pisses me off more than noobs that act like they know what they are talking about. Again, he's never done it, never tried and is talking completely sideways out of his ass.

Goddamn noob week, I swear.

PeyoteReligion said:

I just don't reccomend cutting corners, that's all.

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As a matter of fact, YOU shouldn't recommend shit. YOU should be hear asking questions, not answering them and attempting to talk down to people with more experience than you. People don't come on here trying to ask questions and get answers from people with 6 months of experience who don't know what the fuck they are talking about.

When you look through threads, you should try only responding to those that you have ACTUAL experience with instead of speculating and talking out of your ass.

This has been THE worst week with this shit.

laserbrn said:

And I KNOW he's not trying to call me lazy or act as if he's somehow a mightier grow than I am. Nothing pisses me off more than noobs that act like they know what they are talking about. Again, he's never done it, never tried and is talking completely sideways out of his ass.

noob week, I swear.

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Yeah, all these grow sites are chock full of people who read crap, usually wrong, and then try to parrot it out like they know what they are talking about. It's why I don't spend too much time on grow forums. Listen up parrots... Your ignorance shows through when you open your mouth. How about you DO something first, THEN talk about it...
GS