In today’s lesson we are going to be talking about some very common problems that new gardeners face. Of course there are countless reasons why some ones indoor garden has failed but for the most part all of the problems can be in some way be traced back to one of these main problem areas. For example if your soil has mold or fungi growing on it you more than likely are not providing your plants with enough light, heat and are giving it way too much water way too often. And it is for this reason that today we are only going to focus on the main groups of watering, lighting, and feeding.
Watering your plants correctly is by far one of the biggest misunderstood concepts by not just new gardeners but most people who garden. Providing your plants with the proper amounts of water and nutrients can either make or break your garden and its crops. There are several benefits to watering your plants correctly.
The first being your plants will not have to struggle to breath. The root system of your plants grows in the presence of air, nutrients and water. If you over water and soak your soil for long periods of time frequently everyday you will very soon find that your plants root system has become weak, water logged, nutrient robbed and is very very very likely to have some sort of harmful organisms eating away at your plants root system.
The second being that your plants will develop deep strong roots that will reach closer to their ideal root depth, for example a tomato plant can have a root system under “ideal” conditions of around 10’. If your plants get to two thirds of this then they are in really good condition.
Okay so now that you know that watering your plants the right way is really good for them, how do you actually water them correctly? Well this is where it all gets a little bit tricky because the answer in short is water really deep but not too often. Once again if plants were in their “ideal” conditions you could water them exactly thirty minutes every Tuesday for the next ten years. But as we all know there are rarely ideal conditions and so we must adapt. It is for this reason that every time you water your plants it is going to be a little different.
First off if your plants are in a more porous material such as potting soil mixes then you are going to water your plants less frequently than if you have a pure organic bark/ sand/ compost mix. Also check to see how your plants are being contained. If they are in a pot and plate setup then you can water a little bit more frequently as the excess water does have a place to leave. As compared to a concealed pot with no drain hole where you will have to make sure that you do not have stagnated water sitting at the bottom of the pot. Another factor that you must consider is the type of plant that you are growing. If they are water loving plants such roses then you will for sure want to water more frequently that say a drought resistant succulent that only needs to be watered maybe twice a month. Another factor to consider is the type of grow lights that you are using. HID lights are known to evaporate off more water than LED grow lights. This translates to if watering more for HID lights and less for the LED lights. One of the best ways to make sure that your plants are getting the correct amount of water is to read up on the type of plant that you are getting and use a soil moisture sensor. These can run a little pricey on some models, if you are strapped for cash and or just want to make something while waiting for your plants to grow you can make your own at http://www.cheapvegetablegardener.com/2009/11/how-to-make-cheap-soil-moisture-sensor-2.html.
Do not worry if at first you do not get watering your plants down to an exact science it takes time and effort as well as attention. If your plants leaves are starting to curl a bit then you are under watering. If the soil is always super moist to the point that if you push on it water comes out fairly easy lay off the agua.
Now that your plants are being watered correctly let’s take a minute to make sure that your plants are getting the right kind of light that they need. Often times people are unsure of how to properly operate their grow lights and just assume that they can place them wherever they want, keep them on for as long as they want and get the same results as they would by doing it the right way.
To avoid doing things to your plants that you will later regret read all of the directions and make sure to follow them, they are there for a reason and will make your plants flourish if followed correctly. The most common problem with the use of grow lights is that they are either too far away and do not provide your plants with the necessary light that they need to flourish, or they are too close and burn and singe your plants leaves and stems often killing them. For the most part if you have HID or high intensity discharge grow lights keep them 4 feet away if they are over four hundred watts. If they are below four hundred be careful and test with a maximum closeness of two feet. If you have LED grow lights then you can place your grow lights much closer as they put off very little heat and need the extra closeness for optimum light uptake or absorption. This will vary from grow light to grow light so be sure to read your instructions. If your lights did not come with instructions place them at least two feet away and keep an eye on them and test different ranges. As mentioned above if you are using HID lights you will want to increase your nutrient and water cycles. As far as how long you should keep your grow lights on there is some debate as to whether it actually matters but for the most part you are safe keeping your lights on eighteen hours turn them off for six and repeat until it is close to flowering time as this is the time when you want twelve and twelve. A simple timer is great for this and can be purchased relatively cheap, all that you have to do is set the times when you want it to come on and go off and plug it in. If you are starting out with grow lights I would suggest a full spectrum type of light preferably a LED light as they are easy to manage and require no extra accessories to work correctly. HID or fluorescent work equally as well if you would like to use them just be sure to keep an eye on them.
Once your lights are good and you’re watering your plants like you should, you can start to add fertilizers or plant foods to the equation. This is also a very large pitfall of the new indoor gardener as they want to give their plants the best possible chance by adding a little extra nutrients to the mix. The problem comes into play when people think that if a little bit is good then a lot is even better which can result in burning the plant and killing it. For the most just add half of what the bag says and you will be fine. If at all possible try to get a time released fertilizer that leeches out slowly over time and greatly reduces the chance of burning your plants with the fertilizer.
