When growing cannabis plants, many people neglect the topic of watering cannabis. However, watering your plant correctly is important, as over- and under-watering can cause considerable damage to plant growth. Most grow problems can be traced back to incorrect watering. Cannabis overwatering in particular is a common problem, so remember, less water is more! You can find out everything you need to know about watering cannabis here in our blog article. If you are using our Bonsanto grow box for cultivation, please read our cultivation instructions on our website first.
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Why is watering cannabis important?
Since cannabis plants consist of 80 to 90 % water, it is obvious that you need to water the plant properly and use good quality water. Water contains important minerals and nutrients for your cannabis plant. Water is also important for the process of photosynthesis, it cools the cannabis plant and supports healthy plant growth. Even before the seeds become seedlings, the correct water ratio must be ensured; you can read more about this in our blog article “How to germinate cannabis seeds”.
When to water cannabis?
A simple rule when watering cannabis is to always water when the soil is relatively dry. Simply use your finger and stick it a little into the soil to determine whether the soil is dry or moist. If the soil is dry, it should be watered. If the soil is still moist, wait to water the cannabis. Generally speaking, if the top 1-2 cm of the soil is relatively dry, it is a good time to water the cannabis. If you don’t want to use your finger to measure, you can also lift the pot. Watered soil weighs a lot more, which is why the pot should have a higher weight. However, this technique is a lot more complicated than the finger method.
Regarding the optimal time to water cannabis, we advise you to water your cannabis plant before switching on the light when growing indoors, e.g. in the Mini Grow Box from Bonsanto. This prevents the plant roots from burning under the light. If you water the plant in the dark in the evening, the humidity in the grow box can increase too much due to the lack of light, which promotes the development of mold.
How much water does cannabis need?
How much water your plant needs depends on various factors. For example, factors such as the developmental stage of the plant and the environmental conditions influence the water requirements of your cannabis plant. If your plant is in the seedling stage of development, we recommend supplying water using a spray bottle. This will prevent the seedlings from being soaked in water and damaged by the water jet. Developed cannabis plants, on the other hand, require more water than seedlings, which is why you can put the spray bottle to one side at this stage of development. In general, the larger the plant, the greater the water requirement. For growing plants, we advise you to use one of the methods mentioned above and only water when the soil is relatively dry.
Another factor on which the water requirement of your cannabis plant depends is the humidity of the grow environment. If the humidity of the grow environment is high, the cannabis plant requires less water. If the humidity is low, the cannabis should be watered more frequently.
The temperature in the grow environment also plays an important role when watering cannabis. A higher temperature means faster evaporation, which in turn means a higher water requirement.
In addition to the temperature, your chosen lighting also influences the watering of your cannabis plant. If you use an LED lamp, for example the Full Spectrum LED lamp from Bonsanto, you will need to water your plant less, as LED lamps emit less heat compared to other lamps.
Obviously, the size of your pot also influences the water requirements of your plant. The larger the pot, the more water you need to use when watering cannabis.
What properties must water have?
Various types of water can be used for watering cannabis, such as rainwater, tap water, mineral water or filtered water. To find suitable water for your plant, you should consider the following criteria.
If you use a Bonsanto grow box for cultivation, you have the great advantage that you do not need to pay any further attention to this paragraph. The Bonsanto soil regulates the temperature, EC and pH value of the water as well as the water hardness. This means you don’t need any measuring devices and can use any water to water your favorite plant. In this case, please refer to our Bonsanto growing instructions on our website. If you don’t have a Bonsanto grow box or are interested in the theory, please note the following:
Temperature
When watering cannabis, you should pay attention to the right water temperature. A water temperature of 20 degrees Celsius is best for cannabis plants. You can use a thermometer to check the temperature of the water. Since 20 degrees Celsius is the room temperature in most cases, you can pour the water into a watering can or other container and leave it in the room for a few hours so that the water takes on the temperature of the room. If you use water that is too cold, the roots may suffer a shock.
pH-value
Another important factor when watering cannabis is the pH value of your water. The pH value indicates how acidic or alkaline a solution is. As the correct pH value supports the nutrient uptake of your cannabis plant, you should not use water with a pH value that is too high or too low. Cannabis plants like a slightly acidic growing environment, which is why the pH value of the water should be around 6.0 to 6.5. In Central Europe, for example, tap water has a pH value of around 8 and is therefore too alkaline. In contrast, mineral water usually has a pH value that is too low and is therefore also not suitable for watering cannabis. If you want to adjust the pH value of the water so that it is suitable for watering cannabis, you can use a pH-regulating solution.
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. It is important that your water contains neither too many nor too few salts to prevent over- or undersalination. The optimum EC value for watering cannabis should be between 0.2 and 0.5. At the beginning of plant growth, cannabis likes a lower EC value. As the plant grows, it then prefers a slightly higher salt content. If your tap water has an EC value of over 0.5, it is best to filter the water to reduce the EC value slightly.
Water hardness
Another factor that influences the quality of the water is the hardness of the water. Water hardness indicates the mineral content of the water. A high concentration of minerals is referred to as hard water, whereas a low concentration of minerals is referred to as soft water. You can use either a TDS or a conductivity meter to measure this. Soft water has a value of 70 – 140 ppm and should not be used for watering cannabis, as it does not contain enough nutrients. This can lead to deficiency symptoms in the plant. Medium-hard water is best for watering cannabis, where your meter indicates a value of 140 – 210ppm.
How do you recognize cannabis overhydration?
Cannabis overwatering is a problem that often occurs in indoor cultivation. Overwatering your cannabis plant can lead to the roots drowning and therefore no longer being able to absorb the oxygen that is vital for your plant. Overwatering is much more harmful than underwatering and is difficult to remedy. But how can you tell if cannabis is overwatered? One symptom of cannabis overwatering is firm and drooping leaves. If your leaves take on a yellowish color, this can be another indication of overwatering when watering cannabis. It can also lead to slower or non-existent plant growth.
What to do in case of cannabis overhydration?
If you notice these signs of cannabis overwatering, it is important to water your plant less often and to ensure that the water drains properly from the pot. As a rule of thumb, when watering cannabis, around 20% of the water should drain through the pot. This indicates good drainage and loose soil, both of which are important factors for healthy plant growth. If you have only slightly overwatered your cannabis plant, you can give it time by allowing the soil to dry out. Wait until the plant has recovered and looks healthy again. If you have overwatered your cannabis plant, repotting is the only solution. You should examine the roots of your plant and cut off any rotten roots. Plant your cannabis plant in a pot with new soil and wait until it has recovered from the overwatering before watering.
How to avoid cannabis overhydration?
An easy way to avoid cannabis overwatering is to choose the right grow medium. The Bonsanto Premium Grower Soil is beginner-friendly and has perlite, making overwatering almost impossible and less harmful to your plant.
How do you recognize underwatering?
Although underwatering is less harmful to cannabis plants than overwatering, it should still be avoided. You can recognize an underwatered plant by wilted, brittle and drooping leaves as well as very dry soil. It can also result in a bent plant stem and brown discolored leaves.
What to do in case of cannabis dehydration?
To remedy cannabis underwatering, you should soak your plant in water so that about 20% of the water flows into the saucer of the pot. Always water your plant when the top layer of soil is dry.
What irrigation methods are there for watering cannabis?
Depending on the cannabis plant and your preference, there are different methods you can use to water your cannabis.
For example, you can water your cannabis plant manually with a watering can or a hose. With this method, you should pour the water slowly into the pot and make sure to distribute it as evenly as possible so that it doesn’t just collect in one place. The advantage of this method is that you can control the watering well, but it takes more time than the other watering methods.
The second irrigation method is called flood irrigation. Here, a bowl filled with water is placed under the pot. This allows your cannabis plant to absorb the water it needs from the saucer. This method is simple and quick, but unlike manual watering, it cannot guarantee an even distribution of nutrients.
For watering cannabis, you can also use the quick and easily controllable method of automated watering systems. These usually consist of a water tank or a water pump with a timer. The disadvantage is the price of these irrigation systems. In addition, the EC and pH value of the water must be measured regularly. If you use the Bonsanto Growbox, you can also save yourself the trouble of measuring, as the Bonsanto soil regulates these values itself. You can also find an inexpensive automated irrigation system in our store.
To summarize:
Our blog article has taught you how much water your plant needs, which factors influence the water requirements of your cannabis plant and how to recognize and avoid overwatering and underwatering your cannabis plant. If you pay attention to the factors of good water quality and follow the rules of thumb for the right watering time, nothing should go wrong when watering cannabis! If you use one of our Bonsanto grow boxes for cultivation, you save yourself a lot of work, as you don’t need any measuring devices to check the water quality. You can find out everything you need to know about growing in a grow box in the growing instructions on our website.
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Ich bin seit neustem im Homegrowing aktiv und habe mein neues Hobby gefunden. Das Growzelt von Bonsanto hat definitiv einen großen Teil dazu beigetragen, weshalb ich meine Erfahrung mit euch teilen wollte. Schaut euch meine Cannabis-Pflanzen an! Wenn das mal nicht gut aussieht.
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Hallo zusammen, ich habe mir vor kurzem die Bonsanto Mini Grow Box XL zugelegt. Ich bin totaler Anfänger, daher war ich erst ein wenig skeptisch. Gerade auch was den Anbau in einem so kleinem Raum angeht. Bis jetzt läuft aber alles nach Plan. Ich benutze das Bonsanto Zubehör (Erde, Dünger, CO2 Bags etc.).
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