If you're growing cannabis indoors, how often should you water it?

Cannabis plants rely on a number of resources in order to thrive, but out of all of them, marijuana plants consume water in the highest quantity. This is because water plays a fundamental role in every part and biological process of the plant, from its roots to its canopy, all the way down to the cellular level. It is what facilitates photosynthesis, the process through which marijuana plants convert light into energy. Water also fills the cell wall, protecting the cellular membrane, which allows the plant to grow strong and support itself. Water is what allows the roots of a cannabis plant to extract vital nutrients from the soil and circulate them throughout the rest of the plant. During hot temperatures, water is what allows the plant to fight dehydration and wilting. 

Because so much water is involved in the developmental processes of cannabis, there are a number of issues that can present when your watering method fails to consider certain important elements. Of course, marijuana is a hearty weed - when it grows outside in natural soil, it tends to manage its watering needs fine enough on its own. However, the story is different when it is grown in pots, because it is subject to the risk of both under and over watering, among other things.

Despite the various factors that should be considered when watering your plant, there are some easy, common sense practices to live by. For example, a plant grown in a colder environment will need less water than one in a hot and dry climate. However, the soil you are watering should never be too wet. Rather, it should be just moist. If you water your soil just enough to keep it moist, this will prevent the roots from becoming waterlogged. 

So long as your soil is kept consistently moist, there is no need for concern about overwatering. The amount of water your plant consumes may seem like a lot, but it's important to remember that a lot of that water gets evaporated through the leaves, absorbed by cells that fortify the plant, or used to deliver nutrients via the plant's circulatory system.

The point of this guide is to help you to effectively cover all the ways that water impacts your cannabis grow. It will show you how to determine what kind of water to use, how often and how much to water, and how to ensure that your water most efficiently delivers nutrients. The following watering tips will set you up for a happy, hearty cannabis harvest.

What sort of water do cannabis plants need?

Cannabis plants need a specific type of water to really thrive. Unsuitable or poor water quality can negatively impact processes such as transpiration and photosynthesis. When this happens, the plants will wilt and droop, ultimately leading to sickly plants with lighter, poor quality yields.
To prevent such problems, the Potential of Hydrogen (pH) levels and parts per million (PPM) of the water need to be monitored.
pH level. This is the numerical scale used for measuring the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. The pH level has a significant impact on how the plants absorb nutrients. As such, water that is too alkaline or acidic can cause problems with nutrient uptake.Your water must be kept within the ideal pH range of 6.0 to 6.8 so your plants can best absorb the different minerals they need for growth.
Your growing medium has pH levels, too, so it's important to measure the run-off water. If it's too acidic, dissolving garden lime can increase pH levels. If it's too alkaline, adding white vinegar will decrease the pH levels. You can also buy products that raise or lower pH levels.
PPM. Parts per million is a measurement of nutrient minerals present in the water. It can be measured and monitored with the aid of a ppm meter. Too many minerals can cause burning, while too few can lead to deficiencies. Measuring ppm helps the grower stay within optimum ranges.
In the case of cannabis plants, optimum levels depend on growth phase. Plants in the vegetative phase do well with a ppm of 500, but 1000ppm is ideal during the flowering stage.
Not all minerals and dissolved solids are advantageous to cannabis plants. Harmful bacteria and pollutants could be contaminating your water, and these can only be removed with the use of filters. Reverse osmosis filters can remove 95% to 99% of dissolved salts and bacteria in the water, and they're a good way to get your water to acceptable, pre-nutrient levels.

How often should you water cannabis plants?

When you think your cannabis plants might be thirsty, take time to observe:

• Do the leaves look dark green or are they yellowing?
• Are they vibrant, rigid and strong?
• How does the soil feel?

A common mistake first-time growers make is to overwater a plant. A healthy cycle of wet and dry is necessary for the roots of a plant to grow out and reach deeper into the pot.
To see if a plant needs watering, stick a finger down a couple inches into the soil. If it's dry, it's time to water.
You can also pick up a pot and feel the weight of it to determine if it needs water. This will take some experience - be sure to lift up your pots after watering to get a feel for how heavy they are when full of water. This will give you a sense of what a light, or dry, plant feels like.
An underwatered plant looks droopy and weak, with yellow or brown leaves. There is no strength in the leaves and they feel lifeless. But an overwatered plant look similar, except that the leaves are dark green and the leaf tips will curl as if they are hiding from the water in their pot.
Obviously you don't want your plants to ever be in either condition, but as you figure out your cannabis watering schedule, keep in mind that it's better to underwater plants rather than overwater them.
Roots pull in oxygen as soil dries and when soil is too wet, the plant essentially can't breathe.
Pay attention to timing and note the intervals at which you water your plants, and even write it down in a log. But keep in mind that as plants get bigger, they will need more water and need to be watered more frequently.

How Much Water

In terms of how much water you should give your plants, that number can vary as well. It is based on the size of the plant, the temperature, the composition of your soil or substrate, the properties of the water you're using, and the capacity of your air filtration systems.
When your plants mature, the environment gets warmer and less moist, and the plants will need greater air flow and additional water. Large leaves widen the surface area on which evaporation can occur. The metabolic process is activated by heat and transpired moisture is blown away, causing plants to transpire more. Therefore, larger plants generally need more water than smaller plants.
You should also keep in mind that larger containers won't need to be watered as extensively and that plants in the final stages of the flowering phase consume less water and therefore need less. In terms of the temperature outdoors, you should water more during hot weather, but if the humidity level is high, then you should not water as much.
Sometimes growers simply lift up the pot their plant is growing in to see if it feels light or not. If it feels light to them, most of the moisture is gone and, therefore, the time for watering their plant has come.
At first, this might be difficult for people new to this method so you can compare it with another pot that you fill with the same growing medium - but don't water it. This will help you know what a "light" pot should feel like. When you do this, you can lift the actual pot with the plant in it up to see if it is similar in weight to the dummy pot.
After some experience with this, you should no longer require the dummy pot to know if your plant needs watering or not.
Regardless of how much water you end up giving your plants, do so slowly. If you give your plants too much water at once, you'll form tiny channels. Water drains quickly out of these channels, and it won't be absorbed by the roots. Always water your plants slowly and evenly to ensure proper hydration and distribution of nutrients.

How To Grow Weed

After you've planted your seeds or rooted your clones, it's time to get them growing. Lower your reflector so that it's closer to the plants rather than making them stretch to reach for light. Raise the lighting system as your plants grow. Set your light timer to be on for 18 hours per day and off for 6 hours. During this vegetative stage, the plant will grow leaves and branches but no flowers (unless it's an auto-flowering plant).
Avoid overfeeding and overwatering your plants at all costs. Err on the side of caution as it's always easier to add more nutrients or water than it is to take them away. Marijuana roots prefer a wet / dry cycle so lift up your buckets and you'll get a better idea for if they need watering or not by the weight. The first sign of overfed plants is burnt leaf tips. The first rule of how to grow weed is to learn to stay off of its way sometimes.
Anytime space is limited for growing, some basic rules apply: Since square footage is at a premium, plans must take full advantage of each available inch. This means choosing between growing indica-dominant strains such as Hashplant, Afghani # 1 or planning on using drastic trellising and training techniques if growing out sativas such as Super Silver Haze, Jack Herer or Kali Mist.

Grow Tools

The first thing you'll need is a place to grow. I recommend getting yourself a decent MARIJUANA GROW TENT . They're cheap, made to grow inside of and can be put up and taken down quickly by one person. Some tents come with packages that include all kind of complicated hydroponic equipment. Your best bet is to purchase only what you need inside the tent and to learn how to grow weed without the expensive plastic. Some even have separate chambers for vegetative growth and cloning, making them perfect for people living in one-bedroom apartments or studios with limited room to grow.
First, you'll need a growlight. I like HID (High-Intensity Discharge) lighting - HPS (High-Pressure Sodium) or MH (Metal Halide) systems with ballasts, bulbs and reflectors. If heat from these lights will be an issue, there are also LED (Light-Emitting Diode) and CFL (Compact Fluorescent) systems you can employ. FULL SPECTRUM LED GROW LIGHT is highly recommended, which provides plants in all stages from veg to flower with everything they need in the natural sunlight. Be sure to get a light that covers your tent's footprint and invest in a decent timer to control when your light turns on and off.
You'll also need an exhaust fan and activated carbon filter to reduce heat and eliminate odors. Be sure to get one that's rated for your tent's size with the proper ducting size. A clip-on circulating fan will keep air moving and stop it from being stagnant. A thermometer / hygrometer is also a must for keeping track of temperature and humidity.

If you don't have access to marijuana seeds or clones from a dispensary or friend, you'll need to get some cannabis seeds mailed to you. Don't have them mailed to the same place you plan to grow if you're not growing legally. Don't just learn how to grow weed, learn how to be discreet and not brag or bring attention to yourself.

A simple loose and airy soil mix in 3-5 gallon buckets are great for beginners and much more forgiving than any hydroponic system. Be sure to cut holes in the bottom of the buckets and use saucers under them to catch any overflow. You'll need to purchase nutrients to feed to your plants as they grow and a watering can as well.
A ECO FARM MARIJUANA GROW KIT takes the guesswork out of assembling your grow equipment. Complete kits include items that are compatible and optimized for successful indoor growing.
With a grow tent kit, you're able to learn the complex techniques behind cultivation gradually. Your odds of success on the first grow increase, and your risk of wasting money on the wrong products decreases.

Conclusion: Watering Cannabis Plants

If you have never grown marijuana plants before, you will be shocked at how much effort goes into the process. It isn't just a case of planting them, adding nutrients, and watering as and when you feel like it. There is a range of details to consider if you want a strong and healthy crop.
Watering your marijuana plants is the most crucial consideration. However, it isn't as easy as getting a watering can and using it like you would with a bunch of roses. When choosing a watering schedule, you have to adjust depending on whether you grow indoors or outdoors. Climate considerations are also of paramount importance since heat and humidity have a significant impact on cannabis plants.
Finally, you have to consider your growing medium. If you have a small garden, manual watering with a traditional watering can is fine. If you have a more extensive operation, it is worth investing in an auto-watering cannabis system. It will help take the stress out of matters. When all else fails, the weight of your pots can serve as a useful watering guide.
If they are cumbersome, it means the soil is too wet, and you should wait for a few days. If they are too light, it is time to water immediately. It is especially the case if the plant's leaves are showing signs of wilting.