Sunday, October 25, 2015

Beginner Growers Infographic: Watering, Nutrients, and pH.


Beginner Growers Infographic by TheGrow.co

The #1 mistake new growers make is overwatering their plants. Make sure to test the soil or growing medium before giving your plant more water. If it's still moist, don't water it! Overwatering can cause the plant roots to rot, and can also drain the nutrients from the soil.

Another mistake is giving nutrients at every watering. That's too much! You need to alternate the water and nutrient feedings. Don't start your plants off with a full blast of nutrients right away either. Ramp up the nutrient dosage slowly, to get your crops used to the intensity. 

Make sure you test pH regularly. Plants thrive in a certain pH range, and going out of range can cause some nutrients to be absorbed poorly. 

Use a pH meter to:
- Test your water, before adding nutrients
- Test your nutrient mix
- Test your run-off

Get yourself some pH up and down products to regulate your pH levels. These are available at every gardening or hydroponics supply store, in person or online.

And remember to test your pH twice per week. Being diligent about this will make sure you grow healthy plants that produce abundant harvest.