HELP! Help me understand watering coco in smart pots.

[InvertedAxis]

Hello!

Starting my second grow - the first is still ongoing but hasn't gone well, and I think my watering process has been a big part of that.

I'm using 3-gallon smart pots (https://www.amazon.co.uk/GardenMate-...gateway&sr=8-2).

Previously I used 100% coco (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

This time I'm using 20% perlite 80% coco.

The problem I'm having is getting run-off.

On my last grow I read a lot about watering to 10-20% run-off for each watering.

However, when I watered the 100% coco it took so much water to get ANY run-off at all that I ended up massively over-watering the plants if I tried to get run-off.

Now I've set up the 3 gallon pots with the perlite/coco mix and am trying to prime them with PHd CalMag water - I've already put in 1.5L to each pot and still zero run-off.

I'm not really sure what to do - it doesn't seem right to need to put in several litres at each watering, and when I have watered to run-off before it's ended up taking 5+ days for the top inch to become dry enough again for watering.

At this point I'm just a little lost at what watering process to follow. I feel like if I water to run-off I will always over-water.

Many thanks for everyones' thoughts on this!!

[Mr.furley]

Hi InvertedAxis
my opinion is you still need to add more perlitr, I would suggest 60% coco and 40% perlite.the more Perlite the easier you will achieve runoff.
you should get runoff with a gallon of water and though everyone does it different I water to runoff then let the pot dry out for a couple days then water again.

[InvertedAxis]

Hi InvertedAxis
my opinion is you still need to add more perlitr, I would suggest 60% coco and 40% perlite.the more Perlite the easier you will achieve runoff.
you should get runoff with a gallon of water and though everyone does it different I water to runoff then let the pot dry out for a couple days then water again.

In the early stages, do you water the entire pot? Or just around the plant?

[Mr.furley]

Young seedlings are just around the plant. You growing autos? Or photos? How old are your plants? Pictures?

https://www.growweedeasy.com/how-to-water-a-seedling-in-a-big-pot