A Guide to Watering Cannabis Correctly

Watering cannabis, like all plants, allows the plant to absorb nutrients from the soil and move them up the plant and into the leaves. Without it, the plant cannot survive. However, giving a cannabis plant enough water may be more challenging than you think. Watering cannabis plants appears to be the most straightforward task, but many producers, mainly those new to cannabis cultivation, make watering cannabis mistakes. Overwatering is one of the most prevalent causes of growing problems like cannabis deficiencies and cannabis diseases, but giving your plants too little water can harm their growth.

Factor to consider when watering cannabis plants

One problem with how to water pot plants is that it isn’t a precise science, and many factors influence how much you should apply. As an easy example, your cannabis watering requirements will change as your plants grow in size. However, other, more complex variables influence how much or how little you should drench your plants. Let’s go over several most crucial things to remember when watering cannabis plants:

Growing medium

Both novice and experienced cultivators should know how to water cannabis plants in soil. This is because soil is the commonly used medium in the cannabis world. The growing medium you use significantly influences how much water the soil can hold, and drainage greatly influences how frequently and how much you water your plants. Cannabis prefers well-draining soils that are rich but airy and “fluffy.” Some other factor to consider is that the growing containers themselves must have holes in the bottom to allow water to escape. Since more compact soil mixes retain moisture for a more extended period, they necessitate less frequent cannabis watering. Alternatively, moisture can linger in the soil for an extended period causing nutrient deficiencies, root rot and fungus, pests, and many other plant problems.

Growth stages

Cannabis plants require various amounts of water based on their stage of maturity. The guidelines provided below relate to maturing vegetative and watering during flowering cannabis stage. You should understand how to water cannabis seedlings and cuts as they necessitate significantly less water.

Avoid watering cannabis crops with a powerful stream in the early stages, as this may knock them over and interrupt the emerging roots. Alternatively, use a light mister to moisten the substrate softly. Wait for the soil to dry out before repeating the process entirely. The speed with which the soil dries depends on your environmental factors, but this translates roughly to misting once every 2–3 days. The statistics below are intended to give growers a broader overview of the regularity of watering cannabis; if a plant requires water and falls outside of these variations, water it.

• Germination (4-7 days)
• Seedling (3-7 days)
• Vegetative (2-4 days)
• Flowering (2-3 days)

Size of containers

The size of your container will also influence the entire balance of moisture retention and drainage. If you have a small plant in a large pot, soaking the whole substrate will drown it before it has a likelihood to develop. Similarly, you may encounter the opposite problem if large root-bound plants are stuck in tiny pots. This is also why producers typically learn how to water cannabis seedlings in smaller pots and then up-pot them as the plant grows. It is much easier to avoid overwatering a sensitive seedling in a small pot.

The overall health of the pot plant

Your plants’ overall health and resilience will also influence how much water cannabis plants require. If a plant’s growth is slow or hindered, or if diseases or pests impact it, it will likely need less water than a thriving plant.

The intensity of light and temperature outside

Cannabis plants do not grow at the same rate all of the time. For instance, a plant in cooler surroundings will grow much more slowly than one in a warmer environment. Another critical factor here is the intensity of the light. Plants that receive more heat and light will inevitably have higher water and nutrient requirements than those that receive little light and cold temperatures.

Indications that your cannabis plants are thirsty

You now understand the factors that influence how and how much to water cannabis plants and how these factors differ from person to person. So, how can you tell when it’s time to water? Here are a few indicators that your cannabis plants are thirsty:

Drooping and frail cannabis plants

Your cannabis plants will droop if they are thirsty. Since the entire plant can seem sickly and lifeless, it’s challenging to miss this indication. The catch here is that thirsty plants can resemble those that are drooping as a result of overwatering. The difference here is that overwatered plants’ leaves are generally dark green and establish a “claw” where they curl and bend downwards, giving the entire plant a heavy and waterlogged look.

Brown or yellow cannabis leaves

Your cannabis plant’s thirst can be seen in flailing and drooping and discolored leaves. Do the leaves on your cannabis plants turn brown or yellow? It is common for cannabis plants to develop yellowish leaves in the final weeks of flowering. Conversely, a mature, healthy-growing plant should not have brown or yellow leaves. If it has, it is an indication that something is wrong. And the majority of the time, it is a watering cannabis problem.

Check your soil

Getting your hands soiled is one of the simplest and quickest ways to determine whether your cannabis plant is getting enough water. Stick your finger (a few centimeters) into the ground and feel if the soil is dry. Is that correct? Then give your beloved plant some nice, clean water. However, it will not allow you to detect the water content of the growing medium’s middle and bottom.

Conversely, weighing your pot will give you a clear picture of how much water remains. You can make decisions based on how your containers feel in your hands when they are dry versus when they are saturated. Even better, weigh them to determine when they’re ready for more water.

To respond to the question of how much to water cannabis plants and how often to water cannabis. Water cannabis plants thoroughly, but not excessively! You can avoid most common cannabis growing problems if you know when and how to water pot plants and are conscious of any related concerns along the way. You will be raising happy, healthy plants with excellent yields!