BY KYLE L. LADENBURGER
P R OP E R
G N I R E T WATEC H N I Q U E S ETHOD OF E A C H U N I Q U E M F E R E N T WAY DIF G ROW I N G H A S A E F F E C T I V E LY ” O F WAT E R I N G Stated as frankly as possible, water is the giver of life. It was the key component in creating life on earth, and its importance in sustaining all life is insurmountable. This rings as true for the world’s smallest organisms as it does for its largest creatures. Without water this all ends, and the plants we grow are no exception. As plants living on Earth evolved, with a little help from the sun, they adopted the ability to receive mineral sustenance from the water. Elemental minerals in their ionic form become dissolved in soil water solution, and can travel along with it into a plants roots and vascular system. A remarkable task in and of itself: the water acts as courier to the minerals delivering them to the plant to use in its developmental processes. In today’s world, plants are grown using several different methods, which have a common thread - they all require water. However, with each unique method of growing comes a different way to provide water in the most effective way. The key to success is having an adequate understanding of which watering technique is the most efficient, and productive for the style of cultivation being practiced.
enough water to allow for constant vegetative growth, but not enough that the medium stays to moist for too long. You can achieve this by watering thoroughly each time, and then letting the medium dry out just enough that it is not constantly wet throughout. Keeping the medium perpetually moist will lower oxygen levels around the roots resulting in poor root development. By allowing the soil-less mix to dry out between feedings it will cause the roots to create more lateral development as it searches for remaining moisture. It’s recommended to not let the seedlings sit in standing water after the medium is adequately saturated. Also, try to not let the medium dry out so much that the plants are falling over from lack of water because this can have negative effects on the plants’ early stages of development.
Container Gardening Seedlings After seeds have sprouted, and the true leaves begin to form, it is imperative that watering be done in a fashion that promotes strong initial root growth. For seedlings growing in soil-less potting mixes the key is to provide 68
The proper watering technique for container growing is directly correlated to the type of medium being used. You can use soil-less growing mixes as they come, but they can also be amended in several ways to reach a certain consistency that a grower may desire.