Water is crucial for all living things on Earth. It’s even part of the air we breathe, to an extent, and it’s largely responsible for shaping the world as we know it. Without water, all life on Earth would wither away and die, and it wouldn’t take very long for that to happen. After all, if there wasn’t any water, there would be no way for the planet to even create its essential weather patterns and sustain its atmosphere. If you’re growing a nice crop of marijuana plants, water is just as important for them as it is to all other life on the planet.
Why Do Plants Need Water?
Plants need water for many reasons. For one, water constitutes about 80 percent of their overall composition. It gives them their structural integrity, keeps their cells plump and active, and allows them to make food from minerals and generate energy from the sun. It also allows plants’ roots to draw in nutrients. If there’s not enough water in the soil or growing medium, your marijuana plants can’t take in nutrients through their roots and distribute them as needed. Because of all this, watering your weed properly is essential.
How Much Water Does Marijuana Need?
While plenty of mathematical formulas and complex algorithms are out there to help determine the exact amount of water for marijuana and other plants, they’re not always the best rules to follow. After all, cannabis plants need different amounts of water in different stages of their lives. Some strains require more moisture than others as well.
To make matters even more complicated, surrounding environmental conditions must also be considered. Depending on the type of soil or medium you’re using, the temperatures and humidity levels in your area or grow room, and other factors, your plants may require different amounts of water than others.
With all that in mind, a good way to determine just how much water your cannabis crop needs is to keep an eye on the plants and the soil or growing media beneath them. If the plants appear withered and pitiful looking, they need more water. If the soil is extremely dry, it doesn’t have a supply of water for the plants to draw from. On the other hand, if you press your finger into the soil up to your first knuckle, and the soil feels moist to the touch, it’s probably just right.
What’s the Right Way to Water Marijuana Plants?
It’s important to follow all the standard protocols for watering cannabis plants. If the plants are in pots, add water until it pools on the surface of the soil. It should drain within a few seconds, leaving moist soil.
If you add water and it disappears but nothing drains, it’s probably a good idea to slowly drizzle in more until it begins to drain. In the event water pools on the surface and simply sits there, you’ve probably given the plants too much. For outdoor marijuana plants, be sure the soil remains moist but not overly saturated.
Consider watering your plants early in the morning so they’ll have plenty of moisture to draw from throughout the day. They need less water at night when the sun goes down and the temperatures drop. Be sure to apply water directly to the soil. If you apply the water to the plants themselves, it’s likely to run off and away from the roots. Remember, the plants take in water through their roots rather than their leaves or stems.
Making Sure Your Marijuana Plants Are Happy and Healthy
All in all, just make sure the plants look lively and healthy and the soil is moist but not saturated. Those are good signs that your plants have plenty of moisture to thrive and mature. On the other hand, if they appear heavy, droopy, and dark, you may be giving them too much water. If that’s the case, give them a little drying out period.
