root bound or not root bound... advice on potting on plants

[Sarico]

As we are on the topic...

As taught to me on my horticulture course.

Plants need their soil to have:
25% air
25% water
45% soil [equal parts sand, silt clay]
5% organic material

With compost, that organic material is very high - hence having to feed as in soil, the nutrients ideally are in the clay.

So, if your pots are kept wet all the time, where are they getting the air from? They need to be watered but they do not need to be constantly wet. There should be enough in the compost in weather like this to sustain the plant for a few days, if you are watering every day then they aren't drawing any air into the soil. Unless they are water plants like celery of course. But anything else - give them some air!

that is very interesting... i love this forum because there is actually a lot to learn and not only people thought... this make sense.. i'm worry that they didn't get enough water but i drown them

I poke my finger into the soil to about 2cm. If it's dry i water*, if not i don't. I'm probably still overwatering but i've never had any plants die from it.

* from the top, because i can't be bothered faffing around watering from the bottom. Plants usually get water from the sky anyway, right?

this is wat i do outside when i plant them in the final position... my finger are so fat (my fiancee call them sausage finger) that if i poke the soil in the 3" pots it will look like a squirel dig home in my pot ... plus i end up to compact the soil...

I knew when I wrote it, it wasn't right! Couldn't think how else to say it though
I never know which day of the week it is, so if there are 12 days I wouldn't be at all surprised!!

i know why you wrote that... this is my post and after that i make you smile a lot with my posts ( for example the famouse potato red duck of york ) you make me smile this morning..

[Two_Sheds]

my basil plant is dead..

Basil really is Mediterranean, and needs it warmer than your blowaway is, I suspect
[/QUOTE]

[Maccabee]

this is wat i do outside when i plant them in the final position... my finger are so fat (my fiancee call them sausage finger) that if i poke the soil in the 3" pots it will look like a squirel dig home in my pot ... plus i end up to compact the soil... )

My fingers must be a bit more dainty . You don't need to prod your finger in like you're poking someone in the eye, just scratch your way in gently like a little mouse, replacing the soil after yourself. It works for me anyway, that's all i'm saying.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Whilst there is no doubt about what everyone including me is saying about overwatering killing seedlings.

A conumdrum for me as always been hydroponics just why don't their plants die?

Colin

[SarzWix]

With hydroponics, the plants aren't constantly in the water are they? I thought that the solution was pumped round, sort of washing over the roots rather than just sitting there. Never used that system though, so I may well be wrong

Edited to add: There seems to be many different forms of hydroponics. Some simple explanations and diagrams here: http://www.simplyhydro.com/system.htm They all seem to involve air though

[Potstubsdustbins]

Thanks for that link Sarah, simple and very informative. Question answered the roots do not sit in liquid 24/7.

Thanks Colin

[veggiechicken]

i know why you wrote that... this is my post and after that i make you smile a lot with my posts ( for example the famouse potato red duck of york ) you make me smile this morning..

You always make me smile, too, Sarico . Thank you!!
What did happen to your Red Duck?

[Sarico]

You always make me smile, too, Sarico . Thank you!!
What did happen to your Red Duck?

some of them are showing the head but some of them not yet.... considered the weather they may migated somewhere else... ( i found a big hole on top of the fleece)