Transplanting to 5 gal in a few days. Was hoping to get some advice on when to top water if too top water, adding nutrients, ect. I understand the basics and am going to use rice hulls as top cover to retain moisture and add silica. I was only planning on top watering with molasses once a week and just refilling the bases as needed. I should only need to start adding nutrients mid flower if the soil holds up like I’ve researched. Started in happy then transplanting into ocean forest with worm castings and MRy. Should I top dress nuts or add them to bases? Any advice is welcome thanks
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when you say top dress, are you talking about dry amendments? or synthetic bottled stuff?
I have general hydroponics on hand, but I’m not set on either method. Like I said I shouldn’t need to add until later in flower but not sure which way would work better/ be easier.
I’m leaning against synthetic only because I would like to reuse soil without residual salt buildup.
so with the water base you can mix your GH nutrient solution like you normally do and dump it in the res. you’d still need to flush out the salt buildup though. so once the res goes dry, let the soil dry out a bit. flush it with plain water until 15-20% run off then rinse and repeat by making another nutrient batch for your res.
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I grow with organic dry amendments, and i also use the water base. what I would do with that is top dress, then water it in by hand for the first 3 or 4 waterings then let the base take it from there. gotta work those amendments into the soil. as the base will only keep the bottom 2/3rds of your soil moist.
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Thank really appreciate it. I’ve heard very polar opinions from people on these. It’s good to hear from someone who is actually successfully using them. I think I will use the organic dry amendments it seems less wastefull and easier to do without a soil moisture meter. I’m not against synganics just enjoy the tiny universe of microbiomes. Thanks again.
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same exact reason why I stick with organic / dry amendments. no need for mixing nutrient solutions every other day. just top dress it once every 3 weeks or so and keep up with waterings. good luck! there is a lot of great information here with plenty of people willing to help! so you’ve came to the right place.
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Ya I have been looking for a friendly forum. I haven’t grown in about 17 yrs so there is a lot of science to catch up on. Thanks again I wish you many terps
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Welcome to the forum 
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I wouldn’t advise this a Grow Bro with bottom wicking systems. I’ve been running autopots for 4 years and only once did I flush and it was only due to my negligence and never top feed. 
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Are you saying not to top feed at all? Is this because of possible lock out or over dampening? I wasn’t going to use synthetics so I wouldn’t need to actually flush. I was just planning on adding about a litter per pot with some molasses weekly. Then when I do top dress I would water that in but not heavy just enough to get the nuts in the root zone. Please let me know what the issues with this are. I would appreciate any advice. Ty
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If you’re bottom feeding a nutrient mix a top feeding isn’t recommended so that the top feed salts from the nutrient mix can’t make its way to the bottom feeding mix. I’m not sure about scratching in dry amendments if that’s your question. I’m sure you could top feed enough water to dapen the soil and dry nutrients. When you start a plant on bottom feeding the roots need to be established so that they’re feeding from near the bottom 1/3 of the pots. Depending on the plants age and root development It’s recommended to top feed a young plant until the roots are established and can start feed from that lower 1/3 of the pot
Transplanted from a solo cup at 14 days and top fed for 2 weeks to get the roots growing
3 gallon pots feeding from the auto pots
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Thank you for the advice. You have beautiful plants
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