How much water for a new 25 gallon pot?

Coug99 · 07-04-2012, 12:35 PM

I just repotted 8 bananas into 25 gallon pots and I watered them with 2 gallons of water and the bottom 10" is still dry, the top is nicely wet but not soaking. Should I water more to get it all wet or just see how the plants does? Thanks in advance.

Chris

Ivanov_Kuznetsov · 07-04-2012, 04:38 PM

I use the index finger method, sometimes going half a foot or up to a foot with a small hand trowel. If it looks/feels like sand, I add water. Sand makes up most of the soil in florida by far; I got around the need for frequent waterings by using compost and mulch, using a jungle layer approach suggested by RMPLMNZ.

Olafhenny · 07-04-2012, 05:55 PM

It is simple: Just like with 95% of all plants make sure you have good bottom drainage and then
pour in water until it starts coming out at the bottom of the pot. Then Stop!

If left too long the soil may become so dry, that it shrinks back from the edges of the pot, maybe
even become hygrophobic. If that is the case, the water might run right through to the bottom
without benefiting the plant. In such an event you may want to immerse a smaller pot in a water filled
container for an hour or two to permit the soil to become saturated with moisture. Of course
with a 25gallon pot that is a problem and you will have to use some patience and add small amounts
of water frequently to allow the soil to swell back to its original volume gradually.

After that just use Ivanov’s method. If you want to be sure, that your banana gets enough
water (bananas need plenty of that stuff; they originate in humid environments with lots
of monsoons), you may want to water it once every month or two ‘til it drains out at the bottom.

Good luck!
Olaf

cincinnana · 07-04-2012, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coug99

I just repotted 8 bananas into 25 gallon pots and I watered them with 2 gallons of water and the bottom 10" is still dry, the top is nicely wet but not soaking. Should I water more to get it all wet or just see how the plants does? Thanks in advance.

Chris

Hi Chris,

Sounds like you had your work cut out for you. Whatever I pot up or repot any of my plants I always use premoistened soil media. I mix it in large quantities on my driveway turning it with a snow shovel and wetting it down with a garden hose. When it's premoistened the water that you add once you pot up your plants flow straight through to the bottom. I never use dry soil media because, as you might notice, it repels the water. This is what works for me.
Happy gardening!

Iunepeace · 07-05-2012, 01:19 AM

What's the jungle method?

Ivanov_Kuznetsov · 07-05-2012, 03:44 PM

It's basically just compost using a layering method. The dark, water retaining soil in the style of the jungle/forest floor is the goal. Again, increasing the ratio of organic matter to dirt/sand in the soil increases water retention, without getting into the goofy synthetic compounds. I've used many recipes; lately, it's been a lot of wood ash and dead plants with manure and a bit of dirt.

These folks call it lasagna: Composting in the Home Garden - Common Questions

With pots, it's trickier because everything decays more slowly. The compost is probably key because any time I've tried to grow anything down here in FL sun in pots with regular dirt, it dries out too quickly.

Olafhenny · 07-05-2012, 04:13 PM

I have never tried to compost in a pot, though I usually leave small bits of half decomposed grass or
leaves in the soil, if they happen to be there. They always seem to have disappeared. when I
re-pot again.

One of the reasons, why composting in pots does not work so well is of course the lack of air access
n plastic pots. The other might be, that there are usually none of garden's and compost's best friend,
dew worms, in pots. I treasure these little guys. They work the soil and transform dead
veggie matter into probably the finest fertilizer on the planet.

If the pot is of a fair size and outdoors, I usually add at least a couple of worms.

Ivanov_Kuznetsov · 07-05-2012, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olafhenny

I have never tried to compost in a pot, though I usually leave small bits of half decomposed grass or
leaves in the soil, if they happen to be there. They always seem to have disappeared. when I
re-pot again.

One of the reasons, why composting in pots does not work so well is of course the lack of air access
n plastic pots. The other might be, that there are usually none of gardens and composts best friend,
dew worms, in pots. I treasure these little guys. They work the soil and transform dead
veggie matter into probably the finest fertilizer on the planet.

If the pot is of a fair size and outdoors, I usually add at least a couple of worms.

I couldn't have said it better myself

TommyMacLuckie · 07-07-2012, 08:45 AM

I've got a huge container I use for composting. The other day I put a lot of banana fronds in it and it was sticking up over the top by two feet. Now it's below the top. Lizards hang out in it eating the fruit flies and gnats.

So it can work. But it's got to be big.

Anyway, if you don't water all the way through the pot/container at least once a week you'll get a build up of salt which will burn the roots.

TommyMacLuckie · 07-07-2012, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincinnana

Hi Chris,

Sounds like you had your work cut out for you. Whatever I pot up or repot any of my plants I always use premoistened soil media. I mix it in large quantities on my driveway turning it with a snow shovel and wetting it down with a garden hose. When it's premoistened the water that you add once you pot up your plants flow straight through to the bottom. I never use dry soil media because, as you might notice, it repels the water. This is what works for me.
Happy gardening!

You mean moistened. "Premoistened" is dry, before moistening. It implies that it's already wet when you just stated that you made it wet. And the 'ed' in moistened says that it's been done. If you use that bad American English and someone from Italy or Romania etc is reading it you'll confuse them.

You still have to water regardless so potting something up with moistened medium isn't going to make a big difference.

Olafhenny · 07-07-2012, 10:20 AM

Well, Tommy, you have confused me. In case of Chris' use, 'pre-moistened' means moistened before
use. 'Using it dry before moistening' could be described as "prior to moistening". Packaged peat
moss or potting soils are usually sold pre-moistened and accordingly by volume rather than weight,
because the content of the latter my vary in relation to amount of useable "payload".

sunfish · 07-07-2012, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olafhenny

Well, Tommy, you have confused me. In case of Chris' use, 'pre-moistened' means moistened before
use. 'Using it dry before moistening' could be described as "prior to moistening". Packaged peat
moss or potting soils are usually sold pre-moistened and accordingly by volume rather than weight,
because the content of the latter my vary in relation to amount of useable "payload".

Packaged peat is not sold pre-moistened around here

TommyMacLuckie · 07-07-2012, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olafhenny

Well, Tommy, you have confused me. In case of Chris' use, 'pre-moistened' means moistened before
use. 'Using it dry before moistening' could be described as "prior to moistening". Packaged peat
moss or potting soils are usually sold pre-moistened and accordingly by volume rather than weight,
because the content of the latter my vary in relation to amount of useable "payload".

It's just a peeve of mine. Nevermind. I'll leave it alone.

cincinnana · 07-07-2012, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyMacLuckie

You mean moistened. "Premoistened" is dry, before moistening. It implies that it's already wet when you just stated that you made it wet. And the 'ed' in moistened says that it's been done. If you use that bad American English and someone from Italy or Romania etc is reading it you'll confuse them.

You still have to water regardless so potting something up with moistened medium isn't going to make a big difference.

Okay fellows my definition of premoistened is past tense. If you want to get technical let me break it down. Put all your soil media on your driveway, mix it up, and spray it with water. Now it is premoistened. Premoistened is what the soil is before you put it in the pot. That is what I mean. If you fully read the post, it doesn't matter where you are from, premoistened is premoistened, wet means wet, water means water.

I am not an English major, I am a exotic plant grower.

Olafhenny · 07-07-2012, 10:31 PM

Right!

PR-Giants · 07-07-2012, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivanov_Kuznetsov

I use the index finger method, sometimes going half a foot or up to a foot with a small hand trowel. If it looks/feels like sand, I add water. Sand makes up most of the soil in florida by far; I got around the need for frequent waterings by using compost and mulch, using a jungle layer approach suggested by RMPLMNZ.

Maybe you should find a different name for that approach because it doesn't decribe a jungle floor. A jungle has some of the worst soil in the world. Almost all of the organic material is above the soil level and I think you are trying to say, to add a layer of organic in the soil. If that is indeed what you are saying it is a very good method especially for outdoor growing. I don't layer, I have a separate hole close to the plant that is filled with "pre - non - un - composted" organic. The organic normally stays wet enough with just rain but water can be added if needed. It is amazing how quickly it fills with feeder roots. I use about 400 lbs of organic per plant which appears to be more than sufficient for the complete plant cycle. This has been my method for 15 years and iworks extremely well if you grow in large mats.

This is a form of anaerobic composting, so the increase in temperature is minimal and depending on what is used it could take up to a year to fully compost but you can add more organic to keep it full. I have no experience with adding anything other than plant material.

Ivanov_Kuznetsov · 07-08-2012, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincinnana

I am not an English major, I am a exotic plant grower.

I found a recent read to be relevant to this topic: The Stuff of Thought, Language as a Window into Human Nature by Steven Pinker. I find it utterly fascinating, and I *highly* recommend it for anyone interested in language or psychology or looking to improve English proficiency.

TommyMacLuckie · 07-08-2012, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincinnana

Okay fellows my definition of premoistened is past tense. If you want to get technical let me break it down. Put all your soil media on your driveway, mix it up, and spray it with water. Now it is premoistened. Premoistened is what the soil is before you put it in the pot. That is what I mean. If you fully read the post, it doesn't matter where you are from, premoistened is premoistened, wet means wet, water means water.

I am not an English major, I am a exotic plant grower.

But do you get why it's redundant? Moistened already means you got it wet! Hence the 'ed'. Therefor 'pre', which means 'before'... it's meaningless!

Even saying 'premoisten the soil' is redundant because...you moisten the soil!

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha ha.

Olafhenny · 07-08-2012, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyMacLuckie

But do you get why it's redundant? Moistened already means you got it wet! Hence the 'ed'. Therefor 'pre', which means 'before'... it's meaningless!

Even saying 'premoisten the soil' is redundant because...you moisten the soil!

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha ha.

Of all the major languages English is the most simple (aside from some ridiculous spelling,
- see Mark Twain's "ghoti") and yet we seem to have great problems communicating in it and
grasp the precise meaning of some of the terms.

"Moistened" means water added. "Pre-moistened" means in this context: "It has already been
moistened and you do not have to moisten it any more to use it.

And yes, Tony, your peat moss also comes pre-moistened. Just take a handful out of the bag,
place it in the sun and see how its consistency changes. It does not have to be soggy to be
moist. A tomato is 90% water and yet feels dry on the outside.

The moisture content of peat moss and potting soil etc. is prior to bagging tightly controlled
by most manufacturers.

sunfish · 07-08-2012, 03:51 PM

You can buy pre-moistened peat but all peat is not pre-moistened. Tomatoes are pre-moistened

07-04-2012, 12:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
Coug99 Location: Mill Creek, WA Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 130 BananaBucks : 67,462 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 48 Times Was Thanked 126 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	How much water for a new 25 gallon pot? I just repotted 8 bananas into 25 gallon pots and I watered them with 2 gallons of water and the bottom 10" is still dry, the top is nicely wet but not soaking. Should I water more to get it all wet or just see how the plants does? Thanks in advance. Chris

07-04-2012, 04:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ivanov_Kuznetsov Find me on the map! Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 68 BananaBucks : 22,423 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 8 Times Was Thanked 78 Times in 32 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: How much water for a new 25 gallon pot? I use the index finger method, sometimes going half a foot or up to a foot with a small hand trowel. If it looks/feels like sand, I add water. Sand makes up most of the soil in florida by far; I got around the need for frequent waterings by using compost and mulch, using a jungle layer approach suggested by RMPLMNZ.

07-04-2012, 05:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 247,975 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: How much water for a new 25 gallon pot? It is simple: Just like with 95% of all plants make sure you have good bottom drainage and then pour in water until it starts coming out at the bottom of the pot. Then Stop! If left too long the soil may become so dry, that it shrinks back from the edges of the pot, maybe even become hygrophobic. If that is the case, the water might run right through to the bottom without benefiting the plant. In such an event you may want to immerse a smaller pot in a water filled container for an hour or two to permit the soil to become saturated with moisture. Of course with a 25gallon pot that is a problem and you will have to use some patience and add small amounts of water frequently to allow the soil to swell back to its original volume gradually. After that just use Ivanov’s method. If you want to be sure, that your banana gets enough water (bananas need plenty of that stuff; they originate in humid environments with lots of monsoons), you may want to water it once every month or two ‘til it drains out at the bottom. Good luck! Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them. Last edited by Olafhenny : 07-04-2012 at 09:12 PM.

07-05-2012, 01:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
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07-05-2012, 03:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
Ivanov_Kuznetsov Find me on the map! Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 68 BananaBucks : 22,423 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 8 Times Was Thanked 78 Times in 32 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: How much water for a new 25 gallon pot? It's basically just compost using a layering method. The dark, water retaining soil in the style of the jungle/forest floor is the goal. Again, increasing the ratio of organic matter to dirt/sand in the soil increases water retention, without getting into the goofy synthetic compounds. I've used many recipes; lately, it's been a lot of wood ash and dead plants with manure and a bit of dirt. These folks call it lasagna: Composting in the Home Garden - Common Questions With pots, it's trickier because everything decays more slowly. The compost is probably key because any time I've tried to grow anything down here in FL sun in pots with regular dirt, it dries out too quickly.

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07-05-2012, 04:13 PM	#7 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 247,975 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: How much water for a new 25 gallon pot? I have never tried to compost in a pot, though I usually leave small bits of half decomposed grass or leaves in the soil, if they happen to be there. They always seem to have disappeared. when I re-pot again. One of the reasons, why composting in pots does not work so well is of course the lack of air access n plastic pots. The other might be, that there are usually none of garden's and compost's best friend, dew worms, in pots. I treasure these little guys. They work the soil and transform dead veggie matter into probably the finest fertilizer on the planet. If the pot is of a fair size and outdoors, I usually add at least a couple of worms. __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them. Last edited by Olafhenny : 07-07-2012 at 10:37 PM.

07-07-2012, 08:45 AM	#9 (permalink)
TommyMacLuckie Howboutcha! TommyMacLuckie's Photo Gallery Location: Mandeville, Louisiana Find me on the map! Zone: 8B Name: Tommy Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 427 BananaBucks : 209,180 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 375 Times in 202 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: How much water for a new 25 gallon pot? I've got a huge container I use for composting. The other day I put a lot of banana fronds in it and it was sticking up over the top by two feet. Now it's below the top. Lizards hang out in it eating the fruit flies and gnats. So it can work. But it's got to be big. Anyway, if you don't water all the way through the pot/container at least once a week you'll get a build up of salt which will burn the roots.

07-07-2012, 10:20 AM	#11 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 247,975 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Unwarranted correction Well, Tommy, you have confused me. In case of Chris' use, 'pre-moistened' means moistened before use. 'Using it dry before moistening' could be described as "prior to moistening". Packaged peat moss or potting soils are usually sold pre-moistened and accordingly by volume rather than weight, because the content of the latter my vary in relation to amount of useable "payload". __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

07-07-2012, 10:31 PM	#15 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 247,975 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: How much water for a new 25 gallon pot? Right! __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

07-08-2012, 03:51 PM	#20 (permalink)
sunfish Banned sunfish's Photo Gallery Location: San Diego Find me on the map! Zone: 9-11 Name: Tony Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 18,429 BananaBucks : 962,172 Feedback: 8 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,210 Times Was Thanked 20,591 Times in 7,760 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,716 Times	Re: How much water for a new 25 gallon pot? You can buy pre-moistened peat but all peat is not pre-moistened. Tomatoes are pre-moistened

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