Wetting agent question?

[Sinisterhand]

I use FFOF soil and the H20 runs through it way to fast, I mean little to no absorption. I do a harsh wet dry cycle, I let my girls get darn near limp between watering, then they get super soaked. I have thought about using a wetting agent but I don't like the idea of giving my girls soap. What do you all think? What do you use? Do you use a wetting agent every time, or is their enough residual wetting agent left in the soil to water a few time before adding more? Is one product (soap) better or less harsh then the others?
I value your experience and would appreciate the advice.

 

[the chef]

Worm turds!

 

[Hick]

just water in 'sloooowly'.. "IMO" no real need for a wetting agent w/ FF.

 

[umbra]

humic acid

 

[Roddy]

as Hick says, it sounds like you need to add the water slowly, let the soil soak it up and then add more. If you're just dumping it all in quickly, you're likely not watering the plant as much as you'd like since much will run off. Think of the soil as a dried sponge...the sponge is happy to suck up all the water that doesn't run off it, watering slowly allows less run-off and more absorption.

I water the same way...sort of...I don't let the poor gals get THAT thirsty though.

 

[niteshft]

Definately letting the soil dry out too, much. Moisture in the soil will actually draw more moisture into it on contact. Just like putting two drops of water on a plate and when they make contact they draw themselves into each other and form one larger drop. Too, buzzed to remember the word for it.

 

[Wetdog]

Dry peat moss is one of the hardest things to get wet there is, it will actually repel water.

A couple times I've let my host plants dry out too much and have had to let them sit in my 'saucer' to get wet again. My saucer is one of those pans from the auto parts store for at home oil changes. A 5 gal bucket or 4 gal squat pot fits just right in it.

Coco Wet works well as a wetting agent. I've used this when the mix in a hole in the ground got too dry to absorb water well. One application did the trick, but I've been careful not to let it get so dry again.

Wet