This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
how often should i water new seedlings
Have a go Nick
Posts: 352
in Fruit & veg
Hi folks,
How often should i water new seedlings?
0
Posts
Simple answer-when it is needed-it is not a matter of time
Lift the pot/tray-is it light?-is the compost a paler colour?-then water-but never water on a regular basis-you can kill with kindness
thank you
only tend to put abit in anyway, just to just cover the bottom of the trays
You're watering from the bottom, Nicholas? I wouldn't with seedlings. You can't judge the dampness of the mix. Water from the top, let the mix pretty much dry out without leaving them bone dry.
yeah watering from bottom to save disturbing the seeds
You didn't say what type of seedlings, but some, such as tomatoes and chillies, are better watered in the morning, so that they don't get chilled at night.
Nicholas - what seedlings are you talking about?
I never have problems watering from the bottom using a good seed compost and adaquate drainage. It only takes a minute or so if you are using a shallow tray. The advantage about bottom watering is that you make sure the water is reaching the roots and that the foliage remains dry. Always make sure that your compost is thoroughly wetted before sowing. There is also less chance of washing the soil away with bottom watering. Even misting can disturb new seedlings. Do not go by the top colour of the compost this is not an indication how wet the mix is. It seems to me you are doing the right thing, if the compost does appear very dry just carry on as you have been doing watering from the bottom.
I water from the bottom. As Terry says, it's where the roots are. I assess need to water by weight of tray/pot
In the sticks near Peterborough
my lettuce are leggy what sould I do with them they are still tiny