Watering advice needed

[Two_Sheds]

As far as I'm aware, rain only falls.

Indeed, but in open ground the excess water can drain away from the plant. In the artificial environment of a plant pot, it is too easy to over-water "from the top"

[snohare]

Must confess, if I cannot water from below (I can't get gravel trays at the moment) what I sometimes do is just gently place a drip or two of water next to the seedlings and let it soak in. That avoids splashback and makes me very tentative about overwatering, which is no bad thing; it is certainly rare for me to lose seedlings to damping off, it is usually just germination or slugs that I have a problem with. But I am inclined to think that root development will follow nutrient gradients, and watering around the stem will create them in the wrong direction, as less moisture further from the plant will mean less dissolved nutrients further away until those next to the plant are all used up.
On the subject of watering, does anyone know of a good DIY method of making watering trays ? I'm going to need them when I am housesitting for my folks next month.

[Two_Sheds]

Snohare, what containers do you have? Won't plastic picnic plates work?

[snohare]

Sadly, my setup is a bit more complex than that. I have on my windowsills carry trays of 18 three inch pots, 3 x 6 in a snug-fitting mould, which has holes for drainage in the bottom where they slot in. This is 22 cm by 31 cm at the bottom, and I pretty much need it in order to open the windows; I often need to do this for ventilation in my flat to help with drying clothes or getting rid of smoke from burnt toast etc. Aside from this, I have carry trays from the supermarket that the yoghurt cartons come in - they are usually happy to hand these over if you ask, to them it is just waste, but they only hold a little water in the mouldings, sufficient for a day or two.
My houseplants are fine as the pots are all in tubs, but come mid May I will have about 80 seedlings I am growing on for various people, and I will be sixty miles away for a month, with only weekly trips home. I may have to put them outside at the plot, but if I could rig up watering trays meantime then it would still save me a lot of time I don't have.

[vikkib]

Earlier I've popped two courgette plants and 1 butternut squash plant (all in 3" pots) into a 25cm saucer and added about 15mm of water into the saucer.

The water has pretty much all gone and the compost that the butternut squash is in is soaking (the courgettes are quite moist now too!).

Is it okay to leave the butternut squash in such wet compost? It's a very young plant (only seed leaves) and I'm worried it's going to drown!

On the subject are there any particular plants that shouldn't be watered in this way? (I'm sure I read somehwhere, for example, that like chilli's don't like being stood in cold water and that you shouldn't over water courgettes)

Confused and anxious!

[zazen999]

Let them soak up the water they need and tip the rest away...I usually come back after half an hour and if there is any left, get rid

It should use it up over the next few days and when the compost looks dry again, do the same thing again.

I wouldn't leave ANY plants soaking, unless they are specifically waterlovers.

[vikkib]

It should use it up over the next few days and when the compost looks dry again, do the same thing again.

Thanks, Zazen. I've poured the rest away now and will keep an eye on them.

I wouldn't leave ANY plants soaking, unless they are specifically waterlovers.

I think this is where I get a bit confused about watering this way! I guess I'll have to leave the compost soaking for now until the squash uses the water in the soil. Obviously I won't add any more until the compost dries out again but will the squash suffer too much from being soaked until it uses the water currently in the soil? (Sorry if that's not clear! )

I guess it's the nature of the compost that has soaked up all that water in one go, rather than the squash itself taking what it needs.

[rana]

Watering small seedlings in a seed tray can be tricky using a watering can even with a fine rose. When watering seedlings that are just germinated I use a filled washing up bottle and direct the water between the seedlings, just watering the compost. It takes a little longer but works fine for me, and the plants do well.

[vikkib]

Well, not sure if it's coincidence or not but I was getting a bit worried that my courgettes had stalled a bit, after going great guns at first their growing seemed to have slowed down but everything I bottom watered yesterday seems to be going manic again now!

The first true leaves on the courgettes have increased in size overnight! Maybe they were just thirsty... maybe I'm seeing things!

[Two_Sheds]

I think this is where I get a bit confused about watering this way! I guess I'll have to leave the compost soaking for now until the squash uses the water in the soil.

What Zazen means by "not soaking" is not leaving the plants sitting in water for longer than, say, 30 mins or so.

The compost should be moist, but then allowed to dry out a bit for a few days. If the pot feels light, water it. Don't water a pot that already feels heavy

[Two_Sheds]

Watering small seedlings in a seed tray can be tricky

I just stand the seed tray in a cat litter tray of lukewarm tap water (for bottom watering)

[rana]

I just stand the seed tray in a cat litter tray of lukewarm tap water (for bottom watering)

...and then what do you do with the cat poo ?

[Two_Sheds]

I don't have a cat

[zazen999]

I use seed tray clear plastic tops, the bath, any old trays round the house, saucers, proper plant saucers....anything really. Nothing in my house is sown unless I have a water retaining base to it. I am mostly using old darkroom trays at the moment as I had to get rid of my darkroom equipment last autumn and the trays have come in really handy.

[SarzWix]

Cat litter trays make great gravel trays, and they're ofter cheaper than the 'proper ones' garden centres sell...