How do you water seeds?

[ClayGarden]

So if i tried this new method it would be,
* wet/soak compost
* place seed
* place pot in water (cm maybe?).
* leave/base moist

I just wondered whether this would encourage mould or something? tbh, i thought that when i saw it on GW too. I just use a window sill by the way.

[Rich75]

be careful if you use newpaper pots.. we made a whole pile this year, but overwatered them and as a result had a lovely crop of mushrooms....and some strange white mould type stuff..., though in fairness nothings died of it yet

[Cutecumber]

So if i tried this new method it would be,
* wet/soak compost
* place seed
* place pot in water (cm maybe?).
* leave/base moist

You're making things a bit complicated, I think, and it looks like you will be over-watering if you are not careful.

The first thing to do is to feel the compost. Is it dry or is it moist already?

If it is on the dry side, here is method 1:

Put it in your cells or pot and water from above. Leave it for a while to allow the water to soak in. You don't want water to be running out of the bottom of the container - this shows you have put on too much too quickly.

Method 2:
Alternatively, sit the container in a little water until the surface of the compost is moist, then drain away the excess. Don't leave it sitting in water for hours. The larger the pot, the less successful this method is - only use it for small cells and pots.

Whichever method you choose, once the compost is moist, make a hole, sow the seed and cover it up.

Put the container or cells into a plastic bag and tie it up loosely. This stops evaporation and means no more water will be needed. This really makes a big difference and stops you fiddling!!

If, on the other hand, the compost is quite damp already, I don't water until I have put the seed in, and then only very slowly and lightly. All you are doing is settling the seed in, really. Again, this is the only watering I do until they have germinated.

[ClayGarden]

I dont do that soaking stuff with your method 1 cutecumber, i was just confused about the details of watering from below, and didn't realise the compost would take up the water so well from being dry.

I've already mentioned my method of spraying at the top of this thread, which certainly doesn't overwater.

Its not over complicated, just 4 clear concise steps that were as it is wrong anyway.

[Cutecumber]

As I said, small pots and cells should take up the water ok from below - you can literally see it soaking up.

The thing about spraying is that you need to make sure the compost is properly soaked all the way through. Too much surface moisture increases fungal problems in warm environments. Avoid getting water on the seedlings themselves.

[ClayGarden]

Thanks, i'll try this with some small pots.

[Mike and Louise]

Yes smaller pots will soak water up from below better than a big pot.

We put about half an inch of water into a large tray and place the seeded pots into this. Then we leave them for about 20 mins and then take them out.

Remember, just because the top of the compost is dry it doesn't mean it is dry a centimeter or so further down.

Sometimes, with bigger seeds, we very gently dig down to the depth of the seed to see if the compost is still damp there. If it is leave it.

This does all sound a bit complicated but it isn't in practis.

For us it's...
1. wet the compost then leave for about 10 mins to soak through to the bottom, plus any excess will drain away from the hole in the bottom.
2. sow seed at required depth.
3. leave uncovered (unless it's in a heated propagator).
4. if the compost surface is dry then water from below like I said above, but it don't hurt just to check the compost 'dampness' by digging down a bit to the seed depth.

[Tigerella]

Hi

I wouldn't dare to say you old wise grapes could be wrong, but if you pour water from the top to water a plant.
The water starts to come out of the bottom after about 10 seconds; so how can you over water them?
I am just a beginner, and don't know whether its best to over or under water them.
The seeds are quite close to the top, so it would be easy to dry out, if left in a warm place.

T

[ClayGarden]

Hi

I wouldn't dare to say you old wise grapes could be wrong, but if you pour water from the top to water a plant.
The water starts to come out of the bottom after about 10 seconds; so how can you over water them?
I am just a beginner, and don't know whether its best to over or under water them.
The seeds are quite close to the top, so it would be easy to dry out, if left in a warm place.

T

I would agree with you Hence my brash soak to start with.

[Crosbie]

A little and often...applied to the bottom of the tray.

'Treat them mean, keeps them keen' !!

[Tigerella]

Hi

I have started using a spray, sometimes, so that the seeds do not get washed away.

T

[Two_Sheds]

It's not complicated. Maybe a little confusing though.
It's the roots that need the water. Not the surface of the compost, not the leaves nor the stem.
Water from the bottom. The plant will draw up the water that it needs.

If you water the top of the pot, you will encourage moulds to grow on the surface, and attract fungus gnats too. Conversely, watering from the top can mean the compost dries out so much that you cannot then re-wet it, so any water drains straight through without benefiting the plant.
Water from the bottom, by standing the pot in a tray for about 10 mins, give or take.

[Paulottie]

I think those wise old grapes were right.

Watering things from the top is pointless.

• It will not properly moisen dry compost...just run out the bottom
• it will take the nutrients with it

Also just washes small seeds away and damages/buries seedling

Misting the top is even more pointless.

• it will only dampen the surface not the compost underneath

BEFORE sowing you might stand your pot in a tray of water and then water with a rose. it will just soak up from the bottom though. However don't make your compost be wringing wet. it just encourages fungus, gnats and rot. Pre-soaking some seed allows you to use only damp compost.

Really you should cover potting bench in plastic buy some capillary matting to cover that and lay one end in a tray of water. Bubblewrap the greenhouse and fit autovents and timers to any propagation heating. All this sounds expensive but I learnt that so much seed time compost was wasted baking, drying or rotting seed/lings it was cheaper in the longrun to sort it out properly. What you are aiming for is consistency.

Then...
To sow small seed: do so, and then sieve over some vermiculite. It is best to put in a plastic bag or propagator or under one of those plastic supermarket roasting meat things. I have some lids for polystyrene modules made from a few bits of winebox with bubble wrap stapled to them.

Beans, peas cucurbits should never need rewatering before they are up.

Particularly modern compost with coconut fibre should never be allowed to dry out as it is difficult and time consuming to re-wet. Store it with the bag shut and put what you need into the hopper... any remnants I use to cover the next days sowings, If disaster strikes stand and the contents shrink from the pot... stand it in a water bath for the morning.

[ClayGarden]

Wow cheers paul for the indepth summary. I tried this last night and didn't realise compost soaked up water from below so easily. I guess its this that makes it difficult for newbies to grasp initially, and why we all just presume watering from top by default. I was really surprised how much water it took up, so much so, that i've never felt the pot so heavy.

[Paulottie]

With experience the weight of the pot is the best way to tell if it is at the appropriate moistness...you shouldn't need to dig around in them.

With clay pots you tap the side with a stick..dull thud= wet, tuneful ring=dry.