Keeping it moist

[Greenlad]

Shall I always keep my compost moist Or should I let it just start to dry a little on top before rewatering. Allowing roots to get a bit of O2. Think my paranoia makes me over water a little. Your comments very welcome.

[taff]

Stick your finger in the soil/mcp to the first knuckle. If it's damp, don't water. If it's dry, water

I really must start paying attention so I don't have keep editing to remove typos...

[VirginVegGrower]

Oo err as Taff says or lift pots and feel the weight. Some things like peppers don't like to be anything other than a bit on the dry side, especially chillis.

[redser]

Over time I've started to know when they need to be watered by the weight of the container (big or small). Be sure to lift them after watering, and every so often and you will eventually develop an instinct for it.

[Florence Fennel]

As others have said ^^^ you'll soon get the hang of it.

[Sarico]

you are like me... you scare that they don't get enough water and then you will drown them... what i start to do is when i feel to water them i leave them another day and then water ( i'm talking about seedling not mature plant)

[rpt]

I'm planning to get some capillary matting for the plants on my windowsill and for those in my cold frame. This is mainly so that when I'm on holiday it will be easy for my neighbour to water without risking her overwatering. I might even be able to set up a reservoir so that she only needs to make sure that is topped up. But I'm now worried that this might not be a good thing - does this risk making the compost too damp for some plants?

On the windowsill will be tomatoes and peppers; in the cold frame squash and courgettes (these won't be moved there until the end of May). There might also be runner and French beans in the cold frame if I haven't planted them out in the bed.

[redser]

I don't think it will be a problem for those. The beauty of capillary matting is that the compost takes what it can and no more. I set up a watering bench in my tunnel and it has been great. Early in the year it was great for seedlings in modules. But then I put my early strawberry pots on it and the fruit are absolutely huge. It must be the constant watering, they are getting exactly what they need.
You definately need a resevoir, the bigger the better as it negates the purpose of the matting a bit if you have to keep adding water. I use two plastic 5 litre waste paper baskets with a small hole just below the rims. You fill it up to the top, place a tray over the top and then flip the whole thing over in a quick motion (like flipping an omlette with a plate). The water will drip out of the hole into the tray until the water level in tray rises up to the hole. Pop a strip of matting into the tray and the other end under your matting (that the plants will sit on). The water will slowly flow out of the resevoir as the plants take it up. I'm going to add more or bigger buckets to give me more time before I need to refill them.
Some people also set their plants up on the kitchen sink drainer, fill the sink and use that as their resevoir. Whatever works for you.

[Tomato Head]

I'm pretty inexperienced at this gardening lark but I have got some gnats indoors and from what I can gather they love wet compost so I am trying to keep the compost dry on the surface now to discourage them.

[Greenlad]

So do toms need more water than sweet chillies and strawberries and lettuce. Because I have a 8 foot trough with all that in, getting the same treatment,watering and food. What will I do repot them or leave them. I thought about putting in dividers out of ply wood or something.
Any ideas you green finger bunch.

[Two_Sheds]

how to water seedlings - YouTube

[singleseeder]

If you think that the compost is too wet you could dry it out with 'newspaper straws'.

Take a piece of newspaper, a bit longer than your pot is tall, then roll it until it is about the fatness of a drinking straw. Now make a hole in the compost with a pencil and push the 'straw' into the hole. The newspaper will act like a wick, absorbing water from the compost and allowing it to evaporate from the part of the 'straw' that is above the compost. Magic.

Regarding keeping plants watered when you are away, if they are small enough, you could put them on old towels in the bath and leave the tap dripping. I wonder if this would work on a kitchen worktop if you rigged up a tray to direct the dripping water onto towels covering the worktop? Anyone fancy trying it?