3 Ways to Water Your Seedlings Properly

Getting enough water is one of the primary requirements for seedlings to grow well, but it’s easy to destroy them if you don’t know the right watering techniques. Here’s how to water your seedlings without causing damage to them:

Water Seedlings from Above
This is a common method where gardeners use spray bottles and quart-size watering cans. Just remember to keep the water at room temperature or warmer when watering your seedlings. Using cold water is discouraged because it causes seeds not to sprout.

Moisten the Soil Before Sowing
The idea behind this second technique is to moisten your soil before you even sow your seeds. Watering seedlings from below works like this: get a tray, put in your soilless mix, then add enough water to make it as wet as a sponge that’s been squeezed out. Pretty easy, right?

Learn about these seed watering methods and more in the following excerpt from the Vegetable Gardener. Don’t forget to click the social buttons to share this on your Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest page!

Top 3 Appropriate Ways to Water Seedlings

1. The ‘Water from Above’ Method
This is the most common watering method, not only for seeds, but also your other indoor and outdoor plants. Weapons of choice are a spray bottle and a quart-size watering can.

One thing to take note is the spray bottle. Like any quality tool, it must be comfortable to use in your hand. It should have an adjustable nozzle and a soft trigger. You’ll want one for water; as well as separate ones for food/foliar spraying, and if you have to, pest control. Another thing to consider is the temperature. Try to use water that’s room temperature or warmer. Cold water can discourage germination and growth.

2. The ‘Make Some Moist Mixture’ Method
In this method, the soilless mix you plan to use is “pre-moistened” prior to being put in the growing containers. Using a small plastic tub or tray, add in your soilless mix. Then, pour in just enough water to saturate it to “wrung out sponge” wetness. The idea here is that the soil is already moist when you plant your seeds.

3. The ‘Water from Below’ Method
While this method takes the longest to moisten the soil, it’s the easiest task to do. Here, you use a physics property called capillary action, also called “wicking.” Water is placed in the plastic or metal tray that the seed containers are sitting in. The water is soaked up through the bottom holes and into the soil mix. You only need to fill the tray about a quarter to a third full of water. You don’t want to overdo it, as it will encourage mold or fungus.

Article Source: vegetablegardener.com