Watering Seeds from Tray Not Working?!

[Imperialboy]

I remember I did this with veggie seeds last year and they soaked up water in 10 mins! I believe I did that a couple weeks ago too and they worked fine..brain fart.


[img]https://i54.tinypic.com/5o8upl.jpg[/img]
They have been like this for an hour and a half already. 1 inch+ of water

The drainage holes seem fine..

[Kisal]

If the starting mix contains peat moss, and it's allowed to get too dry, it can be difficult to get it wet again. That's one of the reasons I try to avoid planting media that contain peat.

If you think peat moss might be the problem, you can fill a clean spray bottle with hot water ... not boiling hot, but hot out of the faucet ... and spray the surface of the soil with it. Peat seems to absorb warm water more easily. You might have to spray, then wait about 20 to 30 minutes, then spray again. You could even repeat the sequence a second time, if it seems necessary.

[Imperialboy]

So tray watering won't work?
It contains 70-80% canadian sphagnum peat moss. So maybe...

[applestar]

This is basically a rephrasing of what Kisal said, bur you ALWAYS, ALWAYS want to start with a moistened soil/potting mix. you should be able to hold a handful and it should hold its shape for a moment before falling apart. It should not be free flowing or crumbly dry, but you should definitely not be able to squeeze water out.

In my experience, the best way to moisten dry potting/seed starting/ soil mix is to half fill a plastic bag and add bath-hot water, then close the bag with as much airspace as you can, and shake vigorously.

please do not ask me how much water to add.

Some mixes will give you the recommended proportions on the bag. Otherwise, experiment, adding less than more water, but you can always add more mix if it gets too wet.

[Kisal]

Tray watering works just fine. Use hot water in the trays. Allow the water to soak up to the surface of the planting medium. To get it to do that, you might have to use deeper water in the tray.

Alternatively, you can use hot water in the tray and spray hot water on the surface. That's not quite as good as strictly bottom watering, because even with a spray bottle, you risk dislodging the seeds or floating too much soil over them to allow them to sprout.

(Sorry, but I really dislike peat moss. )

[Bobberman]

I never liked too mch peat either for the drying out reason! I would put the tray in a closed container and feed water from the bottom then it will soak it up better like a wick! Get a better mix with some vermiculite in it or compost! I put n 25 boxes over the last two wees but that is another story and since I carried away too often I will put it up as a new post or add it to one of my others!

[Imperialboy]

Apple I don't quite get the bag method. I guess I'll stick with tray watering but with hot water?

I just sprayed the seeds from top so too late. If they dry again ill tray water them again with hot water.

What to do now

[Imperialboy]

So I guess everyone make their own seed starting mix now? I didn't have time.

What your seed starting mix consist of? I'll still have to stick with my seed starting mix so I'll just bottom tray water with hot water

[Kisal]

What Applestar was talking about, I believe, was a method of moistening the planting mix before you use it to plant anything. If you make your own mixture, then you fill a sturdy plastic bag with the mix, add some water, seal the bag or hold it closed and shake it until all the water is absorbed. Then, open the bag, take a handful of the soil, and squeeze it. It should not be so wet that water runs out when you squeeze the soil in your hand. However, when you open your hand, the soil should stay in a little ball shape for a short time. If the soil doesn't hold that ball shape. but immediately crumbles apart, then put it back in the bag, add some more water, and repeat the entire process.

At first, you have to experiment, so just add a little at a time. The amount of water, of course, will vary with how much soil you're working with, too. After you've done it a few times and have some experience at it, you'll just have a feeling for how much water you're going to need to add to get the soil to the right consistency.

With a mix that contains a lot of peat, the problem is going to be keeping it at the right moisture level, without overwatering and drowning your plants or seeds.

It's okay that you sprayed them with water. It's exactly what I would have done. You just have to do it very gently, so you don't disturb the soil. Your seeds will be fine, I'm sure.

[DoubleDogFarm]

I-boy,

The key, already mentioned, is once dampened not to let it dry out. My watering shelf seems to be working really well. The pots are filled with 75% peat moss, 25% perlite. So far looks like I'll run the pump twice a week.

Eric

[Imperialboy]

Alright. So these are with J.Maples seeds I'm new to it.
So it's too late for the bag thing anyway.

Kk; so now I have some sprayed seed starting soil that's covered in clear wrap. If it drys I bottom tray water with hot warm

[soil]

just fill it up some more with water, once its wet don't let it dry out like others said.

[Imperialboy]

Alrighty.
For my new set (this was first set of seeds) I'll try the baggie method. And see which seeds turn out better

After that, I'll just bottom water to keep from drying out.

[Bobberman]

When I used peat in the past and mixed my own mix I put the peat in a bucket and added enough water to make it moist like Apple said and mixed whatever else I used. One of my best mixtures was with the styrofoam beads and peat and sand with a little vermiculite. and I had nice plants that year! I don't use the styrofoam beads any more and only buy mixes for seeds as a top layer to my planters and use garden soil under it!.

[rainbowgardener]

As noted the problem is the drying out. Once it is moistened again, the bottom watering is fine, even with room temperature water.

I only bottom water EXCEPT when I first fill the pots/cells, BEFORE I put any seeds or plants in, I pour a bunch of water over the top, stir well, and repeat if it isn't thoroughly moistened. So I am starting with very moist, almost wet, potting soil. Then I plant and after that only bottom water.

[Imperialboy]

Problem: Peat/Mix is too dry.

Ahh. I remember years ago that I had planted tomato seeds and just bottom watered for 10 mins and then let it drain out the excess.

Solution: So instead now, with just mix in the cells I top water. Or fill half a bag with mix then hot-water and shake. The soil should hold its shape without crumbling or squeezing water out. After the first time, bottom water.

Definitely going to try the baggie method seeds vs the "problem" mix seeds.

Summary of the thread.