Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: habanerohead on March 11, 2013, 23:37
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Hi,
If you're anything like me, at the moment you'll have windowsills packed with tiny pots full of emerging seedlings.
Also if you're anything like me, you'll have tried lots of ways to water them - watering cans with long thin spouts, ones with roses, sprays etc. Seems like non of them do the job without deluging the seedlings (who'd have thought that Celeriac would be soo tiny when it comes out!), missing entirely, or just getting everything soaked, or you knock everything over trying to get the right angle to get that one in the corner.
Well, I was doing the kitchen window seedlings the other day when I noticed a clean foam pan scrubber. I dipped it in water, squoze the excess out, and then gently squeezed it over each pot - IT WORKED. After a couple of goes it's really easy to get just the right amount of water just where you want it.
It won't work when the leaves get bigger of course, but until then, problem solved. :D
Cheers.
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I water my seedlings once before sowing and then again when they get transplanted. I try and not water in between times. I water them from underneath by putting the seed tray into a larger tray, and you take it out as soon as the surface of the compost glistens. Then let it drain.
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I use a soft drinks bottle, one of those with a nozzle on the end... :)
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Havto say I always over water and then the surface of the compost looks manky
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@compostqueen:
Hi.
Seed trays don't seem to suite my lifestyle/gardening style. The number of times I've left transplanting just a little too long, and ended up tearing apart a bunch of promising plants that have their roots totally tangled, and I don't like the modular ones cos they can be so floppy and prone to sudden collapse when being moved.
It seems that fibre pots in small trays is the best arrangement for our kitchen but they do dry out quite quickly. The easiest/best thing would be to pour water into the trays, but I'm afraid I can't remember which ones have holes in the bottom and which don't - and it's kind of crucial because one of the shelves is chipboard and will undoubtably swell up and bend if it gets wet.
I dream of a heated conservatory with loads of room! Hey Ho.
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I have a heated conservatory but I keep the heat way down
I use rigid seed trays and modules but they last and last. You can use any container for watering your pots and seed trays from the bottom. Any old biscuit tin or tupperware etc, as long as it is big enough to get the whole pot in. I put water in the sink too
For bigger seeds I use five inch pots, or toilet rolls stood up in those placcy mushroom boxes
The gravel trays from Wilko are really good quality but not expensive and will last forever. they do a really big one which serves as a watering tray. I use mine for potting up too
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I use a soft drinks bottle, one of those with a nozzle on the end... :)
Me too 8)
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I put pots in trays and just pour water in one corner to let them soak it up from beneath, then tip out any excess. Thought, to be honest, between sowing and transplanting/potting up, they don't really need much.
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I bought some little capilliary matting from Aldi and use them in the bottom of solid trays with my little pots on top, then just keep the matting damp.
Seems to be doing the job okay as yet!
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Even an old towel used as Granny does with capillary matting will work if you have a particularly warm windowsill where your seedlings can dry out. I have used this also when I am away for the weekend and need some sort of emergency solution.
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I find the little water bottle that comes with the iron does the job just fine. It holds about 500ml and pours out in a tiny stream which is just enough. Also good excuse as to why you can't do the ironing - how can you with no water bottle?! ;)
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I've got capilliary matting in the greenhouse with the brassica and salad leaf seedlings. All seems well in there
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I always water from beneath when sowing seed and when watering seedlings and young plants. Seems to water more evenly and you are less likely to wash the surface away which is when you get the compost form a cap which can hinder germination. I sow into modules which are placed in lightweight cheap seed trays (stops them being all flimsy and moving about when moving them, then full a solid seed tray with water and put the modules in it.
Tatty
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I tried the spouted water bottle - that works pretty well too!
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I use one of the kids milk bottles with the teat with the best flow on it, a bit of a squeeze upside down does the job a treat