[rowlandwells]

i am presently engaged in getting  the greenhouse ready i just wanted to run this question by you the greenhouse i use for seed setting i covered the top of the bench with pea gravel i have used this for time now prior to use i usually take the gravel off the bench and sieve it then replace it also spray it with jays before use

do you think using gravel is a good idea or what would you use as a replacement 

[lucywil]

why do you cover the bench with gravel? doesn't it just make it harder to clean?

[savbo]

I think t's a traditional way of supplying slow watering and maintaining humidity - you water to below the top of the gravel and scrunch the pots down to reach it. I think capillary matting would perform a similar function, though does get wrecked after a few years