Supposed to keep the soil moist for seedlings… so when do u stop doing that? I’ve been gently watering my two month olds everyday. Should I stop and only water when needed?
by turtlesoup2020
7 Comments
Roland8319
When they go out and get a job and start supporting themselves.
dparks71
So I treat them differently in three stages. Unsprouted, sprouts, seedlings. Unsprouted stay covered on a heat mat, pretty wet, sprouts stay fairly moist and get top watered by a spray bottle as well as bottom watered like every other day, once the true leaves appear, I stop using the spray bottle, keep bottom watering when the surface is basically completely dry for an inch or so but spacing out the waterings to try to train the roots down.
Once roots appear at the bottom of the container I either pot up or move outside, but I’m mostly at the time of year where everything is in soil blocks and going straight outside as soon as it can, I’m pretty much past the last frost date, so I’m not using containers as much.
Biggest thing you have to worry about with over watering is damping off and like algae/fungal growth. I really dial it back once the true leaves have been around and the roots are starting to get deeper. You can basically let them get to the point of wilting without much issues, they’ll recover. Once you notice damping off though they’re generally done for unless you can get them into the ground.
Naisu_boato
i stop babying the plants when they start showing signs that weather conditions, wind, or such will not make them fall apart like wet cardboard. i had a datura plant that was flimsy, and frail but after hardening them outside the plant became something standing on it’s own and able to deal with full natural sun and wind just fine.
DismalRazzmatazz1054
When they take your car keys and drink all the fertilizer in your garage. 😉
PacificGardening
I stop treating them like seedling around the first time I pot up from the seed cells into 3” or 4” pots. That’s about a month in from planting and they have 2-3 sets of true leaves – definitely smaller than what you show in the picture. I’ve also been bottom watering around twice a week for a while by this point and do not care about keeping them moist.
THAT SAID, the plant you posted looks gorgeous, so who am I to tell you your process is wrong? If it works, and you’re happy, roll with it. There are more ways than one to grow a plant.
TrustMeIAmAGeologist
Pinch the leaves
07shiny
When I abandon them in my greenhouse. If they’re in pots big enough to hold water for a few days, they’re old enough for once a week watering in my book.
Honestly, I should wait longer but realistically it’s around the size of your plant haha. I just hate dealing with indoor fungus gnats and aphids.
7 Comments
When they go out and get a job and start supporting themselves.
So I treat them differently in three stages. Unsprouted, sprouts, seedlings. Unsprouted stay covered on a heat mat, pretty wet, sprouts stay fairly moist and get top watered by a spray bottle as well as bottom watered like every other day, once the true leaves appear, I stop using the spray bottle, keep bottom watering when the surface is basically completely dry for an inch or so but spacing out the waterings to try to train the roots down.
Once roots appear at the bottom of the container I either pot up or move outside, but I’m mostly at the time of year where everything is in soil blocks and going straight outside as soon as it can, I’m pretty much past the last frost date, so I’m not using containers as much.
Biggest thing you have to worry about with over watering is damping off and like algae/fungal growth. I really dial it back once the true leaves have been around and the roots are starting to get deeper. You can basically let them get to the point of wilting without much issues, they’ll recover. Once you notice damping off though they’re generally done for unless you can get them into the ground.
i stop babying the plants when they start showing signs that weather conditions, wind, or such will not make them fall apart like wet cardboard. i had a datura plant that was flimsy, and frail but after hardening them outside the plant became something standing on it’s own and able to deal with full natural sun and wind just fine.
When they take your car keys and drink all the fertilizer in your garage. 😉
I stop treating them like seedling around the first time I pot up from the seed cells into 3” or 4” pots. That’s about a month in from planting and they have 2-3 sets of true leaves – definitely smaller than what you show in the picture. I’ve also been bottom watering around twice a week for a while by this point and do not care about keeping them moist.
THAT SAID, the plant you posted looks gorgeous, so who am I to tell you your process is wrong? If it works, and you’re happy, roll with it. There are more ways than one to grow a plant.
Pinch the leaves
When I abandon them in my greenhouse. If they’re in pots big enough to hold water for a few days, they’re old enough for once a week watering in my book.
Honestly, I should wait longer but realistically it’s around the size of your plant haha. I just hate dealing with indoor fungus gnats and aphids.