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Anyone got any tips on watering seeds as yesterday no matter how gentle i was there were a few seeds floating about and had to be pushed back again.

I have some loo rolls and egg trays in a tray now that they are all wet can i just water the tray?

the same with pots - can i just water the pot saucers or do i need to water from the top?

Oh and silly me got distracted at the end and didnt label one pot and i cant even remember if i put seeds in the milk container -  i guess i will see in a couple of weeks LOL.  I am so useless and think i will be getting all sorts of surprises when it comes to harvest!

If trays are well watered & drained before sowing, & the soil is then covered with glass or plastic. they should not need watering again until germination - at which time it is safe to water from the top - with a VERY fine rose. But NOT in sunshine.

Yes, you can water from the bottom - if you have a deep saucer. But it will never soak the whole pot. And it tends to draw the roots toward the bottom, rather than encouraging them to spread.

I think!

I find this nozzle invaluable for doing pots without wetting the foliage.

thanks for that tim!  Off to move them out the sun now before they fry and dry up!

Quote from: tim on May 12, 2006, 11:11:24
If trays are well watered & drained before sowing, & the soil is then covered with glass or plastic. they should not need watering again until germination - at which time it is safe to water from the top - with a VERY fine rose. But NOT in sunshine.


I find this nozzle invaluable for doing pots without wetting the foliage.

If the seeds have not germinated I use a hand pump spray to wet the surface of the compost.



If germinated I use a mastic gun nozzle fitted to a small watering can as shown below;

Inventive Tee Gee!

Sound advice Tim ;) just wish I'd had it when I'd purchased my cheap multi-purpose compost that was on the dry side ::) ;D

Glad you mentioned the spray, TG - most useful.

Like your noz too. Purpose of mine is that, however far you reach across the bench, the flow is always downwards.

I water from the bottom when I sow seeds let the pot draw up as much as it wants to let drain and in propergater. Or leave on the bench untill they germanate.
I never water from the top try to keep the top of compost on the dry side to avoid mold works for me. Yes it makes the root go down and find water better for my lottie. Surface roots would dry out to easy and would always need watering.

Mastic gun nozzle what a top tip!!!!
I always use a large tray the sort with no holes in and put 1 or 2 of my seed trays or pots into it then fill with water and let them soak until the compost at the top of pot/tray is wet.It takes time but the bigger the tray the more pots/trays you can fit in.I find it the best way when the greenhouse gets very warm.