Bottom Watering Seedlings

mtbigfish · February 23, 2010

I know I read about bottom watering seedlings on a post here somewhere but cannot find it
I have always misted from above but wanted to know about bottom watering

Do you just place the 1020 tray without drains - put some warm water - and place tge seedling plug tray into the 1020?

How much water ? just enough so the peat etc wicks the water?
I suppose one should have a water sensor to test the soil
seems like it would save time from daily checking and misting dry cells

What do you do after you pot up - top or bottom

Please let me know your experiences

Thanks
Dennis

Blueaussi · February 23, 2010

I generally bottom water everything I plant. I use a variety of containers, from peat tp plastic cups. Depending on the size of the seedling container and how dry it is, I put an inch to two inches of water in the larger container with the seedlings already in it. After a couple of hours, I drain off any excess. You get pretty good at judging how much water to put in, though, and most times there is no need to drain any off.

If they're still on seed starting mats, I even leave some water in there. Doesn't hurt anything, no matter what the water control fanatics say.

shelleybean · February 23, 2010

Everything I plant starts out in a three inch plastic pot and I have those in the trays without the holes. I pour enough water in to cover the entire bottom of the tray and let it wick up. When the surface of the seed starter mix is dry, I water again. When the plants are just tiny, I only need to water about once a week. When they get bigger, it might be every day. Just have to keep an eye on it. I always use cold water. Seems I read a long time ago that cold water keeps them stockier. I only use warm water when I first get the seed starting mix ready to plant.

After I pot up, if the plants are still inside, I continue to bottom water because there's less mess. If outside, I figure they're going to get rained on anyway, so I just water overhead.

PaulF · February 23, 2010

I bottom water making sure not to let the planting medium get soggy. Then I allow the medium to dry out before watering again. If I see the plants wilting I will top water a little and bottom water enough to get the medium damp. I use 1 1/2" to 2" plastic pots and transplant into 2 or 3 inch pots all in plastic trays.

amideutch · February 24, 2010

I bottom water while the seedlings are growing in the peat pellets and when I pot up to 4" biodegradable pots I top water. Ami

b54red · February 24, 2010

I also bottom water once the seedlings are up; but when potted up I water from above. I just have too many pots to find trays to place them in to bottom water.
The bottom up watering seems more important when the seedlings are very young, because it only takes one hot day without watering to destroy a lot of seedlings (I know from experience). The biggest danger is over watering and getting damping off if you keep them too wet. I let the seedling cups get very wet and then tilt the water tray and drain off most of the water and then do it again in a few days or a week depending on the temps.

February 23, 2010	#1
mtbigfish Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Chillicothe Ohio - left Calif July 2010 Posts: 451	Bottom Watering Seedlings I know I read about bottom watering seedlings on a post here somewhere but cannot find it I have always misted from above but wanted to know about bottom watering Do you just place the 1020 tray without drains - put some warm water - and place tge seedling plug tray into the 1020? How much water ? just enough so the peat etc wicks the water? I suppose one should have a water sensor to test the soil seems like it would save time from daily checking and misting dry cells What do you do after you pot up - top or bottom Please let me know your experiences Thanks Dennis

February 23, 2010	#3
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Everything I plant starts out in a three inch plastic pot and I have those in the trays without the holes. I pour enough water in to cover the entire bottom of the tray and let it wick up. When the surface of the seed starter mix is dry, I water again. When the plants are just tiny, I only need to water about once a week. When they get bigger, it might be every day. Just have to keep an eye on it. I always use cold water. Seems I read a long time ago that cold water keeps them stockier. I only use warm water when I first get the seed starting mix ready to plant. After I pot up, if the plants are still inside, I continue to bottom water because there's less mess. If outside, I figure they're going to get rained on anyway, so I just water overhead. __________________ Michele

February 23, 2010	#4
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,295	I bottom water making sure not to let the planting medium get soggy. Then I allow the medium to dry out before watering again. If I see the plants wilting I will top water a little and bottom water enough to get the medium damp. I use 1 1/2" to 2" plastic pots and transplant into 2 or 3 inch pots all in plastic trays. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

February 24, 2010	#5
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	I bottom water while the seedlings are growing in the peat pellets and when I pot up to 4" biodegradable pots I top water. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

February 23, 2010	#2
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	I generally bottom water everything I plant. I use a variety of containers, from peat tp plastic cups. Depending on the size of the seedling container and how dry it is, I put an inch to two inches of water in the larger container with the seedlings already in it. After a couple of hours, I drain off any excess. You get pretty good at judging how much water to put in, though, and most times there is no need to drain any off. If they're still on seed starting mats, I even leave some water in there. Doesn't hurt anything, no matter what the water control fanatics say.

February 24, 2010	#6
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I also bottom water once the seedlings are up; but when potted up I water from above. I just have too many pots to find trays to place them in to bottom water. The bottom up watering seems more important when the seedlings are very young, because it only takes one hot day without watering to destroy a lot of seedlings (I know from experience). The biggest danger is over watering and getting damping off if you keep them too wet. I let the seedling cups get very wet and then tilt the water tray and drain off most of the water and then do it again in a few days or a week depending on the temps.