I planted my seed flats to go under my grow lights and I am not sure how to water them without compacting the soil. I know I should have a Swiss watering can for this job but they are a whopping $30+. Has anyone come up with an economical way of watering small emerging seedlings without drowning and flattening them? I tried a spray bottle but that took forever.

-- Tiffani (cappello@alltel.net), April 11, 2002

Answers

I use trays for the seedlings, set inside another tray, and water from the bottom. This has worked very well for my seedlings.

-- Kris in Wisc (kkwoestman@yahoo.com), April 11, 2002.

After you water them with a spray(or from the bottom), put plastic wrap over the top to keep them moist until they sprout:)

-- mary (mlg@mlg.com), April 11, 2002.

Since I grow a lot of seedlings for sale and this year had more than 20 flats going in the basement under grow lights, I bought one of those thin coiled-up hoses that attach to the faucet and have a wand with a spray end. I love it. It puts out a gentle spray and the wand fits under the lights without having to move them or the plants. When the weather started warming up I put some of the flats outside the basement door to harden off, and the hose stretched right out the door--no more hauling water. I plan to use it outside to water plants in pots on the deck this summer. I got mine at Lowe's for about $25 which was far cheaper than ones I'd seen in the catalogs I get.

-- Katherine in KY (KyKatherine@Yahoo.com), April 11, 2002.

We use a 1 and 1/2 gallon pump up type sprayer. It provides a fine mist and so no soil compaction. They are cheap, easy to clean and can be used for applying some fertilizers. We like a diluted kelp spray on our seedlings, gives them a great start.

-- jz (oz49us@yahoo.com), April 11, 2002.

I've got about 15 flats going here and just use the sparayer attachment from my faucet....set low. Happy Gardening :)

-- Sue (sulandherb@aol.com), April 12, 2002.

It is not that hard nor expensive to set up an electrically operated timer and some misting nozzles. i did it in the late 70s when i was in graduate school to grow and sell about 250 pounds of alfalfa sprouts a week and later n the 80s and 90s to start all of the perennials and annuals and veggies on our nursery/truck farm. Never had a swiss waterng can, but did flood irrigate from below by settng seedling trays in trays of water for a few minutesin the days when I thought the mistng system was too expensive.

Oscar

-- Oscar Will (owill@mail.whittier.edu), April 12, 2002.