Watering seedlings how much is too much, how much is too little?

[Waffleman]

Hi there,

I looked on the forums but couldn't find an answer to my specific question. When it comes to watering seedlings I know you need to be careful with watering too much since their root structure isn't fully developed yet. But what does that mean exactly?

I'm growing 2 plants indoor and they are autoflowers so once the seeds started germination I put them in the final container and now they have sprouted from the soil. However now this part is still a bit of a mystery to me. How much do you water a seedling in a big pot? Watering till runoff seems like overkill for a seedling? So any advice on some guidelines on how to water seedlings in a big pot. Currently, since they literally sprouted a day ago, I just kind of mist the medium around it a bit so that it gets wet but I'm very careful so I don't think the waters going very deep into the soil.

The soil I'm using: 80% soil 10% perlite 10% coco. So think of it as mostly soil medium.

It's in an airpot so if I can use a moist meter in some clever way to make sure I'm watering ok enough (not too much but not too little), let me know!

Please share your wisdom with me oh Growlords

 

[Gmix]

It’s not how much you water it’s more about the frequency

I don’t recommend water meters I find unless the soil is compact they read incorrectly that said some do use them so I guess you could if you wanted

 

[Waffleman]

It’s not how much you water it’s more about the frequency

I don’t recommend water meters I find unless the soil is compact they read incorrectly that said some do use them so I guess you could if you wanted

So you're saying its okay to water till run off, but make sure not to water too often at that amount. Okay, thanks for your advice!

 

[Lexstar66]

Your first mistake was putting them in their final container first. You always step up your container with the growth of the seedling. Start with red solo cups. When the leaves of the seedling reach over the edges of the solo cup, you can transfer into a bigger pot, Preferably a 3 gallon pot. I transfer mine from solo to a 5 gallon smart pot. Never any trouble. The seedling can't keep up with the water in a big pot offhand. It will drown or starve for water.
Patience grasshopper.

 

[Waffleman]

Your first mistake was putting them in their final container first. You always step up your container with the growth of the seedling. Start with red solo cups. When the leaves of the seedling reach over the edges of the solo cup, you can transfer into a bigger pot, Preferably a 3 gallon pot. I transfer mine from solo to a 5 gallon smart pot. Never any trouble. The seedling can't keep up with the water in a big pot offhand. It will drown or starve for water.
Patience grasshopper.

Mm for a photo period i did it as a solo cup. But for autoflowers they recommend putting it into the final container since they "don't have time" to spend on a transplant. In any case I did it this way with my previous grow which was my first time trying and the result was totally fine. But then I also had the same feeling during the seedling phase that I wasn't sure how to water it properly, so I just kind of erred on the side of caution. Which I would do again now, but I wanted to see if there is some knowledge on this already.

The solo cup approach indeed takes away this uncertainty. But from my research is not recommended for auto's

 

[orggrwr]

You are right not to transplant autos but don't water to runoff either. The goal is to get the medium around the plant moist but not so much it doesn't dry in a couple of days. Start with about a solo cup full of water poured slowly around the plant and then check it next day. If too dry water some more. The want to need watering every 2 to 3 days so you'll have to experiment to find the sweet spot for your medium and pot size but it should take a little more each watering. After a couple weeks you should be able to water to runoff.

 

[Waffleman]

You are right not to transplant autos but don't water to runoff either. The goal is to get the medium around the plant moist but not so much it doesn't dry in a couple of days. Start with about a solo cup full of water poured slowly around the plant and then check it next day. If too dry water some more. The want to need watering every 2 to 3 days so you'll have to experiment to find the sweet spot for your medium and pot size but it should take a little more each watering. After a couple weeks you should be able to water to runoff.

Thanks a bunch man! Definitely steps I can follow, much love

 

[orggrwr]

No problem, good luck

 

[Waffleman]

Thanks! They are looking quite good at the moment I would say. I thought I'd ask a follow up question here.

I seem to very quickly get these fungus gnats when I grow indoor. I had it on my previous grow as well.

The thing is I keep my set up clean, I make sure I'm not overwatering my soil (at least I don't think I am.) but regardless they will just show up instantly. Maybe its due to my humidifier attracting them? (for seedlings I try to keep the humidity higher.)

In any case its not terrible or anything but when I smack the pots you will see a couple fly off. I've put yellow sticky traps all around the pots inside the tent, but so far they haven't done too much.

Are there any other suggestions in how to deal with them? If I could I would obviously like to get rid of them completely. But so far they are not out of control or anything, as far as i can tell.

 

[Stickman551]

Everybody starts their plants differently. I prefer straight to final pot after germination. Photoperiods. I use gallon milk jugs with the Bottom cut out over sprouts. I have a low humidity issue.
I water on top of the jugs allowing the water to drain down the perimeter of the plant, not thru hole.
Check with your moisture meter just inside the perimeter at all levels before to insure you don't build up excess moisture in the bottom.
I started with a cup of water and adjusted accordingly. I lost 2 grows last year to overwatering seedlings. This is my 1st time using this method. It worked great. Hope that there is some useful info.
HAG1

 

[Newty]

For photoperiods I only water with a spray bottle while in solo cups. When they are transplanted in final pot, I'll start watering in a spiral motion a little away from the plant to the outside of the pot. Let the roots grow and they will seek out the water.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

When it comes to watering seedlings I know you need to be careful with watering too much since their root structure isn't fully developed yet. But what does that mean exactly?

How moist was the soil when you planted? That'll matter. Young plants need somewhat moist soil, but be careful not to water close to the stem.

 

[PooToe]

It’s not how much you water it’s more about the frequency

I don’t recommend water meters I find unless the soil is compact they read incorrectly that said some do use them so I guess you could if you wanted

I'm going to agree with @Gmix. Seedlings have small root systems so they don't take up much water in the beginning.

While it seems that @orggrwr recommendation worked I see frequency as the biggest issue also. I like to bottom water my seedlings and sprouts.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I don’t recommend water meters I find unless the soil is compact they read incorrectly that said some do use them so I guess you could if you wanted

Alas. 'Tis true. Knowing the soil is essential. When using moisture meters (and other measurement devices), I think more in terms of relative rather than absolute measurements. That is, the value of measurement is more in observing changes than in knowing the precise moisture content.

 

[CocoFun]

Your first mistake was putting them in their final container first. You always step up your container with the growth of the seedling. Start with red solo cups. When the leaves of the seedling reach over the edges of the solo cup, you can transfer into a bigger pot, Preferably a 3 gallon pot. I transfer mine from solo to a 5 gallon smart pot. Never any trouble. The seedling can't keep up with the water in a big pot offhand. It will drown or starve for water.
Patience grasshopper.

Uhhh no. Bad advice. Autos generally, ESPECIALLY if it's your first grow??? They prefer to be planted in final pots, especiallyfor first timers, 2, 3, 5 gallon, whatever yoyr space allows. You're a beginner, they are on a clock, why risk a couple days of xplant shock.

Second of all, watering a seedling. One thing that's a great little tool are the 10ml syringes. Less is more. First week, 5-10ml per day, that's 1-2 teaspoons of water for a week. In little circles expanding outward. Always water out, not down as seedlings. Keep humidity up around 60, you're good.
Get yourself into veg, give em a good thorough watering, wait for her to dry, then wait another day, usually 4, sometimes 5 days. It's a weed, they don't need much water except during flower. Then water, then wait and wait.
Autoflower roots grow fast, they stretch and grow searching for water, make em search, then hit em. Repeat until flower. Then you're at every other day. Soak, lift pot, wait til she's about light.
There you go, that's how you start and water an auto. Soil ph between 6.5-6.8 just be safe ph your water
And for the love of God, be gentle removing leaves, only the bottom 1/3 just before flower and any blocking any primary bud sites....then, after 4 weeks of flower when she's developed a good foundation of bud sites, pluck off any leaves blocking good sunlight. Not too much! She's on a clock, keep her growing.
Wait for those trichomes turn 10-30% amber, the rest milky, shut the lights, leave for a day or 2, chop her down, hang her upside down 65 degrees, 50 humidity for about a week, gentle breeze NOT pointed at the plant, at a wall, keep air circulating....after a few days, give them buds a little squeeze, they should feel crispy, but a little give in the middle. If your little tiny branches, just the thin ones snap, not bend, you can feel a difference, if they sorta snap?
Congrats, you did it. Trim carefully, mason jars, 60% humidiryh. It dried correctly you won't need broveda packs, but, they're helpful I suppose with a hydrometer. Everyday for a week, pop the top for an hour.
Roll it, smoke it....well done my man enjoy. .
Some will disagree with parts of this, but, you follow that, you'll grow good weed.

 

[Waffleman]

Uhhh no. Bad advice. Autos generally, ESPECIALLY if it's your first grow??? They prefer to be planted in final pots, especiallyfor first timers, 2, 3, 5 gallon, whatever yoyr space allows. You're a beginner, they are on a clock, why risk a couple days of xplant shock.

Second of all, watering a seedling. One thing that's a great little tool are the 10ml syringes. Less is more. First week, 5-10ml per day, that's 1-2 teaspoons of water for a week. In little circles expanding outward. Always water out, not down as seedlings. Keep humidity up around 60, you're good.
Get yourself into veg, give em a good thorough watering, wait for her to dry, then wait another day, usually 4, sometimes 5 days. It's a weed, they don't need much water except during flower. Then water, then wait and wait.
Autoflower roots grow fast, they stretch and grow searching for water, make em search, then hit em. Repeat until flower. Then you're at every other day. Soak, lift pot, wait til she's about light.
There you go, that's how you start and water an auto. Soil ph between 6.5-6.8 just be safe ph your water
And for the love of God, be gentle removing leaves, only the bottom 1/3 just before flower and any blocking any primary bud sites....then, after 4 weeks of flower when she's developed a good foundation of bud sites, pluck off any leaves blocking good sunlight. Not too much! She's on a clock, keep her growing.
Wait for those trichomes turn 10-30% amber, the rest milky, shut the lights, leave for a day or 2, chop her down, hang her upside down 65 degrees, 50 humidity for about a week, gentle breeze NOT pointed at the plant, at a wall, keep air circulating....after a few days, give them buds a little squeeze, they should feel crispy, but a little give in the middle. If your little tiny branches, just the thin ones snap, not bend, you can feel a difference, if they sorta snap?
Congrats, you did it. Trim carefully, mason jars, 60% humidiryh. It dried correctly you won't need broveda packs, but, they're helpful I suppose with a hydrometer. Everyday for a week, pop the top for an hour.
Roll it, smoke it....well done my man enjoy. .
Some will disagree with parts of this, but, you follow that, you'll grow good weed.

Thanks for such a detailed walkthrough! I will definitely try this advice on my current grow

 

[Gmix]

Reason behind not transplanting autos is they need to go grow constantly without stress.

Its also why they not recommend for new growers that and watering
As for drowning and all that jazz ; bad information

No matter how good you are transplanting is stressful on plants and it takes a few days for them to recover.
That fine if it’s a photoperiod however on a automatic it’s not

 

[PooToe]

Reason behind not transplanting autos is they need to go grow constantly without stress.

Its also why they not recommend for new growers that and watering
As for drowning and all that jazz ; bad information

No matter how good you are transplanting is stressful on plants and it takes a few days for them to recover.
That fine if it’s a photoperiod however on a automatic it’s not

I like to water in a little Hormex on transplant to lessen the shock for photos. I wonder if it would help autos?

 

[Gmix]

it’s just b1 same as superthrive
It may help ( we’ve never had a real answer to that question ) but not enough for the plant to totally miss out on being stressed when moving home.

 

[Waffleman]

I like to water in a little Hormex on transplant to lessen the shock for photos. I wonder if it would help autos?

From doing 1 auto before (so I have limited experience), but you can really tell any downtime for an auto will have some effect on the outcome/yield. Whereas with photoperiods mistakes, if rectified on time, will have a much smaller impact since it has more time to correct its self.

This is indeed what I read up on and why i don't transplant autos.

For those interested here are my seedlings at this moment :) About 1 week old. Any feedback of tips you see/want to give let me know.

I'm still playing with my light height and intensity since my previous grow it was made clear here that I kept the light WAY to close. So now I'm erring on the side of caution more. But if you guys feel like these seedlings are craving more light lmk!

Thanks in advance!