How Often Should You Water Seedlings? Here's the Top Tips
Whether starting vegetable seedlings indoors or outdoors, keeping them watered properly is key for strong, vigorous plants. How Often Should You Water Seedlings? Seedlings should be watered daily. We have found the bottom watering method of watering seedlings using trays to be the most effective. Bottom watering allows the soil to wick the water from the bottom. Our favorite trays are the ones from Vego Garden that accommodate their seedling trays, and once we pot up to 4" pots, we use the 1020 trays from Boot Strap Farmer. Whether starting vegetable seedlings indoors or outdoors, keeping them properly watered is key for strong, vigorous plants.
Bottom Watering
Bottom watering is not only timesaving but also prevents damage to newly emerged seedlings. If you prefer to top water, find a fine mist spray bottle and check your seedlings twice a day to prevent dry out. We limit using the mister to only the first 10 days; once the plant has a root system and a set of true leaves, we stick to bottom watering. Here's what you should know about watering seedlings.
How Often to Water Seedlings
Seedlings need to be watered once a day, but that rule isn't written in stone. Depending on the growing conditions, some seedlings need a light spritz twice a day, while others are fine being watered every other day. Overwatering, however, is just as detrimental to seedling health as lack of water. Understanding the signs when seedlings need water is more important than sticking to the once-a-day frequency rule.
- Seedlings must be watered at least once daily to keep the soil moist but not soggy.
- More frequent watering is required if the soil dries out faster because of strong light exposure or warm temperatures.
- Watering frequency will also have to be increased as the seedlings grow.
How Often to Water During Germination
Seeds need the right amount of water to germinate successfully. Commercial potting or seed-starting mix is often pre-dampened, but spray it with water before planting the seeds to ensure it is moist.
If it is dry to the point where it does not cling together if you gather some in your hand, add water to a solid bottom tray and allow the seedling tray with soil to soak up the moisture. After about an hour, pour off any excess water.
Once the germination process has started, insufficient moisture brings it to an irreversible halt, so make sure to always keep the soil evenly moist.
How Often to Water Seedlings
Water whenever the surface of the growing medium looks or feels dry. That can mean daily watering, more than once a day, or every other day.
More frequent watering is also necessary if you use a heating mat to speed up germination, which is a common practice for tomatoes and other seeds that need warm temperatures to germinate.
How to Check Soil Moisture
Check the moisture at least once a day. The indicator is the moisture level at the surface because seedlings don't yet have the same deep roots as established plants that let them draw moisture from deeper soil levels.
A dry soil surface tends to look crusty and light in color whereas a moist surface is dark. Touch the soil surface with the tip of your index finger. If it feels dry, it is time to water.
The Right Way to Water Seedlings
Overly wet soil is one of the causes of damping-off disease, a fungal disease that can quickly kill seedlings. Watering seedlings from the bottom helps prevent the fungus. Always make sure to use well-draining potting mix or soilless potting mix.
- Place the containers or pots on a solid tray and add ¼ to ½ inch of water to the bottom tray for 10 to 30 minutes.
- Touch the top of the soil with your finger to ensure the moisture has reached the top of the growing medium, then remove the tray with water.
- Depending on how much or how little water has been absorbed, increase or decrease the amount of water in the next watering.
In addition to moderating the amount of water the seedlings get, bottom-watering instead of directly watering also avoids damaging the delicate and tender seedlings. It does not take more than a light mist from a spray bottle to knock over a tiny seedling.
5 Tips for Growing and Watering Seedlings
- Check the soil moisture at least daily or twice a day. Always check the soil moisture before you water and don't water unless the surface of the soil feels dry.
- Don't let the soil dry out completely. Water regularly to keep the soil moist.
- The bigger the seedlings get, the more water they need. Adjust the watering frequency and amount accordingly.
- Water seedlings from the bottom. This avoids knocking over the delicate stems of young seedlings.
- Water freshly transplanted seedlings immediately. When they're outside or in their larger pot, give them deeper water than when they were in the seed starting cell.
Seedlings should be watered based on how fast the soil dries out and the water requirements of the seedling.
Can a spray bottle be used to water seedlings?
Watering seedlings with a mister or spray bottle is not generally recommended. However, seeds sown on the soil surface because they need light to germinate dry out quicker. For these seeds, gently mist the soil and seeds with a spray bottle or mister a couple of times a day until they germinate. When the seeds germinate, begin bottom-watering.
Should I water seedlings from the top or bottom?
Tender seedlings are at risk from stems and leaves being damaged with heavy waterflow. There is also less chance of overwatering. You do need to remember to empty the bottom tray or remove it after about 30-45 minutes.
If you're looking for even more detailed information, check out our gardening section of the website. If you still have questions, let me know in the comments section below or contact me in our private Facebook group.
