how much to water seedlings (newb)

[Ahzore bar]

Evening folks!

 

Looking for some advice. I've just started my first ever grow and have decided to give autoflowers a go.(controversial for a new grower)

 

I have 2 seedlings both have sprouted, one this morning and one 2 days ago. Rightly or wrongly i used jiffy peat pellets after using paper towel for ease of transfering to final pots (11 litre fabric pots). I have potted into the finals today, watering the base of the hole with roughly 100ml of water and then backfilling around the jiffy and a few sprays on top.

 

My worry is whether i have watered them enough. The soil is canna terra, i filled the pots when i germinated and put into the tent to get the soil to temp up for a few days before but the soil seems fairly dry, with the natural moisture you'd expect from a bag of new compost when filling a pot with your hands.

 

So my question is, how much water should i be giving them per watering now they have sprouted. I know this is specific to each grow and environment but just a rough basline as the soil is light brown dry atm and curious as to whether i should be aiming to keeping it that darker shade, or is spraying the top with a sprayer everyday ok until they get a bit bigger and more established.

 

Anyones advice or criticism welcome

[mystic_roots]

I would generally water them with a sprayer 2/3 times a day, just so the soil is damp but not flooded as the roots need time to tart shooting. Spraying further out will encourage them to grow but I'm sure you'll be ok, they can be forgiving sometimes 

 

And welcome to the forum

Edited July 27, 2023 by mystic_roots

[Ahzore bar]

Just now, mystic_roots said:

I would generally water them with a sprayer 2/3 times a day, just so the soil is damp but not flooded as the roots need time to tart shooting. Spraying further out will encourage them to grow but I'm sure you'll be ok, they can be forgiving sometimes 

 

And welcome to the forum

 

Ok thanks. I was worried about giving them a full water as like you said the roots would be tiny so lots of water sitting in the pot not being used going stagnant and encouraging mould and root rot.

 

Thanks. This place is awesome!

[Lux_Interior]

Whoa! Steady on you're going like a steam train. 11 litre fabric pots should see them out. I'm not an auto-flower guru (at all) but getting them into their final pots as soon as you can is the way to go, I've been told. If the substrate is damp you will be fine. Get a decent feed and read the instructions.

 

Is this an inside or outside grow?

Edited July 27, 2023 by Lux_Interior
I just saw the tent bit.

[Ahzore bar]

Just now, Lux_Interior said:

Whoa! Steady on you're going like a steam train. 11 litre fabric pots should see them out. I'm not an auto-flower guru (at all) but getting them into their final pots as soon as you can is the way to go, I've been told. If the substrate is damp you will be fine. Get a decent feed and read the instructions.

 

Is this an inside or outside grow?

 

Yeah from what i have been reading on here and other places getting into finals seems the way to go as the clock is ticking so to speak. fyi the 11l are the finals .

 

Planning on using canna range for grow and bloom but hoping to get a few weeks without as their pro soil is lightly fertilised.

 

Ohh and its an inside grow

[Lux_Interior]

Just now, Ahzore bar said:

 

Yeah from what i have been reading on here and other places getting into finals seems the way to go as the clock is ticking so to speak. fyi the 11l are the finals .

 

Planning on using canna range for grow and bloom but hoping to get a few weeks without as their pro soil is lightly fertilised.

 

Ohh and its an inside grow

 

Yeah! go steady the plants will tell you when they are hungry Canna nutes are tried and tested though. 11litre pots should deliver a fairly hefty plant. I generally start half recommended feed and work up. I have not grown auto-flowering plants inside so I'm not going to offer any advise to you there.

 

[Ahzore bar]

On 27/07/2023 at 11:21 PM, Lux_Interior said:

 

Yeah! go steady the plants will tell you when they are hungry Canna nutes are tried and tested though. 11litre pots should deliver a fairly hefty plant. I generally start half recommended feed and work up. I have not grown auto-flowering plants inside so I'm not going to offer any advise to you there.

 

Good to know about the nutes. Thanks.

[Guggsy]

I have been growing Autos now for 5 years, in PM soil only and nothing else mixed in. I also use 11 litre pots, but I use plastic pots. I used to use the Jiffy Peats, but I found they sometimes restricted the root growth as the stuff that holds the jiffy peats together won't let the roots come through the sides. Then I used to tear off the out layer of the Jiffy Peats before planting into pots, the 3rd year I just planted the seeds staight on to the pots I grow them in, and didn't use Jiffy peats any more, and found them pointless. My personal opinion, next time just plant them staight into the centre of your pots, no more than 1cm-2cm deep, then moisten the soil gently with a gentle watering can, If you have a cloche that you can put over your pots use them and leave it in your tent. Just keep an eye on the soil, and make sure it stays moist, not wet. with a cloche it will contain the moisture within the pot. Also make sure when you put the soil in your pots, make sure you break down any lumps. Once you seeds have sprouted make sure your soil stays moist. once you are on your 5th-6th set of leaves you can start giving more water. probably start feeding after about 1 month, after your seeds have sprouted, as the soil should contain enough nutrients to get your plant that far. Also don't forget to remove your cloche, once the seedlings are big enough. When you do start feeding only give half the amount the bottles say. A mistake I made when I 1st started growing, as I follwed the instructions on the bottle, Until I learned you only supposed to feed autos qtr of what bottle says. For exsample Now my Autos are fully grown I have been giving them maximum 2ml per litre in a 7 litre watering can, so 14ml max, which is then divided over 3 pots. I started on 0.5ml per litre, So you will be feeding 3 litres roughly per pot in your 11 litre pots. I usually feed every 3-4 days depending how dry the soil is.

 

Also at the early stages when you start feeding only give them about 1 litre per pot, and build up slowly as the plants get bigger. But no more than 3 litre per pot once your plants have matured, and check your soil before watering.

 

Are you growing outdoors or indoors in a grow tent?

[Ahzore bar]

19 minutes ago, Guggsy said:

I have been growing Autos now for 5 years, in PM soil only and nothing else mixed in. I also use 11 litre pots, but I use plastic pots. I used to use the Jiffy Peats, but I found they sometimes restricted the root growth as the stuff that holds the jiffy peats together won't let the roots come through the sides. Then I used to tear off the out layer of the Jiffy Peats before planting into pots, the 3rd year I just planted the seeds staight on to the pots I grow them in, and didn't use Jiffy peats any more, and found them pointless. My personal opinion, next time just plant them staight into the centre of your pots, no more than 1cm-2cm deep, then moisten the soil gently with a gentle watering can, If you have a cloche that you can put over your pots use them and leave it in your tent. Just keep an eye on the soil, and make sure it stays moist, not wet. with a cloche it will contain the moisture within the pot. Also make sure when you put the soil in your pots, make sure you break down any lumps. Once you seeds have sprouted make sure your soil stays moist. once you are on your 5th-6th set of leaves you can start giving more water. probably start feeding after about 1 month, after your seeds have sprouted, as the soil should contain enough nutrients to get your plant that far. Also don't forget to remove your cloche, once the seedlings are big enough. When you do start feeding only give half the amount the bottles say. A mistake I made when I 1st started growing, as I follwed the instructions on the bottle, Until I learned you only supposed to feed autos qtr of what bottle says. For exsample Now my Autos are fully grown I have been giving them maximum 2ml per litre in a 7 litre watering can, so 14ml max, which is then divided over 3 pots. I started on 0.5ml per litre, So you will be feeding 3 litres roughly per pot in your 11 litre pots. I usually feed every 3-4 days depending how dry the soil is.

 

Also at the early stages when you start feeding only give them about 1 litre per pot, and build up slowly as the plants get bigger. But no more than 3 litre per pot once your plants have matured, and check your soil before watering.

 

Are you growing outdoors or indoors in a grow tent?

 

I was in two minds about the peat pellets but i had to go away for a few days last minute and my other half was left in charge so i thought it was a safer option so they could be left in a prop for a few days without to much bother. I also considered removing the outside but when i potted up a root had pushed through the bottom of the mesh on one so i thought it was better to be safe than sorry.

 

Next time i think i will take your advice go straight into the finals.

 

Good info about the nutes, thanks.

 

Im growing indoors in a tent and currently spraying the soil twice a day roughly 25ml each spray per plant (from earlier advice) as i didn't pre soak the soil before hand and the moisture seems to be going pretty quickly.. not sure if i should be giving them more or less but the only part that seems to hold onto the moisture is where the peat pellet is in the soil.

 

 

 

[Guggsy]

@Ahzore bar if your growing indoors in a tent do you have a fan or something blowing at your soil, it maybe just drying out the top layer. I haven't really ever used those fabric pots before, but maybe they are making the soil dry out quicker. or it maybe to hot in your tent.

[Ahzore bar]

@Guggsy I've got a small 2 speed fan on speed 1 aimed at the tube heater so as and when it triggers it moves the air around the tent. It generally just makes both plants move a little with the air movement. As i have a passive intake i also have the inline running on speed 1 to draw fresh air in day and night. (ACI 4inch)

 

 

Temps are steady between 25-26 day and 22-23 at night currently. (Not sure if that too hot). I have read that the fabric pots do tend to dry out a bit quicker, but being a beginner and reading that a lot of new growers tend to overwater my thought is that they would help if i fall into the same trap.

 

Temp and humidity probe is sat between both pots at canopy level.

[brock1]

I water to what is called field capacity. This is a term for when your squeeze the soil in your hand a few drops run from it. To get this I just water from underneath in a drip tray until it can't soak any more water up. Then I empty the drip tray. Eventually you kinda know how much water it takes so you don't need to empty your drip trays. But its pretty fool proff.

[Guggsy]

@Ahzore bar considering your plants have only just sprouted, not sure if anyone else agrees with me, but i'd bring down those temps slightly 20c-22c and 17c at night. just untill your plants get more established. I reckon the heat is drying out the soil quick, I maybe wrong, but you are trying to replicate outdoors in a tent, indoors. if you think most growers out doors won't start till maybe end of may beggining of june, where temps are around the points i mentioned. 25c-26c won't happen till later in june july time. and night time temps can go down to 12c-14c.  Give it a go drop the temps sightly in your tent other might think different.

 

Or if your soil is really that dry, try giving 500ml , but not directly near the seedling, but do it gently as to not damage the seedling. you have 11 litre pots you want the water to get to the tap root.

Edited July 29, 2023 by Guggsy

[Ahzore bar]

@brock1 i like the sound of that. When do you start doing that during your grow? I have two seedlings, one at 5 days one at 3 and im worrying about over watering them?

[brock1]

Just now, Ahzore bar said:

@brock1 i like the sound of that. When do you start doing that during your grow? I have two seedlings, one at 5 days one at 3 and im worrying about over watering them?

From the minute I soak my jiffy. Its exactly the same thing. Put the jiffy in the water it soaks all it can. Drain the water & plant my seed sprouts into the jiffy. Its exactly the same method the plants life.