Seedling and soil question.

[Guest]

I've got my soil mixed, i would estimate about 60-70% soil and 30-40% peat moss. Do I have to 'flush' the soil by making it soaked and letting it run out the bottom, or is it fine to leave it dry?

If I leave it dry and dont wet it down, is it o.k to put my seed in it?

How should i water a seedling, i heard somebody say to use a spray bottle and just slightly dampen the soil? is this the right way to go?

 

[sproutco]

You will want the soil to be completely wet. With peatmoss in your soil mix, you may want to add a couple of drops of liquid dish soap into a gallon of water to act as a surfactant and help it get wet. Plant your seed. Cover. Lightly mist the soil and try to settle the soil down and surround the seed.

 

[Guest]

so i take a gallon of water, put a couple drops of liquid dish soaps and soak the little dixie cup with that and then let it drain?


edit: also, what water is best to use? i heard not to use tap water because the chlorine in it can kill your plant. is it ok to use bottled water that you buy in stores?

i dont have access to distilled water right now...

 

[bostrom155]

so i take a gallon of water, put a couple drops of liquid dish soaps and soak the little dixie cup with that and then let it drain?


edit: also, what water is best to use? i heard not to use tap water because the chlorine in it can kill your plant. is it ok to use bottled water that you buy in stores?

i dont have access to distilled water right now...

Just let your tap water sit out for 24 hours and the chlorine will evaperate

 

[sproutco]

Tap water will be okay. It may take many soakings to wet the soil. Put small drain holes in the dixie cup. You might want to cover the small pots with clear plastic wrap to keep the soil moist and not dry out once your done planting. Put the cups so that they are 75-80 degrees f. Check often. When the seedling comes through the soil, remove the wrap. Immedietely, give alot of light such as a florescent light 1" away to prevent stretch. If you don't give enough light, it will grow a long stem and become "leggy".

 

[Guest]

after i run the water with dishsoap through it, do i run just clean water through to flush the soap out?

 

[Guest]

also, how long after i completely wet the soil should i wait before i put my seed in?

 

[Don Chocolate]

curtisd, any particular reason you didn't add any perlite?

I always fill the cups up with soil and water until it starts to come out of the drain holes. I then take the germed seed and put in the wet soil about 1/2 inch from the surface and bury it. Then, I spray the top of the soil where the seed is with a spray bottle to make sure the area is real wet. And BAM... they're off! If you bury the seed before you water the container, the seed could get lost in the mix.

Hope that helps.

 

[Guest]

the top is very wet, do you think i should still spray it?

edit: i dont have access to perlite right now, but when i transplant to a bigger pot im hoping to get some.

 

[sproutco]

Top of the soil being wet is not good enough. Plant 1/4"deep. No need to flush the soap out because you used 1 or 2 drops, right? If you want to flush the soap out okay. No delay in planting...stick it in the soil. You spray the soil to settle the soil down after you covered it up. You want the seed to be surrounded by soil not sitting in a pocket of air.

 

[Guest]

alright, sounds good.

 

[sproutco]

These grow facts from overgrow may be of some help to you. They are not the gospel. http://growfaq.marijuana.com/growfaq/

 

[Guest]

i heard somewhere to put a plastic ziplock over top before it sprouts, should i do this or not because in that growfaq it says high humidity promotes stretching

 

[Guest]

can someone please tell me if this is the right method to use before the seed sprouts? thanks.

edit, and also how long should it tkae before it shows itself through the soil?

 

[Don Chocolate]

I personally don't put anything over the top and it's never effected one coming up. If you do put something like a clear bag over it, definitely remove it as soon as the plant pops up.

Usually a germed seed pops thru the surface at about 2-5 days.:smile:

 

[Guest]

thanks.