How do I water my onionseeds in the greenhouse?

[Jill]

Hello,

I have just sown onions in my greenhouse and Im a bit unsure how to water them. In the magazines and gardening books I have there are no hints what so ever. Is there anyone who could please, please help me?

/Jill

[gardenplot]

I would just give them a sprinkle every week, but not really sure myself so would also be interested on this one.

[smallblueplanet]

I can't help, sorry, but I have to admit to using self-watering modules for growing our onion and leek seeds - cos we overwatered our 1st lot many moons ago and they never survived.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hello and welcome to the vine Jill. I use a spray bottle and set it to 'mist' the young seedlings. I give them a gentle spray a couple of times a day when the compost looks dry, and as they get bigger, change the force of spray so that I can give them more water (targetted away from the shoot)

[PAULW]

My onions are sown in individual cells which sit in trays on a water wicking fabric, when the seedlings start to tap on the greenhouse windows with their tongues out I give them a drink but only from the bottom never over the seedlings, this I believe makes the roots go down looking for water and prevents "damping off" of the seedlings

[Hazel at the Hill]

Not sure if this is, like, normal but what I do is this.

sow the seeds in little pots then put the pots in a gravel tray FILLED with warmish water. When the water shows in the pots (virtually straight away), lift pots out of gravel tray, let them drain on cooling rack or similar, empty the water from the gravel tray and put the pots back in.

Water again by same method when the compost is more or less dried out.

My reckoning is that the seeds/seedlings never sit in water (I'm not tempted to water in the meantime risking overwatering), and this mimics a lovely April shower..

EDIT - reading that back, it sounds a bit like rubbish advice, but it does work for me...

[smallblueplanet]

My onions are sown in individual cells which sit in trays on a water wicking fabric, when the seedlings start to tap on the greenhouse windows with their tongues out I give them a drink but only from the bottom never over the seedlings, this I believe makes the roots go down looking for water and prevents "damping off" of the seelings

Snap, Paul has just described our self-watering modules.

[bluemoon]

I do exactly as shirlthegirl. And remember to prick them out when they are at the 'crook' stage. This may mean doing a few a day when ready until you have enough.

[shirlthegirl43]

My onions are sown in individual cells which sit in trays on a water wicking fabric, when the seedlings start to tap on the greenhouse windows with their tongues out I give them a drink but only from the bottom never over the seedlings, this I believe makes the roots go down looking for water and prevents "damping off" of the seedlings

Not sure if this is, like, normal but what I do is this.

sow the seeds in little pots then put the pots in a gravel tray FILLED with warmish water. When the water shows in the pots (virtually straight away), lift pots out of gravel tray, let them drain on cooling rack or similar, empty the water from the gravel tray and put the pots back in.

Water again by same method when the compost is more or less dried out.

My reckoning is that the seeds/seedlings never sit in water (I'm not tempted to water in the meantime risking overwatering), and this mimics a lovely April shower..

Good point, will try this with my next batch of seedlings - thanks folks.

[veg4681]

Can you not use the house plant watering can that comes with a sprinkler. I'm using this for watering all my sowed seeds. I have used my fingers before to let water trickle down gently.

[Dobby]

I have them in a seed tray and water the tray underneth cos last year we both waterd from the top it was our first year and not many servived from the first lot.
THen we found out you water from under neth and now only I water the seeds not MrsD
as well

[Jill]

Thank you all for your replies! I have my seeds in pots that you can plant out straight in the ground, so I think I will try and water them from underneath and see how that goes

X

[Tracey]

I do exactly as shirlthegirl. And remember to prick them out when they are at the 'crook' stage. This may mean doing a few a day when ready until you have enough.

Bluemoon, what is the 'crook' stage?

[diana]

Yes Bluemoon do tell

[Cutecumber]

They come up bent in half - like a hairpin. The "fold" in the middle comes up first.

The crook stage is once the growing end is out of the soil but before they are fully upright.

Sorry, it's not easy to describe, but you'll know it when you see it!