by The entire future harvest depends on what kind of seedlings turn out. Young sprouts are very tender, and overwatering and dry soil are equally harmful to them. In an effort to grow healthy seedlings, gardeners come up with different ways to care for them. Including experimenting with watering.
Remember that you cannot water the seeds immediately after sowing, otherwise you will bury them too deep in the soil. It is better to moisten the soil in advance. In the future, to avoid damaging the plantings, use a spray bottle or a watering can with a thin spout. The water should not be too cold or too warm, ideally at room temperature (20-25°C). It is also important what exactly you will water the seedlings with. We will tell you about the pros and cons of the most common means.
Watering seedlings with rain or melt water
This option is considered the best, because such water is as close as possible to natural precipitation in its composition. But, unfortunately, if you live in a big city or near industrial enterprises, its benefits are reduced to nothing.
In any case, before watering, it is advisable to pass melt or rain water through a filter and be sure to heat it to room temperature. You cannot boil it, otherwise the oxygen will evaporate, which will not benefit the plants. Another good option for using melt water is to let it stand at room temperature for a few days.
Watering seedlings with ash
Ash contains a large amount of nutrients necessary for seedlings. But this does not mean that the ash solution should be used from the first days of sowing seeds. Such feeding is usually done before planting seedlings in the ground. To do this, dissolve a glass of wood ash in 8 liters of hot water, insist for a day, filter, and then water the plants (but not more than 0,5 liters of infusion per one).
Watering seedlings with a solution of potassium permanganate
Potassium permanganate not only disinfects the soil, but also feeds plants with potassium and manganese. But it is very important not to make a mistake with the dosage, so as not to burn the plants. No more than 10-1 g of potassium permanganate is used per 2 liters of water, and the procedure is repeated no more than once every 10 days. It is also recommended to use potassium permanganate when watering before picking seedlings.
Watering seedlings with iodine solution
Iodine will protect young plants from fungi and bacteria, accelerate flowering and increase crop yields. But this affordable remedy also has a significant drawback – the difficulty of determining the dosage. Never drip iodine “by eye”. The optimal dosage is 1 drop of iodine per 3 liters of water. In this case, the solution must be thoroughly mixed. Seedlings only need one watering with such feeding, but it should be carried out no earlier than 10-12 days after planting the seedlings in a permanent place.
Watering seedlings with yeast
Yeast dressing is very popular among experienced gardeners. It can be used to speed up the growth of seedlings and their endurance. The solution is easy to prepare: add 10 g of dry yeast, 100 g of sugar to 50 liters of water and leave for 2 hours. After that, dilute the solution with water 1:5. If you plan to use “live” yeast, you can do without sugar: dilute 100 g of the product in 10 liters of water and leave for hours.
Yeast feeding is especially important for plants that experience a lack of light.
It is important to remember that yeast only works in warm conditions, and it will not be useful in soils that are poor in organic matter, and yeast also washes out potassium that plants need.
Watering seedlings with herbal infusion
Herbal infusion can replenish potassium deficiency. Collect and chop dandelion or nettle stems, place them in a container, do not compact, completely fill with water. The infusion should be left for two weeks in a warm place to start the fermentation process. After that, dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:10 and water the seedlings at the root.
The main disadvantage of this type of watering is that many plants are sown for seedlings before the greenery of nettles and dandelions appears.
Watering seedlings with onion peel decoction
Onion peel is another affordable source of microelements. Onion peel increases plant immunity, strengthens stems and improves metabolism. Pour 1 cup of peel with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil and turn off immediately. Let the decoction brew for two days, strain, dilute 1:5 and use to water seedlings, but not more than once a week.
Different methods of watering seedlings have both advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, for a better harvest, you need to combine several methods. Whichever option you choose, consider the general rules for watering seedlings and the characteristics of a particular crop.
