Do I have to soak my seeds before planting?
As a general rule of thumb, your seeds will sprout even if you don’t soak your seeds before planting, but with soaking the germination time decreases, and the germination rate increases. Seeds that have a continual flow of moisture to uptake have much higher chances of success. Pre-Soak Your Seeds Before Planting That is why many seeds take a long time to germinate. You can trick the seed into opening faster by pre-soaking them in water. The goal is to penetrate the outer surface of the shell so that the plant gets the signal that it’s ready to grow.To get things growing faster, you can actually germinate seeds in paper towels and a sandwich bag—no soil needed! This simple method will help you skip the clutter and complication of seed starting trays, domes, or temperature sensors.
How often should I water newly sown seeds?
Once you have sown your seeds it is very important to water with a gentle, fine spray twice a day until the seedlings are 3 cm high. After seedlings are 3 cm high they get full sun and a thorough watering once a day using a regular shower setting. Some species require a more stable moisture content to the soil. Water daily until seedlings are at least a few inches tall or wide. In hot or windy conditions, check the soil often and water more frequently, as these conditions dry soil faster. Water at the base of each plant—avoiding wet leaves helps prevent disease.Containers need frequent watering. Because there is little soil in a pot to hold water, container plants need to be watered more frequently than plants in the ground. In hot weather, they may need to be watered daily. They also need more water later in the season as they grow larger.