I’ve been growing indoors for years. 10 gallon soft bags. But there’s something Ive always been conflicted about.
I start my seedlings in solo cups. After about 10 days I transfer my seedlings to 10 gallon bags filled to the top with well amended Happy Frog.
When I water my seedlings, I usually only water in about a 5" circle around the seedlings, leaving the remaining soil dry. Please see the photo and notice the area I’ve highlighted.
I always get this nagging feeling I should be watering all the soil in the pot. But then I ask myself, why? The roots aren’t anywhere near that area yet.
As the plant grows, I naturally expand my watering circle to eventually include more and more of the surface area, and eventually the entire pot.
So, any thoughts? As you can see in my photo the soil outside of my circle is dry. Am I harming my seedlings?
Coco grower, but this is my loose method. Usually, if I go bigger than 2 gallons (3+), I do 2 transplants. Solo cup to 1/2 gallon pot. Then to my 3 gallon bag when I see a decent amount of roots from the bottom of the pot. I know that nagging feeling you speak of. The extra transplant puts the roots near those areas where you think they won’t be close to getting moisture. It takes very little moisture in the environment for the roots to function and eat properly.
I’m in Promix and now coco, I start them in clear solos inside red ones, when the roots hit the bottom of clear cup, I up plant to one gallon pots with holes in sides and bottoms, when roots come out bottom holes, I plant in final container 5 gal for Promix, 3 gal for coco. I use a transplant method that has never stalled them on me, there’s detailed pics and info in my grow journal. It’s tough watering a small plant in a big pot, I’ve done it but new way is much better. Since you are already planted, I would water them as needed at just past the leaf line until they reach the edge, then fully water and then let dry. good luck
I water the same way you do except I’m usually a direct sow into the final home, a 5 gallon fabric bag. It’s trickier to not over water, but keeping it away from the step is huge.
I’ve never stalled an auto either. Actually, I suspect this method produces slightly thicker stems. This because when I transfer the seeding from the solo cup, I plant it right up to its first set of leaves. I found it reduces any legginess.
This is the exact system I use. I still use a solocup but I use it to press a mold into the WET OF/HF mix. I start watering the pot ( full water 1.5 liter ) the day befor I drop beans in the paper towels. Then I fill the hole with damp seedling potting mix and install sprout in the 5 gallon fabric pot
From using HF/OF in the garden the first 2 waterings the soil does not want to take water. I knew If I did not get rid of the initial water repelent properties of fresh soil mixtures the first few waterings were going to be a crap shoot. The water could puddle and then sink through and running right at the seed sprout. Setting up the pot correctly eliminates the transplant shock that can sometimes happen
