Just starting out...
 

Hi all

I'm brand new to gardening and hav just bought my greenhouse. Going to sow some seeds tomorrow and just querying some of the instructions. Whats do the following actually mean:

Firm gently?
Keep moist? (what's moist? If i'm growing a veg in seed tray, does this mean water daily?)

Thanks for your help.

Just starting out...
 

On Feb 19, 2:46*pm, Akumos wrote:
Hi all

I'm brand new to gardening and hav just bought my greenhouse. Going to
sow some seeds tomorrow and just querying some of the instructions.
Whats do the following actually mean:

Firm gently?
Press down with your hand until the soil compacts a small amount.

Keep moist? (what's moist?)
Don't let it dry out. Surface dryness is normal but under the surface
should be damp. Try this: put some soil in your hand and squeeze it.
When you open your fist, if the soil stays in a ball, it is damp/
moist. If it crumbles, it is dry.

If i'm growing a veg in seed tray, does this mean water daily?)
Depends on the size of the seed tray, but light watering every 3rd day
would probably do it.

KC

brilliant! thank you KC for you advice! It's much appericiated.

Just starting out...
 

Moist means water when needed, not on a set schedule!

You will find that some plants really suck up the water during certain
stages in development. Check your seedlings/plants daily.
Personally, I water my seedlings when the soil on top looks dry. I
usually don't actually check it - dry soil is a different color from
damp. And moist, I'd say, is dryer than damp :)

Firm gently for me means getting good contact between the seed and the
moistened soil. I like to use warm water to wet the sterile potting
mix, then make a small divot in the top with a pencil or spoon - about
4-5 seed diameters deep, so not really deep. I cover the seed by
pushing the seed in and smearing my finger over the hole, which puts
some of that moist mix on top of the seed. I usually don't press any
harder than that.

With bottom heat provided by a heating pad, you can expect seedlings
in 3-7 days.

Don't forget to harden off your plants when movign them from
greenhouse to outdoors!