seedling watering quesition

[oriky]

Hi, i growing seedling under artificial light (t8 fluorescent bulbs) the seedlig are 2m'm to 1cm, and they get 26 day to 16.5 night temp.
each seedling in 1*1*1cm, or 2*2*2*cm pots.
the soil dry totaly after 2 days.
it's normal to water every 3 days?

i do something wrong?

[iann]

What are you growing?

You're in Israel! Wouldn't they be dry after two days even without the lights? Even in England it is common to sow cactus seed sealed up under plastic so that they don't dry out for many many weeks. Cactus seed really needs to stay moist (not wet) for a good long while. Go easy on the lights too, if they're globular cactus seeds. You can easily burn them even with regular fluorescent tubes depending on the setup.

[oriky]

most of the seedling are quite big (specially the astrophtum and the lophophora) i take them out from the bag couple moths ago....

i success grom them from seeds well, but when i arrive to the stage i need to open the bag i failed...

[iann]

1cmx1cm pots will dry out very quick. Even 2cmx2cm is pretty small.

I don't know just how big the seedlings are, but if they've been out of bags for a couple of months then I'd think they should be dried-out more often than wet. Tough to manage with very tiny pots though, maybe stand them in water for a day or so, then let them dry out for a while.

Of course, if they're all growing well, then maybe don't change anything

[oriky]

cant put them in water, that a tray of 160 1*1 and 80 2*2, until today they also was on heating pad, i think that why they dried so fast...

[Cidermanrolls]

Oriky
Those temperatures are as hot as high summer conditions in UK! Your pots are tiny. Of course they will dry out in a day or two, if not hours.
My one year olds are in 5cm pots in a propagator set to 10c minimum with low humidity. They need a light drink every two weeks.
My fresh showings are in 6cm pots in a different propagator under lights at 20c with higher humidity. These need water every week or two.

[oriky]

10c its not too low?

So your answer is yes? Its right to water every two\three days? After i water the plants they look great... i just worry about rot..

[habanerocat]

You could temporarily submerge all the posts into a tray/bed of sand and water as normal. This will stop the pots drying out so fast and help you get over the difficult winter period.

[Cidermanrolls]

Hi Oriky
I am growing cactus seedlings. For one year olds, 10c is definitely not too cold.
My main greenhouses are set at 5c and 7c. Next winter I will have a "hot house" set to 10c for the most sensitive species. In UK this is probably luxury conditions for cacti.
Many in UK keep cacti in unheated greenhouses or ones with just frost protection.
Like the suggestion on a sand bed, I had wondered about capillary matting to help keep your plants happy.
My real opinion, based on minimal input, is that your pots are too small.
Jon

[oriky]

i think i just get the seedling out from the germination box... so the are too small...

what are you do with the germniation box (or the zips bags) when the night temp is 10C? do you open it? or you leave it close? 10C with water it's quite dangerous no?