tcmfish said:Those of you who get damping off has anyone tried the "on the rocks" method? Or anyone else for that matter try the "on the rocks" method?
TreeClimber said:I have seen a difference when using well water that has gone through a water softener. I now get my water for seedlings from a point before it goes through the softener. I think the salts have negative effects.
DogsNDaylilies said:It sounds like there's a lot of variation in what works for different people. I'm on 'city water' that still requires a water softener (yeah, we have to pay for the city water AND still had to purchase a water softener AND the more expensive potassium chloride because they don't allow regular salt) :angry
sooby said:
Potassium being a plant nutrient it is usually said to be less of a problem when watering with potassium softened water, than from the sodium ones. I've read that the amount of sodium depends on the hardness of the water (and therefore how much salt is needed to soften it, which makes sense to me). Either way, the process takes out calcium and magnesium, which are also plant nutrients.
sooby said:
I did have houseplant problems with our water softener but that was perhaps largely to do with its salt level being inadvertently set too high, enough that we could taste it. Using sodium softened water outdoors can be a problem over time also because an accumulation damages the soil structure. Of course you can have too much potassium as well but in general it's supposed to be less harmful for plants since plants nutritionally need more potassium than sodium. Plants do vary in their salt tolerance and since softeners vary in their salt levels depending how adjusted and how hard the water, it seems likely we would each have different experiences quite apart from there being different softening systems.
gargoyl52 said:is it ok to water seedlings with dehumidifier water? I don't think that was covered about, but my appologies if it was and I missed it
dutchman said:The seeds have sprouted and were transplanted in a bigger pot. When do you fertilize them and if so with what? They are in a greenhouse.
beckygardener said:....
I do have a question about the gnats .... if you did bottom watering after the initial watering, would that deter gnats? I place all my cups into a plastic shoe box bin and could bottom water them instead of top watering.