How long can seedlings last without water?

[Phillybonker]

I've got a problem, next Friday I have to go away for five days, I germinate today and the seedlings will be a few days old by the time I leave. My plan was to use capillary matting as part of a self watering system but I stupidly didn't buy enough of it. Now two of my five grow containers don't have a self watering system.

I can only order more capillary matting online and it won't get here by the time I leave. I've got no one to water the seedlings for me either.

The temperature will be around 21°C and partly cloudy over those five days.

I'll water the seedlings Friday morning just before I leave and then I'll water the seedlings Tuesday late afternoon when I return. So the seedlings will be without water for almost 4 days.

Will the seedlings survive that long without water?

 

[Phytoplankton]

I've got a problem, next Friday I have to go away for five days, I germinate today and the seedlings will be a few days old by the time I leave. My plan was to use capillary matting as part of a self watering system but I stupidly didn't buy enough of it. Now two of my five grow containers don't have a self watering system.

I can only order more capillary matting online and it won't get here by the time I leave. I've got no one to water the seedlings for me either.

The temperature will be around 21°C and partly cloudy over those five days. I'll water the seedlings Friday morning just before I leave.

Will the seedlings survive five days without water?

Give ‘em a good drink before you leave, they should be fine.

 

[Porky82]

Maybe.

 

[Azimuth]

You could setup a wicking system. Some thick yarn or something pushed up into the bottom of the pot and also down into a container of water of some sort. Then set the pot above that container and water will wick up from the container to keep the soil moist.

 

[SmokingWings]

I germinate today and the seedlings will be a few days old by the time I leave.

Reads like you will be planting on Friday and the seeds will sprout/germinate (both words mean the same) by Sunday or Monday, maybe Tuesday for the slower ones.

When you leave next Friday they will only be 4 or 5 days old, still being supplied by the cotyledons while growing the early root system and tap root. Their demand for water should be minimal until after the first true leaf has gotten some size to it.

A proper watering before you leave next Friday morning and a good watering almost 4 and 1/2 days later when you are back on Tuesday afternoon and the seedlings will be back on schedule. I would think that the most that could happen would be a slight wilt, if that, and they recover within a half hour to an hour.

 

[Phillybonker]

You could setup a wicking system. Some thick yarn or something pushed up into the bottom of the pot and also down into a container of water of some sort. Then set the pot above that container and water will wick up from the container to keep the soil moist.

This is one of the containers, I have two other containers like it with no self watering system.

I'm not sure yarn is practical because there is going to be quite a lot of plants.

I

 

[Phillybonker]

Reads like you will be planting on Friday and the seeds will sprout/germinate (both words mean the same) by Sunday or Monday, maybe Tuesday for the slower ones.

When you leave next Friday they will only be 4 or 5 days old, still being supplied by the cotyledons while growing the early root system and tap root. Their demand for water should be minimal until after the first true leaf has gotten some size to it.

A proper watering before you leave next Friday morning and a good watering almost 4 and 1/2 days later when you are back on Tuesday afternoon and the seedlings will be back on schedule. I would think that the most that could happen would be a slight wilt, if that, and they recover within a half hour to an hour.

That helps to put my mind at ease, I don't really want to spend the whole 5 days worrying about the seedlings.

 

[Keffka]

You’ll be fine.. especially at that age.. I’ve made seedlings bigger than that go 7 days without water. Like Smoke said, you’ll still have cotys and won’t have enough roots to drain it quickly

5 days may even be just how long they take to drain it at that age

 

[Azimuth]

This is one of the containers, I have two other containers like it with no self watering system.

I'm not sure yarn is practical because there is going to be quite a lot of plants.

I

If those are compressed fiber pots, you could put a towel under them and leave one end in the water reservoir, though as the others said, probably not necessary.

 

[Phillybonker]

If those are compressed fiber pots, you could put a towel under them and leave one end in the water reservoir, though as the others said, probably not necessary.

That's a good idea, I'll have a think on it and I'll do your towel trick if I start to get nervous before I have to leave.

 

[SmokingWings]

That's a good idea, I'll have a think on it and I'll do your towel trick if I start to get nervous before I have to leave.

Or if you have some left over peat moss or shredded coco coir get it wet and spread it out in the plastic totes. Make a hole for the peat pots and put them in and push the wet material up against the cups. That will get the peat pots damp and reduce how fast the stuff in the little pots dries out. Most likely when you get back it will look just like it did the day you left.

Have a good trip.

 

[Phillybonker]

Or if you have some left over peat moss or shredded coco coir get it wet and spread it out in the plastic totes. Make a hole for the peat pots and put them in and push the wet material up against the cups. That will get the peat pots damp and reduce how fast the stuff in the little pots dries out. Most likely when you get back it will look just like it did the day you left.

Have a good trip.

Thanks. Just one more question, when I germinated I gave one small bottle cap of water into each peat pot and the peat pots are kept in the shade, I don't have to give the seeds anymore water to get the seeds to germinate do I?, just the one watering, right?

 

[Azimuth]

No, you want to keep the seed moist. Once it starts the germination process if it dries out it dies.

 

[Phillybonker]

No, you want to keep the seed moist. Once it starts the germination process if it dries out it dies.

That might explain why 156 seeds aren't germinating after 63 hours.

Germinating is more complicated than I thought.

I think I might try multiple germinating methods next year so there is no singular point of failure.

 

[Keffka]

That might explain why 156 seeds aren't germinating after 63 hours.

Germinating is more complicated than I thought.

I think I might try multiple germinating methods next year so there is no singular point of failure.

If you planted straight into the medium it can take up to a week. 4-5 days is about how long it takes for my seeds to start coming above ground

 

[Phillybonker]

If you planted straight into the medium it can take up to a week. 4-5 days is about how long it takes for my seeds to start coming above ground

I thought it took 2-3 days, there is hope, I'll keep the peat pots well watered every day and see what happens.

 

[Keffka]

I thought it took 2-3 days, there is hope, I'll keep the peat pots well watered every day and see what happens.

I plant straight into a solo cup after I roll my seeds in myco. I’ve never had a plant come above ground in 2 days. The absolute fastest I’ve ever seen it is 3 days, and that was in a very warm room (85F). I average closer to 4-5 days.

There’s a variety of factors that can speed up or slow down germination. Temperatures below 80F, The size of the medium/container planted into, age of seed, moisture content, etc. can all slow down germination.

If you plant straight into the medium you’re waiting for the seed to trigger germination. Usually it takes 12-24 hours but some times it’ll take longer.

Once this occurs you still have to wait for the tap root to go low enough, typically the bottom of the container, to anchor itself, then it will begin to lift its head above the dirt once it’s anchored. This process takes another 24-48 hours depending on the container size.

Once anchored it takes the plant another 12-36 hours to come up, again, container size.

After the 4th day I would start being concerned, after 6 days I start digging around.

 

[Phillybonker]

I plant straight into a solo cup after I roll my seeds in myco. I’ve never had a plant come above ground in 2 days. The absolute fastest I’ve ever seen it is 3 days, and that was in a very warm room (85F). I average closer to 4-5 days.

There’s a variety of factors that can speed up or slow down germination. Temperatures below 80F, The size of the medium/container planted into, age of seed, moisture content, etc. can all slow down germination.

If you plant straight into the medium you’re waiting for the seed to trigger germination. Usually it takes 12-24 hours but some times it’ll take longer.

Once this occurs you still have to wait for the tap root to go low enough, typically the bottom of the container, to anchor itself, then it will begin to lift its head above the dirt once it’s anchored. This process takes another 24-48 hours depending on the container size.

Once anchored it takes the plant another 12-36 hours to come up, again, container size.

After the 4th day I would start being concerned, after 6 days I start digging around.

Thanks for the information.

What do you mean by digging around?

 

[Keffka]

Thanks for the information.

What do you mean by digging around?

Using a toothpick or some other small instrument to sort of root around in the medium to see if the seed is germinating or if there’s an issue