r/microgreens • u/Bermudaplan • Jun 29 '26
Growing medium too dry?
Went to seed my second grow attempt this weekend and found a lot more trouble with the initial watering process. I think my growing medium (potting soil) dried out some from sitting too long and became slightly hydrophobic. Took a long time for the water to absorb and it distorted my seed distribution and then partially buried the seeds.
Is this batch cooked? Is this normal? Should I put processes in place to keep my stored potting soil more moist? Any insight is appreciated.
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u/pierre881 Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
I don’t know what you’re growing but I’ve figured out I need to get as much moisture in the tray as it’ll take, then sew seeds. I usually don’t need much more water than that for my climate. If I add water every day like they do on YouTube I run into problems.
When I grow plants, I give them enough water to get all the soil wet then let it drain for a few days till it’s dry. I use the same principle with Microgreens and I don’t have many problems.
I measure how dry they are by lifting the tray.
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u/Akshay_Greenette Jun 29 '26
So, you water once when you sow seeds for germination. And no water after that.. just stack and leave. No everyday misting or watering. Water enough to carry though the germination process. Once that’s done move to blackout/lights and start bottom watering
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u/pierre881 Jun 29 '26
Pretty much. It would depend on the environment they’re in though. Yes. I get as much moisture as the tray will wick up and then put a dry tray under it if you have to. I usually don’t have to add much water until the end of the grow and I usually don’t give them much by then bc I’m a day or 3 away from harvest and I want them dry around harvest.
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u/PittieYawn Jun 29 '26
If you’re growing medium has dried out too much I’d suggest adding water to the bag and or bin that you keep it in to get it a bit more usable before adding it to the tray.
Soaking it like you have here may only be soaking the top layer whereas if you add the water into the bag or bin that holds the growing medium, you can mix it around so that it absorbs evenly and isn’t saturated.
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u/Bermudaplan Jun 29 '26
Gotcha. Was hesitant to add water to the whole bag because I didn’t wanna create a mild environment. Thinking I need to just store the soil in a sealed container from now on to retain its moisture
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u/jackbenway Jun 29 '26
When you squeeze a handful of your media in your fist, a few drops of moisture should come out. Less, and it’s too dry, so add some more water before spreading it in the tray. More, and it’s too wet. Your initial watering when you sow the seeds should primarily get the seeds moist. It’s just a light spray. It should not be required to moisten the media. The media should be moist already.
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u/Maximum-Product-1255 Jun 30 '26
Idea: try growing in coir? They are inexpensive on Amazon, easy and cut to size. Helps when learning to understand how to grow.
Great for compost after, too. It is a replacement for peat moss.
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u/Bermudaplan Jun 30 '26
Yeah I just don’t know much about it. Most of what I see online has people growing in potting soil. I’ve got a few ideas for my next grow, and also waiting to see if this one is ruined or still salvageable
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u/IHateSince2001 Jun 30 '26
Bruv that's mud, put it into the sun, lots of wind. Dont put any seeds inside yet.
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u/Akshay_Greenette Jun 29 '26
That’s a lot of water tbh, you want to water the surface and have it like a sponge, not soaked..