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Vegetable Gardening

Beginner Question: New Seeds and Dry Soil

8 years ago

I planted some seeds yesterday. Covered with burlap. Watered this morning and came back in the evening and the burlap and soil was dry. Should I plant new seeds or just re-water?

Featured Answer

tete_a_tete

8 years ago

Just re-water them. It's summer over there isn't it? You will need to keep the soil moist until they germinate, unless they are beans or peas. Beans and peas like to be watered well at sowing time then not again until they have germinated, or they might rot.

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Comments (7)

User
Original Author
8 years ago
Oh really? I've got a row of beans, whoops! Will avoid watering them. Thanks for the advice.

Yes, it's scorching hot here. It's "walk around shirtless with your belly hanging out" hot.
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
Even with the current high temps if the soil dried out in one day under burlap it probably wasn't watered sufficiently in the first place.

One method is to water the bottom of the drill before planting the seed and then covering with dry soil. After that water every few days with the rose on the watering can.

What were the seeds?
User thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
8 years ago
Finland, the same rule applies with your beans. Do not let the soil dry out completely. Be sure that you're not judging by how the surface looks or feels; dig in a little with your fingers.

I would think that burlap, when applied to the surface of a soil, would dry out rapidly and then act as a wick, drawing moisture out of that soil.
User thanked rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
User
Original Author
8 years ago
@floral_uk: Beans, okra, bok choy, cilantro, rapini.

What is a drill? I did pre-water the soil the night before. I am probably underwatering - I'm worried that I will end up overwatering the soil (altho obviously I'm not lol).

@rhizo_1: I read that the burlap helps retain the moisture, but I suppose it would work the opposite way too.

Most of the soil was still at least moist at seed depth, but the beans, cilantro, and rapini were dry to seed depth.
tete_a_tete
8 years ago
I have the feeling that you probably didn't water enough initially, as the others have said. It's easy to be fooled by what appears, on the surface, to be wet soil, especially when distracted by half-naked people.
User thanked tete_a_tete
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
8 years ago
A drill is the shallow impression/dent/trench in the soil that you sow into.
User thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

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