It’s seed sowing season, which means I’m dusting off one of my favourite gardening purchases: this £5.49 spray bottle from Amazon.
Knowing how to water seedlings and freshly sown seeds is crucial if you want them to grow into strong young plants – overdo it, or use the wrong technique, and they might not make it past the seedling stage or even germinate in the first place. My Amazon spray bottle is a hero at keeping me from overwatering my seed trays (a common cause of legging seedlings and other germination issues). It’s so easy to use, and it lightly mists the seeds without displacing them.
Here’s why I recommend it to other gardeners.
This spray bottle actually works like a mister, and releases just the right amount of water.
On the surface, the GRIFEMA spray bottle doesn’t look like anything special, but its simplicity is actually what makes it so great. It’s designed with an ergonomic grip that means it's comfortable to hold, and it’s leaf-proof from every angle (so no unnecessary spills!).
The spray trigger is easy to use, and it sprays water continuously for three seconds on a single hold, so you can cover a large portion of a seed tray at once. It releases a 0.3mm mist, so from a small distance, it’s fine enough not to disturb freshly sown seed.
Misting is a brilliant watering technique for seed trays because it allows easier control over watering, too. Of all garden watering mistakes, flooding seed trays is one of the worst, because it can prevent the seeds from germinating.
'Misting will gently increase moisture levels without disturbing freshly sown seed,' agrees Kate Cotterill from She Grows Veg. 'It also helps create a nice, consistent humidity level around seeds, which is vital for good germination.'
Amazon reviewers agree that the spray bottle produces a delicate mist that’s perfect for plant care (you can mist your houseplants with it, too), and one reviewer even notes that the design saves their wrists by taking away a lot of the usual strain that comes with using spray bottles.
The listing page says you can even fill it with alcohol, disinfectant or vinegar, so it’s ideal if you’re looking to make your own solution to keep pests like slugs at bay naturally, for example.
Once your seeds sprout, you’ll need to take even more care not to over-mist them to prevent damping off and other mould forming on the soil around your seedlings – but you could always invest in a seed tray with drainage holes like this Garland Standard Seed Tray from Amazon and start bottom watering your seedlings to be on the safe side. It's still wise to mist rather than directly water young seedlings, though.
'Once seeds pop, it can be a good idea to continue the misting routine for a little longer,' advises Kate. 'These are often very tiny, brand-new plants that can be easily broken or crushed. Watering from the top with a full stream can dislodge the delicate roots that have yet to go deep into the soil or might bend or snap delicate stems.'
Other seed sowing essentials
A heated propagator can speed up germination, especially for tender seeds. This one is perfect for a tabletop.
A handy set of six seed trays with drainage holes to help you avoid waterlogging your seedlings.
Rootrainers are ideal if you'll be sowing tap-rooted plants like sweet peas and beans.
For under £6, I think my spray bottle from Amazon was a brilliant buy. It keeps my seeds in place and lightly hydrated until they germinate.
