How to Water Your Newly Planted Seeds Without Drowning Them

Saturday afternoon I took Turkey outside and we planted zucchini, sunflowers, watermelons and carrots. I’m hoping to plant another round mid April and mid May to have continuous produce for the summer.  I decided to use containers so I could bring them inside just in case of a late freeze.  (I know this is Texas, but being our first year here I’d rather err on the side of caution).  I have been eyeing a small hill (ok small roll) on the side of our yard
that would be really nice for planting, but it hasn’t yet been cleared
of all the vines and debris left by the last owner.  I figured this way once the seedlings got big enough there would be no possibility of a freeze and by then surely the “hill” would be cleared and ready. 

Anyway, back to the planting.  Turkey was very methodical with planting the little seeds all in rows and did a pretty good job of pushing them into the soil with just one finger.  I think most of them are at the right height.  After we got everything planted and were ready to water, I had a dilemma.  We have no spray nozzle for flowers.  I’d also planted in flower pots, some of which are too large and heavy for me to move by myself.  I didn’t want to stand there for hours with a water hose on trickle to avoid disturbing those precious seeds.  I decided against setting the pots I could move in a basin of water, which is the way I’ve always known to water new seeds.  Instead, we got out the spray bottle.  Let me tell you, those seeds got watered, and watered, and watered.  I think he would have fallen asleep with the spray bottle in his hand if I had let him stay out there with it.  The spray bottle is gentle enough to not disturb the seeds, covers a good area with one spritz, and is super cool and fun for a 3 yr old.  Problem solved for the rest of the summer, or at least a couple of weeks until the novelty wears off.

And fyi, once the plants sprout I’ll be giving him a pitcher of water and a small plastic cup.  He loved to “give the flowers a drink” last year and was surprisingly gentle with this task.  It’s also so tedious that it gives me a few moments of peace