How water should I give to my plants?

pruney

Hello all
I'm a first time poster on this board and I need some advice about the potatoes I've just planted. I can never keep plants alive and really want to succeed this time. I've just planted my seed potatoes (they're vivaldi) in my potatoes bags and I'm not sure how much to water them. Can anyone give me the rough amount in litres that I should be watering on each bag per day? There are 3 potatoes in each bag and I have 4 bags. I've read somewhere if you water them too much they go mouldy and if you don't water them enough they die but no-one says how much is too little or too much!
I've also bought some of those seeds in a pot from wilkos and am going to have a go with peppers, chillis, basil and oregano.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can give,
Cheers
Ayesha

amcluesent

Your best bet is to get a soil moisture meter from a garden centre and water according to need, rather than so many litres per day. I use one for going around all my pots and it's a great help.

ALIBOBSY

I just stick a finger just under the surface of the soil, unless it is dry I don't water after the initial "seed soaking" -always give just planted seeds a good soak. This seems to help germination.
You want damp soil/compost for most plants. The vast majority don't want to be overwatered as it leads to rotting.

I have planted up a homemade potato bag (used a recycled ex recycling sack-local council moved over to boxes instead of bags) and watered 2 days ago, was still damp yesterday so left it alone-will check again today when I go out to the greenhouse.

good luck
ali x

BTW you can tell if you water too little as the plants will start to wilt, but soon come back when watered. You would have to leave them dry for a fair few hot days to kill a plant completely-but it could effect the crop you get and some veggies/plants run to seed if stressed by under watering. Potatos are pretty hardy tho.

pruney

Thanks both, I'm going to go with the finger method I think to start with. Just been out to give them a further water as I didn't really soak them this morning. fingers crossed I see some foliage soon

cooking-mama

Cant remember where i read/heard this tip,but apparantly to test if a growbag needs watering we should dab a bit of newspaper onto the compost,if it leaves a damp patch its fine,it not then it needs watering.

balloo_2

amcluesent wrote: »

Your best bet is to get a soil moisture meter from a garden centre and water according to need, rather than so many litres per day. I use one for going around all my pots and it's a great help.

They are selling simular ones to these in poundland no meter just a flashing light when plant needs watering.