Place the container in a tray or bowl of water. Wait for the surface of the medium to darken with moisture. Remove from the lower container and drain thoroughly.

Alternatively use a very fine rose watering can.

However you do it, always water thoroughly and then leave to drain. Don't just mist the surface. That doesn't provide sufficient moisture to the roots and it can lead to damping off.

I didn't like bottom watering as it often left standing water and made a mess and lost nutrients out of the bottom. I prefer to water just enough from the top.

Well it works for me. You only need to do it a few times at good intervals and I've not met with any 'mess'. I'm wondering why you asked if your mind is already made up and you have a preferred method. Either way the trays need to be well moistened and drained so no more nutrients are lost than by overhead watering. Regarding the standing water - note I said 'drain thoroughly'.

What do you mean my mind is made up? I am looking for an easy way to overhead water gently. I have tried bottom watering and I, personally, find it a hassle and I don't like it. To each his own. I guess what I am looking for is a tiny watering can.

I have a small (1/2 gal.) pump mister. It's quite easy to use. I never keep misting them until they are soaked in one application. I mist for a bit, then I go on to another tray. After a while, I'll come back and mist again. I'll repeat until the medium is thoroughly wet through. The idea I try to use, and maybe it's not necessary, is to not water so much at once that I displace the air in the medium. By misting, then waiting, the water gets a chance to get distributed throughout, without either getting too much, or too little.

This has worked for me for a long time. I do use dome covers over my flats, but even they are 'cycled'. If left on too long you'll get the perfect conditions for fungi; it left off, drying. When do I mist, cover, or leave open? Whenever the medium and the plant needs.

As the seedling gets a few true leaves, I gradually switch over to a combination of top, and bottom watering. I become less concerned about letting the surface, and an inch or 2 dry a bit.

rhizo,

Thanks for all the info.

I am growing my seedlings like this:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2993293/tomatoes-and-eggplants-growing-fast

They are started in starter cell trays, transplanted to the 3"x3" pots and then to solo cups. I had great success last year, and used overhead watering. I used enriched seed starting mix and did not have to fertilize at all, and avoided watering to the point of runoff to keep the nutrients in the soil and not leave standing water and soggy soil.

However right now I am starting onions in quart tubs in bunches, as that is all I have room to do (and the bunches work fine for others -- I have been posting about this on the allium thread.)

I do not have the space to start seedlings in large flats. Though I do understand they are easier to water.

If I pour water out of a cup, it tends to punch the center of the pots and I am concerned is damaging sprouting seedlings -- yes, disturbing the potting medium and dislodging seedlings. Also, it is hard to be precise and clean.

Sorry, Peter, maybe I came across as a bit snotty. It just sounded as if you had a preferred method already and although you asked for a tip you didn't like mine. Personally I water usually, but not exclusively, from below I find that with experience I can just put the right amount of water in the lower tray and it is all absorbed. I never need to take the inner trays, pots or modules out of the lower tray. So there is no mess or hassle whatsoever.

If you want to water from above you need to get a watering can with a fine rose. Pouring from a cup is going to disturb the seedlings as you say. I never mist. As rhizo said, although she mists, she does it to provide as much water as if she'd watered from a can. Just moistening the surface is a good way of getting damp off.

This is the only picture I have of my set up. Sorry it's out of focus. The seedlings have only just been watered. In a few minutes all the water will have been absorbed. Notice that the lower tray has depressions so if there is a little water left the modules do not sit in it.

Thanks for sharing

You could drill several small holes into the cap of a water bottle or 2-liter bottle and use the bottle to water your seedlings.

Rodney

When they're tiny seedlings I use plastic pipettes like this:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/83971245/disposable-pipettes-5?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=pipette&ref=sr_gallery_7

Those are good tips thanks

I always water from below on the first watering - it pulls the seed into close contact with the soil...but then I drain and cover - I rarely need to re-water until germination so no worry about moving the seeds about. I confess to not really like using a fine rose - I find it messy and hard to judge. As I top-dress the seedlings with grit, I generally trickle a fixed amount along the sides of the pot...the grit disperses the water fairly evenly over the surface but this can be even more fiddly than using a rose. It works well for me though.