Beginner! Help, what should I do? Seedling humidity % (dome) is ok, but the soil is DRY??

Hi, first time grower. I have read that best temeprature for sprouting is 26-28 celsius (about 80F) and humidity is 70-80%. I also have read that overwatering is a popular beginner problem.
Maybe I am overthinking it, but here is my issue. I would appreciate your help. HELP THE PLANTS, if not me

Stats first
240 w Kingbrtite with cree red 25 inches from pots. (50% intensity to get the 26-28 celsium temp)
3X3x6 Tent.
Biobizz light mix.
5 gallon airpot
2 Dutch Passion (Think different) autos
Guys, maybe I am overtinking it.

1. I presoaked my soil (with about 30% pot volume, it dried in ventilated dark area to acceptable wetness in 5 days)
2. Sprouted seed in paper towel, planted seed.
3. Put up a home made humidity dome - bottom of 1.5liter bottle with 4 holes on top for air circulation.

12 hours have passed.

My AC infinity controller probe shows 65-70% humidity in my dome, but the SOIL IS DRY 3-4CM DEEP. Very dry. It is dry because to reach 26-28 celsium I have 240 w light on 50% intensity. I dont have a CFL light.
So is this OK? Should I squirt some 10 ml (10squirts) of water around the dome to make the soil a bit wetter?
If I do that, humidity goes to 85% (in the dome) and slowly goes back to 65-70% in an hour or two. (as the soil dries up again)

I am very confused. I cant spray too much water, that raises humidity in dome over 90%.
I also cant turn down the lights, then the temperature goes down.

Sorry for the long post...
TLDR: Humidity dome microclimate is good, but soil is dry.What to do?
Thank you very much!

You don't need to use domes for seeds. Worry about the environment in your tent and try to get the humidity up around 65% if you can get it that high in there. Seeds aren't clones and in my opinion should never be put in domes. It just creates weak plants in fake environments. Get them used to the environment they're going to grow in and dial in your tent VPD to around .8 if possible. I know this doesn't answer your question directly but it's my best advice.

you see i did this until they break soil (remove immediately after seeing them poking their heads) and then they’re on their own and never ever let the soil dry out until they brake soil. if you did then you might have already killed them. dont presoak and dry out your soil this is not laundry just water it once and dont again until it dries and never let it dry until they brake soil

With all that research you didn’t read about seedlings in large containers? Start small, then transplant. Now you gotta water deep and wait. Start misting or just watering around the plant and you’ll get more problems.

Kerowacked said:

With all that research you didn’t read about seedlings in large containers? Start small, then transplant. Now you gotta water deep and wait. Start misting or just watering around the plant and you’ll get more problems.

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There is no issue with seedlings in large containers. 90% of the plants i grow have gone straight into 3 gal pots, and watered to runoff day one. Never a single issue. This whole small pot, shot glass of water and constant attention is a heavily overquoted falsity.
March 20

April 20

Never had a single issue You can all constantly water in tiny containers for no reason, I'll just drop a seed in medium, soak it to runoff and not touch it for a week or more. The issue isn't the big pots, its people refusing to water the big pots. They put a bloody shot glass of water around the stem and wonder why the roots aren't growing, and you all blame the pot size.

Do agree that domes are not needed though.

Domes are for rooting clones, not seedlings OP. I've had no issues with seedling at anywhere from 45-80%. It rarely gets below 40-45 here due to proximity.

Kerowacked said:

With all that research you didn’t read about seedlings in large containers? Start small, then transplant. Now you gotta water deep and wait. Start misting or just watering around the plant and you’ll get more problems.

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Yup, I did.
Chose autoflowers,they seem to be ok with a single container for most people

Seeding starter trays work just fine... If you want to increase temps of your trays use a heating pad instead of increasing your lighting. Save you some money too.

Father Earth said:

Seeding starter trays work just fine... If you want to increase temps of your trays use a heating pad instead of increasing your lighting. Save you some money too.

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Check seedling mat temperature! Vivosun mats easily hit 86F. Use an IR thermometer to verify.

hotrodharley said:

... Check seedling mat temperature! Vivosun mats easily hit 86F. Use an IR thermometer to verify ...

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A mechanical light timer with a 2 hour on and 1 hour off cycle keeps normal temps when using heat mats. A small bar towel between the heat mat and tray can also help.

StareCase said:

A mechanical light timer with a 2 hour on and 1 hour off cycle keeps normal temps when using heat mats. A small bar towel between the heat mat and tray can also help.

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I do exactly that with the towels until my IR shows acceptable temperatures. You can use an Inkbird as well. Probe on the surface you want the temperature controlled at.

VincenzioVonHook said:

There is no issue with seedlings in large containers. 90% of the plants i grow have gone straight into 3 gal pots, and watered to runoff day one. Never a single issue. This whole small pot, shot glass of water and constant attention is a heavily overquoted falsity.
March 20
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April 20
View attachment 5126252
Never had a single issue You can all constantly water in tiny containers for no reason, I'll just drop a seed in medium, soak it to runoff and not touch it for a week or more. The issue isn't the big pots, its people refusing to water the big pots. They put a bloody shot glass of water around the stem and wonder why the roots aren't growing, and you all blame the pot size.

Do agree that domes are not needed though.

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To each their own but i would never advise a first timer to germinate in five gallons of soil, auto or photo. Their next question is either how do i save this or what are these bugs flying around.

Kerowacked said:

To each their own but i would never advise a first timer to germinate in five gallons of soil, auto or photo. Their next question is either how do i save this or what are these bugs flying around.

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i just dont know how or why it would be hard though. I'm a new grower. My first plant i just dropped a seed into 5 gal pot and watered it to runoff. Everyone told me it couldn't be done, yet every plant was and has been fine since. I just don't know how or why that could possibly be so hard for everyone else to replicate such simple actions. I literally can't figure this out.

It is far harder to regulate medium moisture in a smaller pot for me and i end up with smaller plants side by side every time i try smaller pots, and its just extra work that doesn't need to be done. Every time i help a new grower with a plant it is because they have been in small pots and don't manage watering properly. I get them to pop another in a 3 gal pot and water it to runoff day one, and every time they have better luck immediately. I always get the "i was so sick of having to water constantly, this is so much easier but everyone told me i had to use solo cups". I've even had it here on this forum quite a few times. I swear i live in an alternate universe to everyone else.

I even contemplated entering solo challenges but the plant just stunts terribly and dries up, and the one in a 5 gal pot powers ahead. I'd love to figure out why im completely incapable of using small containers. I have issues every time i use anything under a 1 gal pot. I must be plain slow, or maybe im just used to big pots as i've always placed every seedling into 5 gal pots (strawberries, chillis, tomatos, capsicum) for years.

Im absolutely terrified that i will be in a life or death situation one day and have to grow a plant in a small container to avoid death. Ill be guaranteed dead.

It's always best to start off in a small pot unless your starting with autoflowers witch they flower automatically once they hit a twelve twelve schedule phoperiod also but I've noticed myself when starting in bigger pots u have less control over the plants growth if you don't understand the science of growing n doing what is best for the plants in the end you won't get the proper harvest u should have if done correctly .. autoflowers are the only one I've ever put in their pot that they would spend their life cycle in from a 3 gallon to a 5 gallon bucket other than that eny other seeds I've started had issues if not done in small pots at first

Weeditup said:

... unless your starting with autoflowers witch they flower automatically once they hit a twelve twelve schedule ...

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Auto's will flower regardless of lights on time. Some report they yield better under an 18/6 or even a 20/4 light schedule. A photo will need 12/12 to flower.

Weeditup said:

It's always best to start off in a small pot unless your starting with autoflowers witch they flower automatically once they hit a twelve twelve schedule phoperiod also but I've noticed myself when starting in bigger pots u have less control over the plants growth if you don't understand the science of growing n doing what is best for the plants in the end you won't get the proper harvest u should have if done correctly .. autoflowers are the only one I've ever put in their pot that they would spend their life cycle in from a 3 gallon to a 5 gallon bucket other than that eny other seeds I've started had issues if not done in small pots at first

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Not true - autoflowers are not light dependent and will flower practically under any cycle. However , it is best to provide adequate lighting for best yield and growth.

You can transplant autoflowers .
You can train them .

I regularly start autoflowers in solo cups to provide a better transplant plug. If you put autoflowers straight into large pot - emerging tap root will shoot straight to bottom- where as a solo cup transplant has a denser plug to shoot in multiple directions.

Budzbuddha said:

Not true - autoflowers are not light dependent and will flower practically under any cycle. However , it is best to provide adequate lighting for best yield and growth.

You can transplant autoflowers .
You can train them .

I regularly start autoflowers in solo cups to provide a better transplant plug. If you put autoflowers straight into large pot - emerging tap root will shoot straight to bottom- where as a solo cup transplant has a denser plug to shoot in multiple directions.

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This is right. I have grown a bunch of autos over the last 3 years and I have tried starting in the final container and transplanting. My best results come when I take a sprouted seed out of the paper towel and place it in a Solo cup of 50/50 FFOF and HF. I don't usually leave it there but a week to 10 days or so and go to final container. The temperature and RH have never been a big issue for me. I've started them at 65 degrees and low humidity to 85 degrees high humidity. Haven't lost one yet. I keep a fan circulating air always. I have a small perpetual grow so there's often plants in late flower rt. beside seedlings. That's 1 benefit of autos. I've got 4 photo seedlings vegging in with 3 autos rt now. But indeed, I've had better results from transplanting.

I'm not a big fan of autos personally but have grown a few. Currently doing one outdoors in a 7 gal airpot. It's basically an I don't give a f##k see what happens grow. That said, count me in the camp of plant seed directly into final pot. No paper towel method. Wet the seed site and dome it more to slow soil drying rather than seedling humidity. I use clear drinking cups (no air holes). The dome stays on the first week of sprout. Any sips of water are poured around the outer perimeter of the cup. Watering going forward is gradually spreading further out from the stem. I've read several sources that say when the main tap bottoms out in a container it has a bearing on triggering flower. If there is any truth to that, it would tend to induce or at least help to induce earlier flower in autos. So a solo start and transplant would likely be less than an ideal approach. My current auto was seeded directly into a tallish pot and it still started flowering in about 4 weeks so the taproot theory isn't especially convincing to me yet. There is so much info about how to cultivate this plant it can be overwhelming to newer growers. Some say to always do this or that while others say never do it. It comes down to doing one's best to cover the basics of plant care and finding your own groove. The first few grows are more about getting across the finish line than anything else. I have a friend that does autos exclusively. He rarely follows conventional wisdom but has consistently good results. It's all about what works for the individual and improving with experience. Sorry I got so windy.