EASY Pre Germinating Grass Seed for FAST Establishment!
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- So easy a RUclipsr can do it! In this video I show how you can easily pre germinate grass seed to speed up your fall overseed establishment or lawn renovation. Lets go!
Fertilizer: amzn.to/3Nwo3lK
10 lb Bag Regenerate Tall Fescue: swellseedco.co...
10 lb Bag Tall Fescue Seed: Top Choice 100323 Fescue Blend Grass Seed Bag, 10-Pound a.co/d/91Lx2sR
I've been working on my lawn and have always just thrown the seeds down. Then I get a heavy rain, and throw more down. Just now I learned about pre-germinating. Wow hah, so much better. This is my new technique moving forward!
don't you have to put top soil on top?
You don’t even break up the ground soil first??
I used to germinate my pot seeds under the mat in the back seat of my car worked great
Doing a video on this exact process. Don’t let me forget to link yours in the bio. It’s much more thorough on the explanation 😁👍🏼
Awesome! Excited to check that out!
I came over to Turf Culture from watching The Lawn Tools. Thanks to both of you guys.
Thx for the tip. It worked great, always tough to germinate grass in August in NJ. 7 days stated to germinate.
This is the first I've seen of this process. Very interesting. Looking forward to more.
I’ve only just recently stumbled down the pre-germ rabbit hole. Your detailed video was extremely insightful. (I also use cool season tall fescue) Thanks for sharing your knowledge. New 🇨🇦 sub from the PacWest. 👍
Very interesting. I kind of want to try things now!
You should!
@@TurfCulture do you keep the bucket in a garage, in shade, where ever doesn’t matter?
@@RootedLawnCo great question! Yes I kept the bucket in my basement, need a cool dry place to store it.
Instead of cheese cloth I suggest a *paint straining cloth*. They have elastic tops so they fit right on top of the 5 gal bucket.
No mess
2 for $2.50, find it in the paint section
Agreed, but I just used what I had on hand.
Yup I heard that. I don't know what cheese cloth is, lol
But for anyone watching this I thought this might be helpful
Great video. I had landscaping come to aerate and overseed. They didn't get close to the drivewayway. Maybe they didn't want the aerator to accidetally tear up deiveway. I was going to wait until spring, but when I saw this video and the temps are in 60s for one more week I figured I would try it. I wil put straw and a lawn mat over it to try to protect it some when temps get a little lower. Should be interesting ro see if it works. Using 7lb jonathan green ultra that has turf fescue, rye, and some blue grass and mixed it with a 7lb scotts rye mix. Seed just got set in the water. I live in northern Illinois
Any updates? I'm using the same brand of grass seed and I just planted some this morning.
I'm gonna let my parents know about the seed company they want to buy some and I'm giving them alot of options this is added to those options now thank you
Nice! Not sure how much seed you need to buy but if you use code 5OFF for $5 off any purchase or TURF10 for $10 off any purchase of $100.
Probably 5 to 10 lbs just to spot seed but I appreciate it man I love that seed company because of what I seen on the website I'll definitely be getting some and so is my mother thank you very much I appreciate you friend!!
Great video. Seems like a good way to save a lot of water and a little bit of time.
I just overseed will do this on thin spots for sure. Thanks B
So easy a RUclipsr can do it!
Excellent. Thanks. I will try this on the weekend. I have several patches that I've attempted to seed for the past 3 years. Nothing ever grows. This year I tried mixing manure and potting soil for a good base, and peat moss to cover and almost nothing has grown in 3 weeks. Tons of ungerminated seeds showing.
This pregerminating seems like it should help.
If you are having trouble with getting the grass to establish it may be another issue unrelated to seed germination.
Potting soil isn't a good base and could be your issue.
I will try this on my next renovation
Very easy to execute with a little bit of research.
Great video…this information is priceless… silly question… once the pre germ seed is planted…what is the watering schedule …tks
Continue to keep the seed moist once it is down for about a week then resume normal watering routine.
This looks WILD. Im going to try it right away to fix some patches in my Ryan Knorr fescue. THank you !!
That is a phenomenal fescue blend 👍🏻
Thank you for all your hard work 👊
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Beautiful property.
Thank you!
great video, never tried this...adding it to my list
So easy!
Great video as always 👍
This video was very helpful. Questions: How long do I let the seed dry before mixing it with the fertilizer? Once mixed what is the dry time before I can spread? Thank you!
Glad you found it helpful! You can mix the seed with fertilizer and spread it right away.
Thank you! I appreciate your help. I subscribed to your channel. Keep up the good work! 👍
If you mix it right out of the bucket it’s pretty wet and can cause clumping with the fertilizer so that’s the main reason for drying it out a bit. You’re not drying it completely. If it does clump, let it sit and dry a bit more then mix up the fert seed mixture in the spreader or a bucket to break up the clumps.
@@dustinnorth6603 Thank you! I appreciate your help.
This tip makes sense; I’m going to try it. Thanks for sharing 👍🏽
Good luck and thanks for watching!
Great and helpful video.
There is 5 gallon paint strainers with elastic that fits easily over the bucket
That would be ideal, I just used what I had around the house at the time.
that was awesome cheers from italy
This was an awesome video man!!!
Thanks Vinny!
I used a laundry bag with a zipper opening. Fairly cheap from the local dollar store.
Resourceful, I like it
Loved the video. One thing I wasn’t sure about. It was stated to dry your seeds out a bit before mixing the soil. What is that process?
When you blend the seed with fertilizer, the fertilizer will absorb some of the water.
Nice results!!
Thanks! I'm thoroughly impressed with the process.
Thank you for your sharing!
THANK YOU!! FOR the life of ME, my kentucky bluegrasss will NOT germinate. I am going to use your method TODAY!!!
Best of luck!
If you aren't changing the water every 12 hours until germination, the water becomes toxic to the seed. That may be the reason? Hope it worked out for you.
KBG takes forever to germinate, usually 2-3 weeks. Hopefully it went well!
This is genius 👏...
So glad I found this. I can finally over-seed now. In Utah, we have water restrictions. Question, once seeded, how often do you water to keep it moist? Thanks! Also I liked and subscribed. 👍🏼
I would water normally once the seed is down, don’t allow it to dry.
@@TurfCulture Thank you!
Love the idea and I've seen some pregermination ideas elsewhere however they do it already mixed in with the soil/peat moss. Do you feel this technique is better than mixing it right away? Thanks for helping us out with the video!
I think that method is called priming. I have tried that yet, but the pre germination process was overall very simple and the results are amazing.
@@TurfCulture Really appreciate you taking the time to reply. I think I may try pre germinating, and then priming for a day in peat moss/topsoil before putting down on the lawn. Let's hope for the best (and that the rabbit problem I have doesn't ruin all the hard work). Keep producing these helpful videos! Cheers!
Great video. Question: After the 2 or 3 days of soaking and adding fresh water and you start to see germination (let's say on day 3), how did you dry out the seed and how long did you dry it out for before mixing with fertilizer? Thank you!
You actually don’t want to let the seed dry out once it’s germinated. Mix it with a biosolid fertilizer right away and spread it. The fertilizer will absorb a good amount of the water.
@@TurfCulture Thanks for that! Couple more questions: 1) after fert and seed is mixed, we need to apply right away, correct? 2) what ratio of fertilizer to seed do you recommend for mixing? Much appreciated.
Great job 👏
So with this method, there’s no need to top dress to cover the seed so it makes better soil contact?
It’s always a good idea to topdress if you can
watch 1.25x
A couple questions since I see you're actively responding:
1) Does it matter the temperature of the water?
2) I bought an electric dethatcheter and it seems to tear up some good grass along with the thatch, is that normal?
Any tips would be helpful because this is all a new process. I got XLR8 and Speedzone to put down in March to kill the weeds because I just purchased a new home. So again, I'm new to all of this.
Awesome video by the way.
If you can, warm water will help break down the fertilizer a little faster. Yes some collateral damage on the good grass is normal and it will recover. XLR8 will work great for crabgrass, depending on which speedzone you have, assuming it contains triclopyr and 24D will help control clover and many other weed species.
@@TurfCulture I think Jeremy is asking about the temperature of the water for soaking, not for watering after you laid down the mixed seeds with fertilizer. I tried to do it 3 days ago and poured boiling water over seeds to wake them up faster, as I didn't want to do this process for 3-4 days. Only 2 days. I hope I didn't kill it, did I?
@@sfuchs did you soak the seed in boiling water and let it cool down after? There is a chance that you may have killed the embryo in the seed by using boiling water. But you have inspired me to try an experiment using this method to see what happens.
@@sfuchs Lol, Boiling water will shorten the time... I heard you can put it in a pressure cooker pot with higher than boiling temps to shave off even 1 more day. Just 1 day of soaking with the pressure cooker. Smart thinking!
@Brandon Tran Hi Brandon, are you being sarcastic? I am familiar with soaking nuts and grains for eating and nutritional benefits. I assumed certain principles may be transferable and useful:
Why do you soak nuts, seeds, and grains
Nuts, seeds, and grains contain inhibitors (like armor) to protect them and prevent germination until the conditions are perfect. This is a brilliant mechanism while they are growing.
However, when these foods are ingested, their protective agents act as enzyme inhibitors in our bodies compromising our digestion and health. Whole grains also contain other anti-nutrients such as phytates) that can inhibit our absorption of minerals such as iron, calcium, copper, zinc, and magnesium.
Soaking nuts, seeds, and grains (getting them moist) essentially replicates the perfect moist conditions required for germination and neutralizes these anti-nutrients and enzyme inhibitors to make them more digestible.
Foods require different soaking times for full germination (see the chart).
As a general rule with nuts: the harder the nut, the longer the soak.
Long-soak nuts (almonds, pistachios, and hazelnuts) need at least 8 hours.
Medium-soak nuts (pecans, walnuts, and Brazil nuts) are oilier and swell up quickly, so require less soaking time.
Short-soak nuts (cashews, macadamias, and pine nuts) have the highest fat content and require only 2 to 4 hours soaking. Do not soak these nuts for longer than 4 hours. Soaking them for extended periods of time break down their health-promoting oils.
4 Reasons To Soak Nuts, Seeds, and Grains
Improves digestion: Soaking raw nuts, seeds, and whole grains in warm acidulated or salted water simulates the ideal moist germinating conditions these foods wait for in nature, essentially tricking the food into sprouting, which neutralizes enzyme inhibitors.
Unlocks nutrients: Soaking activates the full nutrient potential of food. The potency of vitamins like A, C, and B get a boost, proteins become more available, and live enzymes are released.
Improved flavor and texture: Soaking softens food, making it easier to blend. Hydrated nuts, seeds, and dried fruits liquefy more completely, even in high-speed machines. The silky, creamy consistency you get by soaking nuts before blending into soups and smoothies isn’t achievable with unsoaked nuts. Similarly, soaking dates for smoothies and sweets, and sun-dried tomatoes for raw sauces yields the best results.
Reduces prep and cook times: Soaking hard and fibrous foods such as nuts, seeds, dates, and sun-dried tomatoes for smoothies, soups, dips, and sauces results in creamier consistencies, particularly with conventional blenders.
Soaked grains cook more quickly, and soaked brown rice, when cooked, gets fluffy like its popular white counterpart.
How To Soak Nuts, Seeds, and Grains
Long Soak for Nutritional Benefits
The easiest way to practice long soaking is in the evening right before bed, and then rinse, drain, and dry upon rising. Alternatively, soak in the morning to use at night.
If you’re using more than one soaked food in a recipe such as making a nut milk or sauce with multiple nuts, soak the ingredients separately, drain, rinse, and then combine in the recipe.
Long soak instructions
Soak your food in a glass or ceramic container. Fully cover it with a solution of warm water, natural salt, and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. I generally use two parts water to one part food by volume; per quart or liter of water, I add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and
1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar. So, to soak one cup of almonds, I’d add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon acid to 2 cups (480ml) of water, and immerse the nuts in the mixture.
Cover the bowl with a breathable dish towel, and let stand at room temperature for the directed period (see the chart).
During soaking, it’s normal to see a few nuts, seeds, or grains floating on the surface. These are possibly rancid. Discard them. It’s not uncommon to have a lot of floaters. In this case, keep the nuts. It’s the nature of the nut.
You will also see food particles, a murky film on the surface of the water, and sediment on the bottom of the container. This is absolutely normal. These are the anti-nutrients that the soaking process has drawn out.
Empty the contents of the bowl into a colander or strainer, rinse the bowl, and then place the food back in. Refill the bowl with clean water, fully submerging the food, then swish the contents around, strain, and rinse again. Repeat this process again if needed so that the food and water is completely clear.
Quick Soak Times (for texture; no health benefit)
If you haven’t prepared ahead of time or are making recipes in a hurry, you can soften nuts, seeds, and grains for quicker cook times and better textures.
Note: Quick soaking in hot water has no nutritional benefit. Anti-nutrients are not neutralized and the heat kills the digestive enzymes present in the raw food.
nuts, seeds, and grains: Place in a glass or ceramic container, cover with boiling water; let stand 10 minutes, then drain and rinse.
Thx for the idea …How many days I should wait for a Kentucky blue grass ? Also can you explain how to make sure the it’s ready to mix it fertilizer and put it on the lawn
KBG is somewhere around 5 days. Look at the seed closely for the white root tip emerging, that’s when you know it’s ready.
Is it really safe to use a seed spreader gadget to sow the soil mixed with germinated sprout?!😮 would it damage some of the tiny sprouted grass seeds as they go through the broadcaster??😅
Totally safe to do this.
@@TurfCulture COOOOOL 😅😊❤🎉 Thanks so much. You Legend!
Can you give me the name of of solid fertilizer? And what setting did you run your spreader on?
Just use Milorganite or any local biosolid fertilizer that you have locally. My spreader setting is on “M.”
Paint strainer works also!
Have you tried planting rye so you have a green yard all winter?
I’m a little too far north to keep rye out of dormancy in the winter.
How is the fetilizer a binder when it doesnt stick to each other. As i can tell when the seed is sown with the disperser they are not flinging out as one pair.
The seed and the fertilizer does not bind, the fertilizer absorbs some of the moisture away from the seed and acts as a catalyst to help spread the seed evenly.
Soo I think you might of killed what iv thought/ learned about germination... I was under the impression you dont want to have the seed soaked/flooded during germination. How come you can keep it submerged for hrs at a time ?
You want to keep the seed wet to encourage germination quickly. The seed doesn’t know the difference between moist dirt and a bucket of water, this process ensures that all of the seed is watered consistently and evenly.
I was wondering the same bro! All u hear is don't drown the seed...now we fully submerging it for days at a time...mind blown!
I have tried this process whoch is great
Soak for 24 hrs
Pull bundle out and hang for 24hrs
Hose the bundle down in am
Leave 24hrs
Hose the bundle down in am
Leave 24 hrs
Seed cracks open and ready
I think you don't want to soak it when it's in the ground because that can create crusty mud that could make it hard for the sprout to emerge from beneath the ground
@@user-cg9oi5ug4d Instead of "hosing down" could one just dip in water for complete soak and then hang? seems like hosing might miss the middle.
Good info, thanks
Do you keep the bucket outside exposed to the sun?
cool dark place
hi im in the middle of your process. how did you dry your seed and fertilizer. thank you and great video
Don’t let it dry out, mix it straight into the bio solids
Just came from the Lawn Tools video. He said he made the mistake of keeping the seed submerged instead of soaking it and then draining the water. What's the right move?
Definitely soak the seeds, drain and replace with fresh water at least once per day.
@@TurfCulture Still not clear to me. Per the video, is it: Submerge for 12 hours, drain and replace with fresh water for 3 days? Or is it soak, pull the seeds out, and then put them back into water every 12 hours?
@@cwtrex same here. it is still not very clear to me..
@@shion_lwn I submerged my cheese cloth bag of seeds Thursday afternoon at 5pm till Sunday afternoon 5pm changing the water every 12 to 14 hrs...my tall fescue seeds were craking on sunday afternoon...drained COMPLETELY... then mixed with milo..then threw down
@@bigchrispimpin thank you for the info! I appreciate it.
Do you have to water after spreading the seeds to let the seeds to settle into the ground?
Yes you do not want to allow the seed to dry out.
Nice video, first time here. When do you use firtilizer when overseeding, before or after overseeding? Tia
I like to feed after germination, the seed has everything it needs to get started.
Do you recommend using a seed blanket on top? I’m planning to do part of my yard.
If the ground is bare that is a good idea
other than checking for cracking or sprouts emerging, is there any other reason to change the water??
Rot
Nice video! How often and long do you water after putting down your seed/feet mix?
I’ve been watering at 10 minutes each zone a few times per day
How did you determine how much seed and fertilizer to use for the space you overseeded? Just follow the recommended rates on the bag of each product? In other words the product volumes were the same as a traditional dry seeding?
Yes follow recommendations on the seeding rate.
Thank you for making this video. What did you set your spreader to? Was it the fertilizer settings?
Yes that will allow for even coverage
When spreading the seed at what rate did you put it at on the dispenser? 1-3? 12-15?
My spreader is not a typical Scott’s spreader. Use whatever setting that you normally use for fertilizer since that is your catalyst.
From what I've learned, I'm not supposed to apply starter fertilizer until 30-40 days after germination otherwise, it will harm the baby grass. What's the rationale to add the fertilizer to the seedling at the time of planting?
If you are managing a grow in you’ll want to fertilize at seed down and again about 30 days after seed down, this won’t hurt anything. In this case with pre germination, you need a carrier for spreading the seed out of a spreader that is why bio solid fertilizer is recommended.
I think you may have starter fert confused with pre emergent or another weed control. Starter fert can be applied almost immediately after laying down the seed, I tend to lean towards waiting till they sprout and then applying. If you apply a pre emergent or weed killer to early to baby grass you will either stop it's growth or kill it
Please share link to fertilizer you use as well. Thanks.
amzn.to/3Nwo3lK
Here you go. Thanks for watching!
@@TurfCulture Thanks! Will surely be trying this.
@turfculture Are to keeping seeds "submerged" in water for 3-4 days till it germinates, changing out the water every 12 hours; or are you only "soaking" the seed in water, meaning dip and let semi-dry unsubmerged on the side somewhere for 3-4 days till germination occurs?
Yes, submerged.
@@TurfCulture thank you!
How do you dry out the seed before adding fertilizer?
You do not want to dry the seed, mix it directly with the fertilizer and spread it onto the lawn.
Do you have to keep the seeds wet with multiple daily watering as much as if you did not pre germinate?
Yes, once the seed is down into the lawn water regularly. This process should accelerate germination and significantly reduce watering requirements for the first week or longer.
Can you use something like Carbon Pro G to mix with your seed instead of organic fertilizer?
Sure that’ll work
Is there a ratio that one should use? You used 36 lbs of fertilizer.
I've used a 36lb bag of fertilizer with 10 lbs of seed and that seemed to be a 50/50 split to the eye test.
Fantastic. glad I found your video. Would this work with zoysia grass as well? Thanks.
Absolutely, this process works with warm season grass seed and cool season.
Came back to be sure I got the info right. Should I add topsoil prior to laying down the mixture? Subscribed.
I've been watching many of your videos, great information. I am in Canada, and we can't use Milo here. Can I use lawn soil or is there a product similar to Milo that we can use in Canada?
Can you get Turface up there?
@TurfCulture thank you for replying. It looks like Turface is available in Canada. I'll try it on my next batch. I tried with lawn soil, and it appears to be working. I saw baby grass 5 days.
Would Milorganite be a good carrier to mix them with once dried?
Yep
With your hand spreader what setting did you set it to per 1000 square foot?
With the little Scott's hand spreader I think it was set to 4.
Why change the water? Why the cheese cloth? Why not let it sit for the period of time and then use it in a broadcast spreader?
Seed will rot if you don’t change the water.
Im on day 6 and my seed smells really bad. Has the seed gone bad?
Do you see the seed cracking? Need to sow it in asap.
Did you roll it after spreading during this process?
No rolling, I just watered about 1/4” after the seed and fertilizer went out into the lawn.
@@TurfCulture I’m pumped to try this
what spreader setting did you utilize?
Great question, it all depends on the spreader you are using. I would use your normal fertilizer settings.
How do you dry the seeds after they begin to crack??
Mix the seed with fertilizer, the fertilizer absorbs some of the moisture.
Would this work with Pensacola Bahia seeds?
You can use this method on any grass seed.
Would this work for Pennington smart seed? Or is it even necessary?
Absolutely
When pre-germinating grass seed, should the seed have exposure to sunlight?
No, store it in a cool spot out of the sun.
@@TurfCulture Thank you.
Could this be put down thru a slit seeder for in ground contact?
Possibly, if you use a fertilizer with a very small SGN.
I'm on day 4 of TTTF and still no change. How long is it supposed to take to pre germinate it?
Did it ever work?
Yes we need an update
What fertilizer did you use? I want to buy the same kind.
I used the Milorganite copy cat sold at Lowes.
Why would you change out water, what is it you pour out, dirty water?
Yes replace the dirty water every 12-24 hours with fresh water so the seed does not rot.
@@TurfCulture so, this means seeds are to be always soaked in the water, while water being replaced every 12-24hrs.. no drying out in tray or nothing. Is that correct ??
@@shion_lwn yes you are correct 👍🏻
@@TurfCulture thank you !:)
Why’s white residue in the water
White? The water is brown.
Forget changing the water you can add stuff to it to prevent fungi growth
Easy enough to change the water without having to purchase additional products
@@TurfCulture cinnamon
Will milorganite work with the seed?
Absolutely
@TurfCulture thanks for quick response, so just seed and milorganite and follow what u did in video? I'm looking to overseed in a week or 2 up here in Massachusetts
Look it’s not super science lol. Get a clear tubby throw some seed and put some water. Rinse out after 24 hours then every 12hrs rinse out and water it to keep moist. Then just mix with any soil I use cheap garden soil or even filtered dirt and spread.
Would a large paint strainer bag work?
Does a one-legged duck swim in a circle?
Does the Pope crap in the woods?
@@seansmidwestlawn8991 Does a bear wear a funny hat?
@@TurfCulture 🤣🤔 was that a yes?
I tried to pre-germinate 25lbs of perennial rye(4days) and I didn’t see any cracking or anything. I changed the water every 12hrs. Curious as to what I did wrong
Where did you store it, temperature and light plays a role. Are you sure you didn’t seen any cracking? PRG germinates quickly on its own.
@@TurfCulture in the bathroom. Had the heater on 70 degrees in dark
@@TurfCulture should it have been in light?
Changing water ist not a must, actually the water from the seeds has a lot of nutrients that the seeds already hold.
The water will cause the seed to rot if you don’t change it, drainage is key.
Pro tip: don’t just squeeze out the water to dry seeds. I would lay them out in a thin layer maybe on a large piece of cardboard and let dry for 24 hours. If you dump in spreader with fertilizer like that, it all clumps together.
You’re thinking of priming, not pre germinating. Once the seed has germinated you do not want to allow it to dry.
uh oh. is priming doing exactly what you did, but not soaking it as long?
@@bizango99 correct, I’m actually working on some content for that right now. When priming the seed you allow it to soak but not allow germination. Dry the seed completely which allows you to spread by hand or with a spreader. You can even store the leftover primed seed for up to 6months.
Which fertilizer did you use and what ratio do you consider low?
I used a bio solid 4-3-0 fertilizer with a low nitrogen content.
Give me a dislike too I know some people really like to do that too well sir you just got a sub from that it made me laugh
Lol thanks Darrick
I used an old pillow case.
Seems like that would work well!
@@TurfCulture The reason I did that was because a linen pillow case has a tighter weave and the seed doesn’t stick to it as much.
I have never seen anybody do burmuda
Doesn’t matter which grass type
You left 50 seeds on the table. My most negative comment. 😅
How dare you
Tik Tok: Does That Actually Work????
The thumbs down bandits are jerks.
They don’t really bother me.
You look like a cop👀
Hard to believe that RUclips allows fake AI ads with a fake Elon Musk
Just never know these days
Saving this video...do you recommend trying this in the spring? or just fall? Also how warm should the soak water be?
I’m doing a spring batch right now, water needs to be tap cold and store in a cool dry place.
@@TurfCulture Thanks...average air temperature is going to be about 60 over the next 14 days in NY, maybe I'll give this a shot and hope for a miracle. I over-seeded with Scott's Sun and Shade Mix over some dead zones the normal way back in late march after de-thatching and scarifying and it's been a month and nothing has grown. Maybe it was still too cold? or not enough rain? but nothing came up. I'm really disappointed. I'll give this method a try this week thanks for the video!
@@themadhatterxxx do you have a basement? Just store it there.
Paint strainers work great on the 5 gallon buckets as they have elastic around the top and grab the bucket top. I like this method because it cuts down on water usage in the beginning.