Starting seedlings for Indoor Hydroponics

18 years ago

Hello, I am extremely new to all of this and I have a few questions about starting up my vegetable hydro system (I'll be using the water culture system using an aquarium):

1. Can you start seedlings in potting soil and transfer them to the hydroponic system after they germinate or would another growing medium work better?

2. I've never started growing from seedlings before, are there different rules with watering and temperature than with transplants?

3. Which vegetables and herbs would work best using the water culture system?

Thanks for your comments in advance!

ChefSchipull

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Comments (9)

willardb3
18 years ago
snip
1. Can you start seedlings in potting soil and transfer them to the hydroponic system after they germinate or would another growing medium work better?
snip

You should keep any and all dirt far, far away from your hydro set-up. Dirt carries the pathogens and pests that hydro gets you away from.

I have heard of others whe have washed their plants thoroughly and don't have problems.....I don't believe it's possible....
utsharpie
18 years ago
yes you can transplant dirt plants to hydro, ive been doing it for over 3 years with no problems. if you are worried about soil pathogens grow them in a steril potting soil and indoors under lights until they have a good root system.

wash off as much as the dirt as you can then put em in, yes its that simple.

you might want to use a perlite mix so its easier to wash
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That is very impressive my next house I'll have to strive for something like that WOW.Thanks I normal use sun light and flos but behind our home a farmer that just changed over to apricot orchard gave me the light for free and next yr will be our biggest plant using transplants. We have an area that gets a little shade during the day and my hope is that maturing the plants more for that section and another area w/more shape types of flowers for shaded areas. We normally start seed directly into dirt but have used Pete pellets before we use our home garden to help w/Girl Scout troop (our 2 girls) and the others to learn many of life's lessons. We grow a lot of tomatoes and wild colored items like purple cauliflower,purple beans it keeps keep them interested in the long process of food production. I don't have the space so it's in the cold garage for them. With a heating pad and the hid light I thought would help keep the area a little warmer. The farmer said to keep the light close to the plants but watch for heat melting plastic domes feel the heats range w hand and adjust a little higher. You seem to have flos higher off the plants did I get bogus info? Were only growing around 60-70 plants and giving any extra startlings to the neighbors we have Paul Robeson tomatoes this yr.. Thanks for all the help I'll start late feb plant seeds every week there after under 12/12 light cycle and by march last frost long gone transplant them after hardening them off. And thank u I looked up Pete next next yr will change again. I tested soil yesterday and after adding organic matter some naturals frets and minerals I tested @7ph that should be good for multiple veggie varieties? Sorry so many questions we learned to flood the rows not allow the girls to directly spray the plants which they enjoy we had afew varieties wilt and some didn't recover.. Anyway thanks
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A couple of possible problems that are addressed in the FAQs here. I'm going to put a half and half mixture of potting soil with vermiculite into my 2" high 72 pot flat. Not potting soil. Using potting soil will almost guarantee you damp-off problems. Why potting soil is NOT used but soil-less mixes are is explained in detail in the FAQ I linked for you above. Soil-less potting mix or better yet, sterile seed starting mix is used for germinating seeds. They come with vermiculite already added. I will fill each pot so there is only a 1/2" to the top. I'll do that so light can reach the plants better. Each pot will get one seed. As others have said that doesn't improve the light any. If you use only 1 seed in each containers you will have empty cells because not all the seeds will germinate. If you want a higher rate of germination place at least 2 or more in each. This too is explained in greater detail in the FAQs. And if you mix varieties in the same tray you will get all sorts of germination times. There are many discussions here about how to cope with this problem. Once the first ones germinate they must be removed from the tray and uncovered while the rest remain covered. Once my plants look strong enough I'll harden them off. I will not pull them out of the pots until it's time to put them in the actual garden. That will be their only transplanting moment. Very few things can grow in the 72 cell flat to garden size without getting root bound. They also tend to get long and leggy with weak stems and so need to be deeply transplanted at least once. Most every experienced seed grower transplants the plants at least once to larger containers - larger cell packs, foam cups with holes in them, small 3 or 4" pots, etc. Here in the greenhouse plants are transplanted 2x before they are ready for garden planting. How to do this is discussed in detail in the FAQ "OK, my seedlings are growing,now what do I do?" Plants that have been transplanted at least once have much stronger toot systems as a result and will tolerate hardening off and garden transplanting much better - that's why pro growers do the interim transplanting. Good luck with your plants. Dave
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splitsec002
18 years ago
I've done that 2 years now and my plants have been great. For some reason though this year, I tried 2 kellogs breakfast tomato plants and they just wouldn't adapt to hydro. My other tomato plants are doing great right now and the cucumber is also doing ok.

Give it a try, but make sure you wash off as much dirt as you can.
john_smith123
18 years ago
hi guys,

this system has worked great for me starting seedlings, tomato, basil, peppers, etc.

my system is the cyclotron 9-site lid pattern with switchable controller.

everybody starting seedlings should have one of these.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.hyper-garden.com/
desade
18 years ago
Just start them in some perlite and rinse them off when it's time to go to hydro. It's easy, clean and no pathogens. I do cutting seed starting and more that way in my aeroponic and flood and drain systems.

An image:
jimr007
17 years ago
Hi Chefschipull,

In my hydroponics system, which uses a sand medium, I sometimes plant the seeds directly into the sand.

Other times, I either grow the seeds in punnets with seed raising mix or buy them grown in a similar fashion.
If you want to keep your hydroponic system clean, all of the seed raising mix must be rinsed off the roots before putting into your system ... whether you are using a growing medium or not. To rinse them, just jiggle then up and down in a bowl of clean water ... like a tea bag, until all of the soil is removed.

Of course, you can plant them out straight from the punnet, but it will dirty up your medium and/or your recirculating nutrient solution.

So your best method by far is to grow your own or buy them in punnets, and rinse the roots well before putting them into your hydroponic garden.

I invite you to examine my web site for more information on hydroponics in general.

Jimr007

Here is a link that might be useful: Simple Sand Hydroponics
hex2006
12 years ago
The potato roots 2:54 into the vid look pitiful too, not a great advert for aeroponics :)
TheMasterGardener1
12 years ago
You can start them in 4 inch rock wool cubes. watering with nutrients untill ready to tranfer into 6 inch rock wool. Just stay with rockwool.
willardb3
12 years ago
Rock wool cubes work well

Starting seedlings for Indoor Hydroponics

Comments (9)

willardb3

utsharpie

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