As the title suggests, what is the best method to germinate seeds for Hydro growing? My first 3 seeds all died, used an Easy Start Kit with mini dome, think I used too much water and they went too damp So confused, paper towels/rapid rooters/rockwool....... Will be growing in a Superponics 8 system (DWC and top water combination)
Root riots mate. Little sponges you get on Amazon. £5 for 24. Just put the seed 10-15mm deep. Pointy side up. Wet it with drinkable water then leave it the fuck alone. No ph'ing shit, no pissin about with nutes, no paper towels or any other sort of pre germ. Just put seed in. Get it wet. Leave it somewhere dark and warm and leave it the fuck alone. 2-5 days later they'll pop. Done 130ish from seed and only ever had 2 not pop. Was same strain/batch though so I'm blaming the seeds and giving the riots 100%.
Thanks mate. When you say warm do you recommend a heat mat or something similar? Or ok in a cupboard with central heating thermostat set to 21c?
And to our American/north American friends they call them rapid rooters . Looked for the root riots and couldn’t get em , but rapid rooters are exactly the same . It’s all about the gentle squeeze after wetting them that draws air back into the rooter . Too wet and you’re seeds are toast . Good luck Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
I put them in a high tech humidity dome (clear plastic tub) and then wrap them in a layer of space age style thermal insulation (a bath towell) and sling them under the bed. Noticed a few guys do the same but in a drawer. Soon as they're above ground get em under weak light. And zero nutes other than root booster or bennies for about 5 days till the coty leaves start fading. By then they're rooted up and can handle getting chucked into whatever with a little nutes.
Never used the rapid rooters, hell my hydro store had no idea what they were!! Lol I use the paper towel and ziplock bag method. I’ve started putting them Above my cupboard over my stove, it gets nice n toasty there, especially while I’m cooking. Otherwise in a drawer, with my drawers for a day or two
There’s a bunch of ways to do this. This is my way 1) get some small rock wool cubes 2) get some tap water, and ph it to 5.8 3) soak the cubes for 1-2 minutes 4) remove the cubes and do not squeeze or try to drain them. 5) insert seeds into the little hole about 1/4” down 6) bury the seeds with the “fibers” of the rock wool making sure the seed is surrounded by wet fibers. 7) make sure the cubes aren’t sitting directly on the bottom when they’re wet. Put anything under them so they’re not sitting in water. I use plastic pen cases to keep them off the bottom of a ceramic plate. 8) put them in a humidity dome (I use a 1 gallon plastic bag) and leave them the fuck alone. Don’t do anything to them at all. Try to put them in a warmer area if possible Every seed should sprout and you can put the cubes into your system when the first set of true leaves starts to fully develop.
Different strokes for different folks I suppose . This was the last method I tried and I think I’ll be sticking with it . A little bit of light gets through the paper and they start photosynthesis immediately. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
Thanks for all your replies. If using root riots or rockwool cubes what stage do I move them in to a net cup? Also can I just put them directly in the net cup supported by clay pellets?
Ok they are in the pellets. 3 seeds, put them in a dome, wrapped in a towel and put inside my cupboard. How long should I leave it like that before checking? Do I need to add more water at any stage?
Ok 48 hours later and all three seem to be popping out of the soil. Should I put them straight under a light now and what about watering/spraying?
Ok so all 3 seem to be popping out of the pellet. Should I put them straight in to my closet area with the 300w LED on well above them? Also what about watering/spraying?
Thanks man. So straight under the 300w LED? How high above the seedlings should I place it? Also what about watering?