Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Getting Your Plants Started and Helpers


Once you start out in Hydroponics it's remarkable how many friends show up to help out. Grandchildren are particularly fascinated by what you're doing there grandpa? Here in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia the first day you can be sure it won't freeze is somewhere around May 18th, although I've occasionally been surprised even then.
The picture above shows me putting seeds into a bunch of rockwool cubes to get my tomato plants started. I've done it a number of different ways, but one of the easiest is just to put them in a tray and put some diluted nutrient, about a quarter to a half of the concentration you'll use when the plants are mature and let the plants start in the rockwool.
Generally what I do is soak the rockwool ahead of time just because they say you should (I've never known it to make much difference). Then you can let the plant sprout on its own steam. There is enough nutrient in the seed to get it going, but then you'll want some nutrition once it sprouts.

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