Sorry Andy on this point your wrong I'm 100% sure on this. I'm sure your good at growing in soil but this is not soil its like planting growing an auto for 30 days in wet tissue and water, compost has feed in it thus the reason you dont add nutes and people burn plants by feeding. Nutrient companys have seedling cuting strengths on bottles as the media is inert 0 npk. giving cal/mag is like a vit tab but you need a small amount of npk fat protein carbs
I have grown in dwc and aero and drip i know the crack
just do a quick google search
How to Start Seedlings for Hydroponics
Filed under
Hydroponic Gardening
Now that you have decided to grow your own hydroponic garden, the hydroponic seed starting is the first step! Always grow the seeds in a hydroponic medium and not in soil. It is better to keep everything in sterile hydroponic culture so that you can avoid diseases and problems associated with soil. After all hydroponics is the cleanest system that can protect your plants from all kinds of diseases like damping off.
The way to sow the seeds is by sprinkling them on the medium and then pressing them in. if you want to avoid transplanting the seedlings from seed flats to pots, you could plant them into rock wool cubes.
Ideally, the seeds should be exposed to a maximum temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and a minimum of 65 degrees Fahrenheit during the nights. Seeds should not be exposed to cold drafts. If specified, follow directions for depth of planting. Otherwise the thumb rule is to plant at a depth that is twice the seed’s diameter.
Plant at a distance- 1-2 inches apart where airflow is not affected by the neighboring plant. Once you have planted the seeds, water with a very fine mist or spray. The watering is carried out once a day with nutrient water with ideal strength suited to seeds. The idea is to keep the seeds moist and not wet. Domes with air openings may be used over the planting trays.
Hydroponic seeds require nutrient solutions that have all 13 nutrients that are not found in soil-based fertilizers. Ensure appropriate light and temperature conditions.
Germination occurs when the seeds have appropriate amounts of oxygen, and water or air filled media to grow in. After the seedlings have sprouted, you can shift the trays into areas with high light intensity and cooler temperature.
A hydroponic culture is useful for a young seedling. The requirement that needs to be met is strong root growth. This is possible when the nutrients formula used contains a higher quantity of phosphorus as compared to nitrogen. You could also add plant-stimulating factors that are readily available in the market.
Some of the probable problems that may arise while seeding, can be enumerated as below:
1. Exposure to excessive temperatures: growing the seeds in a green house can result in temperatures exceeding the appropriate limit. In such a case, there will be no germination of seeds and they can even die. So, keep a check on the temperatures either with a thermometer or you could even gauge the heat by touching the surface with your fingers. If it’s hot to touch, it’s hot for the seeds too. Take corrective measures immediately.
2. Not enough moisture: the environmental requirement for seedlings is humidity level of 60% or higher. At a lower level, there will be no germination. Also ensure a good airflow so that the growing seeds can breathe.
Once the seeds have germinated and sprouted forth, use a fertilizer in the quarter-to half-strength. This will stimulate growth evenly. Now you can transplant these into the growing pots in your hydroponic garden!
