Comment

Comment by Tom OBrien on February 6, 2012 at 2:24pm

Do you ever start seeds in coir or peat pellets? I used those for my first plants (some peas, beans, and tomatoes) and they seem to work pretty well as far as wicking the water up to the roots.

Comment by TCLynx on February 6, 2012 at 12:21pm

I've started seeds right against the wicks in the "net" pots before.

I also commonly sprinkle seeds in my grow beds and just let what manages to germinate be the winners.

Sometimes I make a little trench to the water line and put a seed on a bit of tissue/paper towel or cotton ball to be sure it gets enough moisture to germinate.

Other big seeds like beans I might dig down to the high water level and put the seed in and cover with a tiny bit of gravel till it germinates.

Transplanting can work too since I know I often forget where I've put seeds I usually wind up disturbing them when I transplant other things into the bed.

Comment by Heidi Burrows on February 6, 2012 at 10:19am

Hi MIchael, well I am not sure if this is the "right" thing to do but I have seen many people start directly in their grow beds using rockwool cubes with the seed directly sown into it.  Just make sure the rockwool touches the water during the filling or it will dry out and not work - If it doesn't work - all you are losing is a bit of time and a seed - if it works - Excellent we get to save a step!  Keep me posted and I will do the same.  

And TC Thanks I have just looked at it and see it is back to the stores or put on my patient panties and wait for the seedlings to get bigger... LOL 

Comment by Michael Welber on February 6, 2012 at 9:03am

I saw that Sheri puts seeds directly into her grow beds (or I thought that's what she said). Is this really possible? I have been starting all my seeds in pots and then transferring the bigger seedlings into the grow beds. If you can seed directly, how do you do it? 

Comment by TCLynx on February 6, 2012 at 6:30am

Heidi, Don't use cotton, get rayon, it will wick the moisture better.  The Good Will Mop Heads sold in the grocery stores near me are the right kind of string.

Now I haven't done this in vertical really but if you can be sure the strings will touch the flow of water somehow, then it should work.  Here is a link to my "net pots" with wicks

Comment by Heidi Burrows on February 6, 2012 at 5:35am

Ok so I am impatient about waiting for my seedlings to grow so now I am trying to start seeds in my vertical NFT system - I have the flow going into the top PVC and it gravity feeds down to the next level before feeding into my larger ebb/flow bed.  Of course with no roots yet in the net pots I have no way to keep the hydroton and rockwool moist.  I read somewhere to use strings from a cotton mop head which I have tried but it doesn't seem to be wicking up.  Does anyone have other suggestions? 

Comment by Heidi Burrows on February 3, 2012 at 4:41am

Thanks TC Again...lol  Yes that is where my confusion was - I keep reading and sometimes you find that there is information overload so I thought it best to ask the experts   I would rather take my time and get the system started properly then to rush it and have to struggle to balance everything later.  I appreciate your responses!  Have a great day!

Comment by TCLynx on February 2, 2012 at 7:45pm

Maxicrop only provides potassium and trace elements.

To fishless cycle you need to use some form of ammonia additive to take the place of fish waste to get the bio-filter started up.  The ammonia source could be pure clear ammonia (janitorial supply) or Ammonium Chloride or urea fertilizer (beware the delayed reaction before the ammonia will show up on tests) or pee (hummonia) or anything else that will break down into ammonia.

Here is a post about fishless cycling I wrote a while ago.

Comment by Heidi Burrows on February 2, 2012 at 6:31pm

Is Maxicrop liquid seaweed the most recommended startup solution for a fishless cycle?  If so, is there anything else I should add as well?  If not, recommendations on others? 

Comment by TCLynx on February 1, 2012 at 8:18pm

Before getting fish you might add ammonia up to between 1-2 ppm and then see if both the ammonia and nitrite come down to 0 within 24 hours.  Once you are to the point where dosing to 1 ppm and then having both ammonia and nitrite reach 0 in 24 hours you should be in a fairly good position to get fish (and you will be able to keep the nitrates up until you are ready to get the fish, just be sure to stop dosing a couple days before getting the fish.)

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