Is there a homemade medium I can use as an alternative to rockwool? Like can I use a dish cleaning sponge? I don't want to use soil because I'm transplanting to hydroton.
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seeds Homemade seedling mediums?
- Thread starter misterbrownstone06
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So can I transplant a seedling in soil to hydroton with no problem? Or should I wait for a nice sized root before transplanting?
I don't see any reason to wait until you get a big thick root ball before you transplant. This year I put all my seeds in one big 5 gallon container and put the whole thing in a phototron. Even the ones I let grow for a few weeks pulled right up out of the soil. I did however let the soil dry out a bit so it was loose and airy.
Just make sure you don't use a lot of nutes since they will still be very small when you transplant them.
Just make sure you don't use a lot of nutes since they will still be very small when you transplant them.
i move plants from soil into rockwool all the time. if i think my soil plant is not performing and needs a new boost, i will wash the soil off the root, wrap the stem in rockwool, then insert it into my dwc. i try to make sure there is enough root to at least touch the nutrient. if i feel the rooting system is not very comprehensive, i will add a sprinkle of rooting hormone to the rockwool.
i don't use hydroton because of the cost and i don't think i would use a dish sponge, just because i would be concerned with what may leach out of the sponge....i am assuming you mean a synthetic sponge? but that raises a good question on natural sponge and i have never considered it but then again, i would image organic sponge is quite expensive. perhaps with you being so close to places like tarpon springs, might be a good experiment.
good luck
i don't use hydroton because of the cost and i don't think i would use a dish sponge, just because i would be concerned with what may leach out of the sponge....i am assuming you mean a synthetic sponge? but that raises a good question on natural sponge and i have never considered it but then again, i would image organic sponge is quite expensive. perhaps with you being so close to places like tarpon springs, might be a good experiment.
good luck
What's wrong with rockwool? The price or availability?
Lazyness. I don't wanna leave. It's pouring outside and I'm bored and I want to experiment with a DWC
I germinated my seeds in a plastic deli container with coffee filter paper placed on the bottom. When they sprouted and developed green hooks I placed them in a grow plug 72 cell tray with a dome cover. I continue to use the heat mat until they have a good foot hold, such that when I pulled the grow plugs I saw roots coming out from underneath. Then I transplanted them into 3.5" by 3.5 pots until the weather permits the final stage.
The grow plugs was so easy to work with, I'll defiantly use them again next season. I currently have 502 superhots growing and now it's just maintenance.
I think you could go from the plastic deli containers right into the hydroton if you wanted to. It's awesome it you like to micro manage the process.
Good luck!!
The grow plugs was so easy to work with, I'll defiantly use them again next season. I currently have 502 superhots growing and now it's just maintenance.
I think you could go from the plastic deli containers right into the hydroton if you wanted to. It's awesome it you like to micro manage the process.
Good luck!!