Start Growing with Hydroponics

Growing with hydroponics is a great way to grow healthy fruits and vegetables all year, but starting seeds with a soil-less hydroponics system is a little different than starting seeds for a soil-based garden.

Tiny seeds will wash away with the nutrient solution or will not have enough moisture to sprout. Starting from seed takes a bit of effort, but it is worth it. You know exactly where your plant came from and how it was grown. There is also a lesser chance of bringing home pests and disease to your existing plants.

Getting them Started
Start with an inorganic starter plug. Plugs made with an organic medium often contain materials, which can clog your hydroponics system. Rockwool is a great medium to begin with because it draws and holds in moisture and can be directly placed into your hydroponics system.

Wet the starter plug and push two to four seeds into the medium. Then place them into a flat. There are also specialized starter kits with domes and heating mats, which streamline the process, but a flat does the job just as well. Place the seeds near a source of sunlight or under a grow lamp, making sure to keep the temperature between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Water your seedlings every day or every other day by pouring a half-diluted seedling solution into the tray, not directly onto the seedlings or plugs.  Try incorporating the Grower's Secret METHOD to maximize the results of your plants.*

Growing Up and Moving Out
Once seedlings are growing and becoming established, thin them out to one seedling per plug. After a few weeks your seedlings should be well established and should be forming leaves and establishing roots. When your seedlings are ready, simply move the plugs over into your hydroponics system. The roots will grow through the plug to reach the nutrient solution.

*The Grower's Secret METHOD is approved and available for use in some states, but pending approval in others.  Please check with us before you order; call (888) 217-9426.