I’m using a 5gal pot with a 6” net filled with hydroton. I used the paper towel method to germinate my first seed, but I believe I waited too long and the seed fully popped. I dumped it and chose to use a new seed in a root riot plug. How far deep in the root riot should I place the seed and how far deep in the hydroton should I place the root riot plug? I currently have the seed deep enough in the root riot to be out of the light, and I have the root riot about knuckle deep in the hydroton (2”). It has been sitting for 4 days and no signs of germination at all. Am I doing something wrong? Any help is much appreciated.
Welcome to the growmunity. Someone will be along shortly who might be able to shed some light on your subject. I grow in soil and start in seedling trays. I do a 12 hour soak in a 3 to 1 water to hydrogen peroxide mix. Taproot usually shows its head within 12 hours. I plant taproot up, a quarter inch deep, and within 3 days itll pop soil.
Nvm, I see the hydro tag now, but am too late to edit above post.
More than one way to do this of course, this is just what I do when I won’t be transplanting.
This is how I do rockwool cubes, should be similar…?
Then a reflective/moisture barrier (probably overkill). This is where I place a humidity dome if/when needed. Most of the moist escaping air from the stone should pass through here:
I moved some pebbles aside, and you can see the roots starting to move through the hydroton, towards the water level. I’ve begun lowering the level already. (Yes, she’s a little pale, I upped the nutes a few hours ago.)
I run an airstone and put the water table about an inch below the cube, monitoring it to make sure it doesn’t get any wetter, and lowering the water lvl, or airstone flow if it does. It’s just to keep the hydroton damp up to the cube. The cube should be wetted when put in, and it shouldn’t get any wetter. The endgame is for the water lvl to be slowly lowered, and the cube to completely dry out as the plants roots grow. When the cube is covered like this, it holds the initial moisture level for quite a while.
My paper towel seed popped completely but, my root riot seed did not. I transplanted the popped seed to a root riot, then placed it over a bed of about 2”-2.5” hydroton, then surrounded it with hydroton. This was all done without light. Would you say this baby is ready for a light cycle now?
