FEATURESTORY
by Simon Ashley
Growing Plants Hydroponically From Seeds
Many hydroponic gardeners prefer to grow plants
hydroponically from seedlings or cuttings taken from
another plant - often from a plant grown in soil. While
you can get away with this, it does introduce a whole
host of problems that don't exist when growing from
seeds.
The advantage of hy-
droponics is that you can
produce higher yields than
soil grown plants and your
plants don’t suffer from the
same pests and diseases that
can afflict soil grown plants.
Seeds do not contain the
pests and diseases found in
seedlings. If you purchase
seedlings from a plant nurs-
ery where disease and pests
are common you risk infect-
ing your hydroponic garden
and ruining your plants.
Aphids are often found in
plant nurseries and they are
difficult to spot.
Purchasing a seedling
involves rinsing the roots
to remove the soil before they can be transferred to a
hydroponic solution. Some plants do not take well to
being transplanted from soil to a hydroponic medium
which creates stress on the plant and hinders growth.
If you want to get the satisfaction that comes from
growing from seeds and entirely through your own ef-
forts then you will require the following kit:
◆ ◆ Stonewool plugs
◆ ◆ Hydroponic tray
◆ ◆ Warming Mat
◆ ◆ Grow light or natural light if it is available
◆ ◆ Seedling solution
Growing tiny seeds in granular hydroponic media
will simply result in the tiny seeds falling through the
cracks when they are exposed to a hydroponic solu-
tion. Starter plugs should be made from inorganic
material, be approximately 2 or 3 inches across and
shallow enough so the seeds are never far from the
nutrient solution which keeps them moist. Stonewool
plugs are ideal for this purpose.
Simply use a pencil to make a number of holes
in each starter plug. For most plants 2 seeds per cube
should work, but for herbs 4-6 seeds per cube is more
52
appropriate. Place each of the starter plugs into a slot
in the hydroponic tray to hold them in place. This tray
is where you will add the hydroponic solution.
Place a clear plastic domed shaped lid over the
tray. You can buy a hydroponic propagation dome
that is specifically made for
seedlings. Some even allow
you to adjust the humidity
with adjustable vents. The
container needs to hold in
moisture and heat the air
around the plants. It also
needs to be transparent as
seedlings require a lot of
light to grow.
A seedling heat mat can
be placed underneath the
tray to ensure the seedlings
are kept warm. A tempera-
ture of between 70 to 80
degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.
Depending on how quickly
the tray dries out, the seeds
will need to be watered
once or twice per week. You
should add seedling solution
to the tray but not directly on top of the plant. The pH
level of the hydroponic solution should be around 5.5.
It should also contain the necessary macro and micro
nutrients found in most hydroponic nutrient solutions.
The seeds should start sprouting in 2-3 days and
within 1-3 weeks the plants should be a few inches
high. The roots should also be visible from the outside
of the starter plug. Leave the strongest seedling in a
single plug and remove the less healthy ones. When
the roots start to show through the plugs it is time to
transfer