Seed starting is essential to any gardening. It may be simple enough for conventional gardening but in Hydroponics, it may differ and will require a different set of instructions to follow. Growing seeds hydroponically allows for the production of good yield. But the starting process may buffer because you may not be sure as to how to go about it. But that’s no matter to worry about.

This article details the processes and techniques on how to start seeds for hydroponics. So bring out your pens and paper and start taking notes (virtually, of course, or literally if you wish to) because this is something that needs your careful attention.

What is seed starting?

It’s simple, really. It is a process as explained by the term itself. Seed starting is when you start gardening from scratch and grow your seeds by yourself. It is a process that is often skipped by many because such a process requires a large amount of effort and time.

Seed starting is a tiring process that requires a lot of patience from the gardener without which you will not be able to germinate your seeds.

Then why start my seeds hydroponically?

Yes, starting seeds may be a tiring and time consuming process as mentioned before. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any good reasons to not take it up. Though there may be a few downsides, there are also the upsides that you must consider.

When you go to a nursery to buy plants that you wish to grow in your house, you will find that the options are limited. Nurseries do not have all kinds of plants that you may wish to come upon.

So doing so will only cause you to have limited options. When you start seeds yourself you may come upon plants that you won’t always find in nurseries. This will allow you to grow rare plants and other kinds that are not easy to find. You will also be able to grow your favourite plants and will have the joy of seeing them grow from start to end.

Usually, when there is a change in any atmosphere or environment, certain problems arise. So when you bring plants to plant them in your hydroponics, the plants, because of a change in environment, may not be able to survive well.

Such a change in environment may also cause diseases or bugs to infest your Hydroponics which will cause you a bigger problem. There’s also the chance of root trauma for your plants. So, in order to avoid any or all of these problems it is better for you to start seeds by yourself.

It is very cost effective. The cost of a packet of seeds may be equal to that of the cost of just one seedling. In this way, you will be spending more money than you need to.

Also, buying only seeds will allow you to plants more plants than just planting one. You will have a higher chance of growing more healthy plants, than having just one seedling and not knowing if it will fully flourish into a plant.

Last but definitely not the least, the satisfaction of having to grow a plant right from when it was a seed and to watch it grow to its full height and state is a satisfaction that you will get like never before. It is for this reason alone that you should try starting seeds for yourself at least once.

How do I go about seed starting?

Setting up.

Before you begin starting your seeds you need to take care of a few things first. This mainly includes the environment in which you will plant them. Seeds require the usual light, oxygen, water and heat in order to grow. It may cost you a little in the beginning but that is only during the initial stages. Later, once you’ve settled into the process the cost will automatically decrease.

You will need to create a tiny greenhouse of sorts to grow your seeds. For this you can use a grow tray and set it up accordingly. Heat is necessary for the seeds to sprout. For this, purchase a heating mat and place I under the tray. If you are growing your seeds in a comparatively cooler area, then a heating mat will be necessary. Creating the right atmosphere for your seeds is vital in growing them.

When making use of your tray, you will need a pot of sorts, such as a growing medium, to grow your seeds in. This is important in a hydroponic set-up. Choose the right medium that will be suitable for your seeds and will also fit into the hydroponic system very well. If you are confused about using the right medium, then make use of our article on the same. This will ensure that your seeds will comfortably grow with healthy results. Setting up the right environment will help you vastly in growing the seeds properly.

The process.

So to make his easier for you, we’ll take you through the process of seed starting.

• First you have to prepare your growing medium to grow seeds. That means that you will have to clean them. Wash the medium and leave it to dry. After that, place a few seeds in each cube. This is so that at least one seed will sprout fully. When they start to germinate, you can take out the weaker grown plant and leave the strong plants to fully grow.
• Now prepare the grow tray. Put into the tray either clean water or a nutrient solution and place the cubes in it. Fill it up to an inch in the tray. Place the heating mat under the tray, and see to it that the tray is placed where there is adequate lighting. The lid can be left on so that it traps the moisture and heat inside for proper growth.
• Make sure to keep an eye on the tray and see to the needs of the seeds, is nay arise. Within 4-5 days you will see little sprouts emerging from the cubes. Here you have your seeds successfully sprouting!
• If you wish to, you may first place the seeds in a sealed Ziploc bag and then after they sprout, you can transfer them into the grow tray. Either way, you will end up with germinated seeds.

After the seeds sprout to an adequate size, transplanting them into the hydroponics system is a careful process that requires proper attention.

• You need to keep supplying the seedlings with the nutrient solution so that they can keep growing. Once the seeds have grown to an adequate stage, the roots of the plants will start emerging out of the cubes from under then that is when you can transplant the plants into the Hydroponic set-up.
• Usually the roots take from two to four weeks to emerge. But this duration may differ depending upon the plants that you are growing.
• Be very gentle with the seedling. Prepare a space in you growing media in the Hydroponics system and carefully place the cube with the seedling into the medium.
• The roots won’t automatically reach the circulating water so you will have to give them some time to grow. For this you need to keep watering the seedlings regularly until the roots are able to find their way to the nutrient water.

Conclusion

Seed starting is recommended for every gardener to try at least once. Chances are you will like it and will want to continue with it. Seed starting may sound time consuming but you wouldn’t know of it if you weren’t to try it out for yourself. And starting your seeds by yourself will allow you much more satisfaction when your plant grows to its full length.

It will allow you to be more independent of nurseries because you will not always be able to find that plants that you desire there. So it is important that you are liberated in this way to avail many more gardening benefits for yourself in more ways than one. So try it out and know for yourself!