Failsafe method of germination for dwc?

[JP12345]

As with most things I've read about growing, there's a million and one answers!

Are there any failsafe methods for germination?

 

[Gentlemencorpse]

No method is 100% Fail-Safe and there are lots that work, but especially for hydro I prefer using Rapid rooters or something similar.... Just wet the plug, drop the seed in and put it in a humidity tray in a warm spot..

I've cracked hundreds of seeds like this, only had 1 not germinate in almost 3 years now...

 

[JP12345]

I assume rapid rooters/rockwool/rootit/root riot are all pretty much the same thing?

 

[Just Be]

Pick up an AeroGarden and use Rapid Rooters in the 'baskets' that the AG uses.. You can often find AGs in the free section of craigslist. If not, you should be able to find one that's not overly priced.

 

[BurntByFire]

I assume rapid rooters/rockwool/rootit/root riot are all pretty much the same thing?

Yeah I’m kind of interested to see the pros and cons of Rockwool vs Rapid rooters

 

[Gentlemencorpse]

I assume rapid rooters/rockwool/rootit/root riot are all pretty much the same thing?

Rockwool is a little different... I personally don't like it except for some flood and drain systems. I never had great luck using it for germination... peat pods are different too...

But the others you mentioned are basically all the same

 

[MickFoster]

Foolproof.

 

[BurntByFire]

Foolproof.
View attachment 4652274

I dunno man I failed using these on my last round.
Maybe I watered too much? To often?
Not enough light?
Not sure but the plants stunted and didn’t really grow in the rapid rooters

 

[BurntByFire]

Foolproof.
View attachment 4652274

Germinated perfectly though!

 

[Gentlemencorpse]

I dunno man I failed using these on my last round.
Maybe I watered too much? To often?
Not enough light?
Not sure but the plants stunted and didn’t really grow in the rapid rooters

How were you using them? I usually just move them into my medium as soon as I have sprouts and have never had an issue

 

[Merkn4aSquirtn]

I've used peat pods, rockwool, hydroton or just pop them right in the medium.
Most people won't like this answer
I have great luck with 1"x1" rockwool cubes
Soak in water for 12hrs
Place in paper towel for 24hrs
Pop that badboy in the rockwool and usually by the end of the day or the beginning of the next day, its out shedding the seed.

 

[BurntByFire]

How were you using them? I usually just move them into my medium as soon as I have sprouts and have never had an issue

My medium is RDWC...so much different.

 

[BurntByFire]

I've used peat pods, rockwool, hydroton or just pop them right in the medium.
Most people won't like this answer
I have great luck with 1"x1" rockwool cubes
Soak in water for 12hrs
Place in paper towel for 24hrs
Pop that badboy in the rockwool and usually by the end of the day or the beginning of the next day, its out shedding the seed.

Yeah once they sprout in the 1” plug what do you do? Move them to DWC? Move to a 4” Rockwool cube and continue to propitiate?

 

[Merkn4aSquirtn]

Yeah once they sprout in the 1” plug what do you do? Move them to DWC? Move to a 4” Rockwool cube and continue to propitiate?

I bury the cube to the top edge in a solo with coco
If I were to run dwc, I'd just place the cube around hydroton in the net pot and just let the roots find its way to the water.

 

[JP12345]

I bury the cube to the top edge in a solo with coco
If I were to run dwc, I'd just place the cube around hydroton in the net pot and just let the roots find its way to the water.

This is something I was wondering - do the roots already have to be long enough to touch the water before I place them in their pots, or will they somehow find their way through the dry hydroton? :S

 

[MickFoster]

This is something I was wondering - do the roots already have to be long enough to touch the water before I place them in their pots, or will they somehow find their way through the dry hydroton? :S

You should hand feed from the top until the roots hit the res.

 

[MickFoster]

I dunno man I failed using these on my last round.
Maybe I watered too much? To often?
Not enough light?
Not sure but the plants stunted and didn’t really grow in the rapid rooters

Germinated perfectly though!

They don't grow in the rr.........plant them as soon as they sprout.
10 for 10 within 4 days last time........that's my norm.

 

[JP12345]

You should hand feed from the top until the roots hit the res.

Thanks. Just water, or a minute amount of nutes?

 

[MickFoster]

Thanks. Just water, or a minute amount of nutes?

Always nutes.......never plain water in dwc.

 

[JP12345]

Always nutes.......never plain water in dwc.

Thanks.

I can't even find Rapid Rooters in my country, so I guess I'm gonna have to use rockwool....