Easier than it Sounds

By Vicki Parsons

You may not know it, but thousands of gardeners across the country will start their seeds hydroponically this spring - and they may not know it either! Peat pots and soilless potting mixtures clearly meet the definition of textbook definition of hydroponics - grown without soil -- even though they don't necessarily meet the high-tech criteria that typically come to mind.

Starting seeds is a great place to try hydroponics. Some mediums, such as peat pots, plugs made with composted bark and coconut fiber, include enough nutrients to give seedlings a kick-start. But even with other mediums like rockwool or Oasis, the seeds themselves generally have enough nutrients to support plants in their early stages until they're transplanted into larger pots or a complete hydroponic system.

Most seed-starting systems need a minimum of equipment - grow lights are recommended in most instances - but simply bottom watering the medium with or without nutrients is a perfectly acceptable alternative to sophisticated systems that automatically supply water and nutrients. At Worm's Way in Tampa, where hydroponic systems are tested and sold, seedlings are started in Rapid Rooters in a simple setup under a high-output florescent light that would easily fit in any kitchen counter or basement.

The Rapid Rooters, says Worm's Way Store Manager Ryan Tenuta, are their favorite seed-starting medium because they're alive, with large populations of the beneficial microbes called Mycorrhizal fungi that colonize the roots, helping plants maximize nutrient uptake and resist disease. And they're very simple to use - the plugs come in trays so gardeners just add seeds and water.

For gardeners who expect to transplant their seedlings to a traditional garden, hydroponic seed starting offers a series of benefits, including ease of use, a minimum of mess and a sterile medium that helps protect vulnerable seedlings from soil-borne diseases like damping off. "They're idiot-proof," quips Doug Millar, sales and marketing manager for General Hydroponics which manufactures the Rapid Rooter.

Other Options

Along with the new Rapid Rooters, other hydroponic options include rockwool, coir or coconut fiber, rockwool, peat and Oasis cubes - the same material used to arrange flowers. Peat, Oasis and coir hold the least amount of water, while Rapid Rooters hold the most, notes Evan Townsley, President of International Growers Supply in Los Angeles. "You can't water them all the same amount or some will be too wet and others will be too dry," he said.

Rockwool, a natural substance created using a process similar to the one that turns sugar into cotton candy, is more challenging for newbie hydroponic growers because it has a high pH that must be treated, Millar adds. "If you put seedlings or cuttings in untreated rockwool, they'll struggle." Once treated, however, rockwool is a mainstay of hydroponic gardening because it holds large quantities of both water and air.

An award-winning journalist with more than 20 years experience as a business, environmental and garden writer, Vicki Parsons is also a fifth-generation farmer who owns Neem Tree Farms in Brandon, Fla. www.neemtreefarms.com

This article was originally published in Garden & Greenhouse Magazine. Garden & Greenhouse is written for small commercial growers, hobby greenhouse owners and indoor/outdoor gardeners and is free to qualified readers. For more information visit www.GardenAndGreenhouse.net.

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