Need immediate advice. Seedlings & EZ Cloner with Neoprene collar

[guambomb813]

Hey all so i've just received my White Queen seeds on Monday. Today they germinated but I'm trying to use my EZ cloner I built. I do NOT want to use RW or anything that isn't able to be transfered out of and into my hydroton buckets.

My dilemma is that I cannot find any reassuring information that after the seeds germinate and sprout a little, WHEN and if it is okay to immediately transfer to neoprene collars and have EZ run them until ready for transplant?!!

Thanks all I know you'll help me figure this out in time being that they should be ready to have some action done soon!

 

[FreezerBoy]

I'd guess at least until the root can clear the puck by an inch or two. What did you germ in? Paper towels? Are your roots just lying around exposed and vulnerable?

Rockwool is an excellent germ media and is perfect for transfer to Hydroton. I germ seeds in my bubble cloner, which is pretty much the same thing as a sprayer unit. Sprouts can be transferred immediately or up to 2 weeks later before roots become too tangled to separate.

While pics are clones, I'll just drop a seed in a starter cube, cover the seed with a rockwool flap and place cube in cloner. Once sprouted, cubes are pushed downward through the hole to prevent root damage and transferred to Hydroton pots.



Some fellow did a "floating lid" DWC. A thin Styrofoam sheet sat directly on the water. It was perforated with just smaller than seed size holes. Seeds were placed in the holes and would send tap roots through the hole below the lid. I guess the sheet would then be gently broken apart to get the seedlings out.

 

[guambomb813]

Yeah they just sprouted yesterday and im using paper towel in plastic zip lock bag method.

Thanks so much for quick response!! I am trying to avoid using rock wool because I have my other plants directly in hydroton and rock wool holds water much more then hydroton so my feeding cycles would be different so my question to you is what would be the correct way to keep these seedlings healthy and when would they be best to transfer to neoprene collars or any other way that they can be transferred to hydroton only??!!!

 

[GreenThumbBumb]

a 1 inch cube wont make that much of a difference as far as watering goes in hydroton or you could try coco coir then wash it off and transplant but sounds like work when the RW would work

 

[zenoonez]

You could do the floating dwc thing which is actually how a lot of hydroponic greenhouses work or you could build a seed started which starts the seeds in vermiculite then you simply was the vermiculite off when they are large enough to go into your aero unit.

 

[Mist]

Rockwool cubes are your best medium for seedlings. It gives them a nice safe zone for the new roots to develop. If you put them directly into the cloner with nothing covering the roots it would be pretty harsh on the newly formed tap root.
If you want to work with no medium until you put them into the hydroton buckets you are going to have to wait till you have clones to work with.


Happy Growing.

 

[MAZEinaHAZE]

Rapid Rooters.....i love them. after a day or so in papertowel, i transfer to Rapid Rooters. then before the root system becomes too intense, i gently remove from RR into foam insert and a 2" netpot. EZ as pie

 

[slowandeasy]

Would not recommend the floating lid method, you can get algae from the light and heat hitting the water...know frome experience! Personally use neoprene collar or pool noodle for entire grow start to finish. You can cut the neoprene collar in half thickness wise, so the root can touch the water easier. Always keep out light if possible.

Have done this many times successfully, and have germinated in paper towel. I know for a fact that some roots have been damaged because of the paper towel, or just handling them so young. Tried a different way just last week, and so far so good. Hydro-Soil's method. Hydroton in a cup, with an inch of seed starter soil on top and cover with wrap. Plant the seed, keep about 1/4 inch of water in bottom of cup. Feed them 1/4 strength when the true leaves start to yellow. He goes from seed to full strength in 2 weeks. What is good about this way or using rockwool or a rapid rooter, is that you dont disturb them while they are most fragile. I am never using paper towel again!

Tried 2 this method, they both are up and doing well. Going to keep them in the lil cup for about 2 weeks, then transplant into pool noodle....hopefully at full strength. This is with FloraNova Bloom at full stength lighting. Good luck.

 

[FreezerBoy]

You could do the floating dwc thing which is actually how a lot of hydroponic greenhouses work or you could build a seed started which starts the seeds in vermiculite then you simply was the vermiculite off when they are large enough to go into your aero unit.

D'oh! Vermiculite!

I admit my paranoia. I don't like to touch roots. I like them protected in something but, you're at where you're at and vermiculite may be your safest bet.

 

[Mist]

Or pearlite would work too eh?

 

[*mistress*]

Hey all so i've just received my White Queen seeds on Monday. Today they germinated but I'm trying to use my EZ cloner I built. I do NOT want to use RW or anything that isn't able to be transfered out of and into my hydroton buckets.

My dilemma is that I cannot find any reassuring information that after the seeds germinate and sprout a little, WHEN and if it is okay to immediately transfer to neoprene collars and have EZ run them until ready for transplant?!!

Thanks all I know you'll help me figure this out in time being that they should be ready to have some action done soon!

perlite, pumice, orchid bark (small), sand, aquarium gravel...

they all can sprout seedlings & be removed from 50-80+% of the root mass when transplanting... or, leave & just sit into next container, w/ hydroton surrounding root mass...

all of the above mediums have similar characteristics as hydroton, i.e.g., they drain very well & have good aeration capacity...

enjoy your garden!

 

[guambomb813]

you guys are simply awesome i hope you know!!!! Thanks soooooo much for all of your input you have answered every last question or concern of mine. Still undecided but now at least I know what has worked for you guys and what doesnt....im now worried about handling them when transferring them to new medium!

Any advice on how to handle them best?!?!?!

Im leaning towards just using the neoprene collars like slowandeasy suggested because for my last set of clones I actually needed to cut some in half for the roots did not have enough height to reach down far enough....my question to you slowandeasy is how big and where is best placement of seedling in puck???!!! I want to be sure that it will rise to the top with no issues!!!!!!!!!

Still gonna pick up some rapidrooters to be sure in case I change my mind!!!

 

[guambomb813]

Actually I think its more of a risk to use just the neoprene and some suggested from other forums that it might also effect the health(thickness specifically). So looks like rapidrooter seems like the direction to go!

haha. sorry didn't listen the first time just love my home built EZ Cloner and Ive seen it works wonders but my new question is how does the srout grow through the rapid rooter? does it grow everywhere (laterally and downward) kinda like it does in rockwool or does it just grow out the bottom and hang out?

I ask this because I want to be able to possibly cut the rapidrooter or do whatever possible/suggested to transplant them to EZ when big enough!

 

[mean mr.mustard]

Rapid rooters send roots pretty much wherever they want. Try perlite to start the roots until they're long enough to reach the solution in your bigger system... it rinses right off. Your stem should be big enough to grab and not kink before you move to the collar.

Again... let me state that using any plug like rockwool or rapid rooters will give you an unpredictable root system and shouldn't be cut away from the roots.

 

[FreezerBoy]

You're going out of your way to create unnecessary busy work. Forget all the transplanting and the EZ cloner. Start a seed in warm damp rockwool. Place sprout in Hydroton DWC. The end.

These sprouts are a few hours old and are ready for Hydroton and DWC.

 

[guambomb813]

I know alot of people love rockwool but I personally like my plants being in just hydroton, or hydroton and perlites but rockwool absorbs too easily and mainly the feeding cycle for the rockwool would have to be different then just the hydroton since hydroton isn't nearly as absorbing as rockwool. i mean hydroton barely holds the water thats why you can feed anywhere from every 1 hour and up...me personally i don't like to feed every hour, 2 hours is about as low as I would ever go between 2 and 3 hours, when I used rockwool and my friend used his table flood and drain system with the rockwool cubes and slabs. I thought was great set up and they grew amazing but his would only need to be watered 1-3 times per day....I know starting a seed isn't using much rockwool but i'd prefer to just leave it out all together.
Busy work...yeah it is but in my case I wouldn't rule is unnecessary! But then again I don't have as many harvests under my belt as some of you guys so I can't claim it's right, just right for me, right now

Again everybody appreciate ALL of your responses it has helped me out alot with reassuring and expanding knowledge -.-

Happy Smokin. Gonna start up a Journal here for these girls, maybe start one for my day 21 Northern Lights. WISH ME LUCK, i've been reading TONS about this LST (Low Stress Training) and am doing entire canopy with this method! so far it's shown amazing differences in how bushy it becomes compared to the natural vertical growth, im just hoping to still be able to get some of the vertical height.

 

[slowandeasy]

Dont use Rapid Rooters, unless your keeping them in the hydroton after! Impossible to seperate roots without damaging. If your do not want any medium, besides hydroton try the perlite or vermiculite or the cut in half neoprene collar. Use sterile tweezers to handle, very carefully. With the neoprene collar, if you keep the root touching the water it wll not die. just dont flood them. The longer you keep them in paper towel, the more likely they will be damaged. I understand you do not like rockwool or rapid rooters, they can stay too wet if water level is not correct....that is why I only use a pool noodle as my medium from start to finish. Nothing to restrict growth, nothing to hold too much water, and nothing to clean after...just throw away the noodle.

Anyways, would suggest planting seed and letting the delicate root system develop for a week or two before handling. Less chance of failure from mishandling. Try the perlite, vermiculite, or the hydroton and soil method as I suggested. I am done using paper towel method. Good luck

 

[*mistress*]

have sprouted seeds into straight hydroton, just be careful... neoprene collars can be replaced by dollar store knee pads, & stacked for greater support...

perlite really is seemingly what you may seek... not a big pot for seedlings & cuts, but maybe 2" square pots, or simple 6-8oz solo cups... transplant to clay balls when you see roots coming out of the bottom. the small amount of perlite will not interfere w/ hydroton...

another way to do it is to just use a styrofoam sheet, like a take-out container from a restaurant. cut out the square, ~ 8"x8" lid... germinate seeds in paper towel... when little tap root emerges, punch little holes into styrofoam & insert tail... this is no media, placed over bubbling tote, tray, etc...... can also just place this sheet on top of the hydroton, & cut out the piece of styrofoam once roots grow down into hydroton, which they will...

either way, seem key in this instance is waiting until root ball is strong before messing w/ it... w/in 2 weeks, whatever method selected for germ & clone, ec should have healthy plants... just leave the little goddesses alone & let them do their thing... they dont care what the media is, just want water & min amount of nutes...

enjoy your garden!