Friday, August 10, 2012

Seedlings

While we continue to work on setting up the hydroponic system (after getting it almost set up we’ve have decided to move it to a location with more space), I decided to start planting my seeds. I wanted to buy seedlings but couldn’t find any locally. When you grow hydroponically, you’re not limited to the usual growing season.

Since I don’t really know what I’m doing yet, I read the seed packets that I had and decided to start with these:

Lettuce - salad bowl blend
Lettuce - gourmet baby greens
Butterhead lettuce - Buttercrunch
Spinach - Bloomsdale
Broccoli - Di Cicco
Carrot - Danvers
Shelling Peas - Progress
Snap Peas - sugar snaps

I had bought some growing discs from a garden center (in Florida, before we moved) which should make it easier for the starting novice like me. I hydrated them with water in the tray and they expanded (a bit like those magic towels). They even have a convenient hole in the middle to put the seeds. Some of the seeds were really tiny, so I couldn't help but put several in each hole. After that you just have to put the tray in the sunshine and make sure they are kept damp.

It will take about six weeks before they are big enough to plant in the hydroponic pots (then another six weeks before they are ready to eat). But I’m happy with the progress so far.


Seed packets that I chose

Growing disc

50 discs in the tray

Hydrated discs ( I discovered I had them upside down)

Tiny sprouts after 4 days


2 comments:

  1. Do you have any links or info on the hydroponic system you are using? Where did you get the discs in FL?

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  2. The system we have was bought from Urban Oasis Hydroponic Farm on W. Linebaugh and cost less than $500.
    www.urbanoasisfarm.com
    Dave and Cathy Hume are very helpful. They sell the system with everything you need and are there to answer questions. They have a free workshop coming up that would be helpful. They also sell seedlings.
    The discs came from Grace's on Temple Terrace Hwy. next to Sweetbay.
    www.graceshydro.com
    I can't remember now but I think they were about 10 cents a disc. They sell systems as well.

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