First grow - nutrients and seedlings

fireduck

fireduck

Active Member
Whats up, growers!
I just started a first grow about 10 days ago
Seeds sprouted fine
Right now they are in 1" rock cubes, submerged in pots with hydroton
About 2-3 inches tall, got 1 pair of real leafs and developing 2nd and 3rd pairs.
Most guides say "dont feed nutrients for first 3 weeks"

Question: where do plants get nutrients to grow? rockwool and hydroton dont have any nutritional content

Right now i'm letting rockwool pieces to dry out, and then soak them with plain 3-day old tap water. Stems look purple, so i read that means nutritional deficiency.

Thanks
 
fireduck

fireduck

Active Member
heres pictures:
one of the seedlings, whole setup, and my diy lights (12x 40w wide spectrum)
All room surfaces lined with plastic and 1/2" stirofoam boards with reflective film glued to them. Floor has only plastic cover.
 

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DarkSarcasm420

DarkSarcasm420

Well-Known Member
if thats a hydro setting i think that when you flush the system (i think 3 times a day for 15 min a piece) when they get to the right stage your supposed to give them nutes in the water. the plant makes its own food using the light you give it. there are some micronutrients that it will need that it cant make, but for the most part your plant uses oxygen, hydrogen (both obtained from the atmosphere) and nitrogen (with your setup im not sure where this comes from, i know its the most abundant element in the atmosphere but it is not in a usable form for plants. basically light is used by the plant to produce its own food.
 
ViRedd

ViRedd

New Member
The seed itself has nutrients in it to sustain the life of the seedling.

Most plant seeds (except orchids) are relatively large and contain a large store of nutrition to sustain the young plant before leaves and roots develop enough to continue sustaining the growing plant. With this type of seed, you just pop the seed in soil, water, and watch the seedling grow. Most garden plant seeds are of this type. Examples are beans, peas, corn, tomatoes and lettuce, all the seeds you see at your local nursery or produce store. Orchid seed, in comparison, is tiny, like dust. It contains virtually no nutrition to grow the new plant, so orchid seed relies on a mycorrhizal fungus to provide the nutrition required to grow. Until the young orchid grows leaves and roots large enough to support the orchid, the fungus must provide all the nutrition for the growing plant. Without this fungus, there is no possibility of the seed developing.

Growing Orchids From Seed

Vi
 
1kooguy

1kooguy

New Member
I recommend you give them 4-5 drops per cup of Miracle-Grow Liquid houseplant food 8-7-6.It works great.Don't use the powder,only use the liquid 8-7-6.I get mine from homedepot.
 
TRICKKY

TRICKKY

Well-Known Member
If you can get hold of formulex its great for seedlings. Otherwise a really weak amount of whatever grow nutes you have. I'm wouldn't recommend waiting 3 weeks in fact as soon as the 2nd set start then feed away.

The trick is small doses! As in a 1/4 of what it recommends on the tin.
 
fireduck

fireduck

Active Member
Thanks for quick replies!
I've got Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Grow 3-2-4, label suggests for seedlings 1 1/2 tsp /gal
I guess i will give them just under 1/2 tsp /gal during next watering
 
TRICKKY

TRICKKY

Well-Known Member
Thats the ticket! ;-)

And remember, you wont need to increase the strength for a good couple of weeks.
 
B

bmeat

New Member
disregard a lot of the info here.

wait for a hydro grower to come along. i know the plants dont need anything but distilled, phd water for some time, then you should start with a low but constant supply of hydro nutes at some point.
 
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