Root Riot Cubes, To Soak or Not to Soak

First time trying out these root riot cubes.

I started my seeds in the usual moist paper towel and after about a day when they had all sprouted a taproot they were put into root riot cubes.

Guy at hydroponics store told me they are moist enough out of the bag and to just spray them with water every once in a while. The bag says to soak them in water and then squeeze out the excess.

Which is better? Does it even matter? I did not soak them, just spray them a bit.

It's been only 1 day since I put them in those cubes and I just want to make sure they are uh 'moist' enough cuz I really don't want to lose $100 worth of seeds because i'm an idiot (and they all popped in paper towel right away).

Stupid question I know but meh I've never used these things before and I've been given conflicting info.

I use rapid rooters, same basic thing. Get them wet and squeeze out the excess.

Outta the pack they're moist and spongy and fine for me! Shouldn't have any issues. If they dry out I put them in a lunchbox full of room temp water for a couple hours and once they're spongy and soft they're good to go.

Also I would keep a dome over them for a little while.

I use rapid rooters, which I believe are somewhat the same. So I have been using these for some time and the best advice i can give is to soak them, I use Remos (veg mix) to +- 180ppm. Then squeeze the excess moisture out... Don't let them dry out, which they can do quite quickly depending on your light and the wind factor.

Hrm ok, more conflicting info haha.

Well they're already planted (so I can't go back and soak them), so I'll just keep an eye on them to make sure they don't completely dry out and put a humidity dome over them in the mean time. Thanks for advice.

^^^^^ this ( simple light fert ) or I mix a dilute of Clonex liquid ( yellow ) and soak rooters in it , squeeze some excess out and either put cuttings or seed in and dome it up.

Prefer rooter over rock wool .

I could soak them but that would mean literally tearing apart the cubes that already have germed seeds in them to get those germed seeds and put them into soaked cubes.

Hopefully it will still work out just moist with a few sprays of water every now and then like I've been doing.

When they start to dry or get light remoisten by dipping quickly in water. Anything similar should be fine but why not just put the flexis in whatever next when they get a root or two save any hassle

Kingrow1 said:

When they start to dry or get light remoisten by dipping quickly in water. Anything similar should be fine but why not just put the flexis in whatever next when they get a root or two save any hassle

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If I understand you right (sorry 'flexis in whatever'?) I will be putting them into their coco pots as soon as I see a taproot coming out of the cube.

guitarguy10 said:

If I understand you right (sorry 'flexis in whatever'?) I will be putting them into their coco pots as soon as I see a taproot coming out of the cube.

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Ya that should work, flexis is fleximix or the stuff these cubes are made out off - easier than saying root riot or whatever their company name is as they all the same

In case anyone was curious they do seem to dry out pretty quick, so I've been remoistening them every 6 hours or so.

Woke up this morning and 3/5 have popped the surface but they were I think quite dry (I need sleep too, can't be up all night watching them).

Anyways the 3 that did pop look pretty sickly (look white/yellow, no leaves have opened). I've attached a picture of them.

I'm just going to put them under a small CFL, keep an eye on moisture and otherwise leave them alone and hope for the best.

Kingrow1 said:

Ya that should work, flexis is fleximix or the stuff these cubes are made out off - easier than saying root riot or whatever their company name is as they all the same

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Ah very interesting, sounds very synthetic. I figured they were just some sort of peat moss.

Dip them in water ... doh .. yeah sounds like a good idea, why my stoned dumb mind didn't think to just dip them in water I don't know.

Put them in water for a few seconds and they are looking better, they actually have some green to them now. Hopefully what looks like stress isn't enough to have them hermie on me :/

guitarguy10 said:

Ah very interesting, sounds very synthetic. I figured they were just some sort of peat moss.

Dip them in water ... doh .. yeah sounds like a good idea, why my stoned dumb mind didn't think to just dip them in water I don't know.

Put them in water for a few seconds and they are looking better, they actually have some green to them now. Hopefully what looks like stress isn't enough to have them hermie on me :/

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They shouldnt dry out so quick especially in those plastic pots but maybe you werent saturating them enough

Kingrow1 said:

They shouldnt dry out so quick especially in those plastic pots but maybe you werent saturating them enough

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I didn't saturate them *at all*. I just sprayed them.

guitarguy10 said:

I didn't saturate them *at all*. I just sprayed them.

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As they dry pretty easily you can run a wet dry cycle with them and they will take a watering of kinds

I will never be using these 'root riot' or any fleximix garbage again. They keep drying out, I have put so much unnecessary stress on these little seedlings that I'm worried if I should even continue with them because they have been stressed to the point they will hermie.

From now on they will be germed and just put into their final medium. Such unnecessary complications and struggle I don't know why I've wasted my time or money on these shitty things.

guitarguy10 said:

I will never be using these 'root riot' or any fleximix garbage again. They keep drying out, I have put so much unnecessary stress on these little seedlings that I'm worried if I should even continue with them because they have been stressed to the point they will hermie.

From now on they will be germed and just put into their final medium. Such unnecessary complications and struggle I don't know why I've wasted my time or money on these shitty things.

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Ya hence why i germ in final medium but i can run anything and advise you to keep trying if you get seeds you dont need etc

If you soak em and they dry within six hours no seed starter will work imo and six hours seems a little quick after a soaking.

We live and learn dude, coco or soil are real easy to germ in, i quite enjoy the coco germination but run soil now.

Good luck

Soak them and then leave them alone and covered until roots emerge.
Squeeze rooter in fist, run fist under tap water any temp below scalding, open fist, repeat, shake or not your choice.
make the hole bigger if you think you have wimpy sprouts. Keep em wet and spongy!

Soak n squeeze.