Using Perlite...

[Viracocha711]

I wanted to see if I could germ some seeds in perlite...I filled a 16oz cup(no holes in bottom) 3/4 with perlite...Then planted 3 bagseeds about a 1/4 deep in the perlite, evenly spaced apart...and then once they popped up and the cotylendon or first leaves opened up I filled the cup with water and the seedlings were easily pulled out...I then put them in 1.5" rockwool cubes that were presoaked in pH adjusted water for 24hrs...The seedlings never skipped a beat, they did not show any signs of stress and with the cup full of water no damage was done to the tap root when removed from the cup (one could then put the seedlings in any media after that)

I was just curious, so I tried this and it worked like charm!

V711

 

[Dewayne]

Yup perlite is great for germination. I used to do it as well. in fact right now i'm adding perlite to my soil...gonna get a lot of it in there gonna use it for the 16 oz cup grow.

~Burn ONe~
Dewayne

 

[Viracocha711]

LOL...Me too! I thought the contest started already so my cup/plant is already germinated...I grow hydro so all I had was some old potting soil that I used for my tomato plants...I just mixed it 50/50 with perlite and see what happens?

 

[booradley]

I wanted to see if I could germ some seeds in perlite...I filled a 16oz cup(no holes in bottom) 3/4 with perlite...Then planted 3 bagseeds about a 1/4 deep in the perlite, evenly spaced apart...and then once they popped up and the cotylendon or first leaves opened up I filled the cup with water and the seedlings were easily pulled out...I then put them in 1.5" rockwool cubes that were presoaked in pH adjusted water for 24hrs...The seedlings never skipped a beat, they did not show any signs of stress and with the cup full of water no damage was done to the tap root when removed from the cup (one could then put the seedlings in any media after that)

I was just curious, so I tried this and it worked like charm!

V711

Did you do anythign to prepare the perlite beforehand? Other than get it wet that is (or did you even do that? I imagine you must have).

 

[Dewayne]

Nah, don't have to haha. You just stick 'em in. Umm well i got my solo cups with about a half inch of aquarium rocks at the bottom, andi mixed in a little bit of perlite, enough to keep it loose, and i have the rest in some home compost soil mixed with a few things to give the seedling a nice start.

~Burn One~
Dewayne

 

[Viracocha711]

Did you do anythign to prepare the perlite beforehand? Other than get it wet that is (or did you even do that? I imagine you must have).

Sorry about that...Just wet the perlite with pH adjusted tap water. You may need to re wet it a few times until the first set of leaves pop out and then you can go from there.

 

[Viracocha711]

Aquarium rocks at the bottom, huh...I put hydroton for it was all I had to improve the drainage. I am growing all hydro so for the 16oz cup thingy I just set my little 16oz soil grow cup up like a little tomato pot, I hope it works? LOL! My little one is already growing it's first set of real leaves...So I hope it keeps doing what it's doing. I guess bottom feeding will be the way to go once the the cup is root bound, huh?