Seeding results in My Hydroponics Training

After joined to the hydroponics training about few days ago, I tried to practiced my knowledge about how to seeding in rockwool. The knowledge gained is to be practiced. Apparently, It was not to difficult. I will share what I know about seeding for hydroponics gardening (Hydroponics Farm). Disclaimer : No guarantee this is the best way and certainly successful. I'm not a professional farmer. I just share my knowledge and what I'm doing now. It's can be tutorial but I'm not thinking it's 100% tutorial post. This is more like journal.

Cutting The Rockwool

Cutting The Rockwool

Rockwool is a popular material for use as a seeding and planting at the same time. So I used this material for my seeding. The important for how to cutting the rockwool is we must make sure that the rockwool fibers will be in the direction of the plant growth. I cut rockwool with a thickness of 2-3 cm. After that, I divided rockwool into same sections (modules) in 3 cm square (slice but not separate is better). Better if, the parts are not separate (still in unit but easy to be separated). I used a little hacksaw to make results more neatly (My trainer mention about it).

Made The Rockwool modules

Wetting The Rockwool

Wetting The Rockwool

After I had Rockwool in modules, the next step is make the rockwool wet. I used fresh water (I used bottled water because groundwater in area was not good, I though contains salt because the taste salty), I was worried this could hamper the growth of the seed.

Hole For The Seed

Make hole for the seed

   
When the rockwool was completely wet, now time to make hole for the seed. I used toothpick to make holes on rockwool (one section/module, one hole). I puncture the rockwool, as deep as approximately 1 cm. I turn the toothpick to make a bigger hole.

Insert The Seed To The Hole

My Seeds

The interesting step. I had 3 packs of seeds. A pack of kangkung (kale), a pack of Tha Kua Chai and a pack of  Green Rapids. Because I was curious with Tha Kua Chai (I never heard or know about this vegetable before) so I picked it. To insert the seed to the hole is tricky, because the seed small. My trainer advised to use toothpick to pick the seed and place to the hole (wet toothpick can make the seeds allow to attached). I pushed the seeds in to the hole carefully to make the seeds stay in the hole.

The Seeding Was Started (Maintain The Seeds)

My Seeds were 1 day old

I put the wet rockwool that contains seeds in the perforated basket (to allow water allow and make rockwool not damp and moldy. I maintain water content in the rockwool to not dry out. When rockwool began to dry, I soak the bottom of rockwoll with water for a while (Just the bottom as deep as about 0,5 cm and the water perk in to all rockwool). When the seeds started to brust (after 2 days), I put the seeds under the morning sunshine (I don't have green house or anti-UV roof, so I maintain my seeds under morning sunshine for a 2 hour). My instructors said, when the seeds are 15 days old, they are ready to be moved in to Netpot. So can't wait until the day comes.

My seeds were 2 days old and put under sunshine for the first time.

That's all, It was my experience about seeding for hydroponics farm. I will update the growth of my seeds in the next post soon. Hopefully my post today helpful, Thanks.