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Growing Seedlings with an Ebb & Flow System
It's a pretty simple process really.
The most challenging part can be figuring out how to support the
developing plants bulk and weight depending on what kind of plants you
choose to grow.
GERMINATE SEEDS:
Start your seeds separately in starter
plugs in a tray under fluorescent light.
This allows for you to finish up the last group of plants that are still
in the ebb & flow system for non-stop production.
TRANSPLANT TO EBB & FLOW HYDROPONICS
SYSTEM:
When the system is prepared and ready,
transfer the germinated seeds into it.
The starter plugs would be buried into your growing medium where the
highest level of the flood process will just touch the bottom of the
rooting plug. Leave room at the top of the pot to add growing
medium later.
The flood will fill the containers to
about 60% full, and depending on the growing medium that you choose,
you'd flood an average of 2 to 4 times a day for 15 minutes each
time.
As the plant grows, you can fill in the
rest of the growing medium around the plant stem to help support the
plant. If you add growing medium to the pots for added
support, you should leave the flood height at the same level. Exposing a
dry stem to an increased flood height may cause rot or mold to develop
at the base of the stem.
MAINTAIN A CLEAN SYSTEM:
Your hydroponics system must be kept clean
for the plants to stay healthy.
For maintenance, you'll need to change the
water in the reservoir every 2 weeks, replacing it with fresh water and
nutrient.
Then, the PH needs to be maintained, which
will require testing every few days and adjusting with PH up or down as
necessary. (Same as a swimming pool or aquarium.)
PROTECT YOUR PLANTS FROM GARDEN PESTS:
Personally, I'd recommend integrating a
preventative maintenance program of spraying for insects in order to
avoid ever getting them.
You can use very natural and gentle sprays
like Neem Oil,
and apply once a week and you'd never run into any issues with insects
at all.
Good luck with your plants. Call us if
you have any other questions.
