can i use all natural premium top soil for my seedling medium

[FromTheDepths]

Can i use all natural premium top soil for my seedling medium its derived from peats and rice hulls and wood chips. also could i add some bio seed starter to it? if so i will mix a small amount with a small amount of the seed starter and then put a bunch of that into little containers to establish roots

 

[_MrBelvedere_]

That will work, there are so many ways to do it. Personally I like to use rockwool cubes in a germination tray with humidity dome. Rockwool cubes are recommended because you can be sure that the medium is "clean". Soil may have unknowns in it that could cause germination probs. That has the best track record of success for me. You can easily make a germination tray for rockwool cubes. The most important points of germination are:

- use good water
- do not add fertilizer in the water at all!
- keep the seed moist at all times!
- use the cleanest possible medium to sprout in (with soil it is unknown).

That's it.

Edited: fixed note about water...

 

[FromTheDepths]

i honestly used tap water for the germinating seeds but my water isnt hard it taste pretty damn clean almost like rain water no smell to it. I hope that will be ok as theve already popped in that watter :/ the top soil is clean im gonna put the soil in cups the size of solo cups, ill prolly cut them in half and then throw them under a t5 in a 10-20 gallon tote of some sort with a plastic lid and a t5 over head is that straight? thanks doc

That will work, there are so many ways to do it. Personally I like to use rockwool cubes in a germination tray with humidity dome. Rockwool cubes are recommended because you can be sure that the medium is "clean". Soil may have unknowns in it that could cause germination probs. That has the best track record of success for me. You can easily make a germination tray for rockwool cubes. The most important points of germination are:

- use distilled water to avoid any germination issues with PH and tap water
- do not add fertilizer in the water at all!
- keep the seed moist at all times!
- use the cleanest possible medium to sprout in (with soil it is unknown).

That's it.

 

[FromTheDepths]

might of been confusing stoned, they germd in that water now im gonna do xplant to the top soil in cups

 

[Mad_Prophessor]

I would argue on a coupe points. Peet pucks are a much safer sprout medium than rockwool cubes. Tap water is actually really good for spouting seeds as it generally contains a lot of the dissolved solids that is it naturally seeking, I take it directly without letting it sit over night too. I only use tap water to pop seeds and then PHd RO from there on out. You can just put a zip-lock bag over each puck under a flouro light if you want until it sprouts.

I usually pop the seeds in paper towels before I put them into my dirt that I make. I keep the pucks around for cloning and not for popping seeds.

 

[FromTheDepths]

I would argue on a coupe points. Peet pucks are a much safer sprout medium than rockwool cubes. Tap water is actually really good for spouting seeds as it generally contains a lot of the dissolved solids that is it naturally seeking, I take it directly without letting it sit over night too. I only use tap water to pop seeds and then PHd RO from there on out. You can just put a zip-lock bag over each puck under a flouro light if you want until it sprouts.

I usually pop the seeds in paper towels before I put them into my dirt that I make. I keep the pucks around for cloning and not for popping seeds.

Your the man, ive always had luck with pellets aswell man, but when using them with much luck before they were like 2 inches big. the ones i bought and have now only get about a half to 3/4s an inch and it just doesnt seem big enough so im thinking just pop em in those cups with top soil let me no broda! about to head on into the shop

 

[Mad_Prophessor]

I always use Jiffy brand and they get to the 2" height you are talking about. I am not sure why yours didn't puff up enough. Did you try to work them with your hands so they expand upwards?

 

[FromTheDepths]

I would argue on a coupe points. Peet pucks are a much safer sprout medium than rockwool cubes. Tap water is actually really good for spouting seeds as it generally contains a lot of the dissolved solids that is it naturally seeking, I take it directly without letting it sit over night too. I only use tap water to pop seeds and then PHd RO from there on out. You can just put a zip-lock bag over each puck under a flouro light if you want until it sprouts.

I usually pop the seeds in paper towels before I put them into my dirt that I make. I keep the pucks around for cloning and not for popping seeds.

yo mad could i maybe throw a little kelp in those cups just to prevent disease and what not? not enough to burn

 

[FromTheDepths]

Then again from a sprouting seed it might be to much idk let me know

 

[FromTheDepths]

They are literally much smaller versions ill go check the exact size

 

[_MrBelvedere_]

Glad they all popped! Mad Professor is right about the tap water, I was just thinking worst case scenario (really bad tap water) ...and trying to emphasize it is good to use a "known good" clean medium to sprout in (like RW or Peat Pod), not a mystery soil. Whatever works for you go for it!

 

[FromTheDepths]

Glad they all popped! Mad Professor is right about the tap water, I was just thinking worst case scenario (really bad tap water) Whatever works for you go for it!

Appreciate it belve! and yea i actually figured thats what you were thinking so i just disregarded alot of people seem to have really ''hard'' water but supposively you can taste and smell it

 

[Mad_Prophessor]

Don't add anything to them. Just leave them alone and don't water too much. They still need oxygen too.

 

[FromTheDepths]

I always use Jiffy brand and they get to the 2" height you are talking about. I am not sure why yours didn't puff up enough. Did you try to work them with your hands so they expand upwards?

Its always the little things haha, i worked them with my fingers and got them to be about 2 inches so i might pop them in that, whatevers better. The top soil with wod chips peats rice hulls and bio tone or just the pellets and then use biotone when i xplant

 

[FromTheDepths]

The pellets are very moiste at this point is there a way to dry them? befor planting seeds i feel like its too ''wet'' the top soil is dry at the moment. Let me know thanks i'd rep yall if i knew how to do anything on this sight lol. like a thread or something!

 

[FromTheDepths]

How to like a thread or something*

 

[Mad_Prophessor]

If you want to dry them out a bit, just squeeze them.

 

[_MrBelvedere_]

I think to remove water try to hold the pellet in your hand and "throw" it down into your bathtub (of course don't let it go, keep it in your hand lol) ... this will force the water out the bottom of the pellet/RW ....of course squeezing is easier and maybe less shocking to your babies.

 

[_MrBelvedere_]

I think you need like a 100 posts or something to be able to "like" here. That is what I read anyways. What strain are you growing by the way?

 

[Mad_Prophessor]

I think to remove water try to hold the pellet in your hand and "throw" it down into your bathtub... this will force the water out the bottom of the pellet/RW ....of course squeezing is easier and maybe less shocking to your babies.

LOL!!