Since I’m growing hydroponically, I need a sustainable, re-usable method of starting seed. So, this is my first attempt at seed-starting and thought I’d use the very material it’ll grow the plants in….perlite. Using a rayon wick (from mop head) to deliver water and nutrient to the seeds, I was successful at germination and growth. Now, I know, from past experience, that I can use this setup anywhere the bottom of the rayon wick touches water. This gives me some flexibility in setup and location of the net cup, and of course, spurs more ideas I’ll share later. I love chatting with folks and answering questions. If you enjoy my videos, please like, comment and subscribe!
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Hydroponic Gardening & More with Brent

i started this in aquaponics, i think it will be fine as long as seeds get some moist
hi I am just a old lady bored into house I appreciate everybody's
ideas I would like to try all in small set up not to grow
no to eat just to watch it grow thank you all have a great day enjoy life I will
it looks like a project for me stress free yippy
🤔😏 I wonder if I can step it up a notch by add something that will accommodate a crawfish
or beta fish or I think guppy I don't know I will research before I do anything i won't do anything with my eyes close just to add for me I candy or beta fish then I will graduate 1 single 10
gallon fish tank hum
it might work it might
not the animal will
get the best of care
sorry I'm old and I babble
🍃💦🎥🤔🧐🤓😃🧤👀👂
🧠👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻great
ideas thank y'all 🌞
👵🐟♎🕊🌹😁😷
I am going to apply this method to a grow system I am putting together! Saves me from constantly buying rockwool. Thanks for your input and this video! Cheers!
Perlite dust is extremely hazardous!! Not worth harming your life. Stay away!!! Dust will cause progressive organ damage including autoimmune diseases
Awesome
That was a wonderful idea using the rayon wick to start your 🌱Seedling growth with the perlite I'm curious would you have also used a fungicidal spray to preserve some of the seedlings and helping to grow and to also cut down some of the mold that would have developed in there
Great video! Thanks!
All the hundreds of huge greenhouses in BC are hydroponic, tomato plants 18 feet tall, 10s of thouands of pepper plants. Oganic produce sold in some stores come from Mexico at 2 times the price. Organic??
Is hydroponic growing organic or not?
Excellent video. Solved quite many problems i faced in starting seeds and later transferring them to hydroponics. Here u simply shift the net cup and once the roots lowers down, wick becomes redundant.. great
Few elementary questions
I live in india.. quite warm..
1- green housing/ warmth necessary ?
2- dark corner necessary?
3- will seeds germinate even without mild nutrients ?
4- if placed in dark corner, at what stage do you shift tray to bright natural day light ? Sun light ? How many hours (all these questions to prevent leggier seedlings)
5- if in the tray, few seeds did not germinate with others, do we continue keeping them in dark warm spot ?
Will greatly appreciate your replies
Thanks..
wow! all that algae proved the wick works really well (maybe too well) and distributed moisture throughout the perlite all the way to the top. fascinating.
this may work better with no wick at all. packed perlite wicks surprisingly well on it's own (2-3" at least).
combing a wick with perlite was a great idea. thanks for the video!
Hi,
I am looking for a system likewise to your sentiments of "Since I'm growing hydroponically, I need a sustainable, re-usable method of starting seed. " Also a system that is easy to work with seedling extraction, preserving the roots, and will not have fine medium sediments to cause clogs in the hydroponics system and pump.
Since this video, have you found any better / more efficient way?
How old are the tomatoes? N what nutrients did you use?
did you mention how long it took at various stages? i might've missed it
put or top a little with pea moss…
I am trying out Grow Stones. They hold more water/air than perlite but is more expensive. They're reusable, however.
just a note on the spinach, my father told me that it would not sprout at temperatures above 50F. Try putting it into the refrigerator to sprout as it doesn't need light to sprout, just cold.
Great job dear Brent <3 Good luck to you
ahh, i lik the wick. i'vee been having a problem with getting starts with the set up not in water because of other plants that have roots that would rot without an air layer. I like this idea – Thanks
from where can we get perlite…….?
You left out your Purple Haze seeds
You should check out Oasis Cubes. They are foam blocks that are perfect for seedlings and clones. and they make different blocks for either seed or cutting. They are like rockwool cubes, but without the pH altering effect of limestone. You briefly dip the bottom half in water, and allow them to soak up. You can just briefly dip the entire cutting tray, to water several at once.
You have a lot of algae growing on the perlite, how well is it working 2 years later?
Got a question for you, couldn't the perlite itself just wick the water up to the top? thanks for the informative video..
Also, can you answer a question. When planting straight into the hydro. Do I plant directly out side or should I start it outdoors in shade and wait to move to a sunny spot?
Loved this vid. It was so helpful! I decided hydro was for me but failed to think it through. I started my seeds and was successful. But when it came to transplanting I was lost. I found your vid and will try it again. The mop string is genius!! I lost all but a few tomatoes and one spinach. The perlite is a great alt to the clay grow medium. Thanks again. I'm excited to see more of your vids!