Propagation: Starting seeds in rockwool cubes

Kell , This is my first time for canna seeds (from Alice) but I have been told they will bloom the first year =)

I started canna seeds last February and they all bloomed as far as I know. I gave some out at the Roundup and I know that the ones Root, Renee, and TLC took bloomed and were gorgeous. Scoot, why don't you tell people how you started yours? Soak, nick, etc. I'm going to put some to soak very soon. I was told not to start them before Feb. 1 or they would get too leggy here in Iowa.

Here are the pics I have been meaning to take of other seeds in rockwool, first is swamp hibiscus.

Cassia alata

I'm glad you put these pictures up. I need to get my cassia seeds started.

Looking great Mary!!

Shirley,
...... I just nicked them with my 'nicker'. LOL .
......... I have one of those curved blade scissor type (more like pliers) toe nail clippers I use for nicking seeds. I find it the easiest to use.
.............. I did not pre-soak because I figured they will get abundant moisture in the rock wool.
AND yes Alice told me the same start time for my area, but I needed something to do (-;
..............My next experiment today will be starting some Argyreia nervosa.
Started some Yellow water lotus too, in a small dish pan not in RW , they are so cute .
§




This message was edited Jan 14, 2004 10:16 PM

I emailed bettergrow and they were expedient on sending me an email and have already sent out another package for me, they have very good customer service. i will give them an a+ Yes i can tell this was in tarnsit because the tape is over the shipping label. they ( UPS) are coming to pick up box and rockwool this week, i didn't even have to fill out a damage report I will do business with this company again!!

I'm glad it worked out well for you Amanda.

Also glad to hear that everything worked out well for you springsong. A company needs to have excellent customer service relationships with the consumer in order to stay in business. Glad to know that they rate an A+. Definitely will use them again! :~)

well, I've held out long enough. Guess I'm going to have to try rockwool.

Question ... how far down should they be planted in the rockwool. I have had some in since the 1st ... and nothing yet, but I can see the very top of the seed. Should I put them a little deeper?

I can see my seeds to Deb. If they are still in the cork, it may take a day or two extra for them to come out. Might also depend on the cross. I've got some here from a double cross that are taking forever, but the beans are still nice and firm.

Shirley ... they are peeled. They look fine not mushy looking. Crosses are Kells Girlie Girl x L'Amour and Rosamond x Pink Pearl and Aurea Pink x Butterfly. Hopefully soon!

Hope it won't be long. Those should be some pretty ones.

Shirley, I know you said the fungus gnats were attracted to the water (and drowned?), but has the rockwool shown any success in not letting them through? Just a curious thought I had. LOL

Michele, none of my rockwool cubes have had gnats. That may be because I keep them covered. The last group that I planted had three kinds in the container and two of them germinated and I'm waiting on the last. I had to uncover them. So far no problem. There is nothing there for the gnats to eat on.

Thanks Shirley, that is what I was wondering. I was hoping the wool was too dense or sharp or something for them to get in. Neat! I am hoping to run to wormsway on Saturday.

Got my cubes in yesterday, soaked my seed...first time to try brug from seed....not that I have any experience with them anyway. i have some red sanguine seed, they all sunk when soaked, so hoping they are all viable. Will know in 3-4 weeks, I guess. I'm excited...

I plant ALL seeds if they sink or swim. Especially with the corky layer they want to float. The dry outercovering outweighs the tiny seed inside sometimes, so they float.I just peeled some very tiny seeds that all floated even after 40 hour soak.The tiny beans inside were very healthy..once I found them...LOL

spacecowgirl...,you picked the right seed to begin with, sanguinea seeds are robust growers and peel easily, if desired.Sanguinea beans are large and most will sink.JMHO
Ain't this so fun???
§hirley

I do not soak my seed. I do put them in that Physan for 10 minutes but then dry them again.

Yeah, and I soaked some seeds that I got from the BGI seedbank. I'm going to get some cling wrap before I put them into their rockwool cubes...!! This is so neato. Anyone ever done Datura like this?

Datura don't usually need as much babying. :) I treat them more like a pepper or tomato seed.

How early should I start dat seeds? I don't know how fast they will grow.
TNX, shirley

My datura took forever to sprout last year! After about a month plus, I was almost ready to give up until someone here (Root I think) said to be patient. Finally, some did sprout, but this year I've already put them in the rockwool.

It was me Morph,gosh they seemed like they took forever last year,I have Rockwool on the way,so we will see.

Guess I might try a few just to see what happens with them in rockwool. I needed something to do this afternoon. Will put MaVie's seeds to the test.

I have had good success doing Datura the "baggie on the window" method. The root is big enough to see when it pops out so they can be transplanted right away. Giving them a bit of bottom heat will speed them up as well.

Thanks badseed,
........ I'll try the baggie way also. At the rate I'm going through RW, need to plant some the old fashioned way.lol

........Potted my canna seedlings this morning. Now we get to see how this transition goes.

..Think I'll push DH's bed over so I have room for more plant shelves by the window......

...*"Oh Honey, about that Green House???"* Tee-Hee

Ditto to that Scooterbug! LOL! Working hard on the greenhouse request (effect?)

Put my Brug seed in Rockwool 1/9 had some germination started by 1/16. I have ordered more rockwool.

Is $10 a good price for 200 of the 1"x1"x1.5" cubes? They are the ones joined together and the price includes shipping.

Where did you find that price?

Ebay.....I'll get the link.

$8.95.... http://www.bghydro.com

Hey Spacegirl,

This is where I purchased mine, but I don't see where the shipping is free. I paid $8.95 plus $4.93 for shipping and I'm only about 60 miles from them. Still a good price though.

Donna

I bought some from ebay and some from wormsway.com. You get what you pay for on this one I think. The ones from ebay were older & discolored. Also, not wrapped to contain the fibers like the ones from wormsway. The ebay ones were in a box that got smooshed during delivery.

Ouch! I went ahead and got the ones from ebay. it was the sheet of cubes, not individually wrapped. The box arrived in great shape, but I will definitely go to wormsway the next time.....I got 200 of the 1x1x1.5 to start seeds in and my total including shipping was $10, so wasn't a bad deal just for seed starting.

Small cubes are for starting seeds and they have rockwool food/conditioner also, but sell it in dry form.. A lot cheaper than paying for water in it!
.....The ""wrapped"" cubes from other suppliers are mainly used for cuttings so it retains more water. Unwrapped is cheaper and better for seed starting ....so I'm told by my supplier =)

Hmm.
.........Dang it ! They must not have anymore of yours on eBay.....I looked twice....U sure got a good deal on the S&H spacegirl, Good Luck.
........Beware.... some other eBayer's are cutting the big sheets in half and still calling it a 'sheet' of cubes =(
..............So life goes, when something gets popular ***t happens ;-)