Starting seeds

[lagreca]

I recently sowed many lettuce seeds in rockwool squares. Multiple sprouts came out of each square. What is the proper procedure on proceeding? Should I pluck the weaker seedlings till only 1 is left, or leave them all, or somewhere in between?

[Hamish]

I am no expert - but from everything I have read you should just leave the strongest one.

[Murray]

Hi lagreca,
Welcome to the forum.
Yes, Hamish is correct, just pull all the weaker ones out. It is a bit of a waste of seedlings but it is nearly impossible to successfully plant just one lettuce seed in each place.

[fishfood]

Starting seeds there are different ways ,I use a cappilery bed with vemiculite 1st photo here you will see onion [2 kinds ] and a self seeded tomato i use this bed 2 ways direct seeding [when you want to transplant]
also you can sit rockwool blocks and direct plant or those small plastic cups part burried [for nft] again direct seed
also for photo 2 you will see the glasshouse beds the closest one is hydrotron the next 2 are vemiculite note the growth in bed 1 and 3 exactley the same [who said vemiculite was not sutable for aqua] i had great success with carrots in bed 3 also [see my thread]

[fishfood]

heres better photos

[Hamish]

I am trying an experiment to start lettuce seed in small mesh baskets filled with fine coco pete (coir).

The idea being that they can be planted in their basket directly into the grow bed so there is no transplant shock.

These baskets also fit straight into the grow pipes that return the water back to the fish tank from the grow beds in my system.

The coco pete and the basket can be reused again after harvest as long as you treat the basket with care as they are quite flimsy - but at 6 cents each what do you expect :) they are really designed to be disposable.

You will notice that I have really overfilled them with coco pete. This was an error on my part. I filled them up, then after sprinkling a few seeds in each basket I realised I had not left room for coco pete to cover the seeds. If I was doing this again I would fill less to start with then top up to the top after putting the seeds in.

I just started them today so will let you know how they go.

[lagreca]

I am also experimenting right now, by planting my seeds directly in Rckwool. They are already in the grow tube, so the ebb and flow should keep the Rockwool moist. We'll see how it works out.

[Hamish]

I am also experimenting right now, by planting my seeds directly in Rckwool. They are already in the grow tube, so the ebb and flow should keep the Rockwool moist. We'll see how it works out.
Lagreca - Can you post some photos?

[lagreca]

Right now my garden is just hydroponics due to time and money constraints. However in the future, I would like to convert to aquaponics.

Here are pics of my test garden.

http://www.lagrecafamily.com/gallery/lagreca/hydroponics-garden/