Hydroponics Growing Instructions-Multiple Plant System

This page contains most of the information needed to grow and care for your Hydroponics Plants and Seeds for you Multiple Plant System. Please visit these pages if you are looking for Growing Information for other Systems: Growing Information-Microgreens or Growing Information-Single Plant System. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Contact Us

Open and Check Your Package

Remove all items from your package and make sure you have all the items included in your kit, images are below.

SPROUTING

To start the Sprouting Phase, you are going to add water to the container, plant the seeds in the Rock Wool Cubes, cover the container, and monitor for 3-7 days before uncovering when seeds start to sprout. After uncovering, you will monitor for 5-15 days until roots start to grow, and then you will move on the next step-Transferring to Glass Jar.

STEP 1: Fill 1 Black Container about halfway with water, tap water is fine, and temperature not hot or cold.

STEP 2: Add the Rockwool Cubes to the container, turn over to saturate all cubes. Pic shows multiple cubes, you may have only 2.

STEP 3: Let the cubes sit to absorb the water, and then shake (not squeeze) to get rid of excess water. 

STEP 4: Add 1 seed to each of the Rockwool Cubes. Push seed down with toothpick, pinch to seal hole.

STEP 5: Place the 2nd Black Container over the top to create ‘blackout conditions’ for seeds to sprout. Leave covered for 3 days.

STEP 6: After day 3, remove the cover to check water level, and to see if seeds are sprouting.  It generally takes 3-7 days for seeds to sprout. 

Check daily for 3-7 days to make sure water level is at least 1/4″ and to see if seeds are sprouting. 

When seeds start to sprout, remove the cover and go to next step. Sprouts will appear yellowish when they first emerge. 

 

STEP 7: After sprouts have emerged, and you have removed the cover, place the container in a sunny area (or under a grow light if you have one).

Continue to make sure water is at least 1/4″ deep in the container. Leave exposed to light, checking water often, for approximately 5-15 days. 

When roots start to grow below the Rockwool Cube, it’s time to transfer to the Glass Jar. 

First steps will include achieving the correct PH and EC Levels.  Read more about PH and EC Levels, or continue to next section below to get started.

This will be photo of net pot with roots growing from bottom

TRANSFERRING TO NEW SYSTEM

Before transferring to the Multi Plant Container, you will be adding water to your system, and  testing the PH Level (ph) of the Water. PH is pH is a measure of how acidic or basic the solution is. Most hydroponic plants require a PH Level between 5.5 to 6.5. 

You will also be testing the Nutrient Level (EC)  of the Water. EC Stands for Electric Conductivity and is used to measure the the level of nutrients in the water. Most hydroponic plants require an EC between 1.2 and 1.8.   

After you get both the PH and the EC levels correct, you will be moving the Sprouts with the Rockwool into a Net Pod Basket, and adding Clay Pebbles

Read more about PH and EC Levels.

STEP 8: Fill your container to the levels shown in the photos. Tap water or distilled water can both be used, room temperature is best, not hot or cold. 

 

STEP 9: Use your PH Meter to check the PH Level of the water. Most plants require a level between 5.5 to 6.5. View the PH Level Chart for more details. 

STEP 10: If PH is too high, add PH Down Solution. If PH is too low, add PH Up Solution. Start with .6 ml of correct solution and test again.

 

STEP 11: Add nutrients to the water, and stir to dissolve.
6 Plant Container: 4 teaspoons,
12 Plant or Bucket Container: 10 teaspoons

STEP 12: Use your EC Meter to check the EC Level of the water. Most plants require a level between 1.2 to 1.8. View the EC Level Chart for more details.

STEP 13: If the EC Level is too LOW, add a very small amount of nutrients, and stir to dissolve completely. Test the EC Level again after adding nutrients.

STEP 14: If the EC Level is too HIGH, dump out the water, go back to STEP 10 again, testing the PH Solution, and then adding nutrients again. This time, add less than 1/8 teaspoon initially, and then add more if needed. 

Once you have the PH and EC Levels correct, you will be transferring the sprouts from the Black Container your 6 or 12 container system. 

STEP 15: Add Clay Pebbles to the Net Pot Basket, to approximately the level shown in the photo. Place the Rock Wool Cube on top of the Clay Pebbles.

STEP 16: Add more Clay Pebbles to surround the Rock Wool Cube, but NOT cover the sprout. If you cover the sprout, it will suffocate. 

STEP 17: Place the Net Pot with the Sprout in the Rockwool Cube and Clay Pebbles into your 6 container openings.

 

STEP 17: Place the Net Pot with the Sprout in the Rockwool Cube and Clay Pebbles into your 12 container openings.

STEP 18

In the first few days, you will need to check your water levels daily to make sure that the water is covering any roots that are visible, and touching the Rockwool Cube, this means that Net Pod will be partially covered by water during the beginning stages of growth.

If you add water, be sure to test the PH and EC Levels again.

After 2-3 weeks the roots will have grown past the bottom of the net pod, at that point, the water level should be just below the bottom of the net pod so that the roots are covered by the water, but the water is not covering any part of the Net Pod.

Roots should be white. If the roots are brown, the plant is being drowned, so you will need to drop the water level.

HARVESTING

After all the fun of starting and growing your own food, it’s time to harvest it and enjoy some delicious eating!

When you can start harvesting your plant depends on the type of plant you are growing. 

The Seeds Page has general information about when you can harvest your type of plant. 

Visit the Harvesting Page for more information