Grow Mediums How long before you start adding nutes?

[Autotron]

I just sprouted(cotelydons opened and first true leaves visible) a HSO UK Cheese auto in a Rapid Rooter plug nested in hydroton in my 5-gallon top-fed DWC bucket.

There are no nutrients or supplements currently in the water. Just tap water pH'ed to 6.0 oxygenated by a pumped connected to airstones and circulated up to the top through a hose and submersible pump.

How long before I need to add nutrients to the water? I know seedlings carry enough energy in the seed with them to get them founded, so I don't want to burn it or discourage root growth.

I've looked this up a little bit and it seems like the general consensus is that you don't need to add nutrients until 1 or 2 weeks in. What do you guys think?

 

[BII]

Yes, it seems the "general consensus is that you don't need to add nutrients until 1 or 2 weeks in."

But is there a consensus that this 1-2 weeks of starving the infant plant, fully burning through the seed's stored nutrients, is best vs. say letting seeds sprout into 1/5th-1/4 strength feed (which is what I do, and see no downsides)? In nature, seeds often sprout into nutrient-rich soil, so why is there this belief that there should be no feeding for weeks?

 

[Autotron]

Yes, it seems the "general consensus is that you don't need to add nutrients until 1 or 2 weeks in."

But is there a consensus that this 1-2 weeks of starving the infant plant, fully burning through the seed's stored nutrients, is best vs. say letting seeds sprout into 1/5th-1/4 strength feed (which is what I do, and see no downsides)? In nature, seeds often sprout into nutrient-rich soil, so why is there this belief that there should be no feeding for weeks?

Haha, I wasn't really asking a deep rhetorical philosophical question. I was just curious what some of the experienced hydro growers here personally do and have done in the past. Have you grown hydro before? If so, what's your personal experience?

 

[woody]

I go with 1st week plain water then start nutes on week 2 start with a low ppm/ec

 

[Jimmy Joe James]

well I add nutes from day 1 in my DWC with no problems. as long as I keep it below 250ppm but ultimately I believe it's more strain dependant. That's how I started in my current grow and they've done from amazing to pretty good. In fact my LSD-25 by day 8 was asking for more than 300ppm now she's a beast at 26 days. My Tangie didn't like that so much and now I notice that the blue dream'matic would've maybe done better with no nutes the 1st week.

 

[BII]

Haha, I wasn't really asking a deep rhetorical philosophical question. I was just curious what some of the experienced hydro growers here personally do and have done in the past. Have you grown hydro before? If so, what's your personal experience?

It just seemed appropriate to also ask if starving, not feeding, sprouted seeds for up to weeks is best, not just whether there is no critical 'need' to add nutes, which is well-established.

In my limited experience, I've seen no downsides from putting sprouted seeds (in Root Riot or equivalent plugs) directly into coco/perlite final pots charged with up to 1/4 strength nutes. But I don't really know if this is best. Surely, this has been tested before; side by side growing of seeds fed and not fed?

 

[Mazar]

I'm using mega crop this round and I started 2g/gallon on day 4 after they came up. Looking great so far. You can add dilute nutrients or withhold until the bean leaves die, I prefer to always feed them though, just try not to overfeed.

If it's your first grow of anything I'd follow guides totally and whatnot but if you have experience growing tomatoes or whatever just use your common sense, pot isn't so different.

 

[Iriee Vibez]

I added root supplement (voodoo juice) from day 1, but held off of feeding until after the second week. Why? Because that seemed to be the majority opinion after research. Like you, I have no idea if it is best.

 

[Olde School Player]

@Autotron, it's true the plant has enough nutes for a week or so, but I NEVER wait to test that theory.

The plant may have enough to survive in its embryonic stage, but nutes in the mixture do encourage faster root growth. ​

Go ahead with a general purpose mild formula of 1/4 tsp. per gallon grow, micro, bloom, diamond nectar, FloraBlend and 1mL Floralicious Plus. You can "mix-up" this strength by adding extra parts of each nutrient as the plant progresses. After one week I want 1/2tsp of each, so just add another 1/4 tsp. per gallon.
I like to start my seedlings in a little Folgers coffee can bubbler inside a 2" net pot until I get three nodes, and a good long root growth. Since you've started your girl directly in your DWC, be sure to raise the water level in your DWC container high enough to keep the rapid rooter plug moistened. You can go all the way up to the bottom of the rooter plug if you like. As soon as the roots hit water they will take off.
Tap water - are you in a part of the country with hard water? If so, do you have a water softener in your water supply line?
Root supplements - one day soon I intend to get to the bottom of this for hydro. No question whatsoever that myco's etc. are a good idea for dirt farmers. And many / most (myself included) use them in hydro. I'm not willing to quit just to see if it fucks up my roots, but I am curious what real effect it has in hydro. In order for mycorrhizae to inoculate your roots, they have to maintain direct contact with root matter. I am curious how this works in a hydro environment. Soon as I find a microscope slide of what this looks like I intend to do a bit more research on the subject. But that's a fall / winter project. In the meantime if you have root innoculants mos'def' use them, guaranteed it doesn't hurt.

 

[Autotron]

@Autotron, it's true the plant has enough nutes for a week or so, but I NEVER wait to test that theory.

The plant may have enough to survive in its embryonic stage, but nutes in the mixture do encourage faster root growth. ​

Go ahead with a general purpose mild formula of 1/4 tsp. per gallon grow, micro, bloom, diamond nectar, FloraBlend and 1mL Floralicious Plus. You can "mix-up" this strength by adding extra parts of each nutrient as the plant progresses. After one week I want 1/2tsp of each, so just add another 1/4 tsp. per gallon.
I like to start my seedlings in a little Folgers coffee can bubbler inside a 2" net pot until I get three nodes, and a good long root growth. Since you've started your girl directly in your DWC, be sure to raise the water level in your DWC container high enough to keep the rapid rooter plug moistened. You can go all the way up to the bottom of the rooter plug if you like. As soon as the roots hit water they will take off.
Tap water - are you in a part of the country with hard water? If so, do you have a water softener in your water supply line?
Root supplements - one day soon I intend to get to the bottom of this for hydro. No question whatsoever that myco's etc. are a good idea for dirt farmers. And many / most (myself included) use them in hydro. I'm not willing to quit just to see if it fucks up my roots, but I am curious what real effect it has in hydro. In order for mycorrhizae to inoculate your roots, they have to maintain direct contact with root matter. I am curious how this works in a hydro environment. Soon as I find a microscope slide of what this looks like I intend to do a bit more research on the subject. But that's a fall / winter project. In the meantime if you have root innoculants mos'def' use them, guaranteed it doesn't hurt.

I hear you bro, I was itching to get some nutes in there, even a diluted brew. I'll add Floralicious to my next water change in a couple days. I'm basically using exactly what you mention for first week too, except for that.

I did start it directly in the 5 gallon bucket, but there is a submersible pump at the bottom of the bucket that circulates a gentle stream of water back up onto the base of the Rapid Rooter to support root growth until it gets big and established enough.

My tap water has a PPM of about 130-140, so it's not too hard. It's considered quite good quality municipal water as far as I understand.

The only root supplements I'm using is GH Rapid Start and Botanicare Hydroguard. I feel the same way as you. I don't think mycos like Great White or Recharge have any place in a hydroponic system.