Grow Video: Planting Seeds
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Planting
Planting
Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water.
Locate your rockwool flats, nursery tray, and seeds. Rockwool creates an optimal environment for your plant's roots as it has oxygen and moisture retention properties. It also provides the roots something to hold onto so the plants stay secure when planted in the Flex Farm.
By gently bending the rockwool flat, remove the number of cubes that you will not be planting. Each flat has 200 cubes.
For example, to plant 144 spaces you need 150 cubes. We recommend planting a few extra seeds in case some do not germinate.
Place the rockwool flat with the planting hole side up into the provided nursery tray. Completely saturate rockwool using cold water and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Do not use hot water.
Without squeezing the rockwool, pour out any excess water.
To plant, place one pelleted seed per hole in the rockwool.
Cover your nursery tray with a clear covering (such as a plastic food storage bag, cling wrap, or a humidity dome) and place it in the warmest area in your space. Seeds do not need light to sprout.
NOTE: USE PELLETED SEEDS (SEEDS WITH A CLAY COATING) AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. NOT ONLY ARE PELLETED SEEDS EASIER TO HANDLE, THE CLAY COATING PREVENTS THE SEEDS FROM DRYING OUT.
Caution: Some farmers may be sensitive to the rockwool growing medium. We recommend using nitrile gloves and wearing long sleeves while handling the rockwool to minimize exposure and any potential skin reactions. Make sure to wash your hands after handling rockwool and before eating, drinking, or touching your face/skin.
How to Set the Light Timer
How to Set the Light Timer
Locate the light timer provided with your Flex Farm and slide the switch located on the side down to the TIMER position.
Set the timer to the current time by rotating the dial in the direction of the arrow until the triangular mark points to the present time.
NOTE: IF THE SWITCH IS IN THE “ON” POSITION, THE LIGHT TOWER WILL STAY ON CONTINUOUSLY INSTEAD OF TURNING OFF WHEN PLUGGED IN. ON THE TIMER BLACK IS PM & WHITE IS AM.
Program your timer to turn on for 18 hours per day (14 hour minimum). To program your timer, push in the black trippers situated around the dial to set the amount of time for the light tower to be on. Each tripper represents 15 minutes.
Example: If you would like your light tower to be on from 6:00 PM to 8:00 AM, push down the trippers situated between 6:00 PM and 8:00 AM.
Plug the light tower into the light timer before plugging the light timer into a grounded (three-prong) outlet. The light timer will turn the light tower on and off when the dial rotates.
Germination
Germination
Seeds need the proper temperature, moisture, air, and light conditions to germinate. You will need to care for your seedlings until they are ready to be transplanted to your Flex Farm.
Fill a clean spray bottle with plain water, and spray your planted seeds 1 - 2 times daily until they sprout, which is about 2 days.
Once the seeds sprout, remove the plastic covering or humidity dome. At this point, if plants are not yet growing in your Flex Farm, please go to the Transplanting section.
Your seedlings will now need light, nutrients, and water. If you have already balanced your Flex Farm’s nutrient and pH levels, take one cup of water out of the Flex Farm and add it to the nursery tray below the rockwool. This is the easiest way to give your plants the nutrient water they need.
To give your seedlings light, you can place the nursery tray on the tank lids of the Flex Farm and use the light tower as your light source.
If you have access to a grow light, place the nursery tray underneath the light no more than 3-6 inches away from the plants. Seedlings prefer 24-hour light.
Water your plants with nutrient water each day. We recommend having approximately 1 cm of water in the nursery tray at all times to prevent the plants from drying out. Always pour water into the tray underneath the rockwool to ensure water is absorbed from the bottom up.
Your plants can remain in the nursery tray until you can’t see much or any rockwool when looking down at the top of your plants. Or remember, you can always transplant as soon as you have green leaves above the rockwool hole.
NOTE: IF YOUR PLANTS ARE STARTING TO LOOK LEGGY, THEY ARE NOT RECEIVING ENOUGH LIGHT. LEGGINESS IS WHEN THE PLANT HAS GROWN A VERY LONG STEM WITHOUT MATURE LEAVES. OFTEN, THEY WILL NOT STAND UP AND LEAN TO ONE SIDE. TRY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF HOURS YOUR GROW LIGHT IS ON OR SKIP TO THE TRANSPLANTING SECTION AND COMPLETE THE REMAINING STAGES OF SEEDLING GROWTH IN YOUR FLEX FARM.