A Beginner’s Guide to Starting Seeds for Hydroponics

The first step to growing plants hydroponically is starting your seeds. But since there is no soil involved, where do you get started?

One of the main benefits of hydroponics is the absolute control you have over your growing environment. Germinating seeds in soil and then transplanting them risks adding dirt to your hydroponic system, taking away some of this control.

The answer to this problem is starting seeds for hydroponics specifically. Not only is it a cleaner method, but it can also boost seedling growth after germination. As soon as your tap root pops out, a hydroponic system is going to help it grow faster than soil and prevent it from becoming rootbound.

If you’re ready to start seeds hydroponically, follow this easy step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Get Your Materials

Although hydroponics may seem technical, you don’t need much to get started.

The first item to look for when starting seeds for hydroponics is a hydroponic cloner. The cloner holds plant cuttings, typically suspended in net pots or collars without any soil or growing medium.

You can build your own hydroponic cloner, but purchasing one does have a few benefits. Hydroponic cloners often have features to maintain optimal growth conditions, such as controlled temperature and lighting. Many hydroponic cloners are also partially or fully automated, regulating water cycles, nutrient levels, and environmental factors to ensure optimal growth with minimal manual intervention.

Once you have the cloner sorted, the rest of the materials are easy to gather and typically low cost. You’ll need net pots and starter plugs to sit inside the cloner and hold the plants. You’ll also need seeds to plant in them. Make sure you buy your seeds from a reputable company to give your plants the best possible start.

If your system doesn’t have all the equipment built in, you’ll also need your own air pump, air stone, and tubing to connect everything together.

Step 2: Fill The Cloner With Water

With your cloner purchased and your materials gathered, you’re ready to put it all together, starting with the easiest step.

All you need to do is fill up your reservoir to just under where your net pots sit. Depending on your system, there may be a marking indicating where you should fill the reservoir to. Don’t worry about technicalities like pH or type of water. Standard tap water will be fine initially.

Step 3: Set Up the Air Pump

In soil, air naturally fills spaces between soil particles. But in a water-based hydroponic system, you need to provide oxygen to the root zone mechanically.

Air pumps are crucial in this process because they provide the oxygen necessary for healthy root growth. They also prevent issues with disease caused by anaerobic bacteria and fungi. If your hydroponic system doesn’t have an air pump built in, you need to set one up yourself.

To set up your air pump, place the air stone in the reservoir and connect the tubing. Connect the other side to the air pump and plug it in. You should see some bubbles start to come out of the air stone, indicating the system is working.

Step 4: Place Starter Plugs and Seeds

With the foundations ready, you can get to the fun part of starting seeds for hydroponics: sowing.

First, soak each starter plug in some water. The plugs are made from absorbent materials, retaining moisture to ensure your seeds germinate. Place each plug into a net pot to hold it securely.

Next, drop two to three seeds in each starter plug. While you can use one seed per section, not all seeds will germinate, potentially leaving gaps in your system. It’s better to over sow, remove any seedlings that are overcrowded later rather than rely on one seed to germinate strongly.

Step 5: Maintenance

After planting, you can place a transparent cover over the top to keep in some moisture and increase the temperature of the system. But this isn’t strictly necessary, especially if your system is placed in the right position.

Continue to moisten the starter plugs with a few sprays from a spray bottle every day to ensure your seeds have enough moisture to sprout.

When your seeds sprout, remove all but the strongest seedling from each starter plug. Your seeds should sprout in three to five days for most plants, ready to grow in your hydroponic system.