fertilizer, seed-buying, and safety questions
5:14 pm in Getting Started, Nutrients, questions by JulySundryGrandeur
I think I’m going to be spamming you guys up with lots of questions in the near future.
I have these two bottles of fertilizer, one for sprouts and leafy plants, and one for booming and fruiting plants. I know I’m supposed to start with one and later use the other. But do I switch entirely, start using both, or split them? What if I have tomatoes and peppers (the second bottle) in the same system as lettuce and chard (the first bottle)? I get the impression this is just the way hydroponic fertilizers come, so hopefully there is a standard answer.
What’s a decent place to order cheap seeds for plants I can’t find in stores? I am in the continental US. I could find a random place and try it, but I’m hoping one of you has actual experience.
How do I know if there’s something like salmonella in my system? You know, before anyone dies of it.
No worries on the questions, that’s what we’re here for.
The fertilizers you have seem to be for different types of plants, not different stages.
Usually you could start seedlings with something like bioroot.
http://www.coastalgrowers.ca/store/index.php/water/fertilizers-nutrients-supplements/general-hydroponics/general-organics-bio-root.html
(nutrients during seedling stages are not completely necessary because I have grown seedlings without it. But it gives it a head start.)
Then move onto one of the two nutrient bottles.
If your only going for a one column farm, choose the blooming one. Your lettuce may not grow as well but it will still grow. The nutrients are just not specific to that plant.
If you can separate them, all the better.
For seeds:
Burpee: http://www.burpee.com/ (USA)
McKenzie: http://www.mckenzieseeds.com (Canada) (Usually found in stores, I don’t know if they deal online).
If your starting from seeds, I don’t recommend putting seeds directly into the farm. Get some rockwool, cococure or just plain dirt and start them in a seed tray. Once healthy they can be moved.
Salmonella would be a rare problem to see in a windowfarm. Usually you get that from undercooked meat and poultry.
You do occasionally see fungus and bugs that attack the plants. Its best to take that one day at a time if the plants start to look strange or die off. Pictures and research will help a lot if you post here.
Managing phosphate levels should help with green algae!! Note that not enough will affect the plants!!
A little algae does not hurt. I prefer the clear tubing so I can see that my wf is working. I just clean the tubes periodically with cotton twine tied to the end of a string of bead chain (that’s what we include with the new windowfarms and the old diy kits).
I like seeds of change for their ethics. I like Johnny’s seeds for their documentation. I like seed savers exchange for their heirloom varieties. -Britta