Seed Sprouting for a Hydroponic System

I will continue my short series of answering questions. A subscriber asked how can he go about sprouting seeds for his home built hydroponic systems. Here is my answer.

 I like to sprout the seeds in paper towels because that's what works for me. I started using this method after reading this was the way many people test the germination rate of their seeds. It's pretty much a guaranteed way of sprouting seeds so why not use the best method possible? It does have a slight drawback when it comes to transplanting because the delicate sprouts can be damaged easily.

I've also sprouted seeds in peat moss pods. The danger here is once again is you may damage the seedling washing away the moss. It's the same issue when using potting soil.

Another alternative is to sprout the seeds directly in the grow media. I prefer to to use Sure to Grow cubes or pucks but it's nearly the same method as using Rockwool. I usually get less of a germination rate but I make up for it by planting 3 seeds in each then thinning it down to one once I identify the best one.

Although I've never done it this way, I have seen videos of people simply sprinkling the seeds directly on to the media. The problem I see with this method is you have less control over humidity and temperature as well as some of the seeds are likely to be washed away.


Here the writer suggested the idea of using cotton pads used to remove makeup. Although I have not tried this idea myself, it sounds like something worth while looking into.

You've come across an interesting idea with the cotton pads. You should be able to place your seeds on a dampened pad and get them to sprout just like on paper towel. It would be an interesting experiment. The big advantage I'm seeing is you will be much less likely to damage the sprout because you won't have to remove it from the pad. You may want to cover the the pads with a double layer of paper towel and stick it in a zip top bag or plastic container to keep the seeds uniformly moist then remove the towel after they have sprouted. Remember, not too wet or dry and keep the temperature around 78 degrees. You should be able to place the cotton pad and sprout directly on your media.


As always I hope you find this useful. If you have any additional ideas or comments please post them below.