Germination in rockwool
The first condition for a good germination rate is the right temperature : 19 – 24°C with an optimal of 22°C. It’s better to use rainwater or distilled water according to the quality of your tap water.
To be sure to have a good start, things have to be clean. Make sure soil, pots, tray, grow room and your hands are clean.
First, water the rock-wool until fully wet. Place the seeds directly in the hole, make sure the seed is around 5 mm depth. The rock-wool should be moist at all times. After a few days, the seedling should appear and rootlets will get out of the rock-wool. Don’t wait to put the seedlings in the growing place and give them light !
After germination, you can use any substrate, from soil to hydroponique or even aeroponic…
From time to time, a seedling has problems rising from the rockwool, you can help by weakening and opening the rockwool around it. It can also happen that instead of the cotyledon showing up, you’ll have the radicle. It is because the seedling doesn’t have the space to turn over inside the rockwool. To fix this, simply pick up the radicle super gently, pick the whole seedling out and place it back in the right position. Always water after such manipulation. If gentle enough, the seedling will feel nothing from what you have done.