Small Hydro Garden

Today I'm placing the Ariane Hybrid Pepper seeds in Rockwool placed inside of a propagation tray and insert with a humidity dome. The propagation tray in insert will sit on top of a seedling heat mat which heats up to 10-20F above ambient temperature.

I have started the seeds off with two different methods (well, one only):

Method 1 (7 seeds):

• Soak the seeds in a glass of water for 24 hours
• Placed the soaked seeds in a moist paper towel for 3 days

Method 2 (5 seeds):

• No preparation

Method 1 seeds never germinated within the paper towel.  This may be cause the temperature was too low or the paper towel got too dry.  None-the-less, I hope they'll still germinate within the Rockwool cubes.

1. All seeds are placed within Rockwool cubes with B-1 Red for 24 hours
2. Before placing seeds in the Rockwool cube, I made the factory created hole a little and bigger and deeper with a toothpick
3. Place seed in Rockwool
4. Gently cover up hole in Rockwool with a clean toothpick
5. Place Rockwool cube in propagating tray

To increate humidity within the propagation tray, I poured water within the bottom tray.  Heat generated from the seedling mat should cause the water to evaporate, creating an environment of nearly 90%.

Rock wool cube that has just received seed: 

Rockwool cube after seed is covered up: 

Tray with Rockwool cubes 

Propagation tray equipment:

Buy seedling heat mat (Highly recommend):

In preparation for germination the Ariane Hybrid Pepper seeds, I have started to soak Rockwool cubes in Thrive Alive B-1 Red.  In accordance with Technaflora's Recipe for Success, I performed the following steps:

1. 4 liters of purified drinking water in a bucket
2. 12.5 ml of Thrive Alive B-1
3. Adjusted pH in solution from 7.1 to 5.7
4. Placed 20 new Rockwool cubes
5. Rockwool cubes will soak for 24 hours before receiving seeds

Rockwool cubes soaking in bucket 

B-1 Red Analysis (Image Source) 

Purchase Thrive Alive B-1 Red