I used the good 'ol paper towel method for this one. I didn't have great success using the Aerogarden last grow, so I tried a different method this time. It worked wonderfully. 100% germination, 3 different strains. The tap roots popped in ~48 hours and were put into soil ~72 hours after they started in the towel.
This grow is set up to be a living soil/ Earth Box grow. I mixed the base with the ProMix from my last grow, as well as some compost, worm castings, and all purpose fertilizer that I used in my summer vegetable garden. I supplemented this with amendments from Build-A-Soil, a microbe innoculant and bokashi from Teraganix, and the clean kelp fertilizer I used last grow. While the seeds germinated in the paper towel, the boxes hung out in the grow tent with the light cycle on 18/6 and the vent fan running to jump start the "living" in the soil.
Because I'm growing autos, I'm using an Earth Box Jr. instead if the full size EB. I think the the root system may colonize the smaller box and reach the water reservoir right as the plants begin to flower. They fit in the 2x4 tent perfectly. The EB Jr. holds about 1 cubic foot of soil, but it can be very heavily top-dressed because the cover stretches and holds everything in.
I applied some beneficial nematodes a little over a week ago and the gnat problem has almost gotten under control. I might do another application later this week or next.
I also put up some sticky traps to catch the adult fliers.
@PartTimeUnicorn,
Love to hear that. Seeing those gnats in the tent is such a downer! The zevo that I put in the tent seems to have resolved the problem for me too. I haven't seen any new gnats in a few days.
I top dressed my soil two days ago because the plants were showing pre-flower. I didn't see any gnats crawling around in the soil when I pulled back to plastic cover sheet. Hopefully it holds up.
Have you had any issues with fungas gnats in the earthboxes? Seems like whenever I top dress, I get an infestation of them. I did add some beneficial nematodes recently and it seems to be helping.
@PartTimeUnicorn
Dude! Fucking YES!
I haven't put up my week 3 post yet, but I have started noticing them. I ran a power cord with a zevo bug catcher into the tent. It's quelled them but there's still a few stragglers. The bug catcher emits a blue light to attract the gnats. I use them in my house during the summer, especially near the sink and fruit bowl. They work well.
I had gnats in a lime tree pot a few years ago and used nematodes with good effect, but ended up changing the soil when I moved the plant outside the following spring. Otherwise I'm trying not to put more water in the basin than can be absorbed in a day or two. The fungal gnats drive me fucking crazy though!
The earth boxes are so damp that I think gnats are going to be a problem the whole time. I asked my GF for some of the milled mustard seed from build a soil for Xmas. Its supposed to kill of gnats and boost mycelial growth. Hopefully that helps. I'll let you know if it does.
Good luck hunting!