Cannabis Conundrums......

Normally I start directly in soil, but I thought I would share my technique for starting seeds in small 50mm/2 inch cubes of rockwool that works a treat. Ideal for older seeds or for new growers, it is almost "fool proof" with a extremely high success rate. After the seeds sprout, remove the wrapping and plant the cube and seedling directly into whichever growing system you are using. If planting in soil, make sure to bury the whole cube below the soil level, otherwise the wind will suck the moisture from the cube and this can lead to the death of your seedling, and yes, I did find out the hard way. Placing a piece of shade cloth as a "mulch" around the seedling can help prevent premature or excessive drying. Just fold a square/round piece, (depending on your pot shape, but it doesn't really matter which shape) about the same size of the pot, in quarters, and snip a small piece from the centre fold/corner. When you open the shade cloth you will have an open hole in the centre. Cut a slit from the edge of the shade cloth to the central hole and you now have a way to place the shade cloth on the surface of the pot and slide the stem of the seedling through the slit until the seedling is in the central hole. I might post this "shade cloth mulch" thingy in another tutorial/week. Anyway, if you are really fussy like me, I like to pin the shade cloth down with bamboo toothpicks to stop it moving or blowing away, which could harm the seedling by getting caught and either breaking the stem or ripping it out all together. The shade cloth also acts as a "soil protector" that stops the soil washing away or getting disturbed too much when watering the seedlings. I think I will post some pictures in another week, soon, as "a picture is worth a 1000 words". EDIT - see week 3 for the shade cloth mulch tutorial.