You don’t need your seeds to grow entirely in a hydroponic system to begin improving your hydroponic gardening skills. Whether you want to start seeds in a soil-based gardening medium or simply move existing plants to a hydroponic system, the transition is always possible. Be careful with your fragile growth, and follow the tips in our complete guide to transplanting from soil to hydroponics to avoid bringing soil-borne diseases and pests into your indoor hydroponic garden.
Gently Remove the Plant and Clean It
The first step to transferring your plant from soil to hydroponics is to remove the plant from the soil. However, you don’t want to treat the plant the same way you’d treat a weed in the garden—loosen the soil around the roots with a spade, and avoid damaging any part of the plant. It’s okay if you trim a bit of the roots as you remove the plant, but don’t cut off too much.
Once the plant and its roots are out of the ground or container, remove all the soil. Any soil that you leave on the plant or its roots can cause harmful buildup in your hydroponic system and spread diseases or pest eggs. Gently spray the plant down with water to remove the dirt or dip the plant into water and massage the soil from the roots.
Don’t forget to rinse off the plant’s leaves, even if they don’t have any soil on them. They may carry tiny pests that will infect your garden if you forget to wash them away. Trim off any dead growth on the plant before replanting it.
Rehoming the Plant
Next, put the plant into your hydroponic garden. Because it has already grown its roots, place it in the hydroponic container before introducing the growing medium. Spread the roots evenly so that they don’t clump together, and ensure that the roots all come into contact with the growing medium once you fill the container with it. With help from your medium, the plant should be able to stand on its own.
For an easy transition, purchase all your equipment at once with a hydroponic grow kit from FloraFlex. We’ve bundled all the equipment you need as a beginner hydroponic grower, including the hydroponic container, for your convenience.
Fill Your Reservoir
Last, begin your hydroponic system as usual. Fill the reservoir with your water and nutrient mixture, and balance the pH levels to your plant’s liking. Match the nutrients of the soil it was in previously as closely as you can so that you don’t shock the plant. You may want to keep the room dark for a few hours to allow the roots to transition to their new environment. If you leave the transplanted vegetation in dim light for a few days, the roots’ transition will be even better.
To wrap up this complete guide to transplanting from soil to hydroponics, try to avoid transplanting young sprouts or plants near their flowering stage if you want them to survive the sudden change.