Question for the hydro people.

[DevilDuck]

Have any of you started seeds in a hydro system and then transplanted into dirt? The plants will eventually be put in the ground, not pots.

The reason I ask, is that it stays pretty cool here up until about Mother's day and starting seeds outdoors takes way too long. I have access (Mother-in-law) to a compact, counter top "indoor herb garden" type thing...don't ask me the brand... and I've seen the results with herbs, but they stayed in that vessel and weren't transplanted. Amazing results and really quick growth.

Another reason is, even though I have a crazy amount of windows in my house, none of them really get any direct light through them in the winter...South facing house, most of the windows are on the North side.

Since I'm going to need a plethora of peppers this coming year any help would be greatly appreciated.

---and no, I haven't paid a whole lot of attention to the hydro threads. :(

[POTAWIE]

Transplanting from hydro to dirt shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure to harden off your plants before planting in the ground and keep soil damp.

[DevilDuck]

So, should I keep them well fertilized, or wean them a bit?

[POTAWIE]

You shouldn't need much fertilizer. I've never gone straight from hydro to the ground but I've gone from hydro to pot with soil then into the ground. That way there is a good root ball which is easy to plant. You should be alright going straight in the ground as long as you have good soil, and try to wait for an overcast or rainy day if possible.

[habman]

I did it last year and appears that the plants coming from hydro did much better the the ones started in soil.
Probably due to the fact the roots develop better in hydro.
The hard part is moving from hydro to soil without damaging the roots.
One plant I had to trim 2/3 of the roots and it still did great but it was in shock for 2-3 weeks.

[willard3]

I go from hydro to soil directly with no transplant setback.

I moved a fruiting yellow bird from hydro to dirt last spring and it just kept on fruiting.....never missed a beat.

This is a week after transplant.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v510/willard3/YELLOWB.jpg

[billyboy]

I use coco coir as my growing medium in hydro, Ive moved & planted both into pots & the ground with no problems at all. The hydro started grown plants are my best looking plants of any of the plants that are started & grown in soil.

Im in the process of bringing up a few Broome, St Martins Seasoning & Datil under fluros in coco, these will be grown for about a month this way, I will then transplant them into pots with soil to be grown outside, they will then be treated the way you normally treat a soil grown plant.

My plants seem to get a better head start grown this way.