Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Weve had mixed results seeding directly into growbeds, it works, but lots of seeds and seedlings fail to sprout or disapear.

Our ever inventive sister in law is trying an idea that seems to have merit and may be worth trying.

Collect seaweed balls from the beach, insert a seed or two into each, and poke them into a seeding tray. Place them on top of the growbed and modify your water inlet by adding a small sprinkler head ( a low preasure type) when they are ready transfer the seaweed balls and seedlings into the GB. The seaweed breaks down but stabilises the seedlings long enough for them to get established.

It certainly works for her!.
and seems much more reliable so far.
Heres a pic of her lateast batch in an IBC set up she's just getting started on.

Where is the pic?

What are seaweed balls?

Would the salt levels affect plants?

I too have only had mixed success with seeds directly into the grow bed.
Maybe my water level is too high. Could be the case as the gravel on top seems to be wet most days. Where has all the gravel gone? Maybe the bed has settled a bit in the middle?

I would think you could skip the seedling tray and put the balls directly into the grow bed. I might try this. I grew out a heap of basil seedlings the other week and about half died when I transfered into the growbed. We get heaps of the little balls down at the beach and estuary. Rinse in fresh water to get rid of salt.

By seaweed balls I imagine they mean:



Or perhaps:



That sounds like a great idea.

Those look interesting. Never seen anything quite like it myself.

I wonder if coconut coir would work as well?

The two problems I encounter with seeding into growbeds was:
1) smaller seeds sinking to far down I to media/water (particularly in flood and drain)
2) slugs eating the seeds (I only know because I was checking on the seed progress and found a few slugs eating the larger seeds)

In situations where these problems don't exist, I have had EXCELLENT germination rates with sowing directly into the bed.

The first problem above is fairly easily fix using similar ideas (maybe not as nice though) to the above. E.g, burry a paper towel just under media surface, and sprinkle smaller seeds into it. It will break down with a little time.

The second problem is much harder...

May I ask why the seaweed balls are not just place directly into the media once the seed is implanted? EDIT- sory Dr Bee already asked hat question

I've never seen those ones, but maybe another type that would work would be the seaweed that has little floats attached to it (small air filled balls about size of marble).

If you nipped a hole in these and put the seed inside you might also have some luck.