Hello, I just got my C&G 9. Wondering if anyone has experimented with regular soil or just 100% compost?
Thank you.
The growing medium should be able to support the weight of the plant as well as keep it in vertical position. The smart soil is designed to do this. If you would like to experiment with ordinary loose soil or compost, I would suggest that you compact it in the C&G cup and make sure that the u-shaped lids is able to hold the soil in.
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Hey!
Always great to experiment! The nursery bag seems like a great idea also, so the wicks and plastic will stay cleaner.
If you are going to try it, please send pictures and let us know if there is any success.
Also, the experimental pods are available if you just want to experiment on different seeds!
Kristi
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I have 2 SG3-systems.
One I use for regular C&G pods (at the moment lettuce, basil and mini tomato)
The other one I use for germinating seeds of plants that will be transplanted. At the top parsley in a nursery bag filled with cocopeat. In the middle strawberry in a C&G experimental pod and at the bottom chives in a nursery bag with cocopeat.
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Thanks everyone. These are great ideas. Which size do you recommend for the bags? I saw these on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Degradable-Non-Woven-Seeding-Nursing-Seedling/dp/B072TTF2GJ
I buy them here:
Aliexpress
I transplant my plants to 2 or 3 inch netpots for hydroponics, and the small bags fit in there.
They are smaller than the ones on Amazon and a lot cheaper.
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I measured my bags. They are 8 cm wide and the height is 10 cm
Thanks so much. 
Do you use regular seeds? Curious as I’m new to indoor gardening (moved to cold Toronto from a tropical country). Would regular seeds grow and bear fruit, particularly tomatoes and peppers and such? Or do you use dwarf plant seeds.
Thanks again.
Aliexpress Delivery says 30-50 days - guessing they’re coming from China. Is that normal? I can’t wait to start growing.
In spring and summer I use regular seeds because the plants can go outdoors.
After the summer I use regular seeds for herbs, but dwarf versions when I grow things like strawberries and tomatoes, as they will stay indoors.
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That makes perfect sense and sounds like a good idea. Thank you.
AliExpress says 30-50 days, but most of the time it is delivered faster. I always make sure I order them quite some time before I use the last ones.
If you are really in a hurry I can send you some of mine. From The Netherlands to Canada won’t take that long.
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Thanks for the offer, that’s very kind of you. I will make a trip to the local nursery to see if I can find them there. And get some seeds as well. WIll keep you posted.
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Good luck.
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Sorry for the late reply. I wanted to try out a couple of things before posting. I started seeds in peat pellets and one wool wood (I think that’s what it’s called). So far the plants have been doing fine, some are a little slow.
In photo 1: Top row, L to R: Tomato in C&G pods and Bunching onion (own seeds) in wool wood.
Bottom row: Red chillies (own seeds) in peat pellets and mixed basil (own seeds) in peat pellet.
Photo 2: Top row: Tomato in C&G pod, Thai holy basil in peat pellet (own seeds planted a week ago) and basil in C&G pod.
Bottom row: rappini broccoli (own seeds) in peat pellets and lettuce in C&G pods.
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How do you feed your plants in rock wool?
Happy experimenting!
Thanks for correcting me. It’s called rock wool.
I have only one in rock wool and it’s bunching onions. It probably wont grow very big but I’m experimenting.
I don’t feed it anything - it takes water from the wick. Though I’m thinking of adding some epsom salt into the water - I have had great results in the past with plants in regular soil.
Do you think epsom salt should work in the C&G?
There is no point to add any plant food to the water tank, it just does not go through the wick and does not become available to the plants.
If you need to add some food to your experimental substrates you should add plant food to the substrate directly. Be careful not to burn your plants.
Let us know how it goes!
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Hydroponic nutrient solution can be wicked. However, there are some downsides that you need to consider.
http://www.homehydrosystems.com/hydroponic-systems/wick-system_systems.html
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