I recieved bare root Tomatoes in the mail Nooo dirt and I‘m sure that was to keep down weight for shipping. About 12 plants and were in small plastic bags, about 2inches of root and 2 inches of green plant. I want to grow and ship these also. How is it done from seed, Bare Root. ???
for one thing most are made from stainless steel and are tuned for optimum flow
Hey Sk8rrr, Plant gels may be used in the shipping to keep the little plugs alive. They are interesting to say the least. Soil-less mixes do not contain nutrients for plant growth. Once seedlings have developed their first set of true leaves, begin fertilizing with quarter strength water soluble fertilizer such as 15-30-15 or 20-20-20. The term soil-less includes perlite, vermiculite, and a few other things that might look like dirt. So, hydroponic seed starting is probably how your sprouts were started. A seed is alive, breathing in oxygen and respiring carbon dioxide. While the seed is dormant, or not germinating, this rate of respiration is very slow. When the seed is placed in an appropriate environmental conditions it will begin the process of germination. In this process with enough water and the correct temperature, (between 65 and 85 degrees F), the seed will start to germinate. Most seeds have inhibitors within them that prevent germination. In many cases these inhibitors are water soluble so the inhibitors will break down in water allowing the seeds germinate. A germinating seed breathes more rapidly than the dormant seed. It requires oxygen and respires carbon dioxide in order to grow. During this stage the seed needs to be in an environment which provides both oxygen and water to the seed. This means an ideal environment for seed germination is one that allows the seed to have adequate oxygen and water such as a fluffy or air filled media appropriate for hydroponics. And, the last method has been used for centuries to grow sprouts. If you have eaten sprouts, the principle is the same for tomatos. After they sprout, you put them in a shipping bag with some gel - calculated to last long enough to get to your intended delivery.
