When to transfer from Aerogarden to Soil?

You can transplant from your AG to soil whenever the root structure has become stable. In my opinion, I would stay away from soil and build your own AG kit. Reason being, the yield doesn't change whether hydro, or soil. Also with soil, you have the chance of bugs and other mites. As far as cloning, you can do it with an AG, but I would suggest building your own cloner. Here's a link that I posted last week on how to make a simple cloner.

https://www.rollitup.org/aerogardeners/408579-diy-ez-cloner.html

Hope this helps bud.

PRYAPSM: Jazzyvibes has given you some good ideas. In my Ag class the instructor said, "When you go from hydro to soil you want to plant them 'carefully, gently and loosely' or you'll damage the root hairs." I'm making an assumption, but why you'd want to grow M/J in soil is beyond me. Jazzyvibes is correct about the 'can of worms' it opens; diseases and pests you don't usually have to concern yourself with in hydro inside. Inside, I think hydro is the way to go for M/J and my choice thus far is the Aerogarden.

I use my Aerogarden and the Aerogarden Starter Tray every year to get my legal spring vegetable garden going outside. After sprouting inside I give them about two to three weeks in my starter tray until I see that they have a healthy root system going.

You can also buy a good seed starting component system from almost any hydro or home improvement store. You want a black plastic rectangular tray, an insert with square or round holes to accommodate your planting medium and a humidity dome. That shouldn't cost you more than $15. Whether yo have to use a heater will depend on where you live and they start at about $30. You can hang a two foot, double lamp, T-5 florescent fixture above it on a frame made out of 3/4" PVC pipe. The whole thing shouldn't cost you more than $50 unless you need a heater. They're also great for cloning. (But that's another subject).

From the the starter tray I put my babies in good Miracle Grow potting soil I either get from Sam's Club or Home Depot. I pot them in one quart Styrofoam plastic cups I buy from Smart and Final. I burn three drainage holes in the bottom with a hot ice pick. Now they go into my Harbor Freight Tools 6'X8' green house to harden them off for a week or two depending on the weather.

When they outgrow the green house they go in the back yard dirt garden, and yes I have problems with pests and diseases in dirt. I could probably push them a lot faster but this is how I was taught and I don't lose many plants. You might want to get on Home Depot's or Lowe's email Club list because they'll send you a lot of good articles for free, especially this time of year. I don't buy a whole lot from them unless it's on sale because because I have to live on a pension, but they're still less expensive than Gardener's Supply or some of the other web vendors. I Hope this helps.

PRYAPSM, looks like you have been given some good ideas that if you implement it,the results will be consistent every time. HSA is dead on with how you should have your setup going. For awhile, the only time I used my AG was as a seed starter. I would use peet moss pellets and use those 'domes' to help start my seeds. Once they've developed healthy roots, I transplants into hydroton rocks, with peet moss still in tact. I have had an issue with mold at the base of the plant, because I maintain my humidity levels. Once you have a 'mother' there really shouldn't be any more need to start seeds. If you wanna take cuttings of your mother, and get a stable root system, you can take those outdoors - if you would like. I would refrain from it. When you grow outdoors, in my opinion, you get the weight, but not the quality. You're more than likely to get a hermie.

[FONT=&quot]Well the option of growing outside it not going to happen. Where I am at currently is way too cold. I have an indoor box/ garden I built for other things I have been growing. The indoor garden has a heating mat, ventilation, and two light grows light for now. When I get some more cash together I am going put in florescent lights on a pulley system. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]So I can keep my mother plant in my aerogarden and still grow clones and different strains in there? [/FONT]