Huge Trouble Starting SSH Seeds in Soil

[TACOE]

Ahh okay. I think I am on the same page now. I thought that was your usual planting method. I'm still not sure I understand the can method though. I understand the insulation part - however, for me, perlite wouldn't be an economical choice I don't think. Might be the only that works though?

So you are placing a pot without a bottom into a trash can filled with soil so that the roots grow out of the pot into the "open" soil? I don't mean that the bottom is too deep to reach, but I have heard that prime depth is about 18 inches, and the deeper soil (though it is used to a degree) is kind of wasted.

I think I learned this from outdoor smart pot growing, but I'm assuming the 18 inches applies to indoors as well.

 

[h.h.]

18" is about as deep as the roots will go. I've planted in tall kitchen trash can and have gotten deeper roots, maybe 2'+, but I didn't find an advantage. Seems wider is better.
The roots in this case went down to the top of my water reservoir where the wicks were. The 3 plants each had their own root zone as well as a common one.
I used excess perlite in an attempt to lower weight.
I start indoors and move them outside when 6 to 12 inches tall. These were late season, late July to just before Christmas, veg season extended with supplemental lights and yielded maybe a half pound.