robyoung

Hi everyone.

I have put a couple plants in expanded clay, inside pot/baskets, and dropped them into buckets with deep water culture principle.

I am converted on the evidence so far.

What I do have a problem with is this.

Due to bad planning, I have a bunch of plants in 4 inch rock wool, do u think that putting rockwool in the bubblers is agood idea or not?

I'm a bit concerned about the dampness of the rockwool around the stems permanently.

In the future,I will clone useing the Aerocloner device that lilbuddie has been putting forward.

That way, I will have my cuttings ready to go, with no medium on the roots.
I can just set them in baskets with expanded clay, and off they will go.

But in the mean while I have these 6 plants that are in rock wool.

What's the consences?
Will it work with such a medium?

Or will I get stem rot?

They are the only 6 plants I have from "dutch passion", and I don;t want to loose them to being impulsive.

maybe I should just use the flood and drain table?

But I'd rather bubble them if I get good feed back.

thanks all

rob

__________________
...and if I were a good man
I'd understand the spaces
between friends...

bgetting

Today's rockwool that is manufacutred for gardening is made to keep the optimum amount of oxygen in the fibers, even when the cube is soaked. You should be fine, as long as the cube isn't getttng light. I have had problems with algae and fungus colonizing my rockwool, but if no light then you are good. That stuff is all purpose, I have yet to see someone find a way to misuse it.

robyoung

Thanks begetting.

I'm starting to think it will be ok.

Especialy if I put the rockwool on a bed of expanded clay, and don't let the water level rise past the base of the rockwool.

Although it will soak up to the top, it may not drench it.

Do u think it would work with rockwool intended for insulation of ceilings?

I got these peices rather cheap from a local hydro shop, and I don't trust them to be specifically grow wool.
They certainly aren't grow dam.

Maybe I should go see the shop manager, and just ask him staight out.

Although, they do claim to be grow wool.

do U think it'd make a lot of difference?

rob

__________________
...and if I were a good man
I'd understand the spaces
between friends...

tryagain

maybe im wrong but i thought all grow wool rockwool had a plastic/paper covering around them???

robyoung

well these 4 inch blocks have white platic surrounding them, so they might be right.

rob

__________________
...and if I were a good man
I'd understand the spaces
between friends...

tryagain

hey rob actually im thinking of doing the same as you are got 3 babies only one has rooted for some reason even though all are looking good.... so you are going to use the bubbler for them and have the water ,level with the grow rocks and the rockwool above that? .. i was thinking of maybe not having the water per say touch the pot at all.. maybe an inch below as in the same way as the aero cloner so only the bubbles burst onto the net pot and let the roots search for the water/resivour.I think that might diminish the possibilities of water logging the stem or rock wool.... what you reckon?

robyoung

I reckon that would be the way to go for sure.

I was thinking that very same thought, but I think what I will do is put the clay rocks under the wool, and fill to the base of the wool, or rather, just a hair's breadth below.

If the wool get's too water logged, I will lower the water level way down, 'cause by then as u say, the roots will have searched out the water, and I can safely back off.

Well that's my plan anyway, but I think yours is more correct, but I think I'll just do one or the other,or both, and wing it.

Once the roots have some length to them it wont make any difference at all.

I have a couple tomatoes growing in a bubbler outside.
Yesterday, I checked their water level, and it was about half way down the 25 litre bucket.

I am only using tiny baskets in those ones, so u can tell the plant was way above the water, and if it was in wool,it would have been eight inches above the water level, and the wool would have been relatively dryish.

But the point is{and I will get to it}, the tomatoes where growing like u wouldn't believe.

If thay had slowed at all, it was because the water level dropping had cause the concentrate to become to strong in the smaller quantity of water.

But the distance the roots where travelling to the water, ceratainly wasn't effecting the plants in any negative way.

I don;t know if U are in Australia or not, or if U are in America, if u have bakeries that have 25 litre plastic buckets in large quantities.

They charge me $5 a bucket, and they steam it out with piping hot water, and the lids fit tight, sometime too tight if u get the coloured buckets.
The white buckets fit better; tight, but not like fort knox.

Man I just raved on without saying anything, isn't it amazing how u can rave when u are stoned, even when u type?

sorry

good bye

rob

__________________
...and if I were a good man
I'd understand the spaces
between friends...

tryagain

hey rob yeah im an aussie 25 litres what bakery is that ??
btw i put my babies into yhr bubbler tonite and ive put the water level jusssssssssssssssst at the bottom of the pot and u know the rockwool aint that wet so maybe it might be right

robyoung

The bakery is called "Banjo's", It's in Tassie.

But nearly any bakery of decent size will have an abundance of buckets with lids.

Some bakeries think they are worth gold though, so just phone a few up. try to get them for 5 bucks, that's the usual going rate.

The other alternative is if u know any plasterers, get the ready mix topping plaster buckets from them.
They are a little on the small size I reckon.
they are 25 kilo buckets, but plaster is a dense mass, so they are less than 25 litre, maybe 18 litres? maybe i5?

I don't know exactly,but if U are going to grow in them for just a short time, they ought to do it.

They should handle 3 or 4 months growth, not that I am any expert on bubblers.

Keep me posted on what u do with the wool, and bubbler and so on, and how it is working out for u.

By the way, where abouts r u?

I'm in Tasmania,but I am going back to Byron Bay soon I hope.

The NSW gov. is talking about approving certain patients to grow 5 plants for some medical conditions.

I wrote to the chairman of the working commitee for the scheme, and gave them my medical details, and apparently, if it all goes ahead, I'm in like Fynn.

So, I'm off for Byron to grow my 5 legal plants soon I hope; if they go ahead that is.

Ahhhh hell, I'll probably go anyway.

Where u from?

rob

__________________
...and if I were a good man
I'd understand the spaces
between friends...

tryagain

hey rob im in sa You know they made it 10 plants again before you get busted big time? i think its still 125 bucks if ya get caught (as long as u havent any scales,bags or grinders???)dunno what they are???
anyways i got my three ak47's in my grow room under my 600 w lolol didnt wanna buy any fluoros lol