larf's Staggering Disaster & Husky Hut

larf

Well-Known Member
I just discovered that only watering them through their the 4” cubes was a bad idea. I’ve done it while they were in their wrappers, but I hadn’t accounted for the leach tray’s deep drainage trough. It seems it doesn’t let much wicking happen. I suspect that the Growtek rings will be perfect for this job.

Where there is moisture there’s roots starting to get unruly.2919E0BD-81FE-4060-8D50-C5DBB6511629.jpegF28C80B1-AE20-449C-B362-1EBE041F3D81.jpegA19D7DEC-B467-4577-A707-0C6E39177451.jpeg
 

larf

Well-Known Member
I have never grown in rock wool before I have some around even did some clones in cubes once looks interesting maybe one day how do you like it?
They have their pros and cons, and there is definitely a learning curve, but overall it's my favorite.

Pros- Setting them up is super easy. Flushing them down to a lower EC is way faster. They are low profile which is helpful for my setup. If you seal them inside of a tray with the wrapper or panda film, you get crazy roots. It's hard to overwater once the roots are established.

Cons - They suck to dispose of. They stay too wet for seedlings. They are hard to move around. They get algae if they aren't covered.
 

larf

Well-Known Member
I read that hydrogen peroxide can be used as a pesticide and fungicide at a ratio of 2 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide per liter of water.
You spray it? I've used it on the medium, but I didn't know that it could be applied to the rest of the plant.
 

larf

Well-Known Member
And they stayed like that throughout the entire grow. They were growing down the drains and spiraling off the top and sides.

I wish the leach trays were a tiny bit bigger so that there was a small gap between the wall and rockwool. That’s how you get the spikes and spirals.
 

Joebud

Insanely Active Member
Yeah you spray the plants with it. There are a few videos on YouTube. Hydrogen peroxide will not leave residue making it ideal for edible or consumable gardens.
 

Nobighurry

PICK YOUR OWN
They have their pros and cons, and there is definitely a learning curve, but overall it's my favorite.

Pros- Setting them up is super easy. Flushing them down to a lower EC is way faster. They are low profile which is helpful for my setup. If you seal them inside of a tray with the wrapper or panda film, you get crazy roots. It's hard to overwater once the roots are established.

Cons - They suck to dispose of. They stay too wet for seedlings. They are hard to move around. They get algae if they aren't covered.
Gotcha I have read there is not much one can do with the used grow wool do you get more than one grow out of them Have you tried the coco slabs they package them just like rock wool a company gave me some slabs and 6x6 cubes look copacetic but I don't have an auto fertgation system yet which seems like the only way to use them
 

larf

Well-Known Member
Gotcha I have read there is not much one can do with the used grow wool do you get more than one grow out of them Have you tried the coco slabs they package them just like rock wool a company gave me some slabs and 6x6 cubes look copacetic but I don't have an auto fertgation system yet which seems like the only way to use them
Just one and done. They aren't biodegradable because they are rock, so about the only use is breaking them down and mixing them with soil. I dry them, bag them up and send them to the dump. They aren't toxic, so it doesn't really kill my inner hippie. It just takes up space.

I looked at those coco slabs. I tried to mimic the sealed rockwool setup using coco cubes, and it turned into a straight algae factory. I tried again the next grow and tweaked some things, but got the same results. So I'll pass on them. They may work and I like the concept, but I'm done with those experiments.
 

Nobighurry

PICK YOUR OWN
Just one and done. They aren't biodegradable because they are rock, so about the only use is breaking them down and mixing them with soil. I dry them, bag them up and send them to the dump. They aren't toxic, so it doesn't really kill my inner hippie. It just takes up space.

I looked at those coco slabs. I tried to mimic the sealed rockwool setup using coco cubes, and it turned into a straight algae factory. I tried again the next grow and tweaked some things, but got the same results. So I'll pass on them. They may work and I like the concept, but I'm done with those experiments.
Good to know I wondered if they were a viable product they sounded like a good solution but I never see anyone using them or chatting them up I best just wet them and crush them up for use in my planters I am over experimenting maybe when I retire in another year or two ill get bored lol
 

larf

Well-Known Member
I have never grown in rock wool before I have some around even did some clones in cubes once looks interesting maybe one day how do you like it?
This reminded me. I used to use rockwool macro plugs, then transplant them into rockwool cubes and then transplant them into coco or on their slabs. I stopped using the rockwool cubes when I switched to the coco cubes because they were too small. When I did use them, I always went with 4x4x2" cubes. The 2" height is perfect for a seedling because they were almost impossible to overwater. Once they would fill out that cube, I would stack it on a second cube to have a 4x4x4 block.

I found a full box of the 4x4x4 cubes last summer, which is what I've been using for my bonsai mothers and now seedlings. I didn't think about it when I discovered them, but the reason I had a whole box is became they suck for seedlings. I switched to the 2" tall ones and stuffed these away. So next time I'm ordering the 2" kind and to avoid all of the trials and tribulations that I had this time.
 

larf

Well-Known Member
And the reason my bonsais didn't mind so much is because they were cuts, not seedlings. They were mature, but also starving.

I'm sorting out a lot of shit over here, guys. We'll be back to BFC (much love to @Brettman and the entire BFC loving larf family) in no time.
 
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