Growing Clones in Rockwool Cubes

Rockwool is one of the best-growing media used for indoor gardening. Many gardeners use Rockwool as a medium for growing their plants and vegetables. It increases the overall yield of their desired crop. When it comes to cloning plants, you can never go wrong with Rockwool cubes.

A warm, clean, healthy stock is a requirement to have successful cloning. Cold and damp environments delay rooting and increase the plant’s mortality. Get to know how to grow clones in Rockwool cubes in this article.

Benefits Of Using Rockwool Cubes As A Growing Medium

Using rock wool as a growing medium offers a wide range of benefits to the indoor gardener. Rockwool retains a lot of moisture and provides plants with sufficient aeration. This provides the roots of the plant to get enough oxygen required for propagation.

In addition, Rockwool increases the overall yields of your plant. They enable the plant to grow to full maturity within a short period.

You can easily break the Rockwool cube into several pieces to meet your needs. The Rockwool cube is also strong to ensure it does not break down through the growing cycle.

It is porous ensuring that it properly retains a lot of water. This is useful since materials that disintegrate choke up the system's supply components.

Moreover, Rockwool is cheap, makes it easy to transplant clones, and is biodegradable. The ease of portability ensures that there is minimum transplant shock.

What You Require To Clone In Rockwool Cubes

Before you start cloning in Rockwool cubes, ensure that you have the necessary materials. This may be the difference between getting a successful yield and damaging your plants.

Fluorescent grow lights
An inch of Rockwool cubes
Cloning gel
A sterilized razor blade
Cutting board
Disinfected solid tray with a dome
Methylated spirit
No damp spray solution
Heating mat
Tray inserts to keep the Rockwool cubes upright and evenly spaced

One of the major challenges of growing clones in Rockwool cubes is getting the amount of water right. These cubes can hold a lot of water, which may slow down the rooting process and stem rot may set in.

Use distilled water or treated tap water to water clones. Take note that the water should always be at room temperature.

Procedure for Growing Clones using Rockwool Cubes

Growing clones in Rockwool has never been simpler. Follow the steps below to grow your clones successfully using Rockwool cubes

Step 1: Buy the right Rockwool Cube

It is important to get a suitable Rockwool cube for your cloning process. You can easily get Rockwool cubes in a hydroponics store. Choose the right size of Rockwool, for instance, 1.5" x 1.5" x 1.5".

However, do not confuse these cubes with germination cubes. They are larger and have a plastic covering on the side, and an eighth-of-an-inch wide hole at the center.

Step 2: Preparation of the Rockwool Cube

As mentioned above, use the highest quality of water to treat Rockwool cubes. Use distilled water, or treated tap water to rinse the cubes. Soak the rinsed cubes in a water solution for a night. The pH should be 4.5.

After removing the soaked cubes, ensure the pH of the water solution is 5.5. You will have to repeat the soaking process if your pH lies between 6.0 and 7.0.

After measuring the pH and finding that the pH of the water solution is 7 or greater, soak the Rockwool in a phosphoric acid solution. The soaking should be for thirty minutes. Consequently, soak the Rockwool cubes in a water solution with a pH of 5.5.

After a period of 8 to 12 hours, confirm the pH of the water solution. Again, ensure that the pH of the water solution ranges between 5.5 and 6. Once it attains this pH, you are set to plug your clones in the Rockwool.

Step 3: Preparation of the Cutting

Once your water solution attains the required pH, you are ready to begin growing your clones. Unlike planting seeds, growing clones require the preparation of cuttings. These cuttings are usually from the bottom part of a parent plant.

To get cutting, cut transversely about a quarter of an inch below the parent plant for the removal of nodes. If not, cut approximately an inch and a quarter below the initial node.

Ensure the spacing within the nodes is approximately an inch and a quarter before you remove the cutting. If you do not have that kind of spacing, using the sterilized razor blade, cut off the nodes in the lower part.

Once you have your cutting, dip it in the cloning gel for half a minute. This removes any air bubbles that may be present.

Step 4: Placing the Clones in the Rockwool Cubes

After dipping your cutting in a rooting gel, plug it into the growing medium. Ensure that the Rockwool cube holds the clone in place. Place your cubes in a suitable growth basin at a temperature range of 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit. The best option is to select a solid growing tray fitted with a dome.

Use the No-Damp spray solution on the propagation tray with a dome. This is to ensure the dome is warm and humid. The dome traps enough humidity over the clones. Furthermore, you can place your clones under a fluorescent grow light for the whole day.

You should remove the dome over the propagation tray once every day. After the fourth day, you should get rid of the dome completely.

Step 5: Labelling

Faulty labeling often leads to the death of countless clones. It is possible to make mistakes from time to time, regardless of how good your memory is.It is therefore important to label every Rockwool cube.

You should label each Rockwool cube with the dates you expect your clones to start rooting. Additionally, label the different strains of clones.

Step 6: Watering

Watering the clones is necessary to provide them with the nutrients they require to develop roots and grow. The dome covering prevents water and humidity from escaping, therefore watering the clones on alternative days.

In situations where you do not have a dome covering, water the clones once each day. Once your clones develop roots, usually within 5 to 10 days, water them at least twice every day. Remember to water the different strains of clones separately.

Tips For Using Rockwool Cubes

Via: http://www.hydroponicsystemszone.net/

When growing clones in Rockwool Cubes, take note of the following tips to ensure that they successfully grow into healthy plants:

Use methylated spirit to sterilize the razor blade or scissors used in cutting the clones from the parent plant.
Wipe the cutting board with methylated spirit
Choose clones from a healthy parent plant. Selecting clones from such plants increases their chances of growing into healthier plants.
Once you open the rooting get, store it in a cool place like a refrigerator.
Remove excess dust from clones if you are using a rooting powder.
Do not use Rockwool cubes that collapse after placing clones in them
Remove clones that have brown roots, an indicator of rotting. Ensure that your roots are white.
Provide enough aeration to the cloning area.
Too much water is harmful in Rockwool cubes. They can hold a lot of water that can provide an environment for the rotting of the roots or stems. Therefore, do not leave your Rockwool cubes in stagnant water.
Check your clones at least after the eighth day. Constantly checking on your clones may uproot the young roots.

Table 1: Quick Tips For Growing Clones In Rockwool

Tip	Explanation
Choose quality rockwool cubes	Choose high-quality rockwool cubes that are designed specifically for plant propagation. Look for cubes that are pre-soaked and pH balanced for optimal plant growth.
Sterilize equipment	Make sure to sterilize your equipment, such as scissors and razor blades, before taking cuttings to prevent the spread of disease.
Take healthy cuttings	Take cuttings from healthy mother plants that are free from pests and disease. Choose cuttings with at least two nodes and remove the lower leaves.
Prepare the cubes	Soak the rockwool cubes in pH balanced water and wring out excess water before use. Create a small hole in the center of the cube for the cutting.
Use rooting hormone	Dip the end of the cutting in rooting hormone to promote root growth.
Insert the cutting	Gently insert the cutting into the hole in the rockwool cube and press the cube together to ensure good contact between the cutting and the cube.
Maintain humidity	Cover the clones with a humidity dome or plastic bag to maintain high humidity and prevent wilting. Make sure to ventilate the dome or bag periodically to prevent excess moisture buildup.
Provide light and warmth	Place the clones in a warm, bright location with indirect light. Use a grow light if natural light is not sufficient.
Monitor and adjust pH and nutrient levels	Monitor the pH and nutrient levels in the water used to soak the cubes and adjust as necessary. Rockwool has a naturally high pH, so make sure to adjust the pH downward if necessary.
Transplant carefully	Once roots have formed, transplant the clones into larger pots or the growing medium of your choice. Be careful not to damage the delicate new roots.

By following these tips, you can successfully grow clones in rockwool cubes and propagate healthy, vigorous plants for your garden. You will find that growing clones in Rockwool cubes are quite easy to set up and use. It offers a wide variety of systems and situations for small growers.