(or, what happened when I forgot to water my rooting tray for 2 weeks)
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Photo Essay: Calcined DE as Rooting Medium
- Thread starter mad librettist
- Start date
C
CC_2U
Mad
Photo not showing up.......
CC
Photo not showing up.......
CC
so nothing happened LOL ?
fixed! lol sorry about posting a photo essay with no photo
sorry, I wanted a pic with better contrast than white roots on white paper.
sorry, I wanted a pic with better contrast than white roots on white paper.
C
CC_2U
Nice!
BTW - I've been using the 'soil blocker' to start my vegetable garden seeds as well as using these soil blocks for rooting cuttings on several types of plants.
CC
BTW - I've been using the 'soil blocker' to start my vegetable garden seeds as well as using these soil blocks for rooting cuttings on several types of plants.
CC
S
schwagg
nice Mad. can you get of photo of the rooting tray?
looks like perlite. does it float? never seen calcined DE only regular . where you get it ? and why have you chosen it as your rooting medium . THANKS
the tray:
Superman-
That's Napa auto parts #8822, floor-dry.
I tried it as a rooting medium because:
I screen out the fines so it holds no perched water.
It is more like gravel than like perlite in weight, texture, hardness, etc...
It is internally porous, perlite is not even in the same ballpark
It changes color when dry
internally porous plus large particles = water + air
Superman-
That's Napa auto parts #8822, floor-dry.
I tried it as a rooting medium because:
I screen out the fines so it holds no perched water.
It is more like gravel than like perlite in weight, texture, hardness, etc...
It is internally porous, perlite is not even in the same ballpark
It changes color when dry
internally porous plus large particles = water + air
very cool find. very good reasons. thanks . sometime i will try it
big_daddy
Member
the tray:
Superman-
That's Napa auto parts #8822, floor-dry.
I tried it as a rooting medium because:
I screen out the fines so it holds no perched water.
It is more like gravel than like perlite in weight, texture, hardness, etc...
It is internally porous, perlite is not even in the same ballpark
It changes color when dry
internally porous plus large particles = water + air
And there is available silicon which we know to be beneficial. Good find ML......shit's dirt cheap at Napa.
b_d
also I forgot to add another reason to root in DE: you just yank out the cutting, rinse it off, and throw it in whatever. It has already been branching and growing nice fibrous roots that will take fast in soil.
if you aren't used to bare root transplants, make some extra for your first try,
if you aren't used to bare root transplants, make some extra for your first try,
I like the write up
some questions:
- how did you forgot to water clones for 2 weeks! ?
- dome, no dome? sprayed tops or no ?
- is this only successful if you get one of these pellets on the bottom of the stem where it's cut? AKA how does the plant pull water if the tray is not flooded and there is air gaps, also another note of this is there any clones that didn't make the round? and could this be tied in any way to the above ( air gap pocket )
- how long before you see roots in this system ?
- when you say you screen out the fines, you are using a soil sieve to let the fines drop below? and then is not recommend to drop straight in form the bag / bucket or whatever it comes in ?
thanks again for the write up
some questions:
- how did you forgot to water clones for 2 weeks! ?
- dome, no dome? sprayed tops or no ?
- is this only successful if you get one of these pellets on the bottom of the stem where it's cut? AKA how does the plant pull water if the tray is not flooded and there is air gaps, also another note of this is there any clones that didn't make the round? and could this be tied in any way to the above ( air gap pocket )
- how long before you see roots in this system ?
- when you say you screen out the fines, you are using a soil sieve to let the fines drop below? and then is not recommend to drop straight in form the bag / bucket or whatever it comes in ?
thanks again for the write up
no spray, yes dome with air holes open. I took a cut out of the tray 2 weeks ago, and these two cuts were destine for compost and I forgot about them.
all clones made it. To get them seated right, I water them in. THe tray drains and holds no perched water. I'm sure there are air gaps, but those areas are still moist. No pellets were used
about the same as other methods I think.
I used the finest screen for the sieve, or you can use bug screen. I do recommend screening all amendments of this sort. Not sure it's necessary.
Photo Essay: Calcined DE as Rooting Medium
I'd say I get about 33% fines.
the fines have uses too. humidity trays for instance... or just as a water retention amendment
I'd say I get about 33% fines.
the fines have uses too. humidity trays for instance... or just as a water retention amendment
hmm i tried a 50/50 mix with EWC and had pretty shitty luck. i'll have to try straight DE next time. those roots don't lie!
Photo Essay: Calcined DE as Rooting Medium
I'm not sure why, but compost plus cuttings equals rotten cuttings.
I start seeds with compost, but for cuttings I use inert media and when I remember I wash and sterilize the cut end. otherwise you get a "bacterial plug".
I guess I feel like until it has roots, a cutting can't organize the rhizosphere.
I did apply liquid kelp to my rooting bed way back.
I'm not sure why, but compost plus cuttings equals rotten cuttings.
I start seeds with compost, but for cuttings I use inert media and when I remember I wash and sterilize the cut end. otherwise you get a "bacterial plug".
I guess I feel like until it has roots, a cutting can't organize the rhizosphere.
I did apply liquid kelp to my rooting bed way back.
