Hello all, I have searched around and cannot find information on a question! Has anyone tried placing cuttings in rockwool cubes in a tray of bubbling water? I'm wondering if rockwool and bubbler cloning methods could be combined with positive results. ( I'm obviously looking into trying it) I just don't know if the water retains the oxygen as it whicks up the cube. I imagine the cubes being only halfway in the water, possibly on a bed of stones with the airstone buried. Any thoughts?
My early cloning attempts were rock wool on perlite and while it worked it was slower then keeping the cubes up off the tray floor. As the cubes dry it seems to tickle the roots out faster then having wet feet all the time did. This style of tray support holds the cubes up about 1/2 and inch so I can flood the tray bottom to keep humidity high in the dome without the cubes picking up additional water. 2.5 to 3 weeks for good roots. Faster if I use my seedling heat mat but I'm usually not in a big hurry for them. BNW
Thanks for the input! Did you have a air stone in your tray though? That's what im considering trying.
With this type of tray I don't have enough water on the floor to actually bubble in. Just a 1/4 inch to keep the dome humidity high. With a deep tray who knows. Give it shot as we are all about trying new things. God knows I tried a dozen ways and fails before I got my cloning ironed out. BNW
Alright sounds good. I have tried a few different ways before but never anything sophisticated like a bubbler. I will give it a try and report back. It will be a few weeks likely.
Well, instead of clones inserted through foam plugs that fit into a tote lid I'm just thinking of using rockwool cubes. Same complication, different strategy. The idea has less pieces than a traditional bubble cloner.
You can just root clones in rockwool very easily without bubbles. I soak the cubes in pHd water, sling some water out, dip the clone in gel, and stick it in. My clone dome is 2 clear rubbermaids stacked top to top. I pour a dash of water in and keep the cubes off the bottom with a standard seedling tray. Keep em moist and roots in 10-20 days.