successful growing - Gardening with GRODAN

Transcription

SUCCESSFUL GROWING
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Tests for Evaluating Growing Media
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free & helpful stuff
The most important characteristic that a grower
looks for in a hydroponic medium is uniformity.
Not just uniformity in a set of blocks or units, but
also uniformity within the individual block or unit
of medium. Especially In an ebb and flood system,
the capillarity (upward movement) of water in the
medium is important as well, as it helps the slabs
stay wet on the top as well as the bottom.
Why is uniformity so important?
When growing plants in a controlled environment,
plants grow from a smaller amount of media than
when grown outdoors in soil. It is therefore crucial
that root growth is maximized inside that small area
of media. When a media lacks uniformity, nutrient
solution cannot spread evenly throughout the area,
and will result in restricted root growth.
Why is capillarity so important?
Good capillarity is vital when using an ebb and flood
system. When flooding the tray a few inches, the
nutrient solution should spread (wick up) evenly and
quickly to the rest of the medium. Grodan GROBLOCKS™ have excellent capillarity. Fast capillary
movement in a uniform product ensures good root
growth in flood systems.
The graphics above show the results of a capillarity
test using blue dye.
Both blocks flooded
for ten minutes in the
same tray.
On right, see PET plastic grow
medium. Below, examine the
Grodan GRO-BLOCK.
Even root distribution in various Grodan
products. Top left to right: Root growth
in GRO-SLABS™, Root Growth in GROWCUBES™. Bottom: Typical root growth in
Grodan GRO-BLOCK™.
How to test the quality of hydroponic media
Here are two simple tests you can do to determine the quality of your hydroponic media.
TEST 1: BLUE DYE TEST
You need highly concentrated blue food
coloring. For this reason, it is a good idea to
wear gloves for this test. Choose the media
you want to test, then use plain water to
completely saturate all the media.
Using your normal irrigation system, give
each test subject equal amounts of blue
water, whether you are using drip or ebb and
flood. Make sure that the blue dye is very
concentrated before you test. It will be messy
but will reveal a dramatic difference.
SUCCESSFUL GROWING | 1
With drip irrigation, you will see
an even hue across the whole unit
of Grodan. With ebb and flood
systems, you will see a better capillary
movement and distribution of the
blue dye throughout the Grodan
GRO-BLOCK™.
Notice the uneven light color with
other rockwool on the top versus
dark hue of color evenly spread in the
Grodan slab on the bottom.
EXPECT MORE. DEMAND GRODAN.
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Tests for Evaluating
Growing Media, cont.
Wilt-Proof Your Plants
When growing a plant out of Grodan stonewool,
all the water (plant food/nutrient) poured into it is
instantly available to the plant.
TEST 2: ROOTING TEST:
Sometimes the blue dye test isn’t enough to
show a dramatic difference. A rooting test
will take longer, but reveal clearer results on
the spread of roots in Grodan versus another
medium.
First, wet and pH adjust the growing media as
normal. Then, place two plants on the Grodan
slab and two plants on the comparison slab or
grow bag.
Remove plastic wrapping from a Grodan
MINI-BLOCK™. Insert the MINI-BLOCK™ inside
the slab bag, centered between the two
plants. Do the same with another MINIBLOCK™ for the comparison medium.
Now allow some time for the plants to grow.
Tug on the MINI-BLOCKS after a few days
to see if they are anchoring into the media.
How well and how soon they anchor into the
media is a sign of good root growth.
After about two weeks, pull the MINIBLOCKS™ off the slab or grow bag and
examine root distribution. The MINI-BLOCK™
in the best media will be anchored so well
that it will actually be difficult to remove from
the slab or grow bag!
If the water content of the Grodan media drops to
zero—the plant will droop severely. This is natures
warning that NOW is the last chance to water for
the plant to survive. Of course it is always better to
water before the media is bone dry. The best way
to determine whether or not the plant requires
watering is to feel the weight of the pot. If it feels
light—then water.
To test a loose potting media, such as clay
pellets, peat, coco mix, or Grodan GROWCUBES™, place it in a long grow tray instead of
in a regular tall pot. This will allow for enough
space between the two plants in order to
insert the MINI-BLOCK™.
Insert Grodan MINIBLOCK here, between
the two plants in the
GRO-SLAB or tray
When growing a plant out of peat/soil, an average of
35% of the water content is unavailable to the plant
and a slow wilting process begins. Often it is such
subtle change that it is often overlooked. Then, by the
time it’s noticed, the wilting process is too advanced
to save the plant.
This is why we say that a “Grodan” plant is more
forgiving, as it will stay healthier longer, and recoup
faster if the grower forgets to water, or the pump fails.
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Using the Dutch Pot System
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Assembling your own hydroponics system may take a little time, but it can also save you some successful growing
money. The BATO® buckets (a.k.a. Dutch Pot system) uses top watering, which is the best way
to water for most growing media.
The Dutch Pot System consists of the following:
•
Select Dutch buckets; black (to prevent algae
growth) or beige (to keep the contents cooler).
•
Concrete blocks to support the buckets and the
drain pipe.
•
A stock tank (no taller than the concrete blocks).
Optional: Make a lid out of a nylon mesh possibly woven ground cover. This will help
prevent debris from your system getting into
your stock tank.
•
1/2” tubing (about 1 ft../bucket plus a little extra
to reach into the tank).
•
PVC drain pipe with 1 1/2” (inside diameter
and 50 mm or 2“ outside diameter). Estimate 1
ft../ bucket. Either cut out a 1” wide piece from
the whole length of the pipe or simply drill a
1“ hole for each bucket. The outlets from the
BATO bucket must fit inside the canal to collect
the drain water. Alternatively use two pieces
of rain water gutter. The top piece can then be
removed for easy cleaning of the gutter.
•
A pump for the stock tank.
•
For each bucket, figure 1-2 drip stakes and ¼”
tubing (spaghetti tubing) from the stake to the
½” tubing.
•
A 1” plastic or net pot around the ‘elbow’ in the
bucket will minimize roots and debris from
getting into the elbow.
•
•
We recommend 2 stakes if using clay pellets
alone. This insures that the irrigation will reach
all corners of the bucket. If you use Grodan
GROW-CUBES™ or Granulate (alone or with
clay), only one stake per bucket is needed.
Growing Media. Propagate plants in 1 1/2”
Grodan A-OK plugs™, then pot up in a Grodan
GRO-BLOCK™. Once the roots extend about 1”
from below the block, remove the plastic from
the block and transfer the plant block to the
bucket. Fill the bucket with Grodan GROWCUBES™.
System setup
Side View - Dutch Pot System
Drawing shows four buckets with 2 pieces of micro
tubing per bucket. The basket stakes keep each of
the micro tubings in place in the bucket.
Position the stock tank so that the water only pumps
out to a maximum of 6-7 feet. If longer, there might
not be enough pressure for the water to reach your
last buckets – or they will receive considerably less
water than those close to the pump.
Top View - Dutch Pot System
A 150-175 gph pump will run to 6 buckets through
12 basket stakes.
NOTE: For a wetter mix: Fill up the lower
section of the bucket with clay pellets, then
top up with absorbent Grodan granulate.
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What to know about the BIG MAMA™
This product is specifically designed to house a large plant... (think Ficus tree) or to grow a mother plant. Big
Mama’s volume is a staggering 512 oz. versus Hugo’s 216 oz. Rockwool “RULES” when it comes to wicking up
to 4 inches in height. But beyond that, Rockwool will retain less and less moisture. Thank gravity for that. This is
why Grodan has specific recommendations for using the Big Mama.
•
First, place ONLY a well-rooted 3” or 4” GRO-BLOCK on top to ensure the optimum health of the plant.
•
Second, Drip irrigation is the most effective system for the Big Mama, but any top watering will work.
Placing one dripper stake into the top block, and a second one into the Big Mama is sufficient to maintain
proper moisture levels. Using the Big Mama in an Ebb & Flood system is NOT recommended.
Testing Big Mama to see what works best
1. Use a garden hose to completely saturate the
blocks with water.
2. Insert two drippers into the block. Fill the tank
with pH 5.5 water, and water each block long
enough so that the block receives 2.5 gallons
of water. This ensures a complete flush of the
block. If you only have a few blocks, skip steps
1 and 2, and simply use the ½” hose from the
pump and hand-water with pH 5.5 from top
down, until completely saturated.
3. D
iscard the drain water. Mix up the same
nutrient solution that you have been using for
the plants you are about to transplant. Irrigate
until each block has received 2.5 gallons of
nutrient. Then adjust tank back to pH 5.5.
4. Place a 3” or 4” block with well-rooted plant
onto Big Mama. Insert one drip stake into the
right side of the plant in the small block and one
drip stake into the Big Mama on the opposite
side of the small block. It’s acceptable if the Big
Mama’s surface doesn’t feel particularly moist.
Less surface moisture on Grodan will lessen
algae growth.
5. After placing smaller plant on top of Big Mama,
minimize initial watering to encourage rooting
into the Big Mama. Watch to make sure the
small block doesn’t become too dry. To achieve
this; place both drip stakes immediately below
the small block. Angle the drip stakes in - under
the block. For the first few days after transplant;
irrigate six short 1 minute cycles per day. As
the plant grows, add more irrigation cycles and
increase to 2-3 minute per cycle.
Conditioning is complete when drippers have
released 2.5 gal of pH 5.5 water per block.
A) Both blocks were
saturated using a
garden hose. For
conditioning and irrigation, two dripper
stakes were inserted
-one in each block.
B) Both blocks were
saturated using a
garden hose. For conditioning and irrigation,
only one dripper stake
was inserted into the
top block.
C) Only the top block
was saturated to
start. Then, for conditioning and irrigation,
just one dripper stake
was inserted into the
top block.
Lessons Learned
1.
It’s a terrible idea to wet up a dry Big Mama
using only one drip stake!
2.
Before using, ALWAYS soak the Big Mama
completely with a garden hose.
3.
Conditioning and irrigation works best when
using two drip stakes per block.
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Understanding Basic Irrigation Systems
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There is a huge assortment of irrigation components
available and it is not easy to know which way is
the best way to go. For hydroponic vegetables, the
choice is often ebb and flood or drip irrigation.
What’s the basic difference between them?
Drip irrigation (top watering)
With drip irrigation, fresh nutrient solution is dripped
down through the top of the
block.
This is the way Grodan
intended for their products
to be irrigated. When top
watering, Grodan products
are designed to allow the
water to spread quickly
throughout the product and
force out the old nutrient
solution from the stonewool.
Therefore if growing in
stacked units, like Grodan
GRO-BLOCKS on top of GROSLABS, always choose a top
watering system.
irrigation cycle. If using a taller growing unit, the
top will remain drier and simple capillary action will
draw the salts to the top of the block. You will have
less algae, but this method requires top watering
once each week in order to flush any salt build-up
from the top.
What are the advantages/disadvantages of each?
drip irrigation
•
ADVANTAGE 1: It spreads out in the block and
forces the old depleted nutrient to drain out.
Position the drip stake so that the drip lands
close to the stem, but without hitting the stem
(as this can cause stem rot). In strong light a
plant remains more active (faster growth) if you
water a little at a time, but quite frequently.
•
ADVANTAGE 2: You can control the amount of
water you deliver each cycle. Refer to our tri-fold
leaflet, “Growing Huge in Grodan” for drawing
and further explanation of a drip system.
•
ADVANTAGE 3: You can measure if you need to
add on more irrigation cycles. Use a syringe to
take a water sample from the block right after
the last cycle of the day . If the E.C. or pH is too
high, add an extra irrigation the next day.
Ebb and flood
With Ebb & Flow (Flood), fresh nutrient solution is
pumped up from below. With Ebb & Flow (Flood),
fresh nutrient solution is pumped up from below.
Typically when it reaches about 1-1.5” up, the water
starts to drain out of the tray valve. Capillarity
(wicking action) of the block draws the solution
towards the top of the block.
This is a good choice when growing smaller plants
that remain in a smaller volume of substrate for
the duration of their lifespan. This could be a 4”
GRO-BLOCK or a 4” plastic pot with clay pellets
surrounding a Grodan starter cube. Using a growing
media height of 4” or less allows the water level in
your ebb & flood system to reach up far enough for
the growing media to be fully saturated during each
Ebb and Flood
•
ADVANTAGE 1: It is quick to set up—especially
if you have several blocks/plants. Refer to our
tri-fold leaflet, “Transplanting” for drawing and
additional explanation of an ebb/flood system.
•
DISADVANTAGE 1: With Ebb & Flow (Flood), the
blocks are fully saturated during each cycle, so
there is no way to control the amount of water.
•
DISADVANTAGE 2: During this process, the old,
depleted nutrient in the block is only partially
flushed out. To help flush out old nutrients, we
recommend top watering the blocks once per
week.
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Understanding Basic Irrigation Systems, cont.
Determine pump size and irrigation particulars
Ebb and Flood
Drip irrigation (top watering)
For this type of system the fill rate must be
calculated. Preferably the pump should be able to fill
the tray in about ten minutes.
For this type of system what matters most is the
pressure (psi). The popular small pumps that retail
for around $100 (such as Maxi Jet, Little Giant,
Ecopro) do not generate enough pressure as they
are typically only 2-6 psi. When the pressure (psi) is
too low, drip emitters will either not drip at all, clog
up really fast, or output less then the rated flow.
1. To determine the volume of water required,
multiply the length (inches) by the width
(inches) and assume a water fill height of 1 inch.
This will give you the cubic inches of water that
your empty container will hold.
2. Now multiply this number by 0.5 with the
assumption that ½ of this volume will be
absorbed by the plants. This is the required
volume of water for your container.
3. Convert this number into gallons by dividing by
231. Size your pump so that the rate is at least
equal to the required water divided by fill time.
Remember, this number is in gal/min.
4. To convert to gal/hr., multiply by 60. Then to
determine a 10-minute fill time, divide by 10.
Ebb and Flood Example
Step 1. If grow tray is 60” x 60”, empty tray will hold:
60” x 60” x 1” = 3,600 in 3
Step 2. To determine the required fill volume:
0.5 x 3,600 = 1,800 in 3.
Step 3. Then, convert this to gallons:
1,800 in 3 / 231 = 7.8 gallons
1. Do not use a drip emitter - instead use a drip
stake that is not dependant on much pressure.
2. Attach ¼” tubing to the stake and stick the
other end of the tubing with your ½” tubing. For
a tight fit use a barbed insert. If necessary, seal
with silicone.
3. Be sure to perform a test run with your timer
to determine approximately how much water
each plant receives during each irrigation cycle.
Digital timers are best for scheduling short
irrigation cycles.
Size of system
Small pumps can raise water about 1.5 feet up and
no more than 6 feet out. The greater the distance,
the less water the plant will receive. See the trifold “pH and Watering” for guidelines on irrigation
frequency and amount.
Using drip emitters
(½ gph, 1 gph etc)
Step 4. To determine a 10-minute fill time:
7.8 gal/hr. X 60 = 468
468 / 10 min. = 46.8 gph
The pump will loose slight pressure when it lifts the water up to
your grow tray. Loss of pressure means that the GPH will be a
little lower that indicated on the pump package.
Select a pump that is slightly larger than necessary,
to create a by-pass that will allow direct some of the
water to the Ebb & Flood table while the rest of the
water empties back into the tank. This will keep the
fertilizer well mixed and also aerate the water.
Two ball valves (incorporated into the by-pass)
would enable the adjustment in the direction of the
flow. This also allows you to change the fill rate of
the tray.
For small systems, it is possible to use a small pump
and still get the benefit of top watering. Try this:
The smallest pump to
use with drip emitters is
one that generates 10
psi. Look for a submersible pump that is about 1/3
HP. The great advantage with pressure regulated
drip emitters is that all your plants will receive the
same amount of water. For set-ups involving 20-30
plants, this is by far the best choice, as it is what
many commercial greenhouses use.
For further information, watch our video ‘Drip
system’ on grodan101.com.
TIP: If you require more that 6 ft. of growing
area, the easiest way is to add an extra pump
in the reservoir and build a system on the
opposite side of the reservoir. This will ensure
that all your plants get enough water.
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Maintaining a Successful Hydroponic System
Keep the growing environment clean
Clean the grow room beforehand. Also, before
setting up your system and putting it back in the
grow room, clean the plant box well with a 10%
bleach solution. Always cut off dead leaves and
remove them from the grow room. Decaying organic
matter attracts fungus gnats. Also remove diseased
plants so the infection does not spread.
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contains ready to use (diluted) nutrient solution, use
phosphoric acid (pH Down) or lemon juice to lower
the pH. The recommended temperature in the tank
is 65-70⁰ F (18-20⁰ C). Typically, the temperature
inside the rockwool will be about 2⁰ degrees higher
than tank temperature. If temperature inside the
rockwool reaches 78⁰F (26⁰ C), then the risk of
disease and root rot is very high.
Watering tips
Download the blue leaflet “Watering and pH” from
our Website or pick up one from your local retailer.
When using top drip irrigation, the best way to
determine how much to water is by testing EC
(ppm) inside the block. The result will determine
when the next water cycle should start. If E.C. or pH
is too high, add another water cycle to the day.
When changing reservoir water, wash the tank well
with a 10% bleach solution. If you use big trays
for GRO-BLOCKS and GRO-SLABS, wash them too,
especially if you have had a problem with root rot.
•
•
DRIPPERS. If you use a drip
system, buy a few extra
drippers, so you can change
drippers if any are clogged.
To clean them, throw the
clogged drippers in a bucket
of white vinegar.
EBB/FLOOD SYSTEMS.
Purchase a timer which can
be set at five minute intervals,
so a full cycle will only soak
the stonewool for 10 minutes. To avoid salt built
up, top water the plants once each week, using
the same solution that’s in the reservoir. Never
top water with plain water because it will shock
the plants. Also be sure to have a tray with deep
enough grooves so that water drains away from
the Grodan cubes/slabs.
Changing reservoir solution
We recommend that you completely change the
solution once a week. Yes, you can top up the
reservoir and adjust EC/pH, but your solution
may have depleted its vital micro nutrients or be
infected with Pythium (root rot). If your reservoir
If using an ebb & flood system, the measurement
inside the blocks will always be slightly off because
the blocks do not get flushed during each irrigation.
•
We prefer EC measurement, which measures
strict SALT where as ppm measure any particle
(parts per million).
•
Allow the amount of drain water to dictate how
much you water. During a full day of irrigation,
if you have less than about 25% water draining
from the blocks, then add an extra irrigation
cycle. This does not mean extend the time of
a cycle, but rather add in an extra cycle. With
strong light and fast growth, it is best to feed
your plants like a marathon runner - in short
frequent cycles.
Watch pH level
Never allow the nutrient solution to fall below
pH 5 or the stonewool may be damaged. If your
nutrient solution is below pH 5 or above pH 7, plants
cannot readily take up nutrients. Before planting,
always saturate the stonewool with pH 5.5 water.
Flush Grodan with your nutrient solution at pH
5.5 and drain to waste and then put the Grodan in
your system. The pH in your reservoir will increase
during vegetative growth. This is a natural response
and means the plant is growing! But also higher
temperature and algae growth in your reservoir will
cause pH to go up. So keep an eye on pH. For most
plants, the reservoir should be around pH 6.0.
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Maintaining a Successful Hydroponic System, cont.
Understanding the basics
First, read section entitled “Maintaining a Successful
Hydroponic System”. In this, we emphasize the
importance of evaluating the overall appearance
of your plants on a daily basis. Then, should any
challenges arise, refer to the tables provided on
the following page to help trouble shoot and find
appropriate solutions.
Understanding the basics about a plant’s life-cycle is
helpful. For example, there are basically two stages
in a plant’s life:
•
A vegetative (leaf and stem growth) and
•
A generative (bloom and fruit growth)
A plant should always have a good balance between
the amount of leaves and the amount of blooms
or fruit. Consider the tomato plant. If there are
too few leaves, the plant will not make enough
photosynthate (sugars), reducing the availability of
sugars and water flow to the flowers and growing
fruit. The results are smaller and possibly fewer fruit.
Greenhouse tomato - during generative stage
Keys to effective trouble-shooting
When using the tables (on following page) as a
tool for trouble shooting, do not change all the
parameters at once. This will result in the plant
becoming too vegetative or too generative. Choose
the parameter that differs the most from the table
and adjust only that one.
Then, wait a few days to see if that has solved the
problem. If this alteration does not perk up the plant,
then find the next obvious parameter to change. It
is almost like making soup. If it doesn’t taste good,
you don’t mix in a number of ingredients all at the
same time to make it taste better. You add a little
bit of one, then taste. Then, you might try another
if it didn’t work. You apply the same idea when you
encounter a problem with your plants.
Greenhouse tomato - during vegetative stage
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Trouble-Shooting Reference Chart
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Table A - Vegetative Stage
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PARAMETER
Grow light
HUMIDITY
(AIR)
CO2
Reservoir
temperature
Room
Temperature
E.C. (Electric
Conductivity)
H2O content
in Grodan
12 hours/day
1000 W bulb
80 %
400 ppm
65-70 F or
18-20 C
(Day & night)
70º
2.5
(Day & night)
75%
12 hours/day
400 W bulb
75 %
300 ppm
65-70 F or
18-20 C
(Day & night)
70º
2.0
(Day & night)
75%
During the night when the grow light is off, the humidity will naturally increase slightly as the air cools. This is
not a concern. Just maintain the 70º room temperature and the slab water content during this time.
When growing plants in a closed room, CO2 will measure around 300 ppm due to plant respiration. Therefore,
for vegetative growth there should be little or no CO2 injection.
Table b - generative Stage
PARAMETER
Grow light
HUMIDITY
(AIR)
CO2
Reservoir
temperature
Room
Temperature
E.C. (Electric
Conductivity)
H2O content
in Grodan
12 hours/day
1000 W bulb
75 %
750-1000
ppm
65-70º F or
18-20º C
Day 75º F
Night 70º F
2.5
Day 70º F
Night 60º F
12 hours/day
400 W bulb
70 %
500-750 ppm
65-70º F or
18-20º C
Day 75º F
Night 70º F
2.0
Day 76º F
Night 55º F
NOTE: Do not inject CO² at night.
The figures in the above tables should be viewed as rule of thumb only. They are based on tomato plant
responses to changes in the environment inside under grow lights. Greenhouse and out door environments
will of course have some different parameters and others that can not be managed.
Pepper production
with GRO-SLABS™ in
greenhouse.
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Minimizing Potential Problems
Learning from your own experiences
Consider keeping a plant journal to
keep track of the EC, pH, temperature,
CO2 and light level each day. This way
you can learn from your own mistakes
and successes. Records like this also
make it easier for your local retail shop
to provide the best solution for you,
should a problem arise. Make a habit of
examining your plants every day. Do they
look perky? Inspect leaf color, shape and
texture. Look closer, do you see any bugs?
Afterwards, update your journal. It’s easier
to correct a problem if you catch it early
on.
Before blaming
Good ideas to consider:
your plant food
• Keep a plant journal
for unhappy
• Check reservoir temperature
plants, check
• Inspect plants closely
your journal.
Everything must
be in balance. Change one parameter at a time and
evaluate the effect.
• A common error is the reservoir water is too warm.
If so, use a chiller to maintain around 70⁰ F (20⁰ C).
• If the plant fails to set flowers/fruit, increase the
difference between night and day temperature. If
that is not efficient, increase CO2 injection during
the daytime.
CAUTION: Be careful in accepting the advice of
friends and other hobbyists. What worked for
them may not work equally well in your growing
environment. Experience is the best educator.
Identify and Solve Common Problems
Before a solution
can be found to
a problem, one
must first learn to
correctly identify
the problem. The
following pages
contain sections
about the most
common problems
that one may
encounter. Both
the diagnosis and a
solution are provided. We hope that this section will
help you address any issues so that you may in turn
help others in kind.
The most frequent questions we receive
from hobbyists involve the following issues:
•
Unhappy, slow-growing plants
•
Calcium deficiency - leaves curl down
•
Cuttings are not rooting
•
Seeds sprouted but turned brownish
•
Mildew (two types)
•
Algae (keep it in check)
•
Stunted plant growth
•
Abnormal, irregular leaves
•
Soft bodied pests
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What in the World is Wrong with My Plants?
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“I’ve sprouted seedlings in A-OK Starter Plugs then
transplanted them directly into a Hugo block. Now, my
plants look crappy and are growing very slowly.”
Detailed Description
Purple stems, yellowing, root pack much less dense. The roots barely use
25% of the Hugo block. Block stays consistently heavy, and the watering
schedule recently changed from daily to every other day.
Explanation and Solution
The lack of roots is the main reason your plants look the way they do. The
problem started with your seedling.
• About 75% of the root mass is established when the plant is young.
• The roots will get longer/thicker later but the all the roots hairs must
be established by the young plant. This is why we say that ‘healthy
baby’ is the way to success.
Why didn’t healthy roots develop in the early stage?
• 99% of the time, your rockwool was kept too wet.
• T he chloramine in your tap water could also have been too high. This
can limit root growth, but not likely kill the plant. Talk to your local
store about a carbon filter if you suspect chloramines, or use bottled
water for your irrigation needs.
OMG what’s
wrong with
my plants?
So you’re
saying I’ve
got Root
Rot... and
it’s THAT
serious?
OK, so I may
have been
over watering,
so what
should I do?
For successful transplanting,
Next time,
I’ll be taking
preventative
action, for
sure!
• Mist the 3” block twice daily but don’t water until the block feels light
(about half weight).
Thanks,
Grodan!
The easy fix
Since it’s easier to manage the water content in a smaller block,
transplant the 1.5” cube to a 3” block first, then put the 3” onto Hugo.
• When transplanting the rooted 3” plant , use a stake to hold it firmly to
the Hugo.
• Water the 3” block (low volume, twice daily) until rooted into Hugo.
Another Option: Keep your current setup
• Change your watering early on. The seedling in 1.5” A-OK Cubes must
be healthy, with roots that extend about 1” below the cubes for best
results.
• After transplanting to the wet Hugo; Only MIST (plain water) twice daily
for the first week.
• AVOID watering until you can feel that HUGO is lighter or the upper
part starts to dry out. Then water sparingly – right on the little cube –
probably about ½ cup.
• Once you see active growth and the cube has rooted into Hugo, then
slowly increase the water volume. Do NOT drown them!
WWW.GRODAN101.COM
successful growing
SUCCESSFUL GROWING
Understand and Avoid Root Rot
Rule 1: Exclusion
Rule 4: Don’t Panic
• Fungal spores can come from anywhere including
tap water.
• Anyone can experience plants with root disease you are not alone.
-- Spores can survive in microscopic amounts of
water or even be airborne.
• There are many fungicides (even some organic)
available to use for this purpose. Be sure to read
the label carefully - whether using organic or not.
• Sanitize the growing area.
-- Bleach will kill fungal spores but always allow
everything to fully dry before setting up again.
-- Always clean stock tanks and equipment, and
quarantine any new plant material until you are
certain it is disease-free.
Rule 2: Drainage
• The most common cause of root disease is
over- watering. So, reduce watering in order to
strengthen root growth.
-- For drip irrigation, lower the duration.
-- For flood irrigation, lower the cycle frequency.
Rule 3: Healthy Roots = Solid Foundation
• Roots almost always indicate symptoms of root
rot before the leaves will.
-- Roots should be a healthy white color.
• Immediately remove all affected plants from your
main growing room.
“An ounce of prevention is worth
a pound of cure” ... at least!
Rule 5: Prevention
• Prevention is always the best way to
avoid root rot and much easier than
treating an outbreak.
• Consider adding a preventative water
soluble fungicide to your tank.
• Avoid over watering.
-- The water content of Grodan GROBLOCKS should reach about 50%
BEFORE initiating the next watering.
-- N
ever irrigate when the lights are off
and aim for 50% water content in the
blocks before turning the lights off.
• Make sure to establish quality root mass
during propagation (see back page).
• Maintain an ideal temperature in the
stock tank.
-- Nutrient solution
can darken roots but
dark roots lead to
problems
-- Slow growth can be
an indicator of root
rot. (see back page)
-- Temperature should stay around
64°-69° F (18°-21° C). If the tank water
reaches 75° F (24° C) the risk of root rot
increases exponentially.
-- Temperatures that fall below 60° F will
stunt the plant growth.
• Always provide sufficient drainage.
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SUCCESSFUL GROWING
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get to know grodan
products explained
pricing information
Identify and Correct Problems
grow your business
PROBLEM: Calcium deficiency (leaves curl down)
PROBLEM: Cuttings are not rooting
Calcium deficiency is the result of insufficient
water movement through the plant. Calcium only
travels in the water stream of the plant, not in the
nutrient stream. Therefore, calcium deficiency is
usually related to the climate in the growing area.
High humidity will prevent calcium uptake even if
there is sufficient Ca in the feed solution. Also, large
humidity fluctuations between day and night will
disrupt the Ca flow within the plant and lead to
blossom-end rot (BER).
•
Diagnosis: Your tap water has too much
chloramine (plant toxin). Chloramines are used
by a number of water treatment plants and
therefore also frequently found in tap water.
Chloramines kills beneficial bacteria in the root
zone. But more importantly, chloramines are
very dangerous for plant growth and will spread
toxicity to the plants very easily.
•
Solution: Use a carbon filter on your tap water
before using on the plants. Feeding with
chloramines is just as dangerous with flood
water as it is with drip irrigation. A carbon
filter will definitely solve any issues. There are
shower heads available that also removes the
chloramines. Alternatively, use bottled water for
your cuttings/seedlings.
PROBLEM: Seeds sprouted but turned brownish
Ca deficiency in leaves
Ca deficiency in fruit
•
Diagnosis 1: If the youngest leaves curl
downward, often it indicates a calcium
deficiency. If old leaves are curled; something
is probably wrong in the root zone (which also
reduces the calcium uptake).
•
Solution: Lower the humidity in your grow
room. Add fans to improve air circulation
•
Diagnosis 2: Another cause of BER or obvious
Ca deficiency in the leaves is due to poor root
development. This is a result of (A) low substrate
temperatures or (B) the presence of a root
pathogen such as Pythium or Phytophthora.
Calcium is taken up by the area of the root
immediately behind the root-tip. If the roots are
not actively growing, new root tips will not form
and consequently, Ca uptake will be reduced.
•
Solution A: For low substrate temperature,
increase reservoir temperature to about 68 F
(20 C). If outside, set a heat mat to the same
temperature and place it under the slab.
•
Solution B: Pythium becomes a problem if the
slabs are kept too wet at night. Stop irrigation
in good time so that the slab water content can
lower to about 55% before the lights turn off.
•
Diagnosis: If you used the right water (see
above) then this is most likely pythium (http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythium) which causes
Damping Off (root rot). Pythium can kill
seedlings overnight. It is a fungus that is found
naturally in many soils (and peat). In wet, warm,
stagnant water conditions - it will cause damage
to seedlings trying to grow in Grodan.
•
Solution: If you have a persistent problem
with Pythium; add a fungicide (only use 10% of
recommended strength) to your water.
WWW.GRODAN101.COM
successful growing
SUCCESSFUL GROWING
PROBLEM: Mildew (two main types)
PROBLEM: Algae growth
There are two main types of plant mildew; powdery,
and downy. It is important to know the difference.
Any time there is a light colored surface moist with
nutrients and water, there will be algae growth.
Algae are not harmful to the plant, but excess
amounts of algae (especially dead “black” algae can
attract fungus gnats. For this reason, it is best to
minimize algae growth. Extreme algae growth can
cause nutrient solution from the drip emitters to run
off the GRO-BLOCK, instead soaking into it.
•
Powdery mildew: notice white ‘spots’ on the top
surface of the leaves.
•
Downy mildew: notice yellow wilted spots on
the top side of the leaves, but this kind actually
lives under the leaf.
•
Diagnosis: When there is excess amounts of
algae growing on the top of the block, fungus
gnats and shore flies lay their eggs in the algae
and the larvae that hatch will feed on the algae.
When the population of the fungus gnats get
very high the larvae can even attack the roots
and can cause a secondary infection of Pythium
(root rot). On the other hand, shore flies will not
feed on the root but will leave their feces all over
the plants/fruit.
•
Solution: CUBECAP® plastic covers works great
to almost eliminate algae. They will keep will
keep the temperature of the bock higher in hot
weather due to lower evaporation so be sure
to keep your reservoir at no more than 70 F (21
C). Too high temperature can cause bacterial
infection. If you are running into problems with
bacterial infection; Once the blocks have rooted
well into the slabs or potting mix– move the
drip tube down beside the block. The drier top
will help avoid bacterial infection.
Mildew can be very difficult to kill. Even if you
clean your room meticulously, your next crop is still
susceptible because spores float through the air and
can land on new plants to infect them as well.
•
•
Solution - Step 1: Remove your old plants.
Then, leave the room undisturbed for 24 hours
(so the spores settle on the surfaces). Now go in
and spray the whole room with a pesticides for
Mildew. Finally, use a 10% bleach solution and
wipe down/clean the area thoroughly.
Solution - Step 2: For your daily maintenance,
check all plants for any sign of mildew. If you
notice any, immediately spray both the infected
plant and its closest neighbors. Spray on top of
the leaf for Powdery Mildew and spray under
the leaf for Downy Mildew.
PROBLEM: Stunted plant growth
Unhealthy plants exhibit stunted growth as a result
of a weakened root system.
•
Diagnosis: Temperature of reservoir measured
79 F (26 C). A temperature this hot weakens
the roots making them susceptible to all fungi &
diseases – and can cause devastating problems.
Typically reservoir water should be a few
degrees colder than the maximum above – so
18-23 ( 65-73 F) because the water typically
heats up some once it enters the slab or block.
•
Solution: maintain a temperature inside
rockwool between 59-70 F. (The ideal is 65-70
F (18 C -21 C) Any lower than 59 F and it can
stunt plant growth.
High humidity increases mildew problems. So
always have fans blowing to provide decent air
circulation throughout the entire room.
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SUCCESSFUL GROWING
the product catalog
get to know grodan
products explained
pricing information
grow your business
PROBLEM: Abnormal or irregular leaves
Tomato spotted Wilt Virus
Upward-curling leaves
Bubbling leaves
•
•
Diagnosis: If the temperature is too low, leaves
will display a slight bubbling rather than curling.
•
Solution: For most plants, try to maintain an
environment temperature between 65-70 F (18 C - 21 C).
•
Diagnosis: This could be as a result of too
much light on the plant. Leaves will curl up to
protect themselves if light is too strong or lasts
too long.
Solution: Raise the grow light up 6-8 inches.
If outdoors, use a shading cloth between the
hours of 10 am - 2 pm when the light intensity
is strongest.
brittle, discolored leaves
•
Diagnosis: Brittle, discolored leaves could
be caused by Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus,
transmitted by thrips. Normally, this is only a
problem if you are in close proximity to other
growers or if you are growing outside.
•
Solution: Thrips are fairly easy to kill and many
remedies are available. However, preventative
care is best. Spray plants from day one with
something like an organic insecticide (soap).
Typically, thrips can be managed effectively and
safely by spraying 1-3 times per week.
Wilted top edge of leaves
•
•
Diagnosis: When top leaf edge is wilted,
typically it is a result of too rapid change in the
morning. Your room might be warm when the
light goes on—but the plant is still cold.
Solution: Start your heaters about 1 hour
before your light comes on.
PROBLEM: Soft bodied pests (like aphids)
•
Diagnosis: Noticeable unfamiliar, soft-bodied
pests found on plants.
•
Solution: When you have problems with softbodied pests, here’s an inexpensive remedy.
Add 5 grams of baking soda to a liter of solution
and spray with that. You can repeat this
procedure for up to 3 treatments - but not more
as it could damage the plant. Drain to waste
with each treatment. The baking soda dries out
bugs (like aphids), killing them.
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successful growing

successful growing - Gardening with GRODAN

Transcription

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