It is important that your plants are properly propagated to ensure that you are introducing healthy and vigorous plants to your indoor hydroponic grow room.  People are usually over anxious in getting their cuttings, or clones, into the hydroponic grow room.  Just because there are signs of root growth from your young plants it doesn’t mean that it is time to move them along to their next step.  A properly propagated plant with a highly developed root system will be extremely beneficial to the outcome of your crops.

The first stage of propagation is preparing your rockwool.  Your rockwool should be soaked in a low strength ‘grow’ nutrient or in a young plant nutrient.  This will balance the alkalinity and preload the medium with nutrients.  After you allow the rockwool to soak for 12-24 hours, it is important to allow them to fully drain.  The next process is called “hardening off”, this allow the plants to become accustomed to their future growing environment.  You do this by gradually opening the propagators’ vent over a couple of days.  During the propagation stage it is important to water your plants with care.  Your propagation blocks should never be watered on a daily basis, as it is important not to over or under water your young plants.   The next step, which is the most important step to the propagation process, this is air pruning.

Air pruning is a technique that stops root growth from extending out of the rockwool.   Basically, when the roots begin to grow the will grow all the way to the bottom.  As they reach the end of the rockwool they will dieback and begin to produce secondary roots. These secondary roots will in turn do the same thing as they reach the limits of the rockwool creating a well-developed root system.  Plants that are air pruned will take longer to propagate but will pay off in the long run.

Source: UrbanGardenMagazine.com

Article by, Brett McCormick, co-founder of Good Green Builders.  Good Green Builders is a hydroponic grow room contractor in Oakland, Ca.  For a free consultation call today, (415) 246-8055.