So this leads us to the question: What’s the best way to take cuttings? Enter the aeroponic cloning machine! This units aims to provide the optimal environment for your cuttings in order for them to develop roots of their own. So here’s our guide to taking aeroponic cuttings and how to give your babies the ultimate in pampering!

First let’s get some basic concepts out of the way. The whole reason you want to take cuttings in the first place is because you’ve gotten hold of something really good and you want to preserve the genetics exactly. Yes, seeds are Mother Nature’s common way of perpetuating life on this planet, but even two seeds from the same pod or packet can produce very different plants. That’s because there’s always an element of genetic randomness in gene expression. If things didn’t change from generation to generation, nothing would evolve, so it’s all good in the hood! However, sometimes we don’t want things to change. Maybe we’ve happened upon a tomato phenotype that produces prolific amounts of sweet, cherry-like fruits, bursting with unusual amounts of sweetness and flavor. Perhaps it’s the only tomato your kids will touch? Or it might be the color of fruits and flowers that floats their boat. In any case, we’re going to assume you’ve already a plant that you wish to perpetuate.

You Love Your Mother, Don’t You?

Your mother (or donor) plant is a sacred thing. Look after her! Arguably, her health represents the health of your entire garden. If your mother plant is just “doing okay” legging up in the corner of your indoor garden then it stands to reason that all cuttings taken from her will just “do okay” too—in short, they will inherit her state of health and vigor. No amount of cloning gel and aftercare is going to erase a history of neglect.

The aim of the game with mother plants is to keep them in a perpetual state of growth. (You don’t want your mother plant to flower!) The easiest way to do this for many annual plants is to ensure that irrigation cycles are regular and your lights are kept on for 15–18 hours a day. Basically you ‘trick’ your plant into believing it’s in a perpetual summer! Ask your grow store for a T5 (6500K) fluorescent fixture or a 250–400W metal halide HID grow light. Both these lights have a great spectrum (high in blue light) which encourages lots of vegetative growth.

Ideally your mother plant should be grown in an ample-sized container (at least four gallons) or, for the ultimate in Mother-love, in its own dedicated hydroponic unit. The Waterfarm by General Hydroponics is a very popular choice for maintaining a mother plant as it encourages prodigious levels of growth with very little maintenance. It’s essentially a two-gallon grow chamber sitting on top of an integral four-gallon reservoir. The grow chamber is usually filled with well-washed clay balls, and a small pump drip irrigates constantly when the lights are on. (Some growers wait until 30–60 minutes after the lights come on before commencing irrigation.) If you are using any type of dripper feed system for an extended period, make sure you regularly check for salt build-up around the drippers. Take a close look at each hole and verify that all the dripper points are actually dripping when they should be! Some growers use a small drill bit to increase the size of the holes in the dripper ring whereas others prefer to flush periodically with plain water or a low EC nutrient solution. Always use a grow formula for your nutrients but don’t over-do it (keep your mother plant as small as possible)—excessive levels of nitrogen can inhibit root development in cuttings.

Keep your mother well trained. Make sure she is regularly pruned to maintain a manageable size. As you take more and more cuttings from your mother plant, you will notice that she becomes increasingly bushy. If she becomes too bushy, start a new mother plant with a fresh cutting. Most growers tend to replace their mother plants every six months or so.

Taking cuttings is an easy concept to grasp. You’re effectively cutting off part of a plant, adapting the environment to enable it to survive without a root system, and then encouraging it to form roots of its own. Hey presto, you have another plant! A cutting is a 100% genetic copy of the mother plant, so it’s a great way of ensuring consistency from crop to crop.

Just for the record, let’s go through the (very simple) process of taking a cutting. We’ll keep things brief as, no doubt, most of you know the drill. It’s not so much the actual taking of the cutting we wish to focus on, it’s looking after them afterwards! Anyway, here we go:

How To Take a Cutting

Stem cuttings are by far the most common type of cutting that gardeners take. It involves removing some stem from a plant that contains a healthy growth tip. We’re using tomatoes for this example but this method applies to nearly all soft-wood plants.

Step 1 – Take a clean scalpel or a very sharp knife and remove a healthy looking branch from your mother plant. The sharper the blade, the cleaner the cut and the less tissue damage around it—meaning less chance of disease.

Step 2 – Remove any excess stem. Many grow guides will tell you to take a cutting at a 45 degree angle, to increase the surface area of the exposed cutting to rooting stimulators. At risk of being contentious, this really is not necessary! I actually prefer to take a ’squarer cut’ because the cut part of the stem is less susceptible to damage.

Step 3 – The more foliage on your cuttings, the more ‘life’ it has to support. It makes sense, therefore, to remove any excessive foliage. Yes, some leaves need to remain but you’re really after small, manageable cuttings that aren’t going to crowd out your propagator or cloning machine. Trim the tips of larger leaves so that the cutting is no larger than the space it is going to be given in your cloning machine. Less foliage on your cuttings makes life easier because there are fewer leaves for the cutting to support through this acutely stressful period in its life! Just as importantly, small cuttings don’t overlap each other so much, which significantly reduces the risk of mold.

Step 4 – Your cutting should look something like this. Most growers aim for cuttings between three and five inches from top to bottom. The next step is to dip your cutting into some rooting stimulator. Though not essential, rooting times will be shorter, decreasing the chance of mold or stem rot. Several compounds can be used to promote the formation of roots. They work by signaling the activity of plant hormone auxins. Among the commonly used chemicals is indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) used as a powder, liquid solution or gel. There are also cloning products on the market that use only natural ingredients. Whichever route you take (pun intended, sorry), don’t dip your cutting straight into the jar the product came in as this can lead to contamination and a far less effective product. Instead, pour a small amount into a shot glass and dip into that instead. Clean the shot glass and your blade regularly, particularly if taking cuttings from more than one mother plant. You don’t want to be transferring viruses between plants!

Okay, so now you have a freshly-taken, foliage-trimmed cutting, that’s been dipped into rooting gel or powder. It’s time to fire up your cloning machine! A timely word of advice: it’s important not to dawdle when taking cuttings! Remember, every second counts. After all, if you leave a cutting on your kitchen table, it will dehydrate and be well on the way to dying in a matter of minutes. So the sooner you can get your cutting into a propagator or cloning machine, the better. Preparation is key, especially if you are taking lots of cuttings.

Aeroponic Cuttings – Pros and Cons

Pros

1) Quicker, more vigorous rooting
2) Cleaner, so less chance of disease
3) Less maintenance
4) Reduced risk of drying out or wet / dry stress
5) No need to purchase or prepare growth media.
6) More flexibility when you choose to use your cuttings.
7) Larger cuttings can be more readily supported in aeroponic cloning machines.
Aeroponic cuttings tend to be a little hardier as they haven’t rooted inside a propagation dome.

Cons

1) Extra care needs to be taken when transferring to loose fill media.
2) Aeroponic cuttings are more sensitive to changes / extremes in temperature.
3) Increased start-up costs—unless you fashion your own machine!
4) Risk of power-cuts! A few hours of no misting can damage or kill your clones. Consider using a UPS battery back-up if power cuts are common in your area.
5) Pumps (or: The pump) and misters can be a little on the noisy side. Nothing too severe, but you wouldn’t want them in your bedroom.

Aeroponic Cloning

Fresh tomato cuttings inserted into a cloning machine. Foam disks hold the cutting firmly but gently in place.

An aeroponic cloning machine allows you to root your cuttings without the expense of buying media or the time necessary to prepare it. Typically, a submerged pump drives nutrient solution into low pressure misters. Amazingly, no humidity dome is required because the cuttings are still able to uptake any moisture they need directly from the mist. As with all equipment you use for taking cuttings, make sure your cloning machine is kept clean! Fill the machine to the indicated level with water that is at 65–68°F (18–20°C).

This low pressure mister attaches directly onto a submersible pump, creating an even mist for the cuttings. Be sure to install it so the misters point upwards.

There’s no need to add any nutrients because your cuttings don’t have roots yet! Saying this, some growers still prefer to add some hydroponic nutrients at this stage, so that as soon as the cuttings develop roots of their own, they have some immediate food available.  Hydroponic nutrients are preferable over organic nutrients as they can be immediately assimilated by your cuttings and they don’t foul up your “res.” Many growers use a very dilute version of their standard ‘bloom formulation’ because the phosphorus encourages further root development. Others prefer to use a specialist product for young plants so that the ratios of micro and macro elements are kept in balance. If you add nutrients, adjust to pH 6.0–6.3 with dilute phosphoric acid and shoot for an EC of between 0.4 and 0.6.

Room Environment

As mentioned earlier, aeroponic cloning machines don’t need humidity domes. This means it’s absolutely crucial to have your room’s environment dialed in. Your cuttings will be happiest when located in a room kept around a steady 70°F (21°C.) Try to keep room temperatures below 75°F (24°C) as excess heat just adds transpirational stress, and more stress is the last thing your cuttings want! Aim to keep the nutrient solution at 68°F (20°C); any warmer will decrease levels of dissolved oxygen in your nutrients and increase the likelihood of pathogens and stem / root rot. If your room (or nutrient solution) is too cold this will slow metabolism, shock your cuttings and inhibit that all important root development. The submerged pump will heat the nutrient solution slightly so you definitely need to keep an eye on nutrient solution temperatures. Use a nutrient thermometer to keep on top of things. If you find that the pump is warming up your nutrient solution excessively, try relocating your cloning machine on to a stone floor, lower ambient temperatures in your room if you can, or run the pump on a timer, five minutes on, five minutes off, rather than letting it run constantly. Relative humidity levels should be at least 65%. If the relative humidity in your room is less than this, you should consider misting or using a propagation dome to help increase the relative humidity directly around your cuttings.

Light Levels

Cuttings don’t require much light; in fact, high light levels are to be avoided. Remember, you want your cuttings to concentrate their energy on creating roots, not coping with an intense growing environment—that will come in time! A pair of two-foot, 55 watt, T5 fluorescent tubes hung five to eight inches away is more than enough to keep 30 or 40 cuttings very happy. Other growers will simply relegate their cloning machine to the corner of the veg chamber so that it is in the diffused light of their metal halide grow lamps. Just be sure the lights are not too intense and keep them on for 18 hours a day. Some growers prefer a 24-hour lights on approach as it makes temperatures easier to regulate, but all plants benefit from a little time out. There’s no need to overwork them! Make sure temperatures do not drop too low during the lights out period. Use a Min/Max thermometer and a thermostatically controlled heater if required, but don’t blow warm air directly on to your cuttings … ever! This will dry them out and cause them untold stress.

Insert each cutting into the center of the foam discs supplied with your cloning machine so that at least two inches of stem dangles in the misting chamber below the lid. Remember, there should not be any leaves in the misting chamber—just bare stem.

Day 1 – Settling In

Day 1 – Freshly inserted cuttings viewed as they are seen from the misting chamber.

Don’t be concerned if your cuttings wilt a little immediately after insertion into your cloning machine. They should perk up within an hour and return to looking pert. If they continue to appear limp you should try applying a very light spray with water or a dilute foliar solution with a wetting agent to help the moisture cling to the leaves. Amazingly no humidity dome is required when using aeroponic cloning machines as the cuttings are still able to uptake moisture from the misting chamber—even without roots! Your cuttings will thrive in a well ventilated but not drafty space. The last thing you want is a fan blowing on them. You shouldn’t have to do anything for the first few days—just keep an eye out for any wilting. If any cuttings don’t look happy, it’s not too late to replace them.

Day 3 – Roots start to develop

Day 3 – Cuttings start developing root calluses.

Cuttings tend to root faster in aeroponic cloning machines. It won’t be long until you see the beginning of root development. Typically this starts with the formation of small white calluses on the stem. Keep an especially watchful eye over your cuttings during the next few days. Roots should be bright white. If you observe brown or discolored roots, this could be a sign that your nutrient solution is too warm. If you haven’t done so already, it’s definitely a good idea to add some mineral nutrition to your cloning machine’s reservoir at this point as your cuttings can certainly derive benefit from it. Some growers change out the res at this stage.

Day 7 – Root Explosion!

Just 7 days after being taken, these cuttings are already bursting with root development.

With such prolific root development, it’s tempting to think the job is done, but it pays to be a little more patient before removing your cuttings from the cloning machine. This is just the ‘first generation’ of roots.

Day 8 – Secondary roots begin to develop

Day 8 – We can see the first signs of secondary root development.

As secondary roots begin to emerge, we are fast approaching the time when the cuttings will leave the cloning machine and begin life as young plants!

Day 10 / 11 – Ready and Raring to Go!

The cuttings are ready!

Lots of secondary root development and root hairs too. They are ready for transplanting.

The emergence of more secondary roots and root hairs is a sure sign that your cuttings are developed enough to handle life outside of the cloning machine. If you’re not quite ready though, don’t worry; the cuttings will be quite happy to bathe in their nutrient mist for days, even weeks if required! Just be sure to change out the nutrients once a week and keep an eye on pH levels. If roots become very long you can always trim them —they won’t mind!

Transplanting

A net pot is an ideal next stage for an aeroponic cutting. This gives you a chance to establish your cutting in the growth media of your choice. One common question about aeroponic clones is how to handle transplanting them into a pot of loose-fill media or hydroponic system. For instance, there is a common myth that aeroponic clones don’t do well in soil or coco coir. This is simply not the case; you just need to take care. Ensure your chosen media is at room temperature and fairly moist. Also, remember roots hate light, so be kind to your cuttings and transplant them away from bright lights. Partially fill the pot with media, make a hole just big enough to insert the rooted cutting, and gently back fill around it so all the roots are covered and your cutting is well supported. They will need a few days to adjust, so don’t go whacking them straight under your 1000W metal halides just yet. Ease them in gently under a 6500K T5 fluorescent or a 250W metal halide. Some growers foliar spray with sea kelp products which help to reduce stress levels. Other growers use a Victorian Bell Cloche to increase humidity levels for the first few days as the cuttings settle in.

PHOTO CREDITS: OUR BELOVED GRUBBYCUP

AEROPONIC CLONING FAQ

Here are some of the most common questions about aeroponic cloning:

1) What kind of water should be used initially to fill the res? Is regular tap ok? Or should I use distilled? Any need to pH adjust the water initially?

Regular tap water is typically fine in most major areas. It’s what I always recommend trying first. Distilled water should NOT be used, as it is so stripped of any type of mineral content that it pulls important minerals from the plant tissue hindering the initiation of root development. I often recommend users run their system without cuttings in it for the first 24 hours if they have the time. This allows them to check what their temps will be and allows some time for pH stabilization. Water should be pH adjusted after any types of solutions are added and adjusted again after cuttings have been inserted. Fill the cloning machine as high as you can so that the water level is just below the misters. The more water that is in the res, the more stable the pH and temperature.

2) Do you recommend adding anything to the water?
Yes. Use a rooting stimulator – check the label but 1 teaspoon per gallon is a general guide. Also, consider adding a silica product – this will assist in building strong cell walls and protect against bacteria etc.

3) What about adding some mineral nutrition? Should growers wait until they see roots developing? How much? And what sort of strength / pH?

I typically add nutrients only after roots have gotten between 3-4 inches in length. It’s the grower’s preference whether they go mineral (hydroponic) or organic, however I find regular hydroponic nutrients usually keeps the reservoir cleaner. I usually stay between 400-500 ppm for new clones after root development. pH between 5.8-6.3. I prefer 5.8.  I’ve also noticed that even without additives of any kind, the pH of tap water will have a tendency to rise over the course of 24-48 hours. To compensate for this, I adjust my initial pH down to approximately 5.2 because I know the pH will slowly rise somewhere close to between 5.8 and 6.3. This is an acceptable range for getting quality results. I keep the closest eye on my pH during the first 24-48 hrs. If the pH needs to be adjusted again later on, do so, but it usually stables out after the first couple adjustments. If you are not sure if you’ve got an accurate pH reading, I highly recommend getting a quality digital pH meter.

4) Veg or bloom nutrients?  Something with phosphorus (for rooting) and nitrogen?  If using GH 3-part for instance, what ratios would you use?

As long as I’m taking cuttings from a healthy Mother plant, I don’t use nutes for cloning. A cutting is developing roots because it’s searching for food. If you try to feed something that doesn’t have a mouth yet, you’re defeating the purpose. Cuttings root perfectly fine with some IBA’s and Vitamin B-1.

5) Any additives?  Either in the res or foliar?

This is a tricky topic because there are so many different additives on the market. I can’t recommend just one. We are introducing a brand new product to the market right now called EZ-CLONE Clear Rez that is designed to keep all of the internal workings of your cloner free from pathogens and promotes prolific white root growth. We’ve been testing it for over a year. It’s amazing…

6) Can you explain how root-less cuttings are still able to uptake water, with no need for humidity dome?  We’ve seen it with our own eyes, just wondered if there’s a scientific explanation.

The plant tissue still absorbs a sufficient amount of moisture for the cutting to sustain itself upright. Roots develop because the cuttings are searching for food. Humidity domes are NOT necessary with aeroponic cloners. In fact, I suspect domes help to promote airborne bacterias such as powdery mildew and prevent the cutting from transpiring naturally.

7) What are the general signs that a cutting is ready to leave the machine?

It depends what medium you’re transplanting into. I prefer to let the roots get 6-8 inches in length before transplanting into soil, coco, hydroton clay rocks, or other aeroponic systems.
The longer the roots, the better chance of your cutting surviving after its been transplanted.

Any danger signs to look out for? If root tips are slightly off color, is that okay, or a bad sign? When are nutrient temperatures definitely too high?

When res temps get above 80 degrees, cuttings are more prone to pathogens and bad bacteria. Slightly off color can be ok. If you start getting greyish/brown slime cover the bottom of your cuttings, it’s time to take precautionary measures.

9) Any general tips for transplanting aeroponic cuttings into media?

The longer the roots, the better. It’s always ok to cut excessive root growth off with sterile scissors if you’re trying to transplant a cutting into a rockwool cube or other similar medium. Most people don’t understand that this will NOT kill the cutting. Just make sure scissors are clean and always be delicate when transplanting.

10) Have you heard of growers using cloches / domes to reduce transplant stress?
Only when cuttings come from cloning methods where domes were used. When they’re cloned without domes, they transplant into domeless mediums MUCH easier.

11) Any other golden rules / tips / tricks?
We’ve kept our water temp coolest and actually saw slightly better results when putting the pump on a half hour on/ half hour off timer…a little new found info.

12) Is it necessary to change out the reservoir during one cloning cycle?
No, if everything is in proper working order, you should be able to continue using the same water for 4-6 weeks.

Everest Fernandez

Seedballs: a little clay, some high grade soil, and some native seeds.

I happened to have a little leftover premium potting mix. Not much, but enough to do a little something with, and I had just the something in mind.

Seedballs or, more specifically, my take on them.

The concept is pretty simple: a combination of clay and rich soil is used to help seeds introduced into a less than ideal environment take hold.

The prepared pellets are placed in the desired location.

Rain soaks the seedballs enough to sprout the seeds, which receive additional benefit from sprouting in the soil-clay mixture. If you can make mud pies, you can make seedballs.

5 Parts dry clay (hobby shop, health food store, art supply store, etc.)
3 Parts premium soil-compost-worm casting mixture (Just Right Xtra is my current favorite).
2-3 Parts water, based on mixture consistency. Just enough to form balls with.
1 Part seeds native to your area. Dry powdered clay is harder to find, but easier to work with. (above) Mix well, adding just enough water to form a dry dough. For seeds, pretty native wildflowers are great choices. Whatever seeds you select, keep in mind that you are responsible for their start, so only use plants that would be good to have more of in your area.

I’m using California Poppies. (Left)

They are native to my area, they are my state’s flower, and they are very pretty.

Besides, I’ve had good luck with them in the past. Fold in the seeds, and gently knead to mix. Roll into balls, and let dry for a couple days.

To use, toss on the ground at a suitable location.

Then, gentle reader, just walk away.

Peace, love and puka shells,

Grubbycup ]]> http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/04/guerrilla-garden-seedball-seed-bomb/feed/ 2 http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/04/hydroponic-cucumber-grow-diary-nft/ http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/04/hydroponic-cucumber-grow-diary-nft/#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2010 22:15:37 +0000 Urban Garden Magazine http://urbangardenmagazine.com/?p=4416 Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems are used widely by both commercial growers and hobbyists worldwide. They are renowned for being low maintenance and producing fast growth. By following some basic principles, anyone can achieve superlative results using NFT systems. Following on our introduction to NFT Gro-Tanks in Issue 9, Gareth Hopcroft takes us through how to set up and maintain this popular hobby system. After all, a picture of a cucumber-laden vine is worth a thousand words!

The basics – What is NFT?

NFT stands for Nutrient Film Technique. With this hydroponic system, plants grow in a purpose-built sloping channel with a fall of 1:40–1:50. Nutrient solution is pumped from a reservoir onto the channel where it passes over the plants’ roots and finally returns back to the reservoir. The roots on the channel develop to form a mat, which is partially in the shallow film of re-circulated nutrient solution, and partially above it. Utilizing this technique, the root mat growing in the nutrient film is supplied with essential water and nutrients, and the root mat above the film remain sufficiently moist with an abundance of oxygen.

The NFT system was developed between the 1960s and ’70s by Dr. Allen Cooper at the Glasshouse Crops Institute in the UK. In the early days, the growing channels were made in concrete floors. Today, growing channels are made from plastic and are often referred to as “trays” or “gullies.”

Why choose NFT?

Other than supplying your plants with the ideal root environment, NFT systems are incredibly efficient and environmentally friendly. The nutrient solution is recirculated for long periods: in some commercial applications, for many months. This continual recycling of the solution makes the most out of the water and nutrients you’re supplying. NFT systems also use very little growing media: just the small amount of substrate the plant is propagated in. This means that after each crop all you have to dispose of is a mat of roots, which easily biodegrades.

NFT Gro-Tanks

The system I will be demonstrating is called a Gro-Tank and is manufactured in the UK by Nutriculture.

The Gro-Tank is great for small-scale production as it has a wide top tray for the roots to grow on, with the reservoir directly beneath it spanning its whole length. A small submersible pump in the reservoir delivers nutrient solution to the tray above, which flows down the tray and back into the reservoir. This compact, self-contained design eliminates the need for lots of pipe work and is very low to the floor, making best use of the height available for tall/vining plants.

I have used the Gro-Tanks for many types of crops, including lettuce, basil, watercress, coriander, parsley, rocket, chard, chives, tomatoes, peppers, chillies, strawberries, cantaloupe melons, cape gooseberries, and many more. The diary below shows one of my NFT grows with cucumbers. I hope you enjoy…

Equipment

1 x heated greenhouse
1 x heated propagator
5 x starter plugs
5 x 4” rockwool blocks
1 x 604 Nutriculture Gro-Tank: 5ft x 1.5ft (153cm x 49cm) tray with 16 gallon (60L) reservior
1 x submersible adjustable pump
1 x submersible water heater
Spreader mat (capillary matting)
4 x roller hooks (plant supports)
Vine clips
Liquid nutrients and growth supplements

January 18th – Germination

I’m growing a cucumber variety called Carmen, which is an all-female F1 hybrid variety. The majority of cucumber varieties produce both male and female flowers; all we are interested in are the female flowers, as these develop cucumber fruit. This all-female (parthenocarpic) variety will develop a seedless fruit without the need for pollination. I found Carmen great last year for greenhouse growing as you don’t have to pick male flowers off and it produces large, full fruits.

I planted the seeds in starter plugs pre-soaked with a low-strength nutrient solution (EC 1.2) designed for seedlings and cuttings, and a liquid beneficial microbe additive. These were placed in a heated propagator and germination was fast!

Shown here is one cucumber seedling 8 days after planting. At this point they were transplanted into 4” rockwool blocks.

January 31st – Propagation

Considering it’s been 21 days since I planted the seeds, I’m happy with the way they’re progressing. They are now being watered with nutrient solution (EC 1.4, pH 5.8) every 2-3 days. The roots are doing really well and can be seen on the top of the block.

Without the block covers, algae would be taking over and the roots would not be growing so well on the surface. The natural light entering the greenhouse is being supplemented with 220W fluorescent strip lights. These plants should be ready for their NFT system in about 1 week.

February 4th – Growing on

The plants now need nutrient solution every day and the roots are clearly visible all over the bottom of the block. I also have increased the EC to 1.6. They will need to be planted in the next few days.

February 5th – Setting up

These cucumber plants are now 26 days old and are ready to go onto their final system, which will be an NFT Gro-Tank.

The most important thing about getting plants ready for NFT systems is to ensure they are well-established and have a mass of healthy white roots. Without this mass of roots inside the rockwool block, the plant will not be able to cope with the continuous irrigation of the NFT system. These plants have been propagated using an air pruning technique (see “Power Propagation” UGM0005) to ensure the rockwool block is packed full of roots.

This is the Gro-tank I will be using (below). It is called a 604. Nutriculture, which makes the system, also makes 5 other size variations to suit any grow area. The top tray is where the plants are placed and the reservoir underneath stores 16 gallons (60L) of nutrient solution.

The Gro-Tank has one delivery tube where the nutrient solution is pumped onto the tray using a small submersible pump with an adjustable output:

To ensure an even distribution of nutrient solution on the tray, I use capillary matting, aka “spreader mat.” The system manufacturers recommend using spreader mat and supply it with the system. One layer is enough. After laying it out, I fill the reservoir with water that has been standing in a storage tank for a few days: this allows some chlorine to be evaporated and, more importantly, allows the temperature to rise. Tap water in February in the North of England usually comes out ice cold and will seriously stress plants if used.

Once the tank is filled I turned the pump on and slow the output down so the solution lands in the middle of the first diamond. This provides a flow rate of approximately 1 quart (1L) per minute. Recommended flow rate for NFT systems can be anywhere between 13.5oz to 2 quarts (400ml to 2L) per minute. Determining flow rate in NFT systems usually depends on channel length; if you have very long channel lengths you will need larger flow rates. You could probably write a thesis on other variables that will determine the required flow rate for NFT, but I find that as long as nutrient solution flows as a shallow film and does not “puddle,” the plants grow well.

After a few minutes of the pump running, the spreader mat wets throughout the tray. I always run the pump and observe the way the water is flowing down the tray. I have found from experience that if the Gro-Tank is not placed on a level floor then some areas of the tray will develop puddles and other parts will remain dry. Leveling out the tank with thin pieces of plywood usually sorts out an uneven floor. Luckily, the floor is fine and I’m happy to “go with the flow.”

Now that I know the flow down the tray is perfect, I cut out the planting holes in the corriboard cover. Corriboard is twin-walled, semi-rigid plastic sheeting. It prevents any light from reaching the roots and can help provide a bit of support for the plants. I’m planting 4 plants in the Gro-Tank, so I cut the holes accordingly.

Providing support for large plants is very important. To support my cucumber plants I use roller hooks, which are a spool of string on a wheel attached to a support hook. The vines are trained up the string with the help of plastic vine clips. When they grow tall enough to reach the wheel, string is let out, which lowers the vine. This support hook is then moved along so the excess vine at the bottom rests on the corriboard. Using this technique, one of my cucumber plants last year was 49 feet (15m) long!

Another popular way to support plants on NFT systems is using netting, which is stretched out horizontally on a frame above the plants so that when they grow into it they are supported by the net.

Before planting onto the tray I remove the plastic wrapper from around the block. When I was learning how to grow using NFT systems I was told by a more experience grower at the time to “leave the wrapper on, otherwise the block will fall apart.” After a few crops I decided to experiment so I slid the wrapper up the block exposing the bottom third. This helped with initial establishment and root growth from the block, which I believed was a factor in achieving a more successful crop. The next crop I decided to risk it and remove the wrapper completely and, instead of the block falling apart, I got quicker establishment and a much better root mat. The block lasted the whole season, staying completely intact. Not surprisingly, I don’t follow this grower’s advice anymore.

Once the roller hooks are in place, I tie the string around the rockwool blocks and place them into position:

The positioning of the blocks on the tray is fairly important: I find staggering the plants works best. This allows the nutrient solution to flow uninterrupted through the mid-section of the tray, which helps once the root mat has built up. I also find that positioning the blocks so that the solution can flow through the grooves on the bottom of the block helps with establishment.

Then I place the corriboard and black and white sheeting back on the tray and lower the plants into their pre-cut holes. I cut the black and white with an X so the folds can be repositioned over the top of the block to cover it and prevent algae growth.

Now that the plants are in their system, I add a “grow” nutrient to the water in the reservoir at an EC of 1.6 and a pH of 5.8. I also add a strong dose of beneficial microbes to the mix to aid with root growth and disease prevention.

I put a submersible water heater in the tank and set the thermostat to 64°F (18°C). I also plugged in the pump, which I will now leave alone to run 24/7. Some growers plug their NFT pumps into a segmental or interval timer. This “pulse feeding” is not the strategy Dr. Allen Cooper conceived when he developed NFT, but some people growing plants with more sensitive root systems or who use large propagation blocks find it helps. It’s very important when implementing pulse feeding that the root mat never approaches a dry state. I have contacted Nutriculture about pulse feeding, and they only recommend that the pump is run 24/7.

These cucumber plants should settle in and start growing vigorously in the next few days. Hopefully I should be picking my first fruits in no time.

February 14th – Vegetative Progress

In 11 days these cucumbers on the NFT Gro-Tank have more than doubled in height and they are establishing well into their system. I have attached them to the string using plastic vine clips, which clip onto the string and hold the vine in place.

I have been routinely checking the nutrient solution pH and EC every 1-2 days. The pH was rising by 0.2 points every 2-3 days. As the pH reached 6.2-6.4, I added phosphoric acid to bring it back to 5.6-5.8. I like to let the pH drift a bit rather than keeping it within a tight range: as long as it doesn’t go higher than 6.5 or lower than 5.5, I’m not worried.

Usually I find the nutrient strength stays stable or increases slightly as the water level drops, but over the past 11 days the plants have used approximately 4 gallons (15L) of nutrient solution and the EC has dropped to 1.2. This is an indication that the plants are hungry, so I top up the reservoir with water and increase the nutrient strength to an EC of 1.8. Whenever I add anything to the tank I disconnect the delivery tube from the tray and submerse a larger 265 gallons/hour (1000L/hour) pump in the reservoir to mix the solution. Once the nutrient solution is corrected, I reconnect the delivery tube.

I always estimate how much water I add back to the tank and take a mental note. Once I know I’ve added back roughly the same volume as the tank holds (16 gallons / 60L) I will consider running the reservoir down to half full, emptying the tank, and refilling it with fresh water and nutrient solution.

Many growers change out the nutrient solution every week, regardless of how much the plants are using. I find this a bit unnecessary and like to base my solution change-outs on how the plants are using it.

The pictures below show how well the roots are extending from the rockwool blocks. Soon there will be a thick mat of roots all over the tray:

February 25th – Flowers and Fruits

It always amazes me how fast plants grow in a productive environment using hydroponic systems, but cucumbers are a whole other ball game. In 11 days they have more than tripled in size and burst into flower. One fruit is already quiet large and will be ready in a few days.

They have also started sending out tendrils and growing side shoots. I remove both but keep a few side shoots for cutting material and put them in my aeroponic propagator.

The greenhouse environment is pretty easy to maintain this time of year. The heating keeps the night-time temperature around 64°F (18°C) and the top vents ensure the day temp does not exceed 77°F (25°C). I have 2 centrifugal humidifiers running to keep the relative humidity between 60-70%.

The plants are now using 1.5-2 gallons (6-8L) of nutrient solution per day and I make sure I top up the reservoir frequently. It’s better to have a full tank as it provides a better buffer for changes in pH and EC. The plants seem happy with the nutrients at 1.8 EC so I’ll leave things be.

One thing I love about NFT is that you don’t have to think about irrigations. The pump is on a slow trickle, and that’s all that matters.

The cucumber fruit develops behind the un-pollinated female flower.

February 27th – Nutrient tweaking

We have had a few warmer, brighter days recently and the plants are loving it. The first large fruit is growing well but is showing signs that I need to tweak the nutrient slightly. You may notice in the picture below that the bottom of the cucumber is slightly more bulbous than the top. The leaves of the plants are also showing a faint yellowing (chlorosis) around the edges. This is a sign that the plant requires more potassium.

To increase the potassium in the solution I add a blooming additive high in potassium and phosphorus at the rate of 1 ml per L. Before adding this I top up the tank with water, add the PK booster, then add more base nutrient to bring it back to 1.8.

You may also notice some loose vermiculite on the tank and floor. I have introduced the predatory insects Phytoseiulus persimilis, which come in a vermiculite carrier. I noticed a small outbreak of spider mite on some peppers on the other side of the greenhouse, so as a precaution I sprayed all the plants in the greenhouse with a natural-contact insecticide that works by suffocation, not chemicals. A few days after spraying, I introduced the predators to clean up any lingering spider mites. I will now introduce a bottle of 2000 Phytoseiulus persimilis every 4 weeks throughout the greenhouse and keep spraying to a minimum.

February 29th – Roots going mad

The roots are really growing well now and starting to develop to form a mat in places. I like to regularly inspect the roots in the NFT system, mainly because you don’t get to do it with other systems!

March 3rd – Plant Training

The plants have now reached the full height of the greenhouse so I let out a small amount of string and lower the vines.

Once I have lowered these a few times I will move the roller hooks clockwise around the Gro-Tank. The stems rest on top of the corriboard. I started using this training technique with my tomatoes and tried it with cucumbers. I find it works pretty well but most commercial growers implement an umbrella training system. I have yet to try it but will get around to it one day.

March 11th – New plants!

The side shoots I took off 2 weeks ago are now rooted plants and are ready for transplanting.

I have to say, aeroponic propagators are great. I have one running continuously in the corner of my greenhouse and just put shoots in and forget about them. 1-2 weeks later you have cuttings. Can’t get any easier.

March 14th – The Bumper Crop

The plants have definitely responded well to the PK booster. The leaves are now dark green all over and the fruits have developed to be large, full and evenly shaped. Some are slightly curved but it adds to the character!

I’ve had 3 cucumbers off the plants so far, but today I picked 6 ripe fruits in one go. From here on out I guarantee I will have so many cucumbers that I will make myself and all my friends sick of the sight of them!

March 26th – Growing on

The cucumbers have been growing well and are now producing ripe fruit at a steady rate of two to three cucumbers every four days. They could try and produce more but I remove developing fruits once there are more than 4 developing on each vine. If there is a high fruit load on the plant, developing fruits will abort. The weather is starting to warm up and the greenhouse is now thriving from the increased day lengths and light intensity. Bring on summer!

Looking Ahead

Recognizing the environmental conditions and adjusting the nutrient solution is part of my ongoing management strategy for recirculating systems. As warmer weather comes along in May and June I will certainly see the EC rising every few days in the reservoir. As this starts to happen I will dilute the EC slightly to around 1.6.to compensate.

Water uptake will certainly go up too so I will have to make sure I regularly top up the reservoir once a day. I also make sure I service my pump every 2 months. This is fairly quick and easy to do and will give me peace of mind that it’s in good working order.

Interested in NFT and want to learn more? If you missed Everest’s introduction to NFT and grower’s tips in UGM0009, check it out here!

We asked Kevin Anderson, a veteran indoor gardener in B.C., Canada, to give us his tips on how to handle transplants the right way.

So, What Exactly Are We Talking About?

Alrighty then. All you gorgeous growers out there will no doubt be familiar with the task of starting lots of seedlings or cuttings in propagators, perhaps in rockwool cubes or small seedling trays filled with growth media. Some of you may use those fancy cloning machines too – all well and good. But, sooner or later, it’s time to move your young, developing plants on to the next stage: a larger pot or a hydro system (e.g. ebb and flood table). This is called ‘transplanting.’

Crowded, leggy tomato plants, begging to be transplanted!

Transplanting is often considered the second most stressful event of a plant’s life, cloning being the first; however, there are many things we can do to minimize or even eliminate this stress.

True – much of the stress caused when transplanting is through delicate roots getting damaged as the plant is removed from its original pot and relocated. However, young plants more commonly suffer because they are placed under high intensity lighting too early. It’s not so much about how delicate your fingers are … it’s more about sudden changes in growing environment.

Before you remove the plant from its existing pot, prepare the new medium and be sure the environment is forgiving (more on this later). If transplanting to an inert medium (one that is devoid of nutrients, e.g. soilless mixes, coco coir, rockwool, and expanded clay pellets) it’s important to pre-load the medium with some nutrition. For cuttings this should be a fairly weak nutrient solution with an EC of 0.8 to 1.2 and for more mature plants 1.5 to 2 depending on species and size of plant.

For peat moss based soilless mediums, simply water until it is saturated with your own fertilizer mix. A good tip is to try adding some seaweed extract, which contains natural plant growth regulators / hormones that help stimulate root growth and reduce transplant shock. Always make sure your water / nutrient solution temperature is 68°F (20°C) to avoid shocking the roots with cold water or depriving them of oxygen with water that is too warm.

For rockwool simply soak the cube or slab as normal with the correct strength solution at a pH of 5.5 – 6.0 and a temperature of 68°F (20°C) for 24 hours, and then drain off the excess nutrient solution.

It All Comes Down To … Timing

For optimal results it’s important to transplant at just the right time. For clones this is when they have been fully hardened off and preferably have plenty of air-pruned roots showing from the cube or pellet. For more mature plants this is when the roots have fully filled the pot or cube but haven’t become root bound. To check if a plant is ready, gently squeeze the edges of the pot so the plant will come out with little effort. If you can see an abundance of roots just starting to creep along the edge of the pot, but they haven’t yet begun to fully circle, you are ready to transplant. If the soil or loose growing media starts to fall apart and there aren’t many visible roots, the plant is telling you that it needs a little longer in its current home before being transplanted.

One step at a time! Make sure not to transplant from a small pot to a very large pot as the medium will stay wet for too long, discouraging the roots from searching out water – this can lead to drowning and dampening off in severe cases. Potting up in stages also helps to produce a dense root mass. As a rough guide for many fast-growing vegetables, freshly rooted cuttings and seedlings will thrive if they are transplanted from a 2” to a 1 gallon sized pot and later into a 2-5 gallon pot. Be careful not to overwater new transplants as this will retard root development.

Here’s an important tip for growers who start off their cuttings / seedlings in rockwool and then move on to a soilless mix: be careful! Why? Because the soilless mix will wick water away from the rockwool and dry the cube out before the roots have ventured into the new soilless medium. You may find that you have to water the newly transplanted clones well before the soilless mix has dried because the cube itself is bone dry and houses most of the clone’s roots.

With a hydroponic medium like rockwool the same basic principles apply. A plant should be placed on a slab or into a larger cube when many roots are beginning to poke out the bottom of the existing cube. You can pull the plastic wrapper aside and check to see if there are plenty of roots showing. Again, you don’t want them to be circling the cube.

You really need to take care when removing the young plant from its original pot or seedling tray. Take your time. Gently squeeze around the root zone to loosen the plant from the pot. If transplanting from a seedling tray, try a gentle pinch at the bottom of the root zone – this pushes the seedling out of the tray easily.

If using loose growth media, place it lovingly into a pre-dug hole and gently backfill the hole and consolidate the media around the plant. Be careful not to compact the media (especially if using soil) when you back-fill the hole, but make sure you haven’t left any large air pockets. Then lightly water again to really settle the media around the newly-transplanted specimen.

Environment for Transplants

Okay, so we’ve been gentle and moved our seedlings or cuttings into their new homes. What about the growing environment? How can you tweak this to allow the plant the easiest transition possible? Remember, the aim of the game here is to give the roots an easy time so they can focus their energy on growing and extending their network, rather than all their energy being monopolized with supplying water and nutrients to a struggling plant.

Newly transplanted cuttings or seedlings hate hot and dry conditions. Too much air movement will increase stress too, by forcing the plant to transpire more than necessary. An unforgiving environment will force the young root system to work hard, just to keep up with the transpiration through the leaves. The trick is to keep humidity levels high (70-80%) and gradually wean them to levels around 60%. Humidity plays a HUGE part in determining how hard the roots have to work, so keeping the humidity at around 70-80% for the first few days using humidity domes or Victorian Bell Cloches is a great way to maintain higher humidity levels around single plants.

Domes and cloches can be removed for increasing periods of time to allow your plants to gradually acclimatize to their new vegetative environment.

Temperature should be kept at no more than 75°F (24°C) and no cooler than 70°F (21°C): the warm temperature will help ease the plant through the transition.

Blinded by the Lights

During this delicate transition, don’t go overboard with the lights! It’s so easy to get carried away and get over zealous in the early stages. Remember, the more light you give your plants the more the roots will need to spend their energy supplying the plant with water and food for it to utilize this light. Not a bad thing when you have a large established root system, but just after transplanting it is much better to allow the plant time to establish its roots rather than putting them to work at full tilt.

It’s common for indoor gardeners to move their plants from a fluorescent T5 fixture to a metal halide. Suddenly your plants are receiving far more light and enjoying lots more space than they had in the propagator or seedling tray. It doesn’t matter how delicately you handled the transplantation: young plants simply cannot keep up with the huge demand a high intensity grow light puts on them, especially in a demanding environment. The droop you will inevitably see is simply a symptom of the roots being unable to supply the plant with enough water in order to keep up with its demands. As with everything you do in the indoor garden, it is important to make changes slowly and gently, easing plants into more demanding environments as softly/gently as possible. Clones in particular should be broken into the more intense lighting conditions as gently and gradually as possible.

To minimize shock, always raise HID grow lights at least 4-5 feet above the plant for 1000 Watt bulbs and 3-4 feet for 600 watt bulbs. I know, I know – the lights look way too high, but I assure you this is enough light for the young plants to photosynthesize and, crucially, it doesn’t put too much strain on the root system. Dimmable ballasts work great here as you can save energy by simply dialing back on the intensity. After a few days and once you see the emergence of new growth you are safe to start increasing the ballasts back to full strength and / or lowering the lights.

Got a transplanting tip you want to share? Do you have a particular product or technique that you swear by? Share your wisdom by posting a comment below!

WORDS: Heather Walker

Germination Basics

To go from seed to seedling, tomato plants need a moist growing medium, light, and warmth. I grow seedlings in my own organic potting mix of peat moss, vermiculite (some growers prefer perlite), green sand, bone meal, and organic soybean meal. You can add some aged compost too, but weeds may take over your seedlings if the compost wasn’t hot enough to kill the weed seeds. I soak the mix in a wheelbarrow with warm tap water (we’re on a well, so no chlorine worries here) then run the hose to add water until I can squeeze the soil mix and water runs out. I fill 4-inch pots with the wet mix, then plant one seed in the center of each pot and label it: name, date planted, open pollinated or hybrid.

I like to start my tomato seeds in 4-inch pots on the windowsill in my living room, directly above a baseboard heater: the additional bottom heat gives them that extra encouragement. This summer was the first year I tried heat mats, and I definitely noticed a shorter time to germination with those bad boys.

To know when to water, dig down an inch or so at the edge of the pot, and if it’s still moist then don’t bother watering. If it starts to look dry, soak the pot a few times with room-temperature water.

Eager tomato seedlings on a heat mat.

Seedling Mix

2 parts by volume sieved garden soil
1 part by volume sieved sphagnum moss
Add to each cubic foot (5 gallons) of mix:
1 cup agricultural lime or dolomite lime
1 cup cottonseed meal or soybean meal
1 pint soft rock phosphate or 1 cup steamed bone meal
1 cup kelp meal

From “Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades,” by Steve Solomon.

The Sprout

Once the sprout emerges with its first pair of leaves, it’s time for the tough love. If you spoil your tomatoes when they’re young, they will grow into leggy plants that will be ill-prepared for the real-world conditions in the outdoor garden. If you give your tomatoes lots of warmth when they aren’t getting a lot of sun or supplemental light, they can get “leggy,” growing tall with a spindly, weak stem. This is particularly important for growers in the Northern half of our continent, where the sun’s strength and height in the sky in March/April may not offer enough light. The plant, receiving lots of warmth but not much light, reacts as if it’s being shaded by other competing plants: as a result, it grows fast and tall in an attempt to access the sun and out-compete the other plants that it thinks are crowding it.

These leggy tomato seedlings were exposed to too much warmth with not enough light, which encouraged them to stretch: the stems are thin and weak as a result. Weak plants are more susceptible to disease, drought, and pests. Photo: Greg Wagoner.

To prevent leggy tomatoes and encourage stocky, strong growth, narrow the gap between the light and heat the plant is receiving. To do this, steel your heart and move every tomato with leaves into an unheated greenhouse during the day, unless it’s unusually cold. The greenhouse protects the young plants from the wind, cold, and rain/snow, but exposes them to cooler temperatures than in the house, and more sunlight through the poly-plastic roof and walls: they will receive more light and less heat than on the windowsill or heat mat. Bring them in at night until you’re confident that the temperature won’t drop below 50°F (10°C), which can compromise a tomato plant’s development or kill it.

Ideal Tomato Growing Temperatures

Day: 65-70°F (18-21°C)
Night: 50-60°F (10-16°C)

It’s also important to expose your tomato seedlings to air movement from this point forward. Fans, ventilation, an open window, or even your hand brushing their tops a few times each day will encourage more stocky growth and prepare the plants for the realities of wind. Novice growers often leave the clear dome on their plant starts for far too long. Don’t be an overprotective tomato parent!

Transplanting

It’s very likely that your tomato plants will outgrow their starter pots before it’s safe to plant them outside. In fact, this is preferable: the more times you can transplant your tomatoes into larger pots, the better. Why? Because every time you re-pot a tomato plant, you bury it up to its “neck” (just below its top set of leaves), or as much of the plant as you can fit under the soil. The tomato will then send out roots from the newly-buried stem, creating a more well-developed root system. And a strong root system leads to a healthier, more productive plant! Transplanting in this way also helps control the ultimate size of your plant once it’s ready to go into the garden: it’s far easier to plant a foot of stem and foliage with 8-inches of well-formed roots than a 2 foot spindly monster that will snap in half if you look at it funny.

So once your tomato outgrows its four-inch pot, bury the plant up to its neck in a gallon pot of soil, with the top set of leaves above. If you start your tomatoes in 1-2″ cell trays, transplant them into 4-inch pots when they’re ready for more room, then eventually into the gallon pots. And once a tomato outgrows its gallon pot, it’s probably time to plant it outside.

Transplanting a tomato plant from a small pot to a larger pot: bury the plant up to its neck, leaving the top set of leaves above the soil.

Hardening Off

It’s a blue-skied, warm, sunny day: you’re ready to unpack those shorts and plant out your tomatoes! But hold on. It’s crucial that you gradually prepare your tomato plants for outdoor conditions, rather than abruptly moving them from their cozy, sheltered existence into the cold, hard world.

Plants must be “hardened off” for a week or so by gradually exposing them to less-hospitable conditions for increasingly longer lengths of time each day. My plants progress from their windowsill nursery, to the unheated greenhouse in the daytime, to the unheated greenhouse 24 hours/day. I’ll start leaving the greenhouse door open, then setting them outside for the daylight hours. It’s best to put them out on a cloudy or partly cloudy day, as a full day of direct, hot sun can be hard on a plant. Plants can sunburn too! Eventually there will be a warm night and I’ll leave them outdoors. If frost is in the forecast, or a storm, I’ll bring them under shelter until it’s clear again. Eventually the plants will become more hardy, and spring will really be here, and around late May to early June I’ll be able to risk planting them out.

Into the Garden

This transplanting technique from pot to outdoor garden minimizes transplant shock and encourages strong root development.

Rather than digging a hole and planting the rootball at the bottom, as when re-potting, lie each tomato in its place horizontally on the outdoor garden bed, then bury it in soil — again, up to the top set of leaves. Be careful to support the stem, to avoid snapping it. Carefully pat down the dirt to ensure plant/soil contact, then water the whole plant thoroughly. The top of the tomato plant will eventually turn up toward the sun and grow into a surprisingly strong stem, supported by the amazing root system you’ve helped it develop.

It might seem easier to dig a trench and lie the plant in it, to keep your garden bed nice and flat, but if you do this you risk exposing the plant to the chillier soil underneath that sun-warmed top layer. Tomato plants may turn blue/purple-ish as a result — a sign of transplant shock. They will take longer to recover, which may affect the time or quality of harvest.

Have your own tomato-starting secrets to share? Tell us about it below…

Gel2Root from SupaPlants come in packs of 6, although some retailers will sell them individually. Each clear plastic cup contains Gel2Root rooting gel and a foil top to contain the medium’s moisture.

You pierce the foil, insert your cutting, and walk away. Some days/weeks later, voila, a rooted clone. Simple, no? Pretty close.

Any new cloning methods that I test will not be used with easy-to-clone or fast-to-thrive plants. I see no need to switch methods unless I’m having problems. This is where I leveraged the Gel2Root cups.

I chose 2 difficult-to-clone plants: a strawberry variety and Cuban mint (mojito-lovers rejoice!). With my GH RapidRooters, the best cuttings from the Cuban mint died before they could thrive. Failing Cuban mint turns black quickly. Easy indicator.

Of the strawberries, only 1 of 3 rooted. However, it rooted well. So well, in fact, that the roots almost sucked dry the canopy before I noticed that it was time to transplant it.

The real benefit of this medium is that it is maintenance-free. No need to water a block or plug. No need to use rooting hormone or rooting powder. In fact, using these additives stunts the effectiveness of the gel.

In the case of Gel2Root, the mint thrived in the medium and rooted after 8 days. The strawberry took 3 weeks. In both cases, I needed to do nothing else. I kept both plants inside my humidity dome, atop my seedling tray.

Words of advice when using this medium:

• Make the foil insertion hole as small as you can to avoid medium evaporation. If the hole allows too much evaporation of the medium, your cutting will be air-exposed and not root. Of the 6 cuttings I tested, this occurred in 1 of them.
• Don’t insert more than 2 cuttings per gel cup. While you can attempt 3 (as per instructions), each cutting’s canopy may overshadow the others.

I won’t use Gel2Root for all of my cuttings. However, when my main clone methods generate no results or if I need maintenance-free cloning, I will roll with the Gel.

Embrace your Clear Side!
- Curtis

Please note: blog posts are the opinions of independent growers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or experiences of Urban Garden Magazine or its affiliates.

To the right we have our catnip plant as we left it. You can see where the grow tip has been removed.

Below is the same plant, one week later. Notice that, in the absence of the central grow tip, the two side tips have experienced enhanced growth.

If the plant has been pruned enough for your needs, you can stop topping at any time after the first cut. In outdoor gardens, the light source is a gigantic fusion reactor of such magnitude that there is very little difference between the light gathered from a rooftop and light gathered from ground level.The “sweet spot” is so large we ignore it.

In indoor gardens, however, along with the shrinking of the light source down to something tiny enough to fit in a single room, the “sweet spot” is also shrunk down to the point where it becomes an issue. The “sweet spot” is the range of lighting where the plant is far enough from the light source to avoid being heat damaged, but close enough to maximize use of the available lighting.

Topping does have a price: notice the difference between the un-pruned control plant to the far left, and the topped plant beside it.

The un-pruned plant is already flowering, so if speed to flower is your primary goal, this may not be right for you.

Canopy management is used to control the plant’s growth in relation to the “sweet spot” of the available lighting.

Since the effective penetration of light is related to its power, the smaller the light, the more important canopy control becomes.

It is more difficult to properly light an entire tall plant with a single light than a short one.

With the tall catnip plant, in order to properly light the large flower cluster on the top, the lower branches will not receive enough light to flourish, and should be removed as a lost cause.

It is much simpler to light the shorter pruned plant, as the grow tips are in a much narrower vertical range. With a plant this small, the entire plant can be positioned in the “sweet spot.” If space is at a premium, footprint size is another consideration.

Any light beams that make it all the way to the growing medium could potentially have been used to grow plants.

A tall spindly plant will allow more light to reach the medium than a short fat one. The pruned plant’s footprint much more closely matches its pot than the un-pruned plant does.

With many grow tips in close proximity, this style lends itself more to several smaller flower clusters instead of the natural tendency for a single main flower cluster. The grow tip below is developed enough to be removed. Here the grow tip has been removed. This method can come in very handy when establishing a mother plant for cloning, as the large number of grow tips that can be created make excellent clones.

Peace, love, and puka shells,
Grubbycup

Post script: The kitties really enjoy this style of pruning as well, as they quite like the leftovers from pruning the grow tips. ]]> http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/01/pruning-technique-catnip-topping-day-7/feed/ 0 http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/01/multiplying-mushrooms-spore-syringes-for-beginners/ http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/01/multiplying-mushrooms-spore-syringes-for-beginners/#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:39:28 +0000 Urban Garden Magazine http://urbangardenmagazine.com/?p=1872 Our resident mycologist, John Robinson, shows us how to obtain spores from mushrooms to help them multiply into their millions! Mmmmmmmm!

Spores can be obtained from mushrooms easily. The problem is that they come in a form that makes them pretty difficult to use – they are very small and must be kept free of contaminants for successful cultivation. One solution is to prepare a suspension of spores in sterile water, which can be easily stored and used for cultivation or microscopy.

How to Take a “Spore Print”

Spores are usually released from the underside of the mushroom caps. To collect these spores, all we need to do is to place a freshly cut cap onto a clean piece of paper (take from the centre of a new pack) or some clean tinfoil (straight from part of a roll that hasn’t been exposed to the environment). When carrying out the following steps it is always best to wear latex gloves and use alcohol hand rub.

It is possible to take prints from mushrooms bought in the supermarket but these are often a bit dry, so get them as fresh as possible. It’s much better to take them from your own cultivated mushrooms.

Once you have your mushroom, simply hold the cap from above by its edges and cut the stem where it joins the cap. Place the cap flat on the paper/tinfoil and place an upturned bowl over it to reduce air movement. Leave for 12-24 hours and you should see a fine dust on the foil – these are millions of tiny mushroom spores! They can be any color from black to white, depending on species. Carefully fold the paper, taking care not to touch the spores, and place it in a plastic bag for storage in a cool dark place (a fridge is ideal). Spores collected in this manner can last for many years.

Taking spore prints from golden oyster mushrooms.

Constructing a “Glove Box”

We are surrounded by microorganisms – they are present on our skin, our clothes, and floating through the air. If we can eliminate these organisms from a small area, we can create a workspace for the preparation of sterile samples and agar plates. A glove box is a semi-sterile environment with little air movement that can be easily cleaned. A simple home version can be made using a transparent plastic storage box and lid with two holes cut into the front. The cultivator can access the work area via the holes. A long pair of rubber gloves can be glued in place around the holes but this isn’t essential. A more advanced version has a HEPA air-purifier unit and fan fixed into a hole in the back. The HEPA filter unit removes particles and contaminants from the air and blows cleaned air over the work area (see diagram below). More information can be found at www.micro-science.co.uk.

Once you have your glove box and spores you can move on to the next step: sterilizing a container.

Choosing a Container

Caution: Remember your safety is your responsibility. Be careful handling items straight from the microwave or pressure cooker as they are very hot! Also, syringes and needles should be disposed of carefully (e.g. needles into a sharps container) and discarded appropriately after use. Remember that alcohol is flammable. Do not work near flames or fire hazards.

A simple container can be made using a glass flask loosely plugged with cotton wool. Hydrophobic cotton wool is best, as this does not become waterlogged during sterilization. A narrow-necked vessel is best as it reduces the risk of contamination entering later. Shown below is a 3.5 oz (100mL) Erlenmeyer flask:

A slightly more advanced vessel is to the left– it consists of an Azlon jar with two half-inch (13mm) holes drilled through the lid. A butyl rubber injector port can then be fixed in one hole using plastic glue and the other hole plugged with hydrophobic cotton wool.

Sterilizing Your Container

A small amount of water is placed in the bottom (approximately 1.7 oz in this 3.5 oz Erlenmeyer flask, approximately 3-7 oz in a larger jar) and microwaved for two to three minutes. Allow the container to cool and microwave a second time. Alternatively, pressure-cook the container for 15-20 minutes.

Carefully remove the (hot!) container and check that the cotton wool is still in place. Screw the lid on tightly if using an Azlon jar. Cover with tinfoil and allow everything to cool down to room temperature before proceeding (at least a couple of hours). Once cool, check that the lid is screwed tightly on again if using a jar.

Making Sterile Spore Syringes

Checklist:

• Spore print
• 70% Alcohol spray or 10% bleach solution
• Alcohol hand rub
• Flask or jar of sterile water (with cotton wool stopper)
• Sterile inoculation loops*
• Sterile syringes and needles
• Pressure cooker or microwave

*It is possible to use a metal loop or scalpel and sterilize it using a butane lighter or methylated spirit burner. I would recommend using sterile plastic loops as this eliminates the need for a flame in the work area, which is a potential fire hazard, especially if alcohol is used.

Find a still, quiet location for your glove box where you will be able to work comfortably (such as a desk). Spray and wipe down the inside with disinfectant and place all the items you are going to work with inside. Spray and wipe down again. Have a couple of practice runs to make sure you have everything in place and are confident. Once you begin you will need to work quickly to reduce the risk of airborne contamination. For best results wear latex gloves, and use alcohol hand rub.

Step 1: Take your spore print out of the bag so it’s ready to use. Remove the cotton wool bung and hold it carefully (don’t allow it to touch anything) as you scrape the spores using a sterile instrument in through the hole in the lid. Replace the cotton wool bung.

Step 2: If you are using a glass container, simply remove the cotton wool and withdraw the spore suspension using a sterile syringe. If using the Azlon jar, swab the rubber injector port with an alcohol wipe, incline the jar and use a sterile syringe to withdraw spore suspension. This process can be repeated to get a number of syringefulls.

Step 3: Spores can often be seen floating in the syringes. However, if you don’t see them, don’t worry – there may still be lots present. Spore syringes can be stored for months, maybe years, in the fridge. However, they do become less viable and germinate less readily the longer they are left.

Final Thought

Once you have mastered the art of making spore syringes you can become truly self-sufficient. It can require some trial and error at first, but is well worth it in the long run. Happy mushroom farming!

Sounds easy so far! Now what do we do with all those viable spores? Stay tuned for more mushroom-growing lore and next-steps from our favourite fungi-guru.