Rockwool Drip System - 08/02/02

3 days since planting onto the slab and the tomatoes are doing very well. At this point I give them each 300ml of nutrient solution at EC 2.2 and pH 5.8. A small amount of run-off drained out the slab on doing this.



I have placed a support cane in the block to prevent any plants from falling over. I will get round to using the roller hooks over the next few days. With the roller hooks the string is tied to the aqua tray and goes up to the roof where the wheel and hook rest on a support bar. This allow the vine to be supported by the string and lowered when they get to too tall.




At this stage it is very important for me to maintain a relative humidity within the greenhouse of between 60-75% with temperatures reaching a maximum of 25-26C. This environment will enable the plants to set off well without being under any stress through excessive transpiration (water loss). The day lengths are still being extended to 14 hours of light using 2 x 400w metal halide lamps.

Transplanting part 3 - 18/01/08

I plan to grow my cabbage plants this year in a hydroponic drip systems know as the 'wilma'. The plants will be grown in a mix of coco coir (80%) and perlite (20%) so I prepare enough of the growing media to fill 10 small square pots.

Once the pots are filled the seedlings are planted in and water through with a coco coir specific nutrient solution (I use vita link coir or canna coco) at an EC of 1.2. I always water until there is solution running out the bottom of the pot to ensure all the media is sufficiently damp. The perlite helps increase the air spaces in the mix stopping the coco staying too wet, creates better drainage and helps stop compaction.

Now I've got all the seedlings planted up into larger blocks or pots they are arranged on the air pruning tray and the light is lowered to get an even distribution of light to all the plants.



To keep the relative humidity between 65-75% I have a humidification system controlled by a humidistat. Before i used these devices the relative humidity would be around 30-40% plant health was quite poor. The white Humidifier in the picture is a centrifugal HR-50 and the mist coming out the black tank is produced by 2 ultrasonic 5-disk mist makers. The mist produced by both devices is cool and in summer helps to lower temperatures too.