Photo Essay: Calcined DE as Rooting Medium

[mad librettist]

(or, what happened when I forgot to water my rooting tray for 2 weeks)

 

[CC_2U]

Mad

Photo not showing up.......

CC

 

[supermanlives]

so nothing happened LOL ?

 

[mad librettist]

fixed! lol sorry about posting a photo essay with no photo

sorry, I wanted a pic with better contrast than white roots on white paper.

 

[CC_2U]

Nice!

BTW - I've been using the 'soil blocker' to start my vegetable garden seeds as well as using these soil blocks for rooting cuttings on several types of plants.

CC

 

[schwagg]

nice Mad. can you get of photo of the rooting tray?

 

[supermanlives]

looks like perlite. does it float? never seen calcined DE only regular . where you get it ? and why have you chosen it as your rooting medium . THANKS

 

[mad librettist]

the tray:

Superman-

That's Napa auto parts #8822, floor-dry.

I tried it as a rooting medium because:

I screen out the fines so it holds no perched water.
It is more like gravel than like perlite in weight, texture, hardness, etc...
It is internally porous, perlite is not even in the same ballpark
It changes color when dry

internally porous plus large particles = water + air

 

[supermanlives]

very cool find. very good reasons. thanks . sometime i will try it

 

[big_daddy]

looks like perlite. does it float? never seen calcined DE only regular . where you get it ? and why have you chosen it as your rooting medium . THANKS

supermanlives,

This site explains calcined DE and actually is for a product that has been around for a while. ML has found the exact same thing for a lot less money. The info on this site helps explain why it is a superior aeration amendment.

HTH

b_d

 

[jaykush]

this get my approval as well. i set up a mist propagation system for hardwood cuttings of various shrubs and trees. and it works great. i also rooted a few cannabis cuttings in there as well with great success.

 

[big_daddy]

the tray:

Superman-

That's Napa auto parts #8822, floor-dry.

I tried it as a rooting medium because:

I screen out the fines so it holds no perched water.
It is more like gravel than like perlite in weight, texture, hardness, etc...
It is internally porous, perlite is not even in the same ballpark
It changes color when dry

internally porous plus large particles = water + air

And there is available silicon which we know to be beneficial. Good find ML......shit's dirt cheap at Napa.

b_d

 

[mad librettist]

also I forgot to add another reason to root in DE: you just yank out the cutting, rinse it off, and throw it in whatever. It has already been branching and growing nice fibrous roots that will take fast in soil.

if you aren't used to bare root transplants, make some extra for your first try,

 

[Manitoid]

So Napa floor Dry... what is it comprised of, how is it created, and is it organic?

Just wondering

 

[habeeb]

I like the write up

some questions:

- how did you forgot to water clones for 2 weeks! ?
- dome, no dome? sprayed tops or no ?
- is this only successful if you get one of these pellets on the bottom of the stem where it's cut? AKA how does the plant pull water if the tray is not flooded and there is air gaps, also another note of this is there any clones that didn't make the round? and could this be tied in any way to the above ( air gap pocket )
- how long before you see roots in this system ?
- when you say you screen out the fines, you are using a soil sieve to let the fines drop below? and then is not recommend to drop straight in form the bag / bucket or whatever it comes in ?


thanks again for the write up

 

[mad librettist]

- how did you forgot to water clones for 2 weeks! ?
- dome, no dome? sprayed tops or no ?

no spray, yes dome with air holes open. I took a cut out of the tray 2 weeks ago, and these two cuts were destine for compost and I forgot about them.

- is this only successful if you get one of these pellets on the bottom of the stem where it's cut? AKA how does the plant pull water if the tray is not flooded and there is air gaps, also another note of this is there any clones that didn't make the round? and could this be tied in any way to the above ( air gap pocket )

all clones made it. To get them seated right, I water them in. THe tray drains and holds no perched water. I'm sure there are air gaps, but those areas are still moist. No pellets were used

- how long before you see roots in this system ?

about the same as other methods I think.

- when you say you screen out the fines, you are using a soil sieve to let the fines drop below? and then is not recommend to drop straight in form the bag / bucket or whatever it comes i

I used the finest screen for the sieve, or you can use bug screen. I do recommend screening all amendments of this sort. Not sure it's necessary.

 

[jaykush]

i didnt screen mine, but it didnt have very much fines.

 

[mad librettist]

Photo Essay: Calcined DE as Rooting Medium

I'd say I get about 33% fines.

the fines have uses too. humidity trays for instance... or just as a water retention amendment

 

[heady blunts]

hmm i tried a 50/50 mix with EWC and had pretty shitty luck. i'll have to try straight DE next time. those roots don't lie!

 

[mad librettist]

Photo Essay: Calcined DE as Rooting Medium

I'm not sure why, but compost plus cuttings equals rotten cuttings.

I start seeds with compost, but for cuttings I use inert media and when I remember I wash and sterilize the cut end. otherwise you get a "bacterial plug".

I guess I feel like until it has roots, a cutting can't organize the rhizosphere.

I did apply liquid kelp to my rooting bed way back.