Thursday, March 28, 2024

What Is Rockwool And Why Is It A New Buzzword In The Marijuana Industry?

Aside from the fact that it prevents the multiplication of pathogens, it also helps the seeds germinate, thus facilitating good drainage.

Rockwool is a fantastic method for growing marijuana. With Rockwool, you can have the strain you choose through the cannabis cycle as growers of all levels utilize different hydroponics for harvesting heavier yields. If you haven’t tried Rockwool, it is time to hop on the trend.

Rockwool uses the power of natural stone to produce an aerated and fluffy growing means for cannabis. It is a material that drains well and supports the development of the plant’s roots. This article will provide insight into why you should use Rockwool in hydroponics and soil systems and how it works at every stage of the growing cycle.

rockwool
Photo by Reni Purnama Sari/Getty Images

What is Rockwool?

Rockwool is a form of mineral wool, a material used as acoustic insulation in constructing hospitals, stadiums, and homes. The product was created by Danish founders who aimed to develop stone wool in Germany, Scandinavia, and New Jersey. For over a century, the company has made an effective product.

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Aside from being an important building material, Rockwool also aids the growth of millions of cannabis plants. The substance in Rockwool brings many benefits to the cannabis grower: it doesn’t contain organic material making it immune to decomposition from fungi and molds.

Rockwool doesn’t contain heavy metals; these are metals that contain chromium and lead, which are toxic to plants. These heavy metals also make the plant have yellow leaves because it prevents photosynthesis and kills the plants.

Why Rockwool is utilized to grow cannabis

Rockwool provides numerous benefits for a cannabis grower. Aside from the fact that it prevents the multiplication of pathogens, it also helps the seeds germinate, thus facilitating good drainage.

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Its cubes are sterile and inorganic which means it arrives at the grower’s place clean and ready to use. It also doesn’t protect the root of your plants against damage from microbes. Although Rockwool takes a longer time to break down, growers can shred used blocks to matter and throw them into the compost pile finely. Over time, the basalt rock in Rockwool will leach into the compost, providing an added nutritional benefit to your soil. Hydroponic cannabis growing is called “dro weed”.

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Photo by Cavan Images/Getty Images

The Rockwool cubes get saturated with water when you soak them, and it drains away quickly. Every cube has small spaces between the fibers, which effectively drains water. But don’t overwater the cubes because excess water may suffocate the roots and negatively affect plant growth.

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Rockwool cubes offer a haven for your cannabis seeds during germination. When you keep the plants sufficiently saturated, they will give you the critical things needed for productive germination. These key things include moisture, warmth, and darkness.

With Rockwool, it is easier to transplant your cannabis seedlings when they are ready or in a new home. You wouldn’t have to struggle with moving the seedling directly into the pot full of soil or in a hydroponic net pot. Unlike other transplanting processes, you wouldn’t need to break the initial growing medium, thus minimizing any mess.

How can you use Rockwool to improve your cannabis?

So now that you know a lot about Rockwool cubes, including their benefits, how can you use them? Before putting the seeds into the cubes, you should adjust the cubes’ pH to have less alkaline. This move will allow you to infuse nutrients into the cubes, thus giving your seedlings a better start at life.

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Here is an easy step by step approach:

You will need the following;

  • pH tester
  • Organic nutrients
  • pH-down product
  • Rhizobacter (this is optional)
  • Mycorrhizal fungi 

The directions for use:

  • Fill a shallow bowl with water and test its pH, then add your pH down product until the meter displays an acidic 5.5 reading.
  • Soak the blocs into the solution and allow them to stay that way for 24 hours. After a bit of a while, the alkalinity of the blocks will increase its pH then return to the blocks every few hours.
  • After 24 hours, fill another bowl with up to 1 liter of water and add your organic nutrient solution to the bowl. Then soak the blocks for another two hours.
  • At this stage, your blocks have the proper pH full of nutrients and the right fungi that will help the roots thrive in the future.

The Rockwool will make germination easier as all you have to do is start cutting from the mother plant and then nourish the cutout plant by dipping it into rooting gel.

Place the clones into cubes by inserting the stem into the hole until it gets to the bottom of the block. Provide water, light, and humidity for the plant and get ready for the vegetative and flowering stage.

The best tips for utilizing Rockwool

To get the best out of Rockwool, remember these tips:

Don’t squeeze the cubes like a sponge

Some growers squeeze the cubes like a sponge to get rid of excess water, which is wrong. The cubes will drain on their own without you squeezing them. Squeezing them causes a lot of damage to the cube and the plant’s root system. Remember that at the seedling stage, the cannabis plant is still very fragile.

Give them room to grow  

The Rockwool material allows water to drain and air to easily flow, so don’t lose this advantage by overcrowding your planting trays.

Don’t overwater it during the seedling stage

Rockwool drains quickly, and many growers get the impression that they may be underwater, but that cube is moist and lovely. When you water it well enough, you wouldn’t have to do more so the plant doesn’t die from excessive watering.

Bottom Line 

Alright, so you can see that Rockwool cubes provide cannabis growers with loads of benefits. From the aeration of plants to pathogen prevention, you will be amazed at all Rockwool can do for you.

To enjoy the benefits of Rockwool cubes, start with a compost pile. You will create your supply of soil and keep the used cubes away from the landfill site, which is a win-win for the environment and your cannabis plant.

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