Stabilising plants in an NFT system - best grow medium?

T

TheInsider

Member
I'm on my first attempt with an NFT and I started the plants off in small rockwool Gro Dan cubes in an Aerogarden for the first few weeks, and then put them under the top sheet of the NFT. Of course the weight has them falling at each opportunity, so I've had to awkwardly prop them up for the time being.

Would this be solved by first transitioning them to a large size of rockwool cube, or is there some secret trick I'm missing? Even that wouldn't seem hefty enough to weigh a plant down when larger. I want a low centre of gravity "fix", rather than holding it up with string etc.

Thanks!
 
T

TheInsider

Member
jimmygreenfingers said:
If your running a standard NFT table with correx cover than placing you smaller cubes into say 3in cubes will solve your problem.
Click to expand...
Even those small things will hold the weight?

I'm pretty unimpressed by correx, to be honest. It's tricky to trim (when cutting holes), and is effectively single use as far as I can tell. It's real flimsy, and would be better with something solid, if I could find it. The flimsy nature added to the plant weight seems to require something more substantial, but I could be wrong. This is the one I got (the 604 model):

http://www.growell.co.uk/nft-gro-tanks.html
 
J

jimmygreenfingers

Well-Known Member
All the correx is for is to keep the light off the roots, it offers no actual support for plants. When plants are placed onto the table the roots grow into the capillary matting, once they do this there good and strong and aint going nowhere.
 
jondamon

jondamon

Well-Known Member
Alot of people when using NFT will get something like YO-YO plant supports to help when the plants are flowering


Or you could use 6x6 rockwool blocks if you are worried about them falling over.



J
 
pazuzu420

pazuzu420

Well-Known Member
I transplant from 1.5 starter cubes into 3 in cubes with the hole to receive them and they are alot more stable in my situation where they are surrounded by hydrotron in a netcup. For a table I'vce seen many ppl step up in the larger blocks and then if you want massive after that you can put them on some slabs. Talk about root anchorage, the grodan and other rockwool companies products are designed to be used in conjunction with each other through the stages of growth.
 
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