How to Grow With Rockwool

Rockwool is one of the most popular forms of sterile grow media for hydroponics. With this type of material, which developed out of the insulation industry, growers can get decent drainage and a good environment for developing plant roots.

Rockwool is made of melted rock that is spun into fibers. As a man-made material, it's made from natural substances. Different types of rockwool are available for growing, and the material can be sold in various shapes and sizes. For example, growers can get individual tiny cubes or larger slabs, according to their needs.

Here are some steps for using rockwool in a garden setup.

Evaluate Leveling

One of the first steps is to set the rockwool pieces down on a level surface, and make sure that the pieces themselves are level. You’ll want to be look at how water would drain from these items into a pool below. Some growers make small holes in the rockwool in order to provide for drainage.

Wet the Substance

It's a good idea to wet rockwool pieces before you start - you want to have a decent pH value for water, around 5.5. Fully saturate the rockwool and then let the water drain out.

Create Additional Holes as Necessary

Looking at how the water goes into and out of the rockwool, evaluate where you’ll need additional drainage. Some growers will cut gashes along the base of a rockwool slab, or other types of irrigation channels. Start small and work your way out, so that you don’t overdo it on the first try.

Set Up Irrigation Systems

With rockwool, you're often looking at a dripper system -- a small pipe or tube will open up at the top of the rockwool plant pot, and it will deliver small bits of water at a time. Again, that water has to flow down through the rockwool and into holding tanks or other resources.

Test Rockwool Throughout the Plant Cycle

As your plants grow, you can test the saturation and drainage of rockwool by simply pressing on it. Assess how much nutrient-rich waters in the slab or piece, and adjust as necessary.

With these basic steps, you'll be on your way to developing vibrant hydroponic gardens using this simple substance as sterile grow media. For a lot more on hydro products and how to put together any type of garden, keep reading the resources we've carefully put together at Dealzer. We stand behind our products with warranties and satisfaction guarantees, and we offer growers the information they need to make the most of what they buy and truly enjoy their hydroponic experience.