[FONT=verdana,arial font color=][COLOR="][SIZE=2]Getting plants into hydro culture
Rooting cuttings in water, vermiculite or rooting stone is the easiest way.
Transplanting soil-grown plants into hydro culture is another alternative. The process is not difficult if you follow these simple instructions.
1. Soak the necessary quantity of clay pellets in room-temperature water for a few hours or even overnight.
2. Remove the plant and attached root ball from its soil container. Tap lightly on the sides and bottom of the container, or squeeze the sides and the plant will come out easily, especially if the soil is slightly dry.
3. Gently crumble off loose soil from around the root ball with your fingers. Be careful not to damage the plant’s main or tap root.
4. Rinse off the remaining soil with clear lukewarm water. (Be kind to your plumbing and don’t let excess soil go down your drain.) If the plant has an entangled root ball, let it soak for a few hours.
5. Inspect the roots for remaining soil, especially between the larger roots just below the base of the stem. If soil remains, use a soft toothbrush or mushroom brush. Be careful. Don’t scrub! Then rinse the roots again.
6. With clean sharp scissors, cut off any dead, rotting or broken roots, and trim approximately one-third off the roots to promote new root growth. For small root systems, just trim the tips.
7. Fill clean culture pot insert to one-third with clay pellets. Set the plant onto the pellets and spread out the roots.
Keep plant at same depth as in soil.
Hold the plant in place and fill the insert with clay pellets. Hydroculture plants have smaller root systems, so choose a container the same size, or one size smaller, than the soil pot.
8. Run room temperature water through the pellets to settle the root system and remove any remaining foreign particles. 9. Place the new plant, culture pot and indicator into the outer container, and add room temperature water until the indicator shows half full or optimum. Set the plant in a bright, warm place, away from direct sunlight and drafts.
10. Do not add nutrient for about month. Wait until the indicator shows empty before watering.
Your plants may be in shock for the first week or so and may wilt or even lose leaves. Don’t worry. They should recover soon. (Shock is common with all transplanting — even for soil.)
If there’s a problem, don’t be afraid to take the system apart, inspect the roots, remove any rotting roots and replant following these directions.
To transplant to a larger hydroculture pot, grasp the stalk lifting the plant out of its old culture pot — roots wrapped around clay pellets and all. Place the plant in its new culture pot and fill the remaining space with clay pellets.
Happy hydroculture gardening!
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From this: Hydro Culture site
I transplanted some of my soil plants into hydro about 6 days ago, and they resumed growth after about two days, they were small though.
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