root system expanding

Hi all...quick question: I have a seedling about 15-16 days old. I'm growing in 4 inch rock wool cubes, but the root system of this plant has emerged from the bottom and is growing out of the bottom of the cube. Given that there aren't bigger rockwool cubes to plant this in, do I just ignore the roots growing out the bottom or do I try to replant in something bigger? Is this even a problem?

Thanks.

kaitlan said:

Hi all...quick question: I have a seedling about 15-16 days old. I'm growing in 4 inch rock wool cubes, but the root system of this plant has emerged from the bottom and is growing out of the bottom of the cube. Given that there aren't bigger rockwool cubes to plant this in, do I just ignore the roots growing out the bottom or do I try to replant in something bigger? Is this even a problem?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

if ur going to be growing in dirt i would transplant it now. what light are u using and whats ur grow room set up?

Thanks for the response. No, I won't be growing in dirt. I'm growing hydroponically (drip feed). I'm using a 130 watt cfl...it looks like a really large energy saving light bulb (I bought it from a hydro shop with a reflector)...I also have another lamp with a normal cfl as side lighting. If I did put it in something else, it would probably need to be some other kind of growing medium...I'm just not sure what there is as this is my first grow, and the first time using a hydroponic system.

kaitlan said:

Thanks for the response. No, I won't be growing in dirt. I'm growing hydroponically (drip feed). I'm using a 130 watt cfl...it looks like a really large energy saving light bulb (I bought it from a hydro shop with a reflector)...I also have another lamp with a normal cfl as side lighting. If I did put it in something else, it would probably need to be some other kind of growing medium...I'm just not sure what there is as this is my first grow, and the first time using a hydroponic system.

Click to expand...

Just keep the roots moist untill your ready to transplant. You may want to reconsider the drip feed, and just go with ebb n flow. One thing with rockwool is it retains a lot of h2o, and it's real easy to over water your plants. What I would suggest is put clay pebbles under and around the rockwool in your pots, and flood just to where the water is about 1/2 inch under the cube. That way you can water alot more often, keeping the roots in the pebbles real happy, wile not causing stem or root rot in the cubes.

Thanks. I have seen a video which demonstrates building an ebb and flow system, so I might give that a go. I'll go into the hydro shop tomorrow and see what they have in the way of pebbles.

Thanks Brick Top...yes, that was the video! My drip feed system is basically a copy of the one he set up in the vegging room of that video. It's a great video because it's easy to follow and the parts are easily found (I noticed some of the other videos had really elaborate set up's which needed an electrician, etc).

kaitlan said:

Thanks Brick Top...yes, that was the video! My drip feed system is basically a copy of the one he set up in the vegging room of that video. It's a great video because it's easy to follow and the parts are easily found (I noticed some of the other videos had really elaborate set up's which needed an electrician, etc).

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I recommend that video to people interested in hydro setups and cloning and drip setups and for that fact just for general grow room construction information.

It is very informative and goes into enough detail where anyone with more than two active brains cells can understand it.

Regardless of how someone grows there is something in the video they can learn from unless they are old pros but anyone new or fairly new to growing regardless of their setup/system can learn something by watching it.