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X-Stream propagator

pierre_de_gayepierre_de_gaye Posts: 182
in Tools and techniques

Hi there,

I'm new to propagation.

I'm thinking of buying a hydroponic propagator to raise a range of cuttings, but have some questions - I posed these to the company but am yet to receive a reply, therefore I'm hoping some on here may be able to enlighten me...has anyone on here 

1.   First and foremost, and sorry if silly question, but I plan to keep these cuttings outside in pots and eventually transfer to the borders rather than grow hydroponically all their lives, presumably that's posSible? 

2.  My main queries relate to feeding - I was going to use vitalink plant start once initial roots appear, but how often should it be applied? Just once presumably before transplanting on?

3.  The whole project looks like it could become very expensive with this product and that product...after their time in the mesh pots, how should I feed them and how often?  Really not sure here - obviously established plants aren't fed from august onwards, but what about rooted cuttings?   What product,  how often?  When would they move on to normal feeds like fish blood and bone or miracle gro slow release?

4.   When transplanting into pots, again there are expensive soil pre-mixes containing feed and perlite etc - will half cutting compost, half perlite not do?   But then as above, I'd need to know what to feed them...the websites seem to push a plethora of organic options. I'm really after simplicity in all honesty...

5.  Finally re: hardening off, would I need to buy a high dome unheated propagator to keep the newly transplanted pots in?  For how long?   When to finally put them outside?   It will be late August I guess by the time I get around to that stage.

Thanks in advance all....

P.

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Hydroponics is really only of use for growing cropping plants indoors under artificial lighting.  If you want to raise any kind of cuttings, the most important thing to provide is bottom heat.  That could easily and cheaply be arranged by having a temperature controlled heated propagation bed (they are easy to make  yourself, if so inclined) or a heated propagation mat  You then place the cuttings in pots filled with a mix of compost and grit (or perlite), stand them on the heated bed/mat and they will root in no time.  Once rooted, you would then transfer them to an unheated greenhouse or coldframe to grow them on.  When large enough to plant out, they need hardening off by placing the pots outside during the day and bringing them back in to the GH or coldframe every night for a couple of weeks.  This allows the plants to slowly acclimatise to outdoor conditions.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • pierre_de_gayepierre_de_gaye Posts: 182

    Hi bob,

    Thanks for your reply - it's reassuring to know that a simpler, cheaper method could work for me.

    I do have a south facing mini pvc greenhouse, but presumably that would need the door rolling up every day whilst the cuttings are in there during late summer?

    Also would they be in the same pots as they started once transferred to the greenhouse? 

    How would I know that the cuttings are ready for transfer to greenhouse, ie rooted?     Presumably it's more straightforward to tell when to pot on as roots would appear at bottom of pot.    Are we saying 9cm or so pots to begin, then straight into bigger 6 litre pots once ready?

    What about the whole area of feeding - what is the best approach here throughout the process?

    Thanks again. 

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