cultiwool channeling

Understanding and Mitigating Channeling in Stone Wool Substrate

Stone wool substrate has gained popularity in horticulture due to its excellent water retention and air porosity characteristics, which are essential for healthy plant growth. However, one common issue that growers often encounter when using stone wool is channeling. Channeling refers to the inefficient distribution of water and nutrients within the substrate. In this article, we will explore what channeling is, what typically happens when it occurs, how to identify its signs, and discuss methods to prevent it. We will also delve into why some stone wool products are more prone to channeling than others and explore the role of binders and wetting agents. Finally, we will touch upon the importance of choosing the right irrigation system to avoid channeling.

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Dry Backs and Their Benefits for Your Cannabis Cultivation

“I think dry backing is probably one of the techniques that a lot of growers use to increase cannabinoids and flavonoids content” Ryan mentioned. But how does it work and what does it really mean? This article is a continuation of the previous one, following an interview with Ryan Wankel, and will focus on the cultivation manipulation known as Dry Backs.

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The Influence of Higher Light Levels on the Irrigation Strategy for Cannabis Cultivation

Cannabis is known to be a highly demanding crop, but what does it mean for growers' irrigation and lighting strategies? We wanted to know how does high light strategy influence the irrigation strategy for cannabis cultivation on stone wool? Therefore, for this article, we interviewed Ryan Wankel, our technical sales manager for North America.

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The Effect of pH Levels on Cannabis Cultivation; What Should it Be?

Previous articles discussed aspects such as the importance of a correct irrigation scheme, daily dynamics in the stone wool, EC levels monitoring and adjustments, and more. Yet, there is one more important point to discuss, and it is the pH level.

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EC in Cannabis Cultivation; What to Control, Measure, and Adapt

EC is the abbreviation for the term electrical conductivity, which is a very important aspect to take into consideration when growing plants.

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The Daily Dynamics Within the Root Zone of a Cannabis Plant When Grown on Stone Wool

Previous articles have presented, among others, information regarding the importance of irrigation strategies, crop steering, measuring WC and EC in the stone wool, and more. In this article we discuss the ideal 24-hours irrigation dynamics for cannabis cultivation on stone wool.

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Irrigation Strategies for Cannabis Cultivated in Stone Wool

One of the most interesting characteristics of stone wool is its ability to extract water at very low moisture content levels. Stone wool is able to take up water instantaneously when partially dried out, unlike other substrates where plant wilting would be inevitable. Furthermore, there is a moisture gradient from top to bottom. Where the top is drier to allow for aeration (which also makes the substrate ideal for hydroponic cultivation). Nevertheless, growers who are unaware of this characteristic of stone wool might be in the illusion of stone wool drying out too fast, risking over-irrigation, therefore, good understanding and knowledge about stone wool is required.

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Water Content, EC, and pH in Stone Wool for Cannabis

When handling the stone wool right, important aspects such as water content (WC), electrical conductivity (EC), and pH, can easily be monitored and adjusted when needed. The reason these aspects have to be closely looked at is their heavy influence on crop health, growth, and development. There are several things that can be adjusted to influence the WC, EC, and/or pH in the stone wool, such as irrigation amount, schedule, and the given nutrient recipe. This is what we called steering the crop with irrigation and stone wool offers this wide range of control.

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Stone Wool Saturation: Why it is Important and How to do it Right

Similarly to other growing media, when stone wool is delivered it is dry, meaning, it contains 0% water. In comparison to other substrates, stone wool has many advantages, such as lighter weight, a great moisture holding capacity, more convenient transportation, and longer shelf-life for unused products. Therefore, when a grower plans to start the cultivation of cannabis, the first step (and a very critical one) is to initially saturate the stone wool.