Rockwool Grodan growcube - 1cm x 1 cm- 5 Liters

The best product for your orchids.

It should be repotted in soggy rockwool. The cubes will be firmer, and therefore easier to slip between the roots. It will not be possible to compress it too much by accident, and this can avoid itching, which comes from micro abrasions without consequences, and from the wetting agent which is used during manufacture to facilitate hydration of the cubes…

• The old substrate is removed

• Broken or poorly attached roots are cut at the junction point. Leaving the roots risks retaining too much water while reducing them will allow them to be produced again.

• The rest of the roots can be shortened, as is the general custom.

• A rinsing of the roots and rhizome is recommended regardless of the substrate, if decomposed organic matter is present.

• The presence of pine bark or other attached to the roots will not be a problem, but can reduce the life of the adjacent cubes a little, by rotting of this organic matter.

• The plant is placed properly in the pot. The area from which the roots emerge must be below the substrate, at least 1cm below the substrate.

• The substrate itself must always be below the rim of the pot, at least 1 cm and lightly packed with your fingers.

• During a second repotting in rockwool, it will be necessary to increase the size of the pot while preserving the old cubes and the root mass. The complement will be done with the addition of cubes only. For Sympodial orchids, the oldest bulbs should be placed towards the edge of the new pot.

Afterwards, heavy watering is recommended. This cleans the stone wool of wetting agent and any particles, and ensures good root contact with it.

The use of fertilizer must begin immediately, as for all substrates and add the limestone amendment which will be renewed between 4 and 6 months following the control of the PH with the method described below.

The plant can then be placed in its final location.

After repotting, it is necessary to water and fertilize normally. The ‘let dry for roots to appear’ method is based on dehydrating the plant, which then concentrates auxins at the root meristems. This indeed makes it possible to force roots, and can be used in certain cases, but the osmotic pressure of the plant will drop, and from there, the risk of infection by cut wounds will paradoxically increase.

So for good use, it will be necessary to water when 2/3 of the pot looks dry, respecting a good dosage of fertilizer. The method consists of watering from above and ideally letting 1/5th of the volume of the pot flow out. Waste water cannot be reused and the hydroponic system will not be suitable with this growing system.

Contrary to popular belief, a repotted plant needs fertilizer to stabilize and not be deficient. Rockwool is no different from other substrates in this regard. If it is possible to 'start' a plant without fertilizer, it will take months to reach a good growth rate, compared to a properly fertilized plant...