In your objective to achieve the finest results attainable, producing strong and vigorous cuttings or seedlings is absolutely crucial. This is because the condition of your adolescent plants will be reflected during this period of their life cycle. The stronger they are during the vegetative stage, will maximise the plant’s prospective through flowering.
Which hydroponic growing media is right for me?
Here at Rotherham Hydroponics, we offer a variety of high quality media for you to begin propagating effectively with. Regardless of the media you choose to commence with, you will always be free to relocate and plant into another form of media if this is what you wish.
| Media | Overview |
| Rockwell Cubes | Fast rooting times. Commonly used for rooting when transplanting to larger Rockwool blocks. Be careful not to over or under water. |
| Hydroton Clay Pebbles | The pellets drain freely and do not hold any excessive water, which is why they provide good oxygen levels around the root and why they are particularly suitable for flood and drain systems. They are also used extensively for rose growing. |
| Bio Nova Coco Bricks x 6 | This block of compressed coconut results into 10litres of ready-to-use coconut substrate after adding 3 litres of water to it. Furthermore, its volume will increase approximately tenfold. As a result of its initial size, the substrate is fairly easy to transport. |
| Canna CoCo Pro-plus 50 Ltr | Made from the refined husks of coconuts, Canna Coco provides an airy and light rooting environment, perfect for encouraging vigorous and healthy root growth. A simple yet effective way of growing. Canna Coco has become very popular in recent years. |
| Jiffy coco 4″ blocks x 6 | The Jiffy Coco-Block offers hydroponic growers the first natural and organic alternative to stonewool blocks. The Coco-Block is designed to hold slightly less water than a stonewool block in order to improve early root development and establishment compared to stonewool. |
| Jiffy peat plugs 42mm x 50 | No other growing media provides as many advantages as the Jiffy 7. Faster, superior root development. Using a match, create a hole for one seed. Insert seed and cover. Then propagate. |
| Vitalink Coco Coir Mix 50l | Featuring a unique blend of 70% fine coir and 30% coir chips, Vitalink Coco creates a light and airy environment with just the right density to support truly prosperous plants! |
| Vitalink Professional Coir Chips 20L | The chips are scientifically proven to deliver excellent root growth, prevent root disease and promote overall healthy plant development. Prevent the surface of the growing media from drying and guard against soil-dwelling pests, when used as mulch. |
Pre-soaking Guidelines:
| Rockwool Cubes and ROOT!T Rockwool Cubes | Soak in solution of 2ml/L of VitaLink BioPlus and 3ml/L of VitaLink PlantStart (pH approximately 5.5-6.0) for 4-5 hours. Gently brush off any excess water. |
| Jiffy Soil and ROOT!T Coir/Peat Pellets | Soak in solution of 2ml/L of VitaLink Bioplus (pH approximately 6.0) for 10 minutes. Gently brush off any excess water. |
| Jiffy Coco | Soak in solution of 2ml/L of VitaLink BioPlus and 3ml/L VitaLink PlantStart (pH approximately 5.5-6.0) for 10 minutes. Gently brush off any excess water. |
| Flexicubes and ROOT!T Cubes (optional) | If you choose to soak. Use a solution of 2ml/L of VitaLink BioPlus and 3ml/L of VitaLink PlantSTart (pH approximately 5.5-6.0) for 10 minutes. Gently brush off any excess water. |
Feeding Guidelines
For all of the hydroponic growing media that you see above, soak in a solution of 2ml/L of VitaLink BioPlus and 3ml/L of VitaLink PlantStart at a pH of approximately 5.5-6.0 for 4-5 hours. Make sure that you gently brush off the excess water after this time.
For the aeroponics growing media, simply make sure that the tank is topped up with a solution of 2ml/l of VitaLink BioPlus and 3ml/L of VitaLink PlantStart. However make sure not to over water your cuttings as they respond only to being moist, not wet.
Which type of propagator should I use?
When you have determined the media you plan to root into, deciding on the best- suited propagator to match your requirements is next.
The table below shows the range of propagators that are available to purchase from us here at Rotherham Hydroponics. We offer a wide range of growing media that are specifically designed to suit your budget and at the same time ensuring that you get the best value for your money.
| Propagators | Overview |
| Fleximix Propagation Kit | The kit comes complete with a medium-sized Propagator, 40 cell FlexiMat that offers the latest and fastest rooting available today, a scalpel and a book on how to take cuttings or grow from seed. |
| Grodan Propagation Kit | A great cutting and germination kit. Comes complete with a medium size propagator, a 24 plug tray and reservoir excellent start kit for seeds and seedling. |
| Large Heated Stewart Propagator | Large high quality propagator. Additional height ensures your seedlings wont run out of space too soon. 35 x 37 x 21 cms |
| Large Unheated Stewart Propagator | This high quality propagator features high lid and ventilation slots. Perfect for the beginner small scale propagation. |
| Medium Heated Stewart Propagator | Fixed temperature heated propagator featuring a sealed heating unit. Insulation beneath the carbon heating mat maintains selected compost temperature at 15-20 degrees under normal conditions. 35 x 21 x 21 cms. |
| Medium Unheated Stewart Propagator | This high quality propagator features high lid and ventilation slots. Ideal for plant cuttings. |
Which type of lighting is suitable for me?
In order to root your cuttings or raise seedlings successfully, you must supply them with the necessary lighting. This means using a particular propagation light that will provide a continual gentle light and heat, as opposed to the HID lighting used for vegetative and flowering stages; as these are commonly too strong for fragile juvenile plants. So regardless if you’re producing hundreds of plants, raising just a few cuttings – our range of lighting will meet all of your propagation needs on whatever budget you can afford.
| Propagation Lighting | Overview |
| Maxibright Pl2 Propagation Light | Main body of reflector is finished white with an internal reflector made from hammered anodised aluminium, for high reflectivity. Strong hanging eyes are fitted allowing to be hung easily. |
| Maxibright Pl4 Propagation Light | 4 x 55w flourescent tubes Maxibright Propagation Light units use 55watt lamps which are supplied with unit in a blue spectrum. Lamps also available in red spectrum so it can be used in both stages if desired. |
| Maxibright T5 2 Tube Propagation Light | Very little heat is emitted and so the unit can be placed very close to plant-top height without fear of scorching. These units also have low power consumption in relation to traditional HID lighting systems. 2 foot (600mm), 2 x 24w bulbs. |
| Maxibright T5 4 foot 4 Tube Light | Reduced heat output allows closer positioning to plants in addition to operation in enclosed spaces without the heat build-up associated with HID systems. 4 foot long, 4 x 6500 kelvin bulbs. |
| Maxibright T5 4 foot 8 Tube Light | The LightWave features a purpose designed wide dispersion reflector designed to cover a larger growing area than standard fluorescent fixtures. 4 foot long, 8 x 6500 kelvin bulbs. |
| Sun Mate Propagation Light | Built with the hobby grower in mind, the powerplant sun mate propagate 110watt is a low-energy lighting system. Ideal for your small scale propagation, it has been designed to help you produce healthy seeds and cuttings. Supplied with a 2m power lead. |
| Sylvania Lynx- 4-Pin 55W Bulb | 15000 hours average rated life. 4-Pin Diameter: 38mm. |
We also sell a wide range of grow lights for every stage in the plant life cycle, including; bulbs, reflectors, ballasts and much more here. (https://www.rotherhamhydroponicscentre.co.uk/grow-lights)