Stan, Let me apologize in advance for the long post. Parts finally arrived to “resurrect” the Aeropnoic Cloner. I’ve “identified” six suckers for cloning, just waiting until the smallest of the six get to the 3 to 4 inches you suggested.
Question on cloning nutrients: Being these are suckers not
seeds / seedlings, should I stay with the Vertigro formula at some decreased strength, or revert back to MiracleGro® - again at some decreased strength? I’ll also use whichever
nutrient mix (PH balanced of course) to pre-soak the Rockwool cubes the suckers will go into.
Question on sucker to cloner “technique”: I see a method out there using the neoprene collars alone (would have to be in a net cup with bottom cut out), but you mentioned using Rockwool cubes. Do you drill a hole in the rockwool cube (roughly diameter of sucker)? My concern on the cube is possibly water spraying out the sides (square cube in round netcup). In both methods I assume an inch or two of the sucker “dangles” in the cloner spray area – is that correct? Any suggestions?
On the Dutch buckets, I’m adding Epsom salts @ a ratio of 1.06 gram per gallon of the nutrient, which I believe roughly equates to your suggested “
3 tablespoons in a 48 gallon….”.
Other info: I’m using the VertiGro nutrients at full strength, and everything seems A-OK, tops of plants seem lush, green and healthy (see pics). The 3 tomatoes I have are one plant, and seem OK. Other plants are starting flowers (again see pics).
Thanks again for all your help and advice! gdgdad