Any Rockwool/Grodan Growers Here?

[Nematode]

freight was steep.
if you are doing whole pallets it gets a lot better.
ordered 25 bags, 2.75 each
freight was $108 ups.

[PureHarvest]

The other issue is how many crops can you grow in one bag?

I am told by an "expert" that he can get two crops out of one of my bags. He said just rip the plant out, top it off with some new media, and put the next transplant in. After 2nd year it is done because there is nothing but roots left. I must say that as i dumped out some bags this fall, there was plenty of potting mix still in the bag. My concern was the labor of emptying bags out and mixing a big pile with some fresh media, and refilling new bags. He said no need. Just pull the main stem out, top off, and replant in year 2.
If this is the case, then my media and bag cost almost drops in 1/2. That would more or less be a wash with the layflats, assuming you only use one time.

[Nematode]

2 crops for me.

[PureHarvest]

Cool, just pull the cube off and put new cube in next spring?

[Nematode]

Originally Posted by PureHarvest

Cool, just pull the cube off and put new cube in next spring?

Yes.

If you think about it, 2 seasons for us is like one grow cycle for the glass house guys.
Same utilization.

[AKmark]

Nematode, keep a good journal of your grow and keep us posted if you can. I am curious to see how it works out.

[PureHarvest]

Even at that shipping cost, you have a home for 6 plants for 2 cycles at $7.07
My cost is $7 (Bag, promix, and labor to fill) for 2 plants for 2 cycles.

I need to get a quote for a larger quantity. I would need 90.

I'm gonna order a few to trial this summer.

[Nematode]

The less media you have the closer you are to the edge of disaster as far as watering accidents go.
6 plants in a bag in August with a pump fail you could lose it all.
Plants are totally fine with little media, but you need to water many times per day, and monitor for pump failure.

The other thing is that different size plants are harder to manage on one timer/pump.
The drier media (300) should make it easier tho than the 200, that stuff was wet.

[PureHarvest]

Good points. I am going to go with two crops: spring to early summer and late summer to late fall. I want to skip having fruit load during mid-July to August.
Of course i will hang on to a few to have fruit for myself all season. My buyer can't get product consistently on the shoulder seasons, so it should work out on that aspect too. Hopefully I will have the good problem of him wanting product in the middle after I supply him with quality during the other ends of the season. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I still have to also master my garlic production attempt, rotational-grazed cow and pig system, work off farm 40 hrs/week, raise 3 kids, and save the planet
But i hear you on pump failure.

[FourOaks]

So I checked on shipping...

No go for me. I thought I would order 10 slabs to trial. Shipping would be just shy of $200.

Lots of great information can be gleaned from this thread though. I honestly think that the same method of watering could be applied to our 5/7 gallon bags, with success.

Im going to focus on blending coco with perlite, or larger coco chips if I can get my hands on them locally.

[Ricky Shaw]

"its all cool stuff but dont let it put you off of what you know, maybe add and tweak..." -Nematode

Essence right there, beyond gardening. An excellent thread.

[PureHarvest]

I was thinking on the way home, use a bale of straw and put 3 plants in it and put drippers on each.
I can get an bale right from the farm for like 3 bucks. I know there are lots of things to think through with porosity/air/nutrient retention/drain off/, but my thought was that it's right next door (no shipping), cheap, and easy to recycle onto my field crops as mulch.

[Nematode]

PH I bet that would work great.
Might want to consider bumping the N due to nitrogen theft as straw decomposes.
Plants will let you know..

I have used pine shavings as media for other crops with success, but havent tried tomato in shavings yet.
Co-op or grain store will have them.

5gal bucket, shavings, hole in bottom.

Pretty cheap.

[Nematode]

PH beware that straw is grass, and more likely than not has been sprayed with 24D for broadleaf control.
Toms hate that stuff, I struggle with it every year.

[FourOaks]

Oh I have an idea.

What about Drain Sleeve? 100 Ft long. 6 inch diameter. About $30. Roughly the same volume of either the Grodan slabs or Riococo slabs.

Just stretch it out bit, and funnel in your grow media. Cut holes and plant away. Its black, so might have to cover it with something white. The sleeve would offer drainage-o-plenty.