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Grodan Plantop Block Propagation Rock Wool Hydroponics Substrate
Grodan Plantop Block Propagation Rock Wool Hydroponics Substrate
Propagation blocks shape irrigation plans, ensuring consistent plant growth tailored to diverse conditions and grower requirements.
Generative and steered growth drainage.
Grodan Plantop stonewool blocks are known as the proven and reliable standard plant propagation medium in the hydroponics production market to grow vegetable plants in the high tech cultivation of crops like tomato, capsicum, cucumber, aubergine and large vigorous vegetative fruiting and flowering plants.
Plantop is the new standard in stone wool blocks for the propagation of vegetable crops and is renowned for its steerability. The NG2.0 technology provides rapid, effective water and nutrient distribution in the blocks.
This guarantees maximum utilisation of the substrate volume and promotes fast, healthy development of young plants. Grodan Plantop is extremely versatile and optimized for the large scale growing of tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers and eggplants.
Product characteristics
- Controlled strong truss development.
- Strong flower development.
- Compact plant mass.
- Steered fully distributed root development.
- Controlled plant development through irrigation strategy.
NG2.0 Technology
NG2.0 is the successor of the Next Generation Technology and adds new benefits to the existing advantages. Water distribution is even more uniform and the crop utilises the total substrate volume better. Continual new growth of roots in both the block and the slab results in a healthier and more vigorous crop throughout the whole growing season. These benefits translate into higher yields, improved fruit quality and reduce the sensitivity of the crop to diseases. The technology is available in plugs, blocks and slabs.
Key benefits
- Optimal steering range.*
- Optimal irrigation efficiency.
- Uniform crop development.
*What is crop steering? Crop steering is the cutting edge plant growth management practice whereby environmental factors; light, climate and irrigation are strategically adjusted to guide plants towards vegetative growth then generative growth to manipulate yield.
Introduction to rock wool
Stone wool, also known as wool, rock wool, slag wool or mineral wool, is made from basalt, which is solidified lava spewed from the innermost depths of the earth. In its manufactured state, stone wool can have multiple purposes, such as an insulation solution or a growing medium. Stone wool growing media used for cultivation of plants in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is pH neutral and has air pockets that make it suitable for hydroponics, as plants need oxygen and moisture in their root zone. This type of soilless growing media is ideally suited to indoor cultivation, from vegetables and floriculture to medicinal crops.
Rock wool hydroponics cultivation systems consist of plugs, blocks and slabs. The plug is used for sowing, where the seed grows into a seedling. Then the seedling with the plug is transplanted in a block in which it is grown into a full fledged young plant. The full fledged young plant with block is then placed on the slab for growing to maturity and producing fruits.
When implementing precision growing focused on the root zone a grower will aim to influence the root zone environment throughout the entire cultivation cycle. Growing crops without soil means growing them reliably. Because everything can be controlled. Every decision made in the greenhouse or growing room today has a major impact on tomorrow's results.
Thanks to the controlled manufacturing process, this growth medium is of a consistently high quality. The main difference between stone wool, coco coir, peat and soil growing media is that stone wool is mineral based, not carbon containing organic matter. It is made of natural stone heated to such extreme temperatures (about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit/ 1500 degrees Celsius) during the manufacturing process, it is a hygienic, clean growing media free of pathogens and food safety compliant, compatible with hydroponic and automated growing systems, as well as automated irrigation technologies that rely on precise control.
The unique fibre structure makes cultivation with stone wool growing media very easy to control. The grower can administer the precise amount of water and nutrients the crops need in a very directed and controlled manner, to achieve optimal growing results. Waste becomes a thing of the past. Efficient use of water and nutrients keeps yield per square metre high, and energy consumption per unit of product low. Additionally, the growing media is lightweight, making it easy to handle. And last but not least, stone wool can be easily recycled into raw materials for products such as new stone wool and bricks.
Resources
Grodan Plantop Block Product Data Sheet.
