24hr plant propagation

[ForestDave]

Plants are expensive.
Has any one tried splitting some plant specimens into new rock wool pads and a empty tank, adding a low bath of nutrient rich water and sticking the lights on 24hrs a day?

 

[Nick potts]

Splitting plants and growing them emersed is a good way of growing and propagating plants. You can use rockwool, but I find standard potting compost works well and if nutrient rich.

Don't know on the 24hr light though, I am sure I have read somewhere that after a certain period the plants won't use the light anyway??

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Don't know on the 24hr light though,

It depends on the plant, commercially they grow some <"salad crops under 24 hour light"> ("continuous illumination"), but others need a "night" and they use a 16 hour day for them.

My guess is with the coming of LEDs, there is now a lot of work on R:B ratio and on LED pulsing. It may be that a series of light periods, with small dark gaps, increase yield and decrease energy use. One of the issues with discharge light (HPS) is that they don't re-strike etc. meaning that you have to have them constantly on during the programmed photo-period. A very flexible light could be linked to photo-sensor and come on and off as PAR levels vary from clouds etc.

It only needs to be a marginal gain to be commercially viable.

cheers Darrel