| Items: | Value: |
 |  |
 | |
Search
Shop Categories
Signup for a newsletter if you would like to be kept up to date with all new products and the latest special offers.
Account Login
| Account holders, please login here before you checkout |
| Don't have an account? Click here to create one. ..................... Please note: You don't need to have an account to place orders with us. |
Payment and Security
We accept most major debit
and credit cards
| SECTION 5 - PRODUCT INFORMATION | ||
| ROOKWOOL | ||
| Rockwool is a naturally occurring material, and is formed when erupting volcanoes spray hot lava which cools into thin strands. In Hawaii it is used in the orchards, and is known locally as ‘Pele’s hair’. Industrial Rockwool was first created in 1865, but only in a crude form. It was later developed in the 1970’s by European growers for horticultural use. Horticultural Rockwool is made by combining volcanic rock, limestone and coke and heating it to very high temperatures in a rotating drum which has small holes in it. When the material becomes molten it shoots out of the holes to form hair like strands. These strands are allowed to cool down and are coated with a resin, to make them inert and sterile and then pressed vertically into blocks. Building or insulation Rockwool is not suitable for horticultural use because it is too dense and does not contain a wetting agent. It may also be made from low grade rock (or even slag) and will not be sterile. ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES.
........................................................................................................ Rockwool can usually be purchased in the following forms: SBS BLOCKSThese arc square cubes with insertion holes. Seeds/cuttings are started in the smaller blocks and then transferred into the larger blocks. Small cubes usually come in 1/2” and 1” sizes and the large cubes in 3”, 4” and 5” sizes with either 1/2” or 1” holes to put the small blocks in. WRAPPED SLABS These large, individual slabs are for those who wish to cut their own cubes to size. They can also be used as a growing medium. They come in various sizes depending on manufacturer, usually individually wrapped. GRANULAR MIX Pieces of water repellent and water absorbent Rockwool are combined together to form a medium that will create the right water to air ratio for some plants. Special granular mix can be purchased especially for orchids. Granular mix is usually sold in bags in sizes of 10, 50 and 100 litres. ........................................................................................................ PREPARING ROCKWOOL BLOCKS. Before putting a seed or a cutting into a Rockwool block, the Rockwool block can first be prepared in the following way:
 | ||
|
