I decided to give rooting plugs a try this year. I have been pretty happy with Sphagnum Moss, many seem to like the ease of plugs.   I had picked up a couple Root Riot trays, but I decided to give some larger plugs a try.  I hope to be able to leave in these plugs longer and go straight into 1 gal. The design of these EPS Styrofoam trays are to have elevated with the open bottom and the roots will be air-pruned as they extend out.  The guy I spoke with at IHort who put these out seemed very knowledgeable and makes them sound real good, but that’s his job right.  I imagine I will have to watch moisture even more when potting up with these larger plugs. They are not quite as dense more/larger air pockets that RR it seems, but I know folks using plugs have stated you really have to watch the spongy plug getting wetter than the potting media surrounding.  I plan to leave them until almost root bound in the tray unless the close proximity of the top growth in the tray gives me too much issue.

Larger than standard tray and the plug volume is much larger see compared to RR. It’s hard to find storage bins with clear tops. These are the largest I could find.  106 QT this tray did not have much room to spare. I am thinking of inverting them and setting the tray on the lid and the bin as the dome as it might make tending the cuttings easier always awkward reaching in a bin as I am clumsy and young growth breaks easy.  I have a heat mat with Styrofoam under it and the bin sitting direct on the heat mat,  I had the tray elevated only 1 inch above bin bottom but my temp probe was signaling to high so I elevated to about 3 inches I will need that headroom at some time, but after I remove the heat mat. Right now my temp probe inserted into one of the open holes through and hanging right at base of tray is at 82 F the temp above the tray in bin registers about 73 F.  I am watching the temp closely but the plugs themselves are not as warm as the air below. The insulating foam tray seems to moderate it. I am working keeping the humidity a little lower than the present 90%

Suggestions solicited and appreciated

Best figs to all

 

Plug compared to a Root Riot
 

Bottom of tray
 

 


 

Nice setup Phil.

I have not done the RR this season yet.
But when I did last year I misted them everyday. Make sure the plugs do not dry off completely.

With the Root Riot I used to pour water into the tray just enough for the plugs to get an enough drink to keep moist.

Remember: Moist! Not wet!

I hope the local Hydroponics stores have this new setup you just got.

I have the larger ones that are about the size of a coffee cup but those go into those air layering cups.

Good luck

Thanks Rafed,

I had the plugs first then ending up talking with one of the guys at IHORT as I could not find the tray they show anywhere. He sent me the tray, but I have not been able to get further reply from them as they just deal wholesale. I did find a regular plastic plug tray that will fit and holds 32? of these but have not found them except in case of 100 trays. See what you started with the Root Riot post

Phil,

I also have used the RR for air layering.

Normally I would use two or three plugs for this so the branches will have to be pencil thin.
I would cut a couple girdles about an inch or two apart and then I would cut the plugs down the side and butterfly them so I can wrap them around the branch.

I would wrap some twine around the plugs to keep in place, not tight so I can remove the twine without any struggle.
If there's a gap on the cut side of the plugs I would fill with potting mix or moss.

I moisten and wrap with plastic wrap or bag air tight and then I wrap with foil.

I did about four or five last summer with success.

Good luck

You guys find more and more ways to keep figgin.
  
Phil, nice setup and very clearly illustrated!  It will be interesting to see what success rate you get.
Do you maintain some water level under the tray?

Rafed,

Yes I plan to try some of these plugs on  small diameter airlayers, They show using this plug for airlayering but on a fairly thin stem.

Pino,

Thanks.  I am hoping my results will be interesting, not disappointing, lot of folks using the smaller plugs with good results. I find new ways to kill cuttings. I don't have any water under the tray, the humdity is busting 90% as it is. I can take the tray out and sit in a mixing tub to bottom water if I want with the open bottoms I will not need to submerse.  These EPS Styro trays are used in hydroponics just floating on water. I don't beleive the figs would care for that. but I have a smaller version of this with smaller plugs I that fits in a standard flat it might try if I have some prungings that I was tossing from someday just to prove that was to much moisture

So these are Q plugs? You think they will not have the up-potting issues that Root Riots seem to have? I like how they come in different sizes. I will be very interested in your results.

To give your growing cuttings more head room, place another clear bin upside down on top of your existing bin.

Yes these are Q plugs , the 40-80 size. I would expect them to likely have any issue that Root Riot has on up-potting as they are  very similar. The only I issue recall reading on potting up plugs is the plug tends to retain moisture more than most potting mix are there other issues? If so I would like to hear to try and avoid. I am hoping to let the roots develop more in the larger plugs so hopefully avoid some issues, but the larger plug might be more of a moisture issue, so I will have to play it as it goes.

Phil,

These plugs are no different than the moss in the bag method.
Too soggy and the cuttings rot. Too dry and the cuttings dehydrate, and die.

Conditions must be perfect.

When I introduced the Root Riot I included pictures of the process and result. Follow the simple instructions and things can go smoothly. If you don't follow the instructions then you will hear complaints.
It is what it is, human nature.

Just as there are those who failed, there are those who will swear by it. Like myself and a few others.

If anything, with your setup you will need to keep an eye on them and keep them from drying out. Have a spray bottle near by so you can mist.
I would lower them to about a half inch from the bottom and fill the bottom with water ONLY high enough to where the water and the bottom of the tray/plugs are barely touching.
This way when the roots develop and grow out of the plugs they will grow into the water.

Once these roots are approx. a half inch or longer then you can plant into a pot with the mix of your choice. Keep on eye on them for the first week to ten days as they (the roots) transition into the soil. By which time the plug is no longer necessary.

Hope this helps and good luck.

And BTW,
Don't have them covered air tight. Cut a couple little vents.

Rafed,

Thanks  you are right We all know there are many successful manners to root if we follow the details. Sometimes we don't even know we are doing something right until we do it wrong and see the changed result, or don't identify correct issue on our failures. I have my mister holstered and my bin cracked.

Lovely setup. Looks very clean cut no mess.