Treatment of rockwool blocks for growing tomatoes in greenhouses

Tomato substrates for soilless cultivation in greenhouses mostly use rock wool or coconut strips. The substrate has soilless water absorption and good air permeability, which can isolate soil-borne diseases. Today I will share how the substrate strips are foamed before planting.

1. Before soaking the matrix strips, the main irrigation pipeline should be flushed and disinfected. First flush the pipeline with a nitric acid solution with a pH of 1.9 to 2.1, let it stand for 12 hours, and then rinse it with clean water. Then flush the pipeline with sodium hypochlorite solution with a pH of 9.9 to 10.1. After leaving it for 12 hours, rinse it with clean water.

2. Arrange the matrix strips according to the length of the matrix strips and the planting density. When placing, complete one row first as a reference row, and place the remaining rows according to the reference row. A space of about 50 cm should be reserved at the end of each row of planting grooves.

3. The amount of liquid delivered to the matrix strip is generally 120% of the volume of the matrix strip. The conductivity of the nutrient solution should be 3.5mS/cm~4.0mS/cm, and the pH should be 5.3~5.5. The soaking time should be maintained for at least 12 hours.

4. The drainage holes on the matrix strips should be opened half a day before planting. Each matrix strip has 6 drainage holes, 3 on each side of the matrix strip. The opening is an inverted T shape, with a horizontal incision of 4cm and a vertical incision of 2cm. The opening position should be avoided directly under the drip arrow.