rockwool mistake

I just picked up a couple sheets of rockwool and the soaking solution in Seattle monday. Mixed solution,put sheet in darkroom sink and soaked.Big mistake! In the threads on rockwool I missed any comment warning about the near impossibility of lifting a wet (12 hr draining) into a seed tray without it breaking into pieces. The pieces work as well, but irritate my sense of esthetics. Anyway,now there are 25 of Kells seeds,peeled,soaked and planted in their new home,without gnats.Next time perhaps common sense will prevail and I can remember to soak it IN the starting tray.With all the good press in these threads I had to try it.Where is spring??

Oops, wrong one.This is it.

I'm confused - I used soaked sheets last spring and they didn't pull apart. Are you saying you soaked them too long?? They look good to me...

Sherry, I don't think it was a matter of soaking too long, but of the material not draining (though I left it all night) adequately.There was a lot of water left in the material and the weight of it tore the sections apart at the 'perferation' points upon trying to lift it out of the laundry tub and into the tray.Had I put it on a slanted board in the tub the drainage would have been more complete,weight overall
decreased,and less strain on tht material.Experience is still the best teacher,and the next one will be perfect.Sorry for the confusion.

Yes, balvenie, experience is the best teacher. I'm a 1 year newbie, and I was afraid of my brugs, once I got over the fear of killing them, I'm doing okay. I still don't get the rockwool thing - were you attempting to carry it to a different location?? Since reading your post, I think I'll cut mine into smaller sections before soaking. Think that might help??

Balvenie, You may want to save this link for future references

Good directions for using RW here................
http://www.brugmansia.us/soilless.htm

Looks like you're gonna have lots of beautiful flowers this summer. Keep us posted.

Shirley

This message was edited Jan 20, 2005 2:36 PM

Balvenie...

I'm gonna be on your side of the puddle early Feb...would love to meet you and see your Brugs!!

Carol

Sherry,I attempted to lift the entire heavy wet sheet out of the tub and place it in a tray on the counter and there was just too much weight for the unsupported membrane between the cubes to hold together.With the next one I'll either cut it into appropriate sized pieces,based on the number of seeds to plant,or soak it in the tray.

Scooterbug (love that name),Thanks for the link.It will help in these formative times.

Carol,would be glad to see you.You have mail.

Scooterbug...great link. Thanks from me too!!!

Carol

scoot...thank you for the link, I hadn't seen this one before! My RW usually gets moldy, maybe their idea of not letting the top get wet would help this. Wish I had read it before I planted 50 seeds this week!
Margie

I always cut a piece of RW to accommodate each kind of seed. Just dip it in water or the solution for a couple minutes ,
lift and squeeze gently sideways just to remove excess water.

RW has a grain and only wants to squeeze in one direction.
You will note the RW looks a little lighter then.

This is explained in the link above.

Keep everything squeaky clean to prevent molds & fungi from growing.
If you see water in the bottom of the container it is too wet.

RW works on a balance of water to air for healthy growth.
If it is too wet you could be asking for trouble.