Dr. Todd Cavins shares best practices and relevant strategies for maximizing substrates in plug and cutting production. Presented at the 2019 Plug & Cutting Conference

1. Growing Media
for Plug & Cutting Production
Todd Cavins, Ph.D.
Technical Services

2. What Do Substrates Provide?
Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production
o Good water retention
o Good aeration (it’s a balancing act)
o Good nutrient retention (CEC)
o Good support

3. Substrate Properties
Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production
PHYSICAL CHEMICAL BIOLOGICAL ECONOMIC
structure
stability
water capacity
air capacity
bulk density
wettability
pH
nutrient content
organic matter
noxious
substances
buffering capacity
weeds, seeds and
viable propagules
pathogens
pests
microbial activity
storage life
availability
consistency of
quality
cultivation
technique
plant requirements
price
* G. Schmilewski , 2008

4. 3 Components of Substrate Physical Properties
Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production
o Solid Particle
o Air Filled Pores
o Water Filled Pores

5. Substrate Quality?
Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production
✓Critical!
• Wetting Agent
• Limestone
• Rate and reaction
• Starter nutrient charge
• Peat, coir, vermiculite, perlite size and
consistency

6. Uniform Tray Manufacturing
Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production

7. Uniform Tray Manufacturing
Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production
Low stick count
Consistent moisture
Uniform fill
Uniform cover
Dibble Size
Soil to stem contact
Back-fill
Appropriate handling
Stacking?

8. Get the moisture correct prior to and after sticking or sowing!
Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production
0
50
100
150
200
250
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
EllepotWeight(g)
Watering Bench Speed Setting
Watering belt set not according to feel – but to quantifiable metric

9. Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production

10. Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production
Bradford system
Bob’s stack
Transport - Vanw

11. Plug Production Substrates
Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production
Low stick count
Fine particle size
High water holding capacity
Fine Peat, vermiculite, coir dust blends seem to be the most popular.

12. Liner Production Substrates
Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production
Low stick count
Fine to medium particle size
Moderate water holding capacity
Good drainage
Stick free peat, perlite, coir (longer fiber) blends seem to be the
most popular.

13. Back to that manufacturing thought…
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials
✓ Water tunnel after stick?

14. GrowCoon
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials

15. Wood Fiber
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials

16. RTU – Internally Stabilized
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials

17. EasyFix - Internally Stabilized
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials

18. Evaluating Rooting Substrate Systems
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials

19. Materials & Methods
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials
• 13 Substrates
• URCs from DARC and BFP
• Four ship weeks
• Measured variables including
– Rooting quality
• 1-5 based on root development
– Pull-ability
• patch and repair
– Water holding capacity
– Temperature and acid sensitivity
• GrowCoon
• Data Taken 7, 14, and 21 DAS
QPlug WonderPlug Terra Plug Oasis Foam

20. 2018 Propagation Substrate Trials
Loose Fill Substrate Externally Stabilized Substrate Internally Stabilized Substrate
SS#5 BGO HydraFiber 30 HydraFiber 50 EP BGO EP SS#5 Fertiss Es GC SS#5 GC BGO GC 30 HF GC 50 HF
Terra
Plug ExCel Qplug
Oasis
Foam EasyFix
Root
Rating
Week 3 103% 98% 89% 79% 96% 100% 92% 101% 91% 89% 87% 92% 86% 106% 90% 93%
Root
Rating
Week 2 102% 99% 94% 81% 105% 100% 97% 106% 104% 94% 102% 106% 93% 106% 93% 91%
Root
Rating
Week 1 103% 106% 106% 100% 106% 100% 97% 106% 106% 102% 106% 106% 103% 103% 103% 108%
Pull-
Ability
Week 3 95% 88% 88% 67% 96% 100% 104% 104% 88% 92% 92% 94% 88% 113% 95% 60%
Pull-
Ability
Week 2 71% 76% 91% 55% 106% 100% 115% 115% 106% 100% 111% 91% 81% 111% 100% 48%
Pull-
Ability
Week 1 103% 106% 106% 100% 106% 100% 97% 106% 106% 102% 106% 106% 103% 103% 103% 108%
Cost 87% 89% 62% 62% 98% 100% 185% 192% 187% 161% 161% 194% 245% 538% 96% 93%

21. Vegetative Petunia – 21 DAS
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials
SS#5 BGO HF 5050 HF 7030 EasyFixGC SS#5
Q Plug EP SS#5 EP BGO Fertiss EsWonder Terra

22. Shipping trials
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials

23. Shipping Trials
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials

24. Shipping Trials
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials
Sum of Number
displaced of 13
Easy
Fix
EP
BGO
EP
SS#5 Excel
Fertiss
eS
GC 50
HF
GC 30
HF
GC
BGO
GC
SS#5 HF 50 HF 30
LF
BGO
LF
SS#5 Oasis
Q
plug
Grand
Total
Osteospermum 0 0 0 0 5 0 9 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 18
Bottom 0 9 1 0 10
Middle 5 2 1 0 0 8
Top 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Grand Total 0 0 0 0 5 0 9 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 18

25. What Problem am I Trying to Solve?
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials
– Rooting quality / speed?
– Patch and repair?
– Cost?
– Shipping claims?
– Variability?
Soils
Root
Rating
Week 3
Pull-
Ability
Week 3
% Cost
of
Ellepot
Loose SS#5 103% 95% 87%
Loose BGO 98% 88% 89%
HydraFiber
70/30 89% 88% 62%
HydraFiber
50/50 79% 67% 62%
EllePot BGO 96% 96% 98%
EllePot SS#5 100% 100% 100%
Fertiss Es 92% 104% 185%
GrowCoon SS#5 101% 104% 192%
GrowCoon BGO 91% 88% 187%
GrowCoon 7030 89% 92% 161%
GrowCoon 5050 87% 92% 161%
Terra Plug 92% 94% 194%
ExCel 86% 88% 245%
Qplug 106% 113% 538%
Oasis Foam 90% 95% 96%
EasyFix 93% 60% 93%
Loose Fill
Substrate
Externally
Stabilized
Substrate
Internally
Stabilized
Substrate

26. What Problem am I Trying to Solve?
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials
– Patch and repair?
• Not Loose fill

27. What Problem am I Trying to Solve?
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials
– Cost?
• HydraFiber
• Loose fill

28. What Problem am I Trying to Solve?
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials
– Variability?
• Internally stabilized such as Preforma, Terra Plug, Excel

29. Looking for crop time and labor savings?
2018 Propagation Substrate Trials

30. Matching the Substrate System
& Environment
2019 Propagation Substrate Trials
• 8 Substrates
• 6 annual genera from BFP
• Measured root length
• Measured soil dry down rate
• Data 10 and 17 DAS

31. Matching the substrate system & environment
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Substrate Dry-down Curves - Greenhouse
Ellepot BP BP + GC 30 HF 50 HF 30 HF + GC 50 HF + GC EF

32. Matching the substrate system & environment
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Substrate Dry-down Curves - Controlled
Ellepot BP BP + GC 30 HF 50 HF 30 HF + GC 50 HF + GC EF

33. Understanding the Impact of Mist on Rooting Speed & Uniformity
2019 Propagation Substrate Trials
Externally Stabilized
• Ellepot
• Hydrafiber in growcoon
• Ball Propagation Mix in Growcoon
Loose Fill
• Ball Propagation Mix
• Hydrafiber
Internally Stabilized
• Easyfix
• Qplug
• Excel Plug
3s mist 6s mist 9s mist

34. A Closer
Look:
Calibrachoa
‘Cabaret
Red’ 3smist
6smist
9smist
3smist
6smist
9smist
3smist
6smist
9smist
3smist
6smist
9smist
3smist
6smist
9smist
3smist
6smist
9smist
3smist
6smist
9smist
3smist
6smist
9smist
2019 Propagation Substrate Trials

35. Understanding the Impact of Mist on Rooting Speed & Uniformity
2019 Propagation Substrate Trials
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
Ball Prop + GC Ball Prop Mix Easyfix Ellepot Hydrafiber 50 Hydrafiber 50 + GC Hydrafiber 70 Hydrafiber 70 + GC
1
2
3
3 seconds
6 seconds
9 seconds
30 + GC30

36. Understanding the Impact of Mist on Rooting Speed & Uniformity
✓ Mist strategy-
– Irrigation is not the goal
– Match the environment to the substrate system
✓ GrowCoon –
– Match tray to GrowCoon
– Offers externally stabilized system with minimal soil compaction
✓ Hydrafiber –
– It works, it might take some significant adjustments
– Product development could yield some exciting new products
✓ Trials
– Are they representative?
Growing Media for Plug & Cutting Production

37. What Problem am I Trying to Solve?
- Cost
- Rapid rooting
- Patch & repair efficiency

38. Todd Cavins, Ph.D
tcavins@ballhort.com
Talk to us:
Ball Seed: 800 879-BALL
Ball ColorLink®: 800 686-7380