Problems with root rot?

Have you tried cloning your plants in an aerocloner and have not had much luck? Is the stem slimy and the roots rotting? Most of the time the reason is because you have made a common mistake. If this is your first time using an aeroponic cloner, be sure to follow these guidelines.

The first thing to do is make sure your cloner is completely clean, right down to the pump rotor. If you have to reuse neoprene collars, make sure they have been cleaned very, very thoroughly. Try to use food grade cleaners, but you can use bleach if you don’t have anything else. If bleach is used, make sure all residue has been rinsed out. If you think you’ve rinsed it enough, do it one more time. There may be a few reasons why the root is rotting.

Water Temperature – Many gardeners don’t realize how hot the water really is. Just because it’s on the basement floor in the summer doesn’t mean it’s cool. Make sure the water temperature is not too high. If you stick your finger in the water and it feels warm, it’s probably too hot. Have you ever swam in 70 degree water? 70 degrees feels cool on the skin. With daylight saving time, the water time can increase quite a bit. Keep it around 70-75 and you should be fine. The growth of bacteria takes off in a longer time. For the winter, make sure you don’t have the aerocloner in the basement. Many times nothing happens and the gardeners wonder what is happening. The cold water has stunted the cutting and it stops rooting. You wouldn’t want to take a cold shower in winter, so why would your plant?

pH: Your pH level should be between 5.5 and 5.8 for aeroponics. This is not soil or hydro, a pH of 6 is getting too high. If you don’t have a digital pH meter, you may want to get one. Hanna makes a really good waterproof digital pH/EC/TDS tester that costs about $150. Be sure to test the pH after adding anything to the water.

Preparing your cloner: Some people use a bleach or cloner solution in the water, but you don’t necessarily have to. However, you can add 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to the water to help prevent fouling. Add about 1 tablespoon (the measuring type, not the kind you eat with) of H2O2 per gallon of water.

Just follow these tips and you’ll be good to go!