Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi

In South Africa, there were no plant collars available.

we made our own and began using them on aquaponic systems replacing the need for support substrate in the pots.

An intresting side development was that we successfully germinated seed in the plant collars floating directly on the water.

This means that we can now grow our plants from seed without using any germination mix.

I hope this helps others with simmilar ideas

Comments and ideas are welcome please

Graham

what are they made of? looks almost like the foam used in exercise mats?

groovy, I like it

Hi

They are made of a closed cell, light weight foam, the company thay makes them for me is keeping the name queit as they are marketing the collars commercially.

All I can tell you is that the foam weighs less that 50kg's per cubic metre

So with these you don't need a nursery? How long does it take for the seeds to sprout?

Hi

so far with experimentation the germination period is simmilar to the seed been planted in a germination mix.

One factor that plays a big roll is the circulation and depth of water that the collar is floating on.

In order to get the new roots growing properly the water should be at least 5cm (2inches) deep, by using a small submersible pump or air stone to circulate the water this seems to aid in growth when the new shoots are sprouting.

We have successfully had rose cuttings bud and develop roots in the collars inserted into the slatted pots and kept in a water tray

This form of seed/plant support have actually been around in some form or another for many years in hydroponic industries, maybe 15 years or more. Like everything hydro, the products slowly creep into the AP world so to broaden the sales market.

The very early ones were simple cubes of foam with a slit in it but have developed into better designs and better materials in more modern times.

When I first read your post I was a little confused because as far as I am aware, a company called EZ-Clone in the USA have been selling exactly the same product for some time now. A hydroponic company that has been around for over a decade. They market them as cloning collars as do most hydro businesses.

http://www.ezclone.com/buy/ez-clone-cloning-collars/


??

Thanks for the link, I was unaware of it.

Been based in South Africa this product was not available, that why we made our own.

It is noted about the collars been used for cuttings, but I am unaware of the collars been used to germinate seeds directly on the water. I have, after extensive research, been unable to find anyone else that has tried it.

It works, and numerous folk's who have tried it have met with success using our collars, thus replicating the idea.

Regrads

Graham