Air or steam blown through molten basalt produces strands of liquified rock that are gyrate to make rockwool . peat moss peat moss is the slowly decaying , dead moss that hoard under moss living on the top of peat peat bog . Rockwool , used mainly as a hydroponic grow metier , is also used to amend soil . bog moss peat moss is in the main used to amend territory , potting mixes and compost , although it too can be used as a hydroponic grow medium .
Rockwool
Spinning strand of molten basalt produce a mass of amercement , intertwine fibers , a process that has been compare to that used to prepare cotton candy . Rockwool can be sprayed on walls to provide insulation and absorb strait . treat to reduce its by nature high pH , rockwool can retain enceinte quantities of water system and air needed to grow roots in aquacultural systems . Used as amendment , it increases the breeze available in soils and composts .
Rockwool in Hydroponics
Many commercial hydroponic growers turn over rockwool , sometimes called stonewool , as the growing spiritualist of choice . Cup - sized aquacultural cubes are sold to hold seeds for sprouting and individual seedling for starts ; slab of rockwool are commercialise to anchor the root of grow plant in bed . Rockwool holds water well and continue airwave , both necessary for spreading roots ; it run out slowly and steadily give growers more control over plant as they grow and fruit .
Plants are easily able to draw water from rockwool , and they do n’t show water stress until the metier is almost completely wry . Rockwool is amenable to automatize systems that measure moisture content to control irrigation , and systems that monitor nutrient so that fertilizers can be drip - fed as needed .
habituate rockwool in either hydroponic wane - and - current or drip irrigation system of rules . It is suitable for growing seed , seedling , and plants of all sizes .
Spaghnum Peat Moss
Dry cell drift sphagnum moss to the top of a peat peat bog so it can get sun for photosynthesis . Since sphagnum moss win its food from water , its juiceless cell can soak up to 20 clock time its weightiness in H2O .
Beneath the living sphagnum moss , peat moss peat moss decay slowly because water miss the oxygen require by bacterium that causes rapid decomposition . Sphagnum peat moss is steamed to desexualize it for horticultural habit .
Sphagnum Peat Moss in Hydroponics
The long , sponge - comparable strands of peat moss peat moss hold big quantities of water and give roots plenty of aura . Sphagnum peat moss is a good produce medium for net - pile or lattice hydroponics systems where its foresighted strands can shed out of holes and soak up piddle . The primary job is that it can decay over meter , spill small particle that can overload drip emitters and pumps .
Uses in Soil Amendment
By conflate peat moss peat moss or rockwool with compost , help oneself keep your soil from compacting and becoming hard . The main difference is that rockwool is inorganic and not biodegradable ; it does not decay . peat moss peat moss decays over time . Compost amended with sphagnum peat moss compost will last four to five times longer .
Both sphagnum peat moss and rockwool are immingle with perlite , vermiculite and other media for use as planting admixture in pots and flatbed . Sphagnum peat moss is more often used in such mix , and it is also popular for hanging baskets and for growing mushroom-shaped cloud .
Used as a grunge amendment , both sphagnum peat moss and rockwool save on fertilizer by deoxidise the leeching of nutrients . They aid sandy grime retain moisture , and they relax heavy , clay dirt , foreclose them from constrict .
Other Considerations
Sphagnum peat moss is broadly speaking cheaper than rockwool . Rockwool , like fiberglass , is a mineral wool that can damage your lung if you inhale its particle in the shape of detritus .
