Can Rockwool go bad?

I started growing about 7 years ago, only did a few crops then stopped for personal reasons. Like all growers I had a ton of supplies still that I had kept.

I just started growing again, and didnt see anything wrong with using all my old supplies.

But I seem to be having a problem with clones, I have narrowed it down to the Rockwool I was using, it was sealed in a package the entire time (5 years) and was never opened. I thought it would be fine.

Can Rockwool go bad and not allow roots to grow, smothering the little clones? or am i just not using the Rockwool correctly?

I have had 100% success so far with clones just put into small cups of dirt, but no success with the Rockwool.

yes it can get mold on it. but you really have to neglet them for that to happen

mygirls said:

yes it can get mold on it. but you really have to neglet them for that to happen

Click to expand...

Nope no mold problems, what was actually happening was at the very bottom of the clone stems, these root balls where forming, but the roots where not able to work through the rockwool, they just stayed in little balls, some of them actually splitting the rockwool cubes in half, instead of working through the rockwool.

When i peeled the rockwool off and put the clones in soil in small clear cups, with in 24 hours the roots had grown to the edge of the cup so i could see them already.

Maybe ill just give up on rockwool and use small clear cups with soil from now on.

Hi llamas did you pre wet the cubes with PH correct water and/or nutrients

^Yup. I believe you have to soak the cubes in the pH correct water for about 30 minutes. Either way, it doesn't seem the roots should do that. If they are 5 years old, then I'd have to blame those as well assuming you did everything else right. Were they stored in a really dry area?

mouthmeetsoap said:

^Yup. I believe you have to soak the cubes in the pH correct water for about 30 minutes. Either way, it doesn't seem the roots should do that. If they are 5 years old, then I'd have to blame those as well assuming you did everything else right. Were they stored in a really dry area?

Click to expand...

They were stored in sealed plastic in about 55% humidity.

yes I did pre-soak the cubes in water w/rooting nutes for 2 hours before I put the clones in the cubes. The clones were under a humidity dome all the time with 1 hour "breath" breaks a few times a day, and I have a seedling and clone heating mat which the dome sits on.

I can not comment on the PH of my water, never tested it. I have had no problems with sprouting seeds from my water, or using it to water my current plants.