Cloning with Oil Absorbent

[mrbong73]

I had heard about this and decided to give it a try.
It's the stuff from the auto parts store. 100% DE
Link here

It actually works amazing. I sifted out the fines, rinsed with tap water then soaked with a dilute kelp and pro tekt solution.
The stuff never really dried out. I didn't need to water them at all.
I am also trying a mix with 50% coco, 25% pumice and 25% oil absorb. in a 1 gallon fabric pot.

Anyone else try this?

 

[wobbly goblin]

i use napa 8822 in 5 gal modified hempy buckets with jacks 5-12-26 and cal-nit
8822 has better cec then perlite but in mini hempy clone cups you may want to watch your temps because pythium is a bit more prevalent with 8822 then with perlite due to moisture content
look in my gallery mrbong as those plants are grown in 8822

fwiw

 

[dextr0]

Cool post mr.b.
I know bonsai can be grown in nothing but DE as medium. I never really considered it for cloning but makes perfect sense.

Another way I have seen bonsai growers use is cat litter. You do need to know what kind to use.

Cat Litter as Bonsai Soil
(Diatomaceous Earth or 'Diatomite')
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basicscatlitter.htm

^^^Talks about the NAPA here also.

 

[mrbong73]

Interesting medium for sure.
Here is a pic of a cut I rooted in it.

Thanks for stopping by.
mrb

 

[Komoshan]

so kelp/seaweed powder and silica are the only things added to the de for cloning?

 

[Komoshan]

tried a mix with straight DE kelp meal/alfalfa meal and a little mykos and lactos, no idea how that'll work or if theres anything I should add? mix is like 90-93% DE. rereading how you did it the coco and perlite/pumice made more sense to me but I always heard of people cloning in just a straight tray of DE I wanted to give that a go. guess the putty playdoe like texture is what others were going for.

is what's caught in the roots the autoparts de (napa4488 or whatever its called?)