Reusing Rockwool Slab: Removing Okra Plant, Replacing with Sweet Pepper

Reusing Rockwool Slab Experiment

Before

After

I decided to remove the large Clemson okra plant because it was getting way to large and not producing well enough (The plant last plant in the slab in picture to left). I used scissors to cut the roots. It didnt look like the roots took over the rockwool yet, so I'm attempting to plant a sweet pepper plant on the slab in its place. The Beefsteak Tomato plant is to the nearest right, and is getting huge also, so that plant shouldn't block much light. Its an indeterminate tomato, so it will be viney instead.

Hopefully this experiment will go well. The dead okra roots will most likely rot, so Im going to give the rockwool slab a good flush with Botanicare Clearex once a week, for a month.

Rockwool Cube Roots - Cut with scissors

The okra plant I removed was about 6 foot tall and it didnt develop any side shoots at all. And for some reason, the fire-ants loved the big okra plant and started to harvest aphids. 

I bought Burgundy Okra Organic from Burpee, but the plant I removed was no way Burgundy Okra... It looked like more like the Clemson okra variety. It was not red in color at all. The seeds must have gotten mixed up somewhere, but I didnt buy Clemson seeds.

Removed Large Okra Plant - hole in slab.

I'm not for sure why I wanted to grow okra hydroponically, but I most likely will not be growing okra in the greenhouse next year. I will just grow okra in dirt. Some varieties turn into trees and get huge! When I do plant these in the dirt next season, I will make sure to control the fire-ants better.

My other okra plant (Burgundy) is producing well and has a few side shoots, so I will keep that one in the slab for a while. Its not huge like the other one either, but still large. Im keeping it pruned well to encourage more side shoot growth and more fruiting.