The discovery of misting was a
huge turning point in plant propagation. Prior to misting, plant
propagators had very few reliable ways of asexual propagation.
One common method was to take a cutting of a plant, stick it in
moist sand, and place a glass jar over it. The jar would let in
light and retain moisture around the cutting. This method does
work, but the success rate was not high. Plants would burn if
too much sun penetrated the glass. The glass would concentrate
and intensify the light ( think magnifying glass) which would
burn tender cuttings. Another drawback was fungus. Fungus
thrives in moist environments. Having the cuttings under glass
with no air movement to help dry it off, usually meant the
cutting would die from too much moisture. Frequent removal of
the glass helped to replace the stale moist air with fresh air,
but was very labor intensive with large numbers of cuttings.
Later, it was discovered that if
the cuttings were misted frequently by hand throughout the day,
greater success was achieved. Again, very labor intensive.
Misting systems allowed
propagators to keep the cuttings moist, but not overly wet, and
saved considerable time. Cuttings are usually placed out in the
open or an open enclosure, not under a
sealed enclosure, which allows the circulation of fresh air
which the plants require for it's respiration, cooling, drying,
and watering requirements. Because of the automation, many more
cuttings could be done at one time.
All mist kits have the
same basic components.
- A timer to turn the system
on and off daily.
- A timer to control the
misting duration and frequency.
- A transformer to reduce
the voltage to the voltage the solenoid requires. Please
note that transformers and solenoids are AC voltage and
others are DC voltage! Voltage for the solenoid and
transformer MUST be the same!
- A solenoid valve that
controls the flow of the water to the mist heads.
- A reliable water supply.
- A reliable electrical
supply.
- A manifold to carry the
water to the misting heads
- mist heads to spray a fine
mist over the cuttings
A simple misting setup would be
assembled as follows: A 24 hour timer set up to turn the system
on in the morning, and off in the evening. This timer can be
hard wired to an electrical circuit, or a simple plug can be
installed to facilitate the systems remove for the winter. The
24 hour timer is wired to another timer that controls the
duration and frequency if misting. This frequency varies from
geographical location and season, but a 10 minute frequency with
a 6 second duration is a good place to start. This in turn is
wired to a step down transformer that reduces the voltage to
what the solenoid requires. If in question, a competent
electrician should be sought. The transformer is then wired to
the solenoid. The solenoid will need fittings installed so a
common garden hose can be attached. Proper installation of these
fittings is essential for the solenoid to work properly. The
solenoid is DIRECTIONAL, meaning there is an IN and an OUT.
Next, the outlet of the solenoid is attached to a
PVC manifold that will carry the water to
the mist heads. The connection of these heads can be done a few
ways depending on the application. Some are suspended from
overhead, others are simply attached to a manifold on the ground
and raised to allow the spray to cover the cuttings. One option
I recommend for the system is a filter.
Small particulates will clog the solenoid or render your mist
heads inoperable. The cost of a filter is far less than the
frustration from losing cuttings due to a plugged head.
Modern technology has given us
even better equipment than the two separate timers mentioned.
The transformer can also be eliminated due to the fact that it
is built into the timing unit. One timer in particular will
operate six completely separate stations. This means you could
have six separate mist beds, six different irrigation zones, or
a combination of the two; one mist zone and up to five
irrigation zones. This comes in quite handy, if you have a mist
bed and potted plants, grow beds, perennial gardens, or anything
else you need watered.
For areas that do not have
electricity readily available, there are also units that are
strictly battery operated.
