Hydroponic saluyot cloning workshop packs for city farm communities

These workshop packs are designed to provide every participant in a city farm community with a complete, hands-on kit for propagating saluyot (jute mallow) without soil. The goal is to create a self-sustaining cycle of this nutritious, fast-growing green, empowering community members with practical hydroponic skills. Each individual pack contains all the necessary components to turn a single cutting into a thriving, rooted plant ready for integration into a larger community hydroponic system.

Inside each pack, a participant will find three to four healthy saluyot stem cuttings, each about six inches long with the lower leaves removed to prevent rot. These cuttings are taken from a robust mother plant and are kept fresh in a small zip-top bag with a moist paper towel. The core of the cloning system is the propagation medium. The pack includes a pre-soaked rockwool cube or a coco coir plug, which provides a sterile and stable environment for root initiation. A 2-inch net pot is supplied to hold this medium. The reservoir is a simple, repurposed wide-mouth glass jar or a plastic deli container with a custom-cut lid that perfectly fits the net pot. This setup creates a miniature deep water culture system for the clone.

To sustain the cutting, a small, pre-measured packet of gentle hydroponic nutrient powder is included, specifically a "grow" formula with instructions to mix it into a specific volume of water. This ensures the developing roots have immediate access to nutrition. Since pH is critical in hydroponics, the pack contains a few pH test strips and a tiny dropper bottle of pH down solution. This allows participants to learn the vital skill of testing and adjusting their water to the ideal range for saluyot, which is between 5.8 and 6.5. A simple, waterproof instruction card with clear diagrams guides the user through each step of the process.

During the workshop, participants first mix their nutrient solution directly in their provided reservoir. They then test the pH and make small adjustments. The next step involves carefully inserting a saluyot cutting about one inch deep into the pre-soaked rockwool cube. This cube is then placed into the net pot, and the entire assembly is set into the lid of the reservoir. It is crucial to ensure the bottom of the rockwool cube is just touching the surface of the nutrient solution. This contact wicks moisture to the stem while allowing ample oxygen, preventing the cutting from suffocating or drying out. Participants are advised to place their new clone in a spot with bright, indirect light. A clear plastic bag can be loosely draped over the cutting for the first few days to create a high-humidity environment, which significantly increases the success rate by reducing moisture loss from the leaves before roots have formed. Saluyot is a vigorous plant, and roots typically appear within a week. Once a healthy root system has developed and is visible extending from the net pot, the clone is ready to be transferred to the main city farm hydroponic system, contributing to the community's food supply.