A method growing a fruit or vegetable crop comprises: positioning a plant in the form of a seed or a seedling or a cutting of the crop in or on a first coherent mineral wool growth substrate having a volume not more than 150cm 3 , allowing the plant to root and grow for at least 8 days and not more than 30 days, then transferring the plant within the first coherent mineral wool growth substrate so that the first coherent mineral wool growth substrate is in contact with a second coherent mineral wool growth substrate having volume 110 to 1500cm 3 , and allowing the plant to grow for a further 2 to 5 weeks, transferring the plant within the second coherent mineral wool growth substrate so that the second coherent mineral wool growth substrate is in contact with a third coherent mineral wool growth substrate having volume of from 700 to 45 000 cm 3 , and allowing the plant to grow for a further 1 to 5 weeks before any further transfer is effected.
