cloning in rapid rooters

[jaw]

i use rapid rooters and clone-it cloning gel, and have great results with roots, but as soon as i take my clones out from a dome they start to curl and shrivel up in around 20 minutes and the clones have to be put back under a dome. any suggestions why they are doing this? do the clones need more roots? or is it becasue the air is too dry fro them, is there some type of foiler spray i could hit them with to keep this from happening?

 

[3dDream]

I think you need to condition them. While they are under the dome, open the dome periodically to give them air. Stick something under the dome to make a crack for air after roots show. Basically you need to ween them off the dome.

 

[FRANKENBLUNT420]

it would seem that once a clone has been taken and put under a dome, it wont be able to handle ambient conditions until there is sufficient rooting. its similar to when you dont water for a while and the plants wilt, it doenst happen as fast as it would to a weak clone but its the same affect.

once you hit it with some water then you should be good. IMO it may be a good idea to not use a dome at all. i have read many people having the same problems with the domes and their clones, most people/ growers are saying that they are really not necessary and actually do more harm than good.

either way i have no real clue as to whats better cause the first time i took some clones , i didnt have a dome and they ended up just fine, the second time i took i took some cuts, i actually forgot to get one so found myself behind the 8ball again, but ended up being fine in the long run.

if you can, try to take some clones and put them in various situations (ie, under 24hr lights put some in: rapid rooters, peat pucks, let sit in glass/cup of water, cup of soil, rockwool) with no dome and see how they do. see which one works to your liking and then run with it.

 

[FreezerBoy]

This is exactly why I threw my dome into the trash. Once the plant gets used to high humidity it is loathe to give it up. My sololution has been, never let them have any to get used to.

My guess is your cuttings are several inches long with full untrimmed leaves. Unrooted cuts can't feed that kind of plant mass or provide the water they require. Hence the need for a dome to create unnatural levels of humidity.

Try this on the side. Keep your cuttings in the 2-3 inch range so, when planted, they're only an inch tall. Cut off all excess leaf material. Now that your cutting isn't spending all it's time trying to deliver water and food it can neither collect or distribute, it can concentrate on rooting. My average RH is 25%, I've cloned, dome free in 15% regularly. I used to give each cutting two drops of water on the tip but, I don't even bother with that anymore.

 

[Climbinghigh]

What's your Rh outside the dome? If it's much less than inside than you need to "harden off' the clones. You should be venting a couple times a day.

Iv'e had 100% success with RR with a make shift dome, then tried to save $ by cloning straight into soil but got miserable percentages- I think the mix was too heavy- but RR are no brainer perfect air/water ratio so why not?. So I'm trying RR again with their tray and dome. The cuts look great so far, (as of three days from cut, will post pics of success , hopefully

Avoid foilar sprays just use agua, and don't pamper the babies too much.

 

[FRANKENBLUNT420]

NOW I REMEMBER!!!

yeah FREEZERBOY, i remember it was you who had mentioned it, and you said the same thing then about tossing the old dome away!! same pics too, lol

be good

 

[rusty_shacklfor]

i had the same problem!

i had the same problem!

i was getting about 90% success with a dome and rockwool.
then i switched to rapid rooters. roots showed fast but plant wilted when it
got air. i tried weaning them, i tried wet reynolds wrap over leaves when in air
(bought them some time).

save your rapid rooters for seeds.

i went to walmart for $15
got a rectangle 15qt rubbermaid
a air pump
a bubble stone
tubing
a few 1/2 inch grommets(from an old project)

took some fresh cuttings a week later they were rooted

they do not wilt. this is much better way. no reliance on a dome!

 

[yamaha_1fan]

I clone about 200-300 clones every 3 weeks and I use rapid rooters and domes. Once the cut has rooted, and I mean sometimes barely showing one root out of the rooter, they come out and into a E&F table. Never had a problem.

I would make sure when you take them out of the dome, that the rooter stays wet.

And my RH in the dome is 99%, and room RH is around 60%

 

[chosen]

I'm not much of a dome fan either. I do trim up my plants when the cuts are too big as well. Nice work Freezer