EZ-Clone Cloning Collars: Hard vs Soft

[ISM2]

The cloning collars that come with the EZ-Clone are made from their Soft material. They also offer the collars in their Hard material.
I've used the Soft ones with great success. The only issue I had is the roots trying to grow through the material where the collar meets the stem.

Anyone have experience using the Hard ones?

 

[Picarus]

I just bought two cloners and one came with hard on with soft. I prefer the hard because they stay in place better than the soft ones. The drawback of the hard one is if the root system explodes it can stretch the collar, which then needs to be replaced. Both had roots trying to grow up through, as you described, but it did not negatively affect anything. After years of doing hundreds of clones in rockwool and multiply clear bins and trying to maintain temp and humidity, and losing around 15-20%, I am loving the cloner!

 

[ISM2]

Thanks, Picarus.
I'm going to order some of the hard ones and give 'em a try.
I've been using the EZ-Clone for a few months now and will never go back to the 'old' cloning methods. 100% success rate!!

 

[Picarus]

Just transplanted from the soft collars yesterday and wanted to report back that the soft collars were porous enough to allow the roots to grow through the collar. This caused some roots to be ripped out when removing the clone from collar. I think I am going to switch to all hard to avoid this.

 

[prune]

I was under the impression that the soft collars were for single-use applications and the hard surface collars were for the folk who prefer to clean and reuse.

 

[Picarus]

Even if that is true, if using soft means losing precious root mass at transplant thats a problem. Unless you are supposed to plant the collar as well!?

 

[one.sixoneeight]

problems tend to arise on subsequent runs if roots grow into the collars. the bits that broke off rot and harbor nasty pathogens that can make things go south quick. I use hard and soft collars, but they are aftermarkets and the roots do not grow into them. My advice is to replace the oem's with aftermarkets.

 

[vostok]

I too prefer the soft collars, best made from junk around the house, like those pool toys..??
forget the name, but the real ones use neoprene, that I find too hard and may crush many soft delicate stems.

household junk is good, in many runs I have used cooking foil to great advantage instead, anything will do to stop that light

 

[marmarb]

check out the perma clone collars real nice and they can be sterilized after every use

 

[MRsistatumbleweed]

i brought these black spongey foam type in little cups off ebay for like 25 for $10
this is for a areo cloner i made myself.. i prefer the little cups as the foam doesnt get worn from putting in and out..

ive used the one set of sponge foam thingies for like a year now and there still kicking just fine.. i brought 2 back up packs at the same time and these are still happily wrapped in the cupboard..

 

[Dready_jake]

The cup you speak of i believe is a net pot? I love those too. Cut the hole and you don't have to worth about your clone popping through.I aslo cut the net off so roots don't tangle.

As far as the hard vs soft.... Idk. In originally bought soft ones for me and the hard ones from eBay (cuz they're cheap) for my builds. I have since run out of soft and switched to hard and see no difference. I take something like the tip of the scissors and put the collar around it first so there's a small hole/imprint so the stem doesn't get crushed

Woo DIYers!

 

[MRsistatumbleweed]

yeah thats it.. little net pots.. and these ones have no bottom..

to add i also put a 1/3 flowering solution into approx 30 litres of water in my aero cloner and pay very little attention to it and in 3 weeks have mops of roots hanging off...

 

[Dready_jake]

Ya. I prefer a completely sterile cloner to avoid any gunkyness or any issues.

Just unbubbled tap water( somewhat chlorinated), cut and put In Cloner and they're rooted in 6-8 days and ready to transplant in 10 days.

How come 3 weeks? You just like it to be really well rooted or are you hydro or something?

 

[MRsistatumbleweed]

Ya. I prefer a completely sterile cloner to avoid any gunkyness or any issues.

Just unbubbled tap water( somewhat chlorinated), cut and put In Cloner and they're rooted in 6-8 days and ready to transplant in 10 days.

How come 3 weeks? You just like it to be really well rooted or are you hydro or something?

due to where they are i only get to check them once a week.. and i do prefer a very very good amount of roots before transplanting..

i have transplanted a lot earlier before but just find this way works good and the plants arent phased by the transplant with minimal attention.. which can help for where they are and such