How to prevent embolism without cloning gel?

[deadbeef]

Greetings Friends!

I've tried my hand at cloning but unfortunately without a cloning gel all the little plants are dying in about a week. The stem becomes weak and darkens out. I don't have any way to get hold of some magic gel due to the remote area I'm living in.

Is there any alternative? How can I prevent this?

I've been using jiffy cubes and tried keeping the tray half-filled with water but it seems the roots won't grow like that.

Tried keeping the new clones in a cup willow water for 24h and then put them under a dome, yet I get the same results...

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Rushoe]

I have heard of ppl using straight up coco to root there clones I haven't done this myself but I could see it working.

 

[geopolitical]

You should be dipping the cuttings into a bath of cool water immediately after clipping to prevent embolism, but it's not an embolism that's killing your cuttings. Your stems sound like they're rotting. Chances are your gel acted to both seal the wound and most likely was mildly antibacterial/fungal. Your cubes are over-saturated, even if you could get roots they'd most likely suffocate. Keep the cubes moist but not overly saturated. No standing water. You should also make sure they get some air time a few times a day. I actually only keep my cuttings about 1/2 to 2/3 covered and never bother with a dome these days.

My easy prep for willow water is as follows: Clip a bit of new growth. Remove leaves & shred into hot (not quite tea but you wouldn't want to wash with it) water. Let soak until cool & strain off liquid. This is your rooting solution. I don't know how long it keeps, I've always made it fresh when I needed it. Soak soft cuttings for a few minutes, hardwood for at least 10. Very difficult to root plants can be left soaking in the solution for a week or more. If you're leaving cuttings in the solution, keep it cool and discard or replace promptly after a week or less.

That being said if I have access to cheap cloning gel/liquid/powder I use it. Waaay more likely to get the result you want the first time, even if you're doing other things wrong.

 

[High Country]

I never worry about embolism and have a very high strike rate with clones. The plant will still put out roots without an Indole Butyric Acid compound like Clonex. The environment is probably the most important factor.

Have a read of this.

CLONERS- a collection of various methods

 

[apep]

Hey deadbeef. Honey is used as an alternative to rooting gel.

Boil 2 cups water.
Add 1 tablespoon honey
Let cool for a couple hours
Then dip and plant.

Hope it helps.

 

[deadbeef]

Thank you ALL very much. This has been very helpful. I made another batch of clones yesterday. Prepared some willow water using geopolitical's recipe, made sure the clonning medium is moist - not soggy. Made sure there is no standing water and there is plenty of air available to the clones.

Will make a few more clones in a few days with honey and maybe another cloning medium (soil or coco).

High Country, thanks a lot for the link.

 

[pearlemae]

Sounds to me like damping off rather than an embolism. Its a fungal thing if it is damping ofg google it for some pics of garden plants.

 

[Tilt]

to prevent embolism.
1. cut clone a little long very sharp scalpel scissors etc.
2. submerge cut tip under water and cut again at angle
3. apply rooting compound
4. put in cloner

remember cloning is voodoo what works perfectly for 1 person fails horribly for another

 

[Mr Pink]

Dare to be surprised: throw a cutting in a glass of water instead of a cube and watch. Just put the thing together with your vegging plants, no humidity dome, and ye shall have roots!

 

[ambertrich]

I agree with several others up thread, it sounds more like damping off, not an embolism. Give them a spray of some fungicide (I use Garden Safe Fungicide3, available at Lowes/HD indoor garden section). A little bit of air movement will help prevent damp off as well-gentle breeze. I use a small fan with indirect airflow.

Hope this helps.

 

[rocket high]

i use good old saliva ...works perfecly for me, it takes a day of two longer than hormones but works none the less. give it a try .

 

[habeeb]

its not air, its your method. sounds like your drowning them, take a plug and drench with water, then squeeze some water out.. this is the amount of water you want in the plug at all times

you never told us your lighting? remember not to bright or they wont root. also dont know the temps your working with



get a temp mat, temp controller, and dome.. will work wonders for you. you dont need rooting hormones to clone...

 

[deadbeef]

Yeah, as far as the description goes it's damping off.

The room has good airflow and humidity is pretty low too. The temps go around ~21C (70F). The clone-box sits on top of a heating pad (there is some space between the two so temps don't go too high). I'll go check for some funcigide. Hopefully will bump into some.

The light is pretty far from the clones. I'm using a 250W MH. They stay more in the shade of the mothers.

Hey rocket high, the saliva as a rooting agent is pretty neat.