Nutrient Deficiencies In Pre-Rooted Clones

[zap]

My friend is cloning Serious Seeds Chronic, he always has a hard time. He uses a aero cloner with a aqaurium heater in the water to maintain 78 deg.
It always takes a minimum of 14 days to root and clones begin to show severe deficiencies, so he tried adding a weak blend of GH nutrients and burned all the new growth tips. He has cloned these several times and they always survive but they take about 30 days to recover and then they are fine. Is this strain related? Is this common? does anyone feed pre-rooted clones? If so what ratio?

 

[EvilTwin]

Hi Zap,
There are actually clone feeding products. Point being that there is a philosophy that by providing nutrients...then the cuttings root faster by "sensing" the nutes. Of course any nutes provided to young clones should be mild. 1/4 strength shouldn't hurt anything.

Mainly what I wanted to post about was the preparation of the clone Mother before taking the cuttings. this is sort of an advanced technique...meaning the theory behind it requires some thinking. And it's not mainstream. I got the idea from a Jorge Rodriguez article I read.

You want maximum stored sugars in the cutting leaves so that the cutting will survive long enough to make roots. Nitrogen stimulates growth and veg development. So by depriving the Mother of N for a week before cloning from her...then the cuttings will have maximum stored sugar which can be used to develop roots. This occurs because photosynthesis continues but use of the sugars is slowed because of lack of N...so sugar "stacks up.

So with "hard-to-clone" strains...hold back N for a week prior to cutting and the clones will have better survivability. Hope I explained that well...
ET

 

[EvilTwin]

Zap...
Just to make things clear. suggest to your friend that he withhold N feeding for at least a week prior to taking cuttings. Should help them root better and be in better shape...
ET

 

[habeeb]

^ I've heard the opposite, no food means the clone has to root to find food ??

I don't feed clones, but water..

 

[EvilTwin]

^ I've heard the opposite, no food means the clone has to root to find food ??

I don't feed clones, but water..

...and you will also find certain people feel that you should allow the media to dry a bit, so the roots will form...to seek out water.

I don't know what works best. I don't feed and keep the moisture level up and do fairly well. That works for me.
ET

 

[zap]

ET, so you're saying cut the N at least a week before taking the cutting and then don't feed the clones, correct? I'll let him know thank you for the advice.

 

[EvilTwin]

ET, so you're saying cut the N at least a week before taking the cutting and then don't feed the clones, correct? I'll let him know thank you for the advice.

Zap...
Yes on the N issue with the Mommas.

I'm sort-of in the air on feeding clones. I haven't been and have had good success...but I've been paying attention to what other's do and I've seen some amazing root development using mild feeding. So really either way on that issue.
ET

 

[WeedChuck]

^ I've heard the opposite, no food means the clone has to root to find food ??

I don't feed clones, but water..

I thought it was no dome would help the clone root faster but a feed before would stock her with nutes to help her develope roots. i dont know...........EDIT: a fert more in the flower range.

anyhow, i never seem to make note to feed or not to feed before cloneing. I just keep mom healthy and when its time for cuts , well she gets cut.

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Keep in mind that nutrient strength depends greatly on the light strength. You should be able to ramp a clone up from a light feed, under fairly intense lighting, to a full strength feed, full strength lighting within 2-3 days.