ongoing biweekly cloning attempts and failures

[Bobby Boucher]

Saturate oasis cube, weigh, shake out 30% of the water weight. Pop in your clones. Throw in an airtight container under very low light.

I use RO buffered to 100ppm with tap.

Leave covered, airing out every day or so. Reweigh cubes periodically. Maintain the starting weight. Heating mats have a tendency to dry out some cubes more quickly than others, ime.

8 days later..

He-yump

 

[Maple_Flail]

oooh those oasis cubes look rather stable!.. hmm i like the look of that.

 

[noknees]

View Image

nice. you do 24/0?

 

[Bobby Boucher]

nice. you do 24/0?

he-yump

 

[G.O. Joe]

A single old school 4' shop light would be enough light for 100 clones, because you know the plants they're more like in stasis than alive. Except when you're bleaching the leaves with too much light, then they're more like dying. Because there isn't anything the plant can do with light or nutes or water because it's dead because it has no roots and there's nothing going on except degradation. Just keep the plants alive for 7-10 days. If they don't root you need to change rooting hormone or technique. Expect 100% survival every time.

 

[ABRICOZ]

Definitely remove all that lower foliage all the way up to the top node or leave max two nodes. Also after making your 45º cut, take the blade and remove a strip of the epidermis layer off then use your cloning solution/powder and proceed as you would. Hope that helps!

 

[PaulieWaulie]

Thanks, everyone, before I respond to everyone I will post my updates.

RUN #3 has come to an end. I let the domes go for 14 days total. By then 2/3 had wilted from stem rot. But 1 cube did have roots showing at 10 days already. SUCCESS IS COMIN IN BOYZZZZ

Problem I think is the heating pad drys out the cubes, and when the cube drys out that the probe is in, the probe gives a lower reading. Thus heating matt heats more. and temps go in the 80s! Since cubes are always drying at whatever rate, that means this probe reading is also changing always. THIS IS REALLY BAD GUYS. TEMPS NEED TO BE STABLE AS FUCK. Don't worry for run #4, I think I found a solution.



The turboklone Run #2 had gone on for 30 days at this point. 2/24 had roots! There was no stem rot, but a month with nothing happening will take its tole on the cuttings and stems.

 

[PaulieWaulie]

RUN #4
2 Domes + Turboklone

A mix of Rapid Rooters, 1" Rockwool Cubes,1.5" Rockwool Cubes, and Perlite in Cups AKA Hempy Method. ALL Dipped in "Remo Roots" rooting hormone, inc, the turboklone cuts.


WATER/RES

RES is 200ppm TAP, + 5ml/G Hormex Liquid Rooting Hormone Concentrate. PH'd to 5.8, on day 2, it was at 6.5. Ph'd to 5.5. Day 3 it was at 5.8 - Will check today Day 4, but I think it will be stable from here on out. Drift is just first couple of days.

Water for Hempy Cups, Rockwool Cubes, Rapid Rooters is TAP PHD to 5.8

MOMS/STRAINS
In Total 6 Different Strains. Most of the Gorilla Bubble cuts I had to take from 2 plants that were on day 14 Flower. My Vegging mom of it was very small so only took a couple cuts from it, as a control test. I left the gorilla bubble cuts sit in some water for 36 Hours before cloning process. All of the Moms got low level (600ppm) of bloom nutrients and besides the gorilla bubble one, were in VEG.

LIGHT
I have 2x 4 foot tubes that are ea 17W 4000 kelvin LEDs Set to 18/6

12" from tops = 8K LUX for the turbo, 6K LUX for the PERLITE CUPS and 5K for CUBES/RAPID ROOTERs


Variables that are being tested on RUN #4

0. Scraped the stems on first 2 rows in the TURBOKLONE

1. Rockwool VS Rapid Rooters VS Perlite Cups VS TURBOKLONE

2. Cutting Size - I have a range of sizes, so for those that claim I would have success if I went small, then we should be seeing all of the small ones root, while all my slightly bigger or medium fail. My bigger cuts are same size as when I used to get success, and I see youtube videos of guys successfully rooting with ones 2x as big as mine with full fan leaves!

Biggest Change I am testing though this run is this...

3. Heating Mat is below tray set to 78F. BUT... Both trays are filled with 1" of water, and the probe is inside the water. Perlite cups have holes in the bottom, so 1" of water in the cups bottom as well, just like the hempy method. In the other dome with rapid rooters and rockwool cubes I use a grodan smart tray that keeps everything above water level.

This 1" water res keeps temps extremely stable in the dome and at rootzone. at 76-78F. It really is perfect so far, and I am really excited to see what this perfect stable temp will result in. Another benefit is that humidity is always high, even with both vents being 100% open Im at 80-95% RH. So lots of air exchange this way, but plenty of humidity being created. No needing to lift domes for air exchange every day, or spraying misting anything. The media moisture level is more stable this way not drying out every 2 days like last run, with open vents, but no water in tray, and cubes drying out from direct pad heat, and temps going up past 80F


Included a picture of one of the moms that was on D14 Flower.

 

[OG_NoMan]

I wish you the best of luck but IMO it still looks like you are trying to root plants not clones. Some of those look like mini bushes. Good luck

 

[Guest]

I dont grow lots of plants at a time only 4 but I have had almost 100% success taking clones. One week ago I took these 6 and will only grow out 4 of them, and in about four weeks the best looking 4 will be put into the tent. In about a week I will put them into small 5" pots for the time being until they are ready for the tent and up poting to 5 gallon bags.

I really dont understand how people have trouble doing this. If someone keeps doing the same thing and has no luck but refuses to take advice from the ones who do lots of it and have great luck then they are stuck on stupid.

 

[noknees]

time to go 24/0. maybe new lux meter too.

I wish you the best of luck but IMO it still looks like you are trying to root plants not clones. Some of those look like mini bushes. Good luck

agree.

 

[hamstring]

Paulie

Nice thread hope I'm not intruding if I post a couple of questions. I will not take offense if you want me to start my own thread but you have a good one going.

stewart
Nice humidity dome . I bought the cheap one but saw those on line. How do you like that dome compared to the cheap ones at the big box store or grow shops?



I am also just getting back in to cloning after 20yrs. I have taken cuttings twice now and have some things to report back.

1st attempt:
I was using rapid rooters soaked in clonex and plain tap water (city water). I used cloning gel and humidity dome on top of a uncontrolled heat mat. I had cuttings under a shade cloth under a HID. It was what I had at the time.

Agree with the fact that the clones must be taken from healthy mothers. On my first attempt I took the clones too early. I had one out of 4 survive but even she had a good two weeks setback. I put the surviver into soil and after 22 days root growth continues( I looked) but no new veg growth which seems weird.



2nd attempt:
I am now using the temp controlled heating mat set at 75 but it varies from 75 - 78 degrees. They are now under a small compact LED. I believe its in the 150watt range. Something I had laying around. Ambient temp around 70 degrees. I kept them at 100% humidity for 4-5 days. I then opened the small vents on top. I again soaked the rapid rooters in clonex in plain tap water. Still under 50% more like 40% success range.

After 10 days I only have one where the roots are popping through the rapid rooter. The other ones I carefully pulled the rapid rooters apart and found small root tip emerging from the cutting.

So I have a couple of questions.

1. I didnt do any PH check or change. Is that a must do for greater success?

2. The one cutting with the roots sticking out of the rapid rooter. When can I put her into soil?

3. Any cutting with zero root production I threw them away after 10days. The really strange thing is most of them looked great. No wilting still nice deep green leaves but not a single root. Should I have left them or is that fools gold?

 

[Guest]

Paulie

Nice thread hope I'm not intruding if I post a couple of questions. I will not take offense if you want me to start my own thread but you have a good one going.

stewart
Nice humidity dome . I bought the cheap one but saw those on line. How do you like that dome compared to the cheap ones at the big box store or grow shops?



I am also just getting back in to cloning after 20yrs. I have taken cuttings twice now and have some things to report back.

1st attempt:
I was using rapid rooters soaked in clonex and plain tap water (city water). I used cloning gel and humidity dome on top of a uncontrolled heat mat. I had cuttings under a shade cloth under a HID. It was what I had at the time.

Agree with the fact that the clones must be taken from healthy mothers. On my first attempt I took the clones too early. I had one out of 4 survive but even she had a good two weeks setback. I put the surviver into soil and after 22 days root growth continues( I looked) but no new veg growth which seems weird.



2nd attempt:
I am now using the temp controlled heating mat set at 75 but it varies from 75 - 78 degrees. They are now under a small compact LED. I believe its in the 150watt range. Something I had laying around. Ambient temp around 70 degrees. I kept them at 100% humidity for 4-5 days. I then opened the small vents on top. I again soaked the rapid rooters in clonex in plain tap water. Still under 50% more like 40% success range.

After 10 days I only have one where the roots are popping through the rapid rooter. The other ones I carefully pulled the rapid rooters apart and found small root tip emerging from the cutting.

So I have a couple of questions.

1. I didnt do any PH check or change. Is that a must do for greater success?

2. The one cutting with the roots sticking out of the rapid rooter. When can I put her into soil?

3. Any cutting with zero root production I threw them away after 10days. The really strange thing is most of them looked great. No wilting still nice deep green leaves but not a single root. Should I have left them or is that fools gold?

I like this dome. Plenty of room to let them get taller. I don’t know what everyone else does but I use RO water with just a couple drops of super thrive to soak the rooters, clonex gel and clonex misting spray. Trim the leaves like most folks suggested. Keep rooters damp not soaked with plain RO. Mist the cuts with clonex spray daily. Add some patience and a couple weeks later roots are coming through the rooters. Transplant into small starter pots. Easy. Sometimes people get to wrapped up in making it harder than it has to be IMO. But whatever works best for you.

 

[hamstring]

Thanks brother, I really appreciate the feedback.

I will give the RO water a try along with the nutes you called out.

I do trim the leaves and my dome is the tall one just not the one you have. I really like that one. Seems more robust and probably a better seal then the cheap ones.

I'm happy with my progress but always looking to get better by getting advice from more experienced growers like yourself.

 

[SuperBadGrower]

But whats wrong with big clones?

 

[Guest]

xx

 

[superpedro]

But whats wrong with big clones?
View attachment 528854

Nothing.
Small is just faster and less risk of going wrong in my opinion.

And then there is the question. Why big clones?

 

[wvkindbud38]

I dunno if I'm letting my clones get to wet on what??? When I get my flowering room rolling soon, I'm gonna focus 100% on my cloning methods. I've got several machines plus the rrs both kind. I'm very sterile the plants look nice big healthy. I dunno if I should try some lower branches to get smaller stems. I don't have any problems growing. I just did it from seeds for 20 yrs pretty much. I've had a few in the old days I rooted in Solo Cups but I didn't waste much time. know I'm getting older and want certain plants,clone only

 

[Im'One]

I didnt have success until i re vegged a nice induca mom, and spread her legs, err branches and kinda trained her to produce small shoots with short internodes. I use cfls up close and get the internodes about an inch apart. I cut my clones below the third internode and then drop in water and pull it out lay it down and cut my 45° degree angle next the the bottom internode, cut off the bottom branch and stick in clonex gel then powder.
Stick em in rapid rooters under the mom. I was told if they stay turgid for 48 hours they will eventually root. I cut twelve or so and keep the eight or nine best to put in small pots. I use a weak soil with lots of peat. When roots start popping out of the pots, i transfer to a slightly bigger pot and rock on with the 12/12. I keep temps about 75 and likeyou keep em wet for the first little bit. After a few days, may be three, i lift the top and start letting them dry almost out. After a week or so i let them dry a little more etc.
I think the biggest thing is patience and the second biggest is choosing the right strain.
My success didnt come until i learned to re veg a mom. Mine is a bubba hash plant from ACE. I recommend it.

 

[SuperBadGrower]

And then there is the question. Why big clones?

Why? Why not? Why not not?





(I prefer the small cute looking ones )

Once you got it down you got it down. Yeah the small ones are probably easier if you don't have a lot of confidence. Set em and forget em, no attention paid, never a dome, always success here. Just sharing



(Edit: My slowest to root plant takes 18 days, the fastest one I've had would make roots in 4-5 days... in a 90% dome, that slow plant will die or rot up before it roots )

edit 2: Those root plug sponges better than rockwool IMO, their water holding is perfect. Maybe they are a bit more expensive.

For example if I put that slow plant in perlite and spray the perlite daily it gets really awful looking. If you take clones of that plant and put them in a glass of water, they get awful looking in 2 days. All wrinkly and drooping, like overwatered. Well, this plant just does not like wetness. It thrives when the pot is light. Cloning it in rockwool is a bitch, but in the sponges or perlite it stays more healthy.

That's really an outlier. most plants I have grown don't give a crap & will gladly root in water or very moist medium.


^ 2 days after planting, the ones that were heavily overwatered during cloning still look like on the left, while the rest is perky and vigorous (they will be green in a few days yet)

Sorry to ramble on lol.