ongoing biweekly cloning attempts and failures

[PaulieWaulie]

RUN #5 (as of this posting on DAY#4)

5 STRAINS

3 CLONES PER STRAIN - one of ea method (PERLITE,JIFFY,ROCKWOOL 1") I don't do the perlite method the way that was posted with the 2" of water in the bottom of cup. instead, I have a normal drain hole at the bottom of cup and no res. My perlite is very small and fine, so I think it holds more water. If it drys I will just water it, but I don't think I even need to do that. Im on day 4 and its very wet still. I also used small cups, not full size solo. Most cuttings are on the smaller side.


LIGHT

Here you have it boys. 1x17W LED TUBE @ 20" Distance, Measured the LUX and its like 2-3K LOLZ. I might as well just put it anywhere in my house cause thats what that is basically. Take a lux meter to my window that gets no direct sunlight and I will have 2-5K

HEATING/TEMPS

So the game changer this time, is I taped the temp controller probe, on the inside bottom of the tray, into one of the grooves, and duct tape over. Getting very accurate readings this way. Now I also have the cuttings inside cups, so they are 2-3 F lower than the probe reading. I have the controller set to 78 so this gives me rootzone temps of 75. Didn't get any stem rot last run and temps never went over 75F. Even with 100RH for 10 days straight!

RH

I am now on day 4, and domes were closed giving me 80RH, will now open up vents slowly and go down into the 60-70RH range.

USED TAP WATER PH to 5.8, and REMO ROOTING GEL

 

[pinkus]

Careful with fine perlite, it can actually clog up and interfere with draining instead of improving it.

 

[starke]

The perlite in your cups looks like the same grade I use, you should be fine. I began cloning in perlite Hempy cups over a year ago and have not looked back. 95% success rate and very little BS. My money is on the ladies in the perlite.

 

[pinkus]

The perlite in your cups looks like the same grade I use, you should be fine. I began cloning in perlite Hempy cups over a year ago and have not looked back. 95% success rate and very little BS. My money is on the ladies in the perlite.

I'm definitely not suggesting ditching perlite. It's been my grow media for about 10 years.

I do suggest wetting it down before using it in large volumes as the dust is REALLY bad for the lungs.

 

[starke]

I know what you mean. The one advantage to using perlite Hempys is that I already had a supply of face masks on hand for washing the stuff when this crazy virus showed up.

 

[PaulieWaulie]

I know what you mean. The one advantage to using perlite Hempys is that I already had a supply of face masks on hand for washing the stuff when this crazy virus showed up.

Yes I had pretty good results with the first run in the perlite with at least 3/6 rooting. What I like is that if you really do need to check the progress, you can pull them out and stick em back in. Secondly, I like that you can re use the perlite, just either give it a bleach wash, or put it in the oven at 200F. I gave this stuff a bleach soak at 10% concentration, then let it drain put in the new cutting, and gave it a run through watering with my ph 5.8 water. I hate having to throw out used media, especially when they don't root, wasting that media for nothing. And thirdly, the fact that it has the perfect water holding capacity, no need to shake it out, put it in salad spinner, or weigh it or second guess if its too water saturated and was the cause of stem rot or pathogens etc.

Ironically enough a few years ago I bought a massive 110L bag for $15 so this is cheaper than anything else and im stockpiled.

 

[PaulieWaulie]

Careful with fine perlite, it can actually clog up and interfere with draining instead of improving it.

Yes, the finer stuff that is further down in my bucked is actually very fine, like a fine sand texture, and I can see this acting very differently. Rest assured, the stuff in my cloning cups is more coarse grade from the top of my perlite stockpile, and is draining fine.

 

[Bmac1]

Hey Paulie, good to see you back around. Sorry to hear of your cloning troubles and I can certainly relate. After never having an issue with getting cuts to root, I am having a rough go of it the past couple years and cant really peg why or what is different from the conditions that provided my earlier success.


I have 12 cuts that i just put in a dome 4 days ago now and fingers crossed that I get 50%.

 

[BigPhil]

I think your cuttings look better now you are taking more leaf off and nodes. I only leave 2 leafs on the top strip the rest. I find too much humidity can rot the stem. When I used rock wool, I like sit them in my propagator with the lid on at an slight angle so they had air flow. And like give each one a squirt of ph 5.5 tap water out a 10ml syringe every day, No nutes no fancy stuff and get 95-98% success rate. Under a 600w t5 running with half the lights off- 3 feet over them. Some times I didn't even use rooting gel just put them in rock wool or a small pot of coco. Depending on the weather would take 2-4 weeks.

I think your main problem was your clones was too much (bushy) I think you will start too see better results now.. Also cuts taken off the bottom of your mothers will root faster than ones taken higher up

 

[wvkindbud38]

Does anybody use those coco coir cubes like Midas products I think has? Just wondering what you guys are soaking with them and how strong??

 

[St. Phatty]

pretty cLones !!!

 

[Sasso]

Gelato sprout purple!

Gelato sprout purple!

My new attempt to grow green gelato (autoflowering - royal queen seeds) is at a dubious point.
It sprouted at night and the day after, a sunny day, the little first leaves were purple.

Phosphorus deficiency can be induced by low temperature, but the temperature of the soil stays between 17° and 23°
The soil si wet but not dripping around the plant, and more dry on the rest of the 20l pot.
I will update with some pics

 

[Maple_Flail]

RUN #5 (as of this posting on DAY#4)

5 STRAINS

3 CLONES PER STRAIN - one of ea method (PERLITE,JIFFY,ROCKWOOL 1") I don't do the perlite method the way that was posted with the 2" of water in the bottom of cup. instead, I have a normal drain hole at the bottom of cup and no res. My perlite is very small and fine, so I think it holds more water. If it drys I will just water it, but I don't think I even need to do that. Im on day 4 and its very wet still. I also used small cups, not full size solo. Most cuttings are on the smaller side.


LIGHT

Here you have it boys. 1x17W LED TUBE @ 20" Distance, Measured the LUX and its like 2-3K LOLZ. I might as well just put it anywhere in my house cause thats what that is basically. Take a lux meter to my window that gets no direct sunlight and I will have 2-5K

HEATING/TEMPS

So the game changer this time, is I taped the temp controller probe, on the inside bottom of the tray, into one of the grooves, and duct tape over. Getting very accurate readings this way. Now I also have the cuttings inside cups, so they are 2-3 F lower than the probe reading. I have the controller set to 78 so this gives me rootzone temps of 75. Didn't get any stem rot last run and temps never went over 75F. Even with 100RH for 10 days straight!

RH

I am now on day 4, and domes were closed giving me 80RH, will now open up vents slowly and go down into the 60-70RH range.

USED TAP WATER PH to 5.8, and REMO ROOTING GEL

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=82619&pictureid=2033607&thumb=1]View Image[/url] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=82619&pictureid=2033600&thumb=1]View Image[/url]

This run is looking better! i would think just by the look and stature you should have atleast better success this run.

still think those clones have a bit much leaf but much better than the few previous few.

looking forward to some rooting in a few days

 

[Bmac1]

How are things coming along Paulie?



I am on day 13 today, still no sign of roots and over half of the 12 cuts I took are wilted. Cloning used to be such an afterthought and success was always above 90% and often 100%. I never did anything special either. Always a good cut, dipped in hormone, put in peat pellets and into a dome. Would spray initially and after 3-4 days, I'd start opening the vents . 10-14 days later, I would have roots galore.


The past couple years, I am struggling to get 50% success and even that is sometimes taking 3+ weeks for roots.

 

[mean mr.mustard]

Check the bottom of the stem the next time you are tossing losers. If it's brown and mushy up the stem you can be certain that damp off is present.

 

[PaulieWaulie]

2 Week update. NO ROOTS YET!

I noticed with lower end temps and lower light it is easier to keep the clones in a healthy state, and the media does not dry out quickly. I just need to hydrate it once every 7 days, so I have done it 2 times so far.

I don't have any wilting or yellowing that is leading to death of the cut. It seems one does not need to worry so much about humidity since there is no strong light causing very much transpiration.

But unfortunately, I am not seeing any rooting at 2 weeks with these conditions. I will wait another 1-2 weeks as I think I will see roots eventually and I'm in no hurry, but it is safe to say that these are not ultimate conditions either.

 

[PaulieWaulie]

How are things coming along Paulie?



I am on day 13 today, still no sign of roots and over half of the 12 cuts I took are wilted. Cloning used to be such an afterthought and success was always above 90% and often 100%. I never did anything special either. Always a good cut, dipped in hormone, put in peat pellets and into a dome. Would spray initially and after 3-4 days, I'd start opening the vents . 10-14 days later, I would have roots galore.


The past couple years, I am struggling to get 50% success and even that is sometimes taking 3+ weeks for roots.

Sounds like exactly the same situation Im in. At this point I can get 50% too, and it also takes 3 or so weeks, at which point the clone is pretty stressed, and then takes another 2 weeks to actually start showing growth. So all in all, that means over a month to get going.
I had a few hundred seeds of some gorilla bubble female seeds so I popped 24 of them. Will be interesting to see my success with both a month from now, as the seeds popped at the same time as roots popped, and the seeds are from the same mom as the clones. I will have variety, but I trust that all variety behind Gorrilla bubble will be fire. Will tribute this run to Josey wales

 

[PaulieWaulie]

Check the bottom of the stem the next time you are tossing losers. If it's brown and mushy up the stem you can be certain that damp off is present.

Oh I check everytime! I can usually notice before when they are showing wilting even though, media is wet, and humidity is high.
But the last 2 runs I have not ran into this, and I think its because I better controlled temps and they did not go over 80F. So I will go out on a limb and say its most likely not caused by over watered media, or too high humidity, or pathogens etc, but simply high temps.

 

[PaulieWaulie]

Also I would post pics but honestly icmag makes it so hard. I need to upload it into an album, then find out its rotated all weird so need to re upload half the time, then load it into the post, and icmag lowers the resolution so much it looks like crap. Meanwhile other forums, I can literally drag the picture from my desktop into the post and it comes in instantly and perfect.

I love this community though, thats why I stay ;P

 

[pinkus]

Hey Paulie, I noticed in a post you mentioned being able to pull the cut out of perlite to check it. TOUCHING is one of the big reasons clones fail. As soon as newbies stop fondling the cuts, their failure rate plummets IME.