Rockwool Alternative?

[MsCannabis]

AFOM was supposed to hit the grow shop before the snow started to fly but, hehem; did not. She's willing to make the trip if she has to but is in a position to experiment with alternatives to using rockwool cubes for cloning. She has got a big ass aloe (aloe is such a wonderful healer plant) and was delighted to read about it's uses in cloning and plans on experimenting with aloe vs. cloning gel at the same time.

So are there alternative mediums for cloning? (or, if someone could direct me to the correct search term, 'cause I'm coming up empty...)

thank you in advance!!

 

[hush]

There are options, including not using any medium at all... But it depends on how you planned on growing them out to harvest. What setup will you be working with?

 

[MsCannabis]

Thanks hush. Grown in soil. She has had luck with one or two clones in water but any more than that and things get funky. She tried willow and water this summer and was sadly disappointed with results. Gonna try a few straight into soil but would like to play around with options...

 

[Mikell]

Sounds like someone has a case of the SWIM's....

Perlite, vermiculite, coco, soil, peat, plugs, water, etc. The list goes on.

If you're not too paranoid (and I think you might be ) use Google to search IC with the string site:icmag.com, followed by your query. There are hordes of threads.

 

[hush]

You could put together a little DIY aero cloner if you are inclined. They are very simple, and there are tons of teks here on ICMAG you could search for. Or you could try cloning in any of the media that Mikell just listed above if those are available to you. The real trick is to make sure you keep damn near to 100% humidity after you take the cutting and put it into whatever medium you choose. If you don't have nursery flats with domes, then use a storage tub or something. But keep that humidity in there. As the clones start growing roots, you can start tapering off the humidity.

 

[Phases]

I use oasis cubes and have had really good success with them definitely something your "friend" might want to check out.

 

[St. Phatty]

Sand worked really good for me once.

I had 6 seedlings from some Hashy bud I got in the SF Bay Area. I was living in Pacific Beach SoCal. Around 1990. The plants were in a closet under a 175 metal halide. I hadn't told my room-mate about my plants, and basically left them when I went out of town.

By some miracle of nature, they survived 2 weeks on the original charge of water. When I came back there were 6 big healthy seedlings, about 18 inches tall.

I fvcked up the flowering, but that's not the sand's fault.

Also, sand with polymers and other mixers like Perlite and peat.

Some mixers can alter pH, I think Peat may be one of them. It would help to have a pH meter.


Still remember that sand grow with those 6 seedlings.


I guess one of the new hydro mediums is Coco ?

 

[MsCannabis]

Thank you all for the info! So the answer is that the options are limitless...with a little diligence anyway! Gotta love that!! Ultimately she is looking for a permanent alternative, because she never knows what to do with the cubes after anyway. The worms love all the other waste but those cubes have some kind of staying power! I think she is going to have to do some experimenting and see what works best for her. (uh, duh?)

Thanks again!!