# Soil Cloneing Tutorial



## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(A) Supplies *- "KISS"..I don't use a lot of extras or specialties. Equal parts vermiculite/perlite/quality potting soil, I prefer Black Gold, but everyone has a preference. I advise NOT to use anything with added /time release fertilizers. Any quality rooting hormone, I hapen to be useing Green Light, but Rootone, Olivias, ect., could be your preference. I use 8 oz. plastic cups with 8-10 drainage holes in the bottom. A sharp "sterile" razor knife. Scissors for various triming operations.


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(B) Medium preparation* - I put the pots/cups to set in pan of ph adjusted water. Letting them absorb from the bottom up, insures full, equal saturation.Vermiculite and peat tend to float and allow water to run through without good saturation when the medium is this light.


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(C) Donor Mother* - Mom has been growing inder cfl's in a 1 gallon pot. She was prepped a few hours prior with a soaking watering of Age Old Bloom 5-10-5. High Phosphate promotes rooting, as well as flowering. I believe the donors health is possibly the single most important factor.


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(D) A likely candidate *- This is a likely candidate from midway up the donor plant. I like to start with shoots at least 4 inches long.


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(E) Cut 45** - slightly out of focus, but you can see the steep angle of the cut.


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(F) Cutting *-  the cutting as it was taken from the donor plant


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(G) Trimmed cutting *- lower leaves trimmed off to accomodate planting. The spots where leaves have been taken provide growth spots for roots to start. With cuts like this scrapeing or scarification is not needed "IMHO


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(H) Soaking* -  hydrating in a weak kelp solution. I like to let them soak for 15-30 minutes.


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(I) Final cut *- A final cut at a 45* angle underwater. Aids in prevention of an 'air bubble' blocking the mainstem


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(J) Rooting hormone *- make sure the cut is well coated. I remove excess by tapping the cutting briskly with a flick of the finger


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(K) Cups *- Saturated and ready, with holes large enough to accomodate the cutting without scraping off the rooting hormone


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(L) Planting* - holes should be large enuff that the stem slips easily in without scrapeing off the rooting hormone


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(M) Planted *- press the medium firmly around the stem, contact with the stem is vital for rooting.


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## Hick (Mar 26, 2006)

*(N) Final step* - I use plexiglass on top of the tupper ware container as a humidity dome. Remove it twice a day, for an hour or so, every day extending the time off, untill at the end of 7 days it can be removed completely. I only mist 'spareingly' if I see wilting dureing dome off. Clones need warm temps to root. 70-75 F is about ideal, in my experience. Roots should be visible in 7-10 days, another 7-10 they're ready for big pots.


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## Hick (Aug 4, 2008)

Through the experience of getting cutting to root from a pretty difficult to root strain, I was shown, what I" consider a better, more efficient medium/method. 
EXACTLY as above, with the exception, use 100% perlite as a medium, and keep about 1/2 inch of water in the tupperware tub. This will allow you to check the rooting progress easily.
  After two weeks in the perlite, you can fill a bucket or pan, deeper than your pots, with water. By submerging the entire pot ib the bucket/pan, the perlite floats, and you can gently remove the cutting to check for roots.
   If no roots, or not enough roots are present, simply push the cutting back down into the perlite, and give it another week.
  If enough roots are present, they can be placed/planted into containers containing soil, or the growing medium of your choice.


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