# What is optimum cutting length for clones?



## White WidowMaker (Apr 9, 2009)

What is optimum cutting length for clones?

Also, what is your lowest (and average) clone times in days or weeks?


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## ozzydiodude (Apr 9, 2009)

I cut nothing less that 3 inches like 4 inches better,but in a pinch 3 will do.
 The quickest I have seen roots is 7 days in Pro-Mix BX.
The quickest I have seen roots in a bubbler is 4 days.

Most clones show roots out of soil in 10 to 14 days the varience is more in strain and the harder the stem of the clone(harder woody stem are harder the root)


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## White WidowMaker (Apr 9, 2009)

ozzydiodude said:
			
		

> I cut nothing less that 3 inches like 4 inches better,but in a pinch 3 will do.
> The quickest I have seen roots is 7 days in Pro-Mix BX.
> The quickest I have seen roots in a bubbler is 4 days.
> 
> Most clones show roots out of soil in 10 to 14 days the varience is more in strain and the harder the stem of the clone(harder woody stem are harder the root)


 
Yes!!  I totally know what you mean when you say harder/woody (vs. "green-and-tender").

You are cool ozzydiodude.  You are very helpful person!  You give good insight and you help to reduce the learning curve with less mistakes made.  You have helped me so much in the best way to approach this cloning thing in so many ways/perspectives.  Thank you, mate!


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## White WidowMaker (Apr 9, 2009)

ozzydiodude said:
			
		

> I cut nothing less that 3 inches like 4 inches better,but in a pinch 3 will do.
> The quickest I have seen roots is 7 days in Pro-Mix BX.
> The quickest I have seen roots in a bubbler is 4 days.
> 
> Most clones show roots out of soil in 10 to 14 days the varience is more in strain and the harder the stem of the clone(harder woody stem are harder the root)


 
Re:  size - 4 inches you say optimum minimum.  What is optimum maximum length you think is best and what is too large?  Does it depend on the "hard woodiness" being less hard and woody and more green-and-tender no matter what the length?  Do longer clones tend to do better than the 4 inches?  Is it best to cut long and then 45degree-cut-under-water to shorten to 4 inches?

What is the optimum optimum in your experience with soil cloning?  Does green-and-tender any length make for good cloning?  Or the closer to shorter 4-inch (young-and-tender&more-rootable)?

Thanks in advance.  Looks like I am l going to try to get this clone growing big fast so that those 3 first branches I can turn into good cuttings for clones.  It might be a week or two, and then I hope to see how quick I can produce those clones under optimal conditions for both cutting and humid coke-bottle environment.

Re:  strain - Genuine Dutch Passion WW from official distributor outside of Holland.  Any experience with this DP WW or any other WW variety?  WW is such a hardy/tough plant in other tests, I hope she would do well in cloning also.


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## blancolighter (Apr 9, 2009)

I dunno if there is a "too large" clone, but its all about walking the line between taking a good sized cutting, the newer the groth the better, and not taking off so much plant matter as to stress the parent plant. That being said I like too work with 4-5 inch clones.

I used to do a bubbler, put lately I've been cloning in Pro Mix. Only reason for the switch was I wanted to see what cloning in soil was like! I like it too, both ways seem about equal for me, the advantage of the bubbler being you can actually see when the roots start to pop out of the stem, which after the novelty has worn off, isn't a big advantage for me. On average I'm transplanting after 8-10 days, quickest time was probably 4 or 5 days to the transplant in my bubbler though. I just think I did a clone in soil that transplanted after 5 or 6, not sure, days kinda blur for me. It's really strain dependant though, as I've got a strain that needs at least 14-21 days to root, no matter what. My Mangos, on the other hand, wouldn't suprise me if they are geneticly engineered to clone fast, they're what I see my best clone times in.


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## White WidowMaker (Apr 9, 2009)

blancolighter said:
			
		

> I dunno if there is a "too large" clone, but its all about walking the line between taking a good sized cutting, the newer the groth the better, and not taking off so much plant matter as to stress the parent plant. That being said I like too work with 4-5 inch clones.
> 
> I used to do a bubbler, put lately I've been cloning in Pro Mix. Only reason for the switch was I wanted to see what cloning in soil was like! I like it too, both ways seem about equal for me, the advantage of the bubbler being you can actually see when the roots start to pop out of the stem, which after the novelty has worn off, isn't a big advantage for me. On average I'm transplanting after 8-10 days, quickest time was probably 4 or 5 days to the transplant in my bubbler though. I just think I did a clone in soil that transplanted after 5 or 6, not sure, days kinda blur for me. It's really strain dependant though, as I've got a strain that needs at least 14-21 days to root, no matter what. My Mangos, on the other hand, wouldn't suprise me if they are geneticly engineered to clone fast, they're what I see my best clone times in.


 
Thanks, bro!  The Bubbler sounds interesting (probably a Hydro thing) for the novelty effect of watching roots grow, but I am going to do the inexpensive DIY intermediate sized plastic honey container with coke-bottle-bottom on top as semi-protective humidity hood with small holes cut through the coke bottle "points" at bottom to temper the humidity so they can breathe (yet at higher humid temperature).

I hope they work.  I'll update you, thanks for your help, too!


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## Newbud (Apr 9, 2009)

Way i do it in me sig so not get too much into it but will say 4 inch is about perfect been as some goes into the medium although i have snipped em off longer and just cut down to desired size.

Lower branches best for sure, remove lot of leaf, i like to just leve smaller top leaves and any that are too big get chopped in half or a little more if bit bigger.
Softer stems definitely an advantage although i scrape off the outer of the stem the length of the part that will be in the medium so i havn't had any probs with slightly harder stems, i also make a small slit up the stem if ya wanna know.
Average rooting time 7-12 days.
Some faster but thats just the average.


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## White WidowMaker (Apr 9, 2009)

Newbud said:
			
		

> Way i do it in me sig so not get too much into it but will say 4 inch is about perfect been as some goes into the medium although i have snipped em off longer and just cut down to desired size.
> 
> Lower branches best for sure, remove lot of leaf, i like to just leve smaller top leaves and any that are too big get chopped in half or a little more if bit bigger.
> Softer stems definitely an advantage although i scrape off the outer of the stem the length of the part that will be in the medium so i havn't had any probs with slightly harder stems, i also make a small slit up the stem if ya wanna know.
> ...


 
Why do you cut leaves in half?

Interesting idea about scraping the stems of harder/woodier stems.


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## Newbud (Apr 9, 2009)

Well main reason cos that how i was shown lol but it's so the leaves dont collect too much moisture when in the  propergator and as i beleive so the little cutting doesnt have to use too much energy on sustaining the leaves so can use more on creating roots.
Not a clue if there any scientific truth behind it but hey it works for me, and works every time.

I also use 18/6 light cycle. For me its an on going study as to if it holds any advantage over the more accepted 24/0 cycle but so far i have noticed a small advantage.
One big advantage of doin this for me is it allows me to do my cloning in my veg room


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## Newbud (Apr 9, 2009)

Oh and i spoke to loads of growers who also scrape the stems but for some reason it doesnt seem to get mentioned much.
If you look at the cloning bit in my sig you will also see i use liberal amounts of rooting gel. 
The way i do it was passed on to me by a very experienced grower by the way this not just a newb blowing smoke lol


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## blancolighter (Apr 10, 2009)

Good posts there Newbud, nice cloning techniques...


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## ozzydiodude (Apr 10, 2009)

:yeahthat: Nice Newbud Just don't scrap to hard I would say. By scraping you just exposed more plants cell to converting to root area better rooting surface.


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## Newbud (Apr 10, 2009)

blancolighter said:
			
		

> Good posts there Newbud, nice cloning techniques...


 
Thanx a lot mate i appreciate it


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## Dankerz (Apr 12, 2009)

im new to cloning and im having 90% success using jiffy7 peatpucks and hormone.  8-10days im seeing roots coming threw the jiffy's and the clones are half the size of my pinky. 
no angle cut,no misting,no slit up the middle or scraping of the stem.. i even had temps going as low as 50... keeping it simple and patience is key..just let it do its thing!


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## Newbud (Apr 12, 2009)

Yeah man i seen the thread, carnt argue with 90% for sure, i like my 100% better though lol, jokin fella just diggin i on the vodka lol


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