# Help with clones



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 5, 2015)

So I'm using little grodan cubes and I'm about to pull 60 clones from outside.  Never done it before.  

I have the earth juice rooting gel and a nftg nite line.  

how would I do this.  Do I soak the grodan in a small nite mix?  Do I not use nutrients?  Do i top the clone so it doesn't push new growth?  Use the super thrive with rooting hormone?  Don't use super thrive?  Cut leaves fingers in half?  Ph ?  Thank you.  Will be cloning in a few hours 5 maybe?  Should I keep lights off for any certain time?   using 4' 8 bulb t5.  Finishing in 1 gallon pots.  Thank you guys.


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 5, 2015)

Rockwool should be presoaked in water that has been pH'd to about 5.5.  Do not use nutrients.  I have never used Super Thrive.  I don't but the leaves in half unless they are large.   

Clones do not like or want much light.  You will only need a couple of the tubes powered.


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 5, 2015)

If I use 4 how far should I keep light?


----------



## Rosebud (Aug 5, 2015)

I keep my clones in a big window until they root. I spray them for the first few days. After they root i put under T5's 1  bulb until i transplant them to bigger pots.  Mine are under a dome as well.  They don't need direct light. while rooting. they are working on roots not leaves or growth.


----------



## zem (Aug 5, 2015)

Rosebud said:


> I keep my clones in a big window until they root. I spray them for the first few days. After they root i put under T5's 1  bulb until i transplant them to bigger pots.  Mine are under a dome as well.  They don't need direct light. while rooting. they are working on roots not leaves or growth.



hey Rose, I wonder, and excuse my curiosity and i don't mean to belittle your cloning methods, but i wonder if that insufficient light from a window might be one reason why your cloning rates were down. i can recall bad cloning sessions where i had one fluro for a big area of clones, and it seems to be much better every time i have 4,5 or 6 cfl's lighting up and warming a closed chamber with high humidity inside, and it is relatively bright, not as bright as the vegging and lights are farther away but it still resembles bright daylight which i believe that the clones appreciate


----------



## Rosebud (Aug 5, 2015)

No, i justed upped my game. Got the dome and I am having 90 % success rate for the last 20 clones.  It is warm in my window, when the direct sun comes in i cover them for that little bit. It is working great. My problem was not enough humidity.  But way to watch Zem... good thinking.


----------



## zem (Aug 5, 2015)

Rosebud said:


> No, i justed upped my game. Got the dome and I am having 90 % success rate for the last 20 clones.



:yay: that is great news :woohoo:


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 6, 2015)

Cool well see what we get % wise.  Do these all clone well?  Is ph from 6.5-5.5 ok ?  I keep hearing 5.5.  Take It that means 5.5.


----------



## HotelCalifornia420 (Aug 8, 2015)

Just to offer a different perspective, Jorge Cerventes uses small rockwool cubes in which to root clones, and he uses un-ph'ed distilled water, and a powdered rooting hormone.

I tried that exact method with my latest round of clones, with only 66% success rate (6 of 9 Satori clones rooted).  I've previously always cloned in Rapid Rooters.

Maybe ph'ing the rockwool cubes would have produced better results.  IDK.


----------



## Rosebud (Aug 8, 2015)

I was busy last week, and would like to elaborate on how i got my cloning mojo back.

First of all it was too cold in the winter. Heating pad is the answer for that.

Second of all, i had no humidity, dome and water and spray are the answer for that.

Third, my cloning gel.... I am using Root Tech now and have great results.

Here is my cloning set up now.View attachment cloning 001.jpg


View attachment cloning 002.jpg


View attachment cloning 003.jpg


View attachment cloning 004.jpg


View attachment cloning 005.jpg


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 10, 2015)

Taken numerous clones have sour diesel blue dream alien og and bb x hb.  They lol good at 3 days old.  There in phed water 5.5 soaked grodan cubes.  Split base of 45degree cut into 4 areas.  Diped in E.J. Rooting Hormones and put em In cubes. Homemade dome and tray used sticks in corners of trays holding up ceram wrap.  It's working well.  Keeps RH in.  Hopefully I don't have to much light.  4 4' t5s nearly 3' away.  Room is plenty warm.  Hope they take.


----------



## umbra (Aug 10, 2015)

you'll know in a couple of days if they look healthy or sick


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 10, 2015)

Cool I'm hoping on decent % making it.  We grabbed quite a few.&#55357;&#56842;


----------



## umbra (Aug 10, 2015)

I always take more than I will need so I can pick the healthiest


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 11, 2015)

Well got plenty trying to keep em going.  Just 5.5 water and ceramwrap humidomes.  Gues I am going to change out the wrap hopefully it will be more sanitary.  Needs misting 3xday and I use eye droper for the water on the cubes.  Nothing to bad at the moment.  Looks surprisingly well.  Had to cut some leaves that where stuck inbetweeen plastic and box so it don't mildew out or something.


----------



## FemmeFatale (Aug 13, 2015)

You know, I bought one of those square little cloning cubes. Enough to make like 24-30 clones. I found that, as long as I use a steril razor, cut at and angle and between the nodes, I get 90-100 percent rooting. With no type of cloning gel,... Nothing but clean water.


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 13, 2015)

So I take it its important to not water leaves lots?  Dry leaves = root growth?  Not water leaves so much?   start of doing it then slow down with it?


----------



## Rosebud (Aug 13, 2015)

Yes, misting the leaves the first few days is a good way to go. But slowly acclimate them to the real air will help them.


----------



## zem (Aug 13, 2015)

i never mist them because i see no need to it, they root the same without, one less item one less effort


----------



## Rosebud (Aug 13, 2015)

I live in 12% humidity. I have to do that..


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 13, 2015)

I think misting depends on where you lived.  Like Rosebud, I live in a very arid place and if I did not have a dome and mist, my clones would never make it.


----------



## zem (Aug 13, 2015)

Rosebud said:


> I live in 12% humidity. I have to do that..



:shocked: 12% I never ever in my life seen anything less than 30-35% on my scale... jeez i would imagine that a person would require 3L per day to remain healthily hydrated... a nice idea would me to have a sort of a thick rug or towels to hold some water inside that dome for longer? i think i would add some automation, a little pump that feeds some fabric that retains water all around the dome walls and make a drain back to the water res just like the evaporative cooling methods... only an idea 12 % omg i know nothing about those levels... but it now makes sense how seasoned growers can still have a hard time cloning.


----------



## yarddog (Aug 13, 2015)

12%.  I see 50 and up. Don't think I've ever seen 12%.


----------



## umbra (Aug 13, 2015)

so...plasma, do you actually have any plants or clones? or is this more a fact hunting mission like the molasses thread?


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 13, 2015)

I've got many clones.  And a nice outdoor going.


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 13, 2015)

The molasses thread was about feeding M outdoor plants molasses.  My partner wants to over do it.  He was talking like 8oz 5 gallon water. Lol.  I hope I can keep him from doing that.  He thinks molasses is the secret ingredient to thick tasty buds.  I don't think it is.


----------



## umbra (Aug 13, 2015)

its not. if you seriously want to learn what effects the plants the most...
Nelson's 6th ed. Greenhouse Operation and Management. I'm sure you can find it used cheap somewhere.


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 13, 2015)

Hey umbra, what is the highest density and smallest pots you would use for  sea of green with sour diesel, blueberryxheadband and alien og?


----------



## umbra (Aug 13, 2015)

How do you mean? Indoor, outdoor, soil or hydro


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 13, 2015)

Indoor and soil.  Want high density from clone.


----------



## umbra (Aug 13, 2015)

high density 1 gal grow bags, high yield 5 gal grow bags


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 13, 2015)

zem said:


> :shocked: 12% I never ever in my life seen anything less than 30-35% on my scale... jeez i would imagine that a person would require 3L per day to remain healthily hydrated... a nice idea would me to have a sort of a thick rug or towels to hold some water inside that dome for longer? i think i would add some automation, a little pump that feeds some fabric that retains water all around the dome walls and make a drain back to the water res just like the evaporative cooling methods... only an idea 12 % omg i know nothing about those levels... but it now makes sense how seasoned growers can still have a hard time cloning.


 
This is my vegging space 

View attachment 017-1.jpg


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 13, 2015)

So do 1 Gallon pots not work well?  I'm all for growbags or air pots.  So if I fill a space with 1 gallon bags am I liable to get more than I would with 5gallon bags?  Less per plant but more plants?

Or do you think the 5s are the way to go?  I've got enough clones for either.  But we are flipping em shortly after transplant.  If everything transitions well.


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 13, 2015)

I'm trying not to have to veg em out long.


----------



## Rosebud (Aug 14, 2015)

I prefer less plants in bigger pots for a bigger harvest.


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 14, 2015)

Ok so you guys are saying less and bigger pots will be bigger harvest.  Ok.


----------



## umbra (Aug 14, 2015)

I use air pots and like them. I just found that the bags were cheaper and easier to use. Yield from my experience, is all about root development so a bigger root mass in a 5 gal container will usually out yield a plant with a root mass in a 1 gal container.


----------



## Hushpuppy (Aug 21, 2015)

Cloning methods can vary to some extent and still have great success. The key is matching the method to the environment and plant strain. I typically use a bubbleponic cloner for my cuttings. I live in a fairly humid area so between the mid level humidity and the humidity given off by the bubble cloner, I don't have to worry about using a dome or misting the cuttings. I did find that I have my best results when I have my cloner in an enclosed space where I can control the temps (maintain 78-80f and 70%rh). I found that my best results with cloning came when I use a 4' T5 in the yellow "flower" spectrum about 18-24" above the plants. 
Its my understanding from "Clark" that the key to rooting is to "pause" the veg function within the cutting and encourage the "rooting" function with the help of rooting hormones. Pausing the "veg" function can be done in a couple ways. If the plant is placed in low light or light that will feed the existing leaves without encouraging the production of growth hormones (flowering spectrum light seems to work well for that in my experience) then the growth will cease, or "pause". Cutting the larger leaves away or in half will help to reduce the growth hormone as well. I think it also causes the "pause and repair" function to kick in as well, which is something we see when using High stress training to slow the upward growth of a vegging plant.
I recommend the use of rooting hormone gel or powder as this can only help in the rooting process. Some strains will root far more easily than others, thus the reason for success with cloning in just clean water. 

I watch for the cuttings(when cloning in rooters or medium) to begin growing from the very top as a sign that the rooting is well under way. I don't add any feeding until I am certain that I have significant root growth, and then I feed lightly for the first week to get the roots used to the chems. Good luck all who clone. You have reached the next level of growing


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 25, 2015)

So bb x hb all made it.  Haven't lost any.  The other strains ate ****.  No roots.  I think its because of splitting the stem 4 ways instead of simply in half.  Cut at 45 then cut up into the bottom a little.  Maybe that is not good?  The ones cut in half all made it.  Tray of 25.  The sour diesels and alien ogs didn't work.


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 25, 2015)

I doubt that splitting the stem 4 ways had anything to do with them not rooting.  some strains just root a lot faster and easier than others.


----------



## umbra (Aug 25, 2015)

more likely the razor wasn't clean.


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 25, 2015)

Hrm head an where done last.  Only ones that finished.  Interesting.


----------



## Hushpuppy (Aug 26, 2015)

I don't know this for sure but my thinking is that trying to cut the stem 4 ways exposed too much interior of the stem (I think it is called the Phloem) while doing it and it created air embolisms (unless you did it all under water). There are many little things that can affect cloning, both good and bad.


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 27, 2015)

I don't think ill be trying that again.  Do you think one should just hit the 45degree cut and call it good?


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 27, 2015)

Should I continue to cut the bottom 1x or not?  Scruffing the outer bottom is probobaly more beneficial?


----------



## Hushpuppy (Aug 27, 2015)

I always take my cuts and immediately put them in water to keep them until I get all that I am going to do, then I trim them up and get everything ready first. Then I cut them to the length that I want, cut on a 45/ and I scrape the skin a little around the bottom 1cm of the stem, dip it into the cloning gel, and then straight into the clone medium of choice. I use a bubble cloner myself as I like it, but the rapid rooter things work well also.


----------



## Rosebud (Aug 27, 2015)

Take a glass of water into the grow/garden. I use real glass so I can see the stem.  Cut the stem, put it in water and immediately cut it again while under water. This is how we do roses that we show. Most people in that arena use HOT water to take the cuts in. Opens the vascular system I guess.  Don't either do that or bring to sink and cut again under running water. Keep the water drip on the end of stem and put in rooting medium.


----------



## gottaloveplasma (Aug 28, 2015)

Thank You RoseB. Will try that next time.  Should I use warm or cool water?  Couldn't make that part out.


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Aug 28, 2015)

I like to use water that is about room temp.  I don't know that it makes any difference.  As far as splitting the stems.  I used to do it, but don't now.  Not because it didn't work, but more because that it seemed to not make much difference.  so, why go to the trouble.  Now I just do like Hush--cut at a 45 underwater and scrape the stem.

Am umbra mentioned, cleanliness is critical.  Be sure to sterilize your razor blade and make sure everything is clean, clean, clean.


----------

