# Cloning Guide For Dummies



## cranky (Nov 12, 2006)

*Cloneing Guide For Dummies*​ 

well ive seen a few ask how clonings done and this is a guide i threw together about 2 years ago now and its helped many peeps so i just thought id wack it up here.main thing is to remember its basic and thats how i wanted it to be...fool proof if ya gets me 


OK *step 1*
this is all ya gonna need.
razor,snips,rooting hormone powder,glass of water and somit to make a hole in soil with(small paint brush in my case) and 2inch pot of moist soil.(watered)

*light*
clones dont need much light to get going...1 x 2ft florescent shop/strip light or 1 x compact fluorescent is enough to get the job done.

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12324&stc=1&d=1163380634

*step 2,* 
take your mom and cut your cutting on a 45 degree angle.i normally take my clones from the bottom as its good plant husbandry.

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12325&stc=1&d=1163380634

*step 3,* 
as soon as you have cut,place into a glass of water(this will stop any air getting into the stem)not sure how true that is but its always worked for me
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 i also remove unwanted leaves of the cutting,just cut them off at the stem,i normally just have the top and 2 leaves on my clones.(i find small cuttings root faster).about 3-4 inch tall.

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12326&stc=1&d=1163380634

*step 4, *
i then take my cutting ant cut off the stem(again on a 45 degree angle) to the size i need.(about 3 to 4 inch)and put straight back into water.

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12327&stc=1&d=1163380634

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12328&stc=1&d=1163380634

*http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12329&stc=1&d=1163380634*

*step 5,* 
now you can make a hole in ya soil ready for cutting to go into(you can do this at the start if yas wish....)

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12330&stc=1&d=1163380634

*step 6, *
now take ya cutting and dip into your rooting hormone.you want about half an inch to 3/4s to be covered.

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12331&stc=1&d=1163380634

*step 7, *
now you have your rooting hormone on ya cutting,just give it a gentle flick to knock off excess powder and plant into ya soil1/3rd to half way down...and gently push around the stem to firm it in 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12332&stc=1&d=1163380634

*step 8,* 
thats the hard bit done...now spray the cutting(fine spray)and the dome lid.now,all ya have to do is spray the cuttings and dome lid 3-4 times aday(just don't let the dome dry out.if plants look moist but dome looks dry then just spray dome)do this for the first 8 days but after 3 days open vents in dome(or create a small gap for air to get in).continue to spray 3-4 times aday up until day 8- 10 by the 14th day ya should have nice healthy plants to go into veg.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12333&stc=1&d=1163380634

follow these steps and ya cant go wrong...any questions then feel free to ask:joint:

all the best

cranky


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## jb247 (Nov 12, 2006)

Hey cranky...I do clones the same way, but with a couple of tweeks...to the amount of water you are showing in the glass, I add a quarter of a capful of hydrogen peroxide. My thinking behind that is that it helps to keep harmful bacteria away. Just before I put the plant into the soil I gather all of the remaining leaves toward the top of the plant,use a pair of snips and take a generous (1/3+) portion of the leaves. This causes the plant not to transpire water as quickly and seems to have no bad effect on the overall cloning process. 
Its not a bad idea to clean any blade you use after each cut, thus cutting down on any transfer of anything harmful...molds, bacteria etc...
All in all I have a pretty good survival rate with your method and can endorse it as working...for me.

Peace...j.b.


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## cranky (Nov 13, 2006)

yo* jb247,*nice of yas to drop by 
Ive tried the cutting the leaves thing and to be honest Ive never noticed a diff so i stopped that like 

and as for bacteria from ya water....its somit i dont worry about i would agree on making sure your tools are sterile though...just not after every cut though.ya should be fine if taking a clone off a healthy plant.

as for the hydrogen peroxide...its also somit Ive never tried and had 100%.Ive never had a clone die on me.

i guess this guide is all about keeping it as simple as it gets...once you've got it...then maybe start tweaking it as you have done...its all about what suits you best but i like to keep things real simple bro 

thanks for stopping by

cranky


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## Hick (Nov 13, 2006)

..nice tutorial cranky...THANKS!!
We use _very_ similar methods.. I prefer to make the final 45* cut while the stem is submerged unde water to help prevent an embolism, and your method advises for a lot more misting than I use. But other than that, they're nearlly identical. 


> ...once you've got it...then maybe start tweaking it as you have done...its all about what suits you best but i like to keep things real simple bro


...K.I.S.S. 


http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2441


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## cranky (Nov 13, 2006)

cheers hick .the link ya put in is dead mate 


just hope it helps a few newbs out like.

take care 

cranky


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## Hick (Nov 13, 2006)

try it now cranky...I may have had the code incorrect..


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## cranky (Nov 13, 2006)

yep that works  very similar indeed mate 

come peeps ya have no excuses now....get cloning 


cranky


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## dontknowmuch (Nov 20, 2006)

Hello there,
                I was wondering how mature the plants should be before I take cuttings.
              Thanks


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## Hick (Nov 21, 2006)

"I" usually wait until after week 4, but essentially, as soon as it has enough growth to support getting a 3-5 inch cutting.


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## StinkBud (Jan 1, 2007)

I notice in all the guides I've ever read, nobody really talks about the day to day maintenance of the clones.  I spray mine regularly, but like to water every second day or so.  At about 5 days (depending on root growth) I start giving them a bit of superthrive, and finally pull the cover off.

Any other ideas on regular maintenance?


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## cranky (Jan 6, 2007)

all in step 8 mate...

if your dome is moist then the soil wont dry out.so there shouldnt be aneed to water untill rooted.

no need to feed untill rooted.ya soil should have enough goodies in to see um through for abit.

once rooted then this guides done its job..

like the title says...cloning guide for dummies....just wanna keep it simple...never lost a clone in me life useing this method.

cranky


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## StinkBud (Jan 7, 2007)

cranky said:
			
		

> all in step 8 mate...
> 
> if your dome is moist then the soil wont dry out.so there shouldnt be aneed to water untill rooted.
> 
> ...


 
Gotcha.  I should be so lucky as you though.  I've never known a grower to get 100% success.  Don't really like spraying the dome though.  I find the water beads and opaques the plastic.  a little water in the tray every 2nd day helps me to keep the humidity up, plus it helps to keep the vermi/peri saturated.  

I found that giving them superthrive on the 5th, 8th and 11th day brought my survival rate from 80% to 99%.  It loses that one percent because it's far to easy to give them to much of the stuff.


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## cranky (Jan 7, 2007)

well mate,ive only ever used superthrive the one time in a bubbler and it sent my roots black and full of gue so i tend to stay away from it.

if ya temps are fine in the dome(80f-82f) clones are healthy water is ph'ed  to 6.5,soil is good(i use 100% peat based for clones)then dont be supriesed if ya have roots as early as day 6 

ive just always loved cloneing....ive gotten lazy though(hate potting up)so i just fill the dome tray with soil,wack a **** load of cuttings in and then pop um out after about 10-12days...i just hate potting up though 

cheers for the input 

cranky


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## parkingjoe (Feb 8, 2007)

i do same way but without the water i chop a clone remove all excess leaves axcept fresh growth tip and leaf eaither side of tip chop at 45 degree angle dip into rooting gel and plonk into jiffy pellet then offer up soil in jiffy to make it nice and snug and plop in propagator and never ever mist i only take lid off prop every day for few minutes........

last lot i did took 10 days all rooted.

oh i actually add a drop of superthive to water i use for dropping jiffys into to allow to expand..


zipposp

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7906&page=3


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## Kindbud (Mar 12, 2007)

can you place a clone outside or dose it have to be inside??


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## Hick (Mar 13, 2007)

They usually require some tlc in order to root, kb. Humidity, warm, and flourescent light..


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## rampage (Mar 20, 2007)

can u take a cutting from a plant that is already in bud?


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## Towelie (Apr 9, 2007)

Do clones respond better to flourescent light, or is it even advisable to use my HPS?

HICK! - You are so right dude. Making your cuts UNDER WATER is key... For anyone who wants to see an example; my florist taught me this. Take two roses, cut one out of water, the other UNDER water (both at 45 degrees), and see which one lasts longest. The one cut UNDER water will last WEEKS longer than the one with the open air cut.


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## BSki8950 (Apr 9, 2007)

i was just wondering can u make a clone with a female that is just starting flowering already or no ???  i want to give cloning a try for my first time


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## AlienBait (Apr 9, 2007)

Yes, you can.  It may take a week or two longer to root, though.


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## BSki8950 (Apr 9, 2007)

o cool .. thanks alot


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## usandthem (Apr 21, 2007)

I put 8 cuttings in jiffy pellets last Sunday. They're in a seedling dome thingy I bought at Lowes. I've been opening the humidity dome every day for a minute or so. The leaves are starting to yellow a little. I read somewhere that was a sign that they were starting to root. Is there any truth to this? How long should I leave the dome on? When the roots start growing from the jiffy pellets should I transplant the pellets into a pot of soil? Thanks. Usandthem from where the grass is blue.


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## BushyKush420 (Apr 21, 2007)

i dunno for sure but i will try and answer this..

i had taken 24 clones and i think maybe only 2 or 3 didnt make it,

mine also were getting yellow and i really wasnt sure that these would live.

and boy i looked at em today and i see NEW growth ( new leaves) which had me surprised cuz i thought that they were dead and i looked at the bottoms and i see ROOTS!!!  yea yea YEA!!   

so i know that dont really answer ur ? but im in the same boat and thats what happened to me.. maybe the same will to u too.. hopefully..

good luck with that.. and keep growing mang.


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## mr.pink (Apr 22, 2007)

hey everyone,
im new to the site but not new to growing or cloning,first id like to say that this is a really good way of doing clones, and i dont wanna disagree because every grower has his/her little tweaks and tricks, but i must say that sterilizing your blade after each cut is a very good ideam also peroxide is very important, nip all those nasty bacteria and molds in the butt, give them no time to spread or even live.
as for the cuttings in water to do what im going to tell you you must not use the glass of water, and is alot easier with rooting gel instead of powder, now as soon as you take the cutting(cut one at a time of course)
cut it to the length you want now while doing this DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT LAY YOUR CUTTING DOWN,when you do that it allows air to enter your stem and becoming like a clogged artary which is not good...now as soon as you cut the stem keep it vertical and dip it directly into the rooting gel(which is a nice amount poored into a cup or container other then the container of gel) go in to the gel about an inch, now here is the most important part...
after dipping it generously, take your a sterile razor blade and cut half inch vertically up the center of the stem,at the bottom of course, then dip again to ensure rooting hormones are inside the bottom of the stem, then continue to place in your cubes or mix or what ever...
ive done an experiment with clones done like this and clones done normally, and the root systems develops faster thicker and much stronger, hope this helped you all out, and i hope you try it...
hope to hear from you


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## mr.pink (Apr 22, 2007)

oh and one more thing, it is very normal for the first five days that your clones are a little wilty and yellowish, not yellow just a little tint.


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## mr.pink (Apr 22, 2007)

i got all kinds of things to say today lolol,
also about the jiffy pots,they are good for beginners because they are very easy,yet do to the big amount of oxygen they let to your root system, they sometimes cause your stems to elongate, like theres not enough light, a really good mix or cube should be used for optimum results


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## ms4ms (Apr 22, 2007)

I have read the cloning guide for me(dummies) until I am blue. Anyway, it is a perfect well written guide and I do get it, but.... Are we cloning to find out the sex of the plant? After alll the work is done you put it under 12/12 and hopefully you will have sex, (not just with plants) in a quicker time. Is this the right idea?:bugger:


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## greenerworld (Apr 22, 2007)

I just take my clone cuttings and put them in water 1 and a half deep and let them sit on the window sill for a week until the roots mature I've never had a problem of any sort. I dont mess with root hormones etc.... once the roots are 2 inches or better they go into soil and thats it!!!!!!


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## donnie189 (May 26, 2007)

I had 3 flats full of cuttings, and  they looks kinda wet, but I wasn't getting the humity I should have, yet they're drooping, they'd been in the domes for a while, and they had some roots, but none showing, but I figured my only chance is to put them in pot, for hydro. Well, after weeks of anticipation, they all died. I usually get at least 15-20 success rate of 100-200 cuttings. Its so sad, but if I can get them to take, I put out the best indica around. Can someone please help me? 

Thanks in advance,

                    Donnie189


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## geedog25 (Oct 24, 2008)

cheers i just clone the first time with help from you i  will let u no the out cum thanks to u all geedog25


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## DeadlyEight (Jan 6, 2009)

how much does the heat effect the development of the roots?  
if your temperatures are too low will they not grow roots?


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## Hick (Jan 8, 2009)

...YES... medium temperatures are critical to root formation....IME


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## DeadlyEight (Jan 8, 2009)

thanks Hick for the response, i did find a range from 70-85 F, i am sitting around 73avg. SO it might take a month or never go at all.  and in the mean time looks as if some spider mites or something got to my mother so if these clones don't make it, she is gonzo!


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## charlesweedmore (Feb 9, 2009)

great guide


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## greenfoxx (Nov 17, 2009)

Great Thread Cranky, TY

And TY for the additional imput Hick, Towelie, n Mr. Pink.

I will agree tops suck for cloning. 

Did 2 sativa's (bag seed) , bottom branches

2 Strawberry (purchased clone), top of plant

2 Purple (purchased clone), top of plant

The Sativa's lowers look a lot better, and have taken off on the normal route.

The other four where i took from the top, to bring the mothers down in size n keep them more managable, (trying the bonzi steps for size), ended up failing so far. One strawberry, complete root rot. the other just sickly looking. Same with the 2 purple's, sickly looking.

Mothers are fine, Bonzi so far seems to be working, n the momma's look like little tree's. 

Gonna try again using the lower branches this time today, and also gonna try the cutting it under water, keeping it as vertical as possible, also gonna try the dip in get, cut stem half an inch, then re gel, then plant. Hope this works.

A quick question is, what is a descent soil mix for clones. Been using the Jiffy pod's, in cup's, but i think it was those that brought in these tiny flies. They seem to love haning out on the cups. The cups, are Jiffy made, you add your own soil to them, they are peat moss matterial, iwth a hole in the bottom. Used only once, for first run on clones, and placed the Jiffy pod's into them after ten day's, thinking it may help. Bad Idea, they all looked better before I placed in them.

Ohh one other thing, I cant find a grow Container that has a high enough lid for three/four inch cutting, se we took a tupaware box we bought at local big box store, and im not sure if this cloudy plastic is letting enough light threw when its fully covered. 

Any further imput would rock, about growing enviroment, Hick mentioned Temp, so Im gonna check that before cutting again.

Thank you all for your time and imput, it really helps us Dummies out hereeace:


Greenfoxx's

**** quick update, while trying to obtain what we thought was a better temp for the clones for last batch, we put a heating pad set on the lowest temp under the clones to encourage root growth, but we found after only ten mins (testing today, should have before we did it couple weeks ago), our lil box had heated up to 85 degree's, OMG, and we did that whole last set, may have been main reason for the sickly/ root rotted plants we had, along with being tops.  NEVER USE heating pad for heat control, whats mildly warm to your skin, becomes an oven for your plants.  Just thought we would add that, since we just realized one part of our clone mistakes.  *****


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## SparkIt (Dec 3, 2009)

Where on the mother plant do I take my cutting?  Lets say I have a branch I am going to take and use as a clone.  Do I cut it RIGHT at the main stem of the mother OR do I leave at least one node/leaf on the branch so the same branch can then provide me with another cutting in a couple weeks?  IF I cut it down close to the main branch of the mother will that same branch grow out?  If I leave that one node/leaf will it grow out?  Basically, what do I leave behind on the mother so that she will provide me with new cuttings?  

thx


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