# rapid rooter help...



## Irish (Dec 10, 2011)

i see a few tutorials, just none on rapid rooter plugs. i've been asking around, and getting many different takes on how this should be done properly. all the styles are the same, except when it comes to adding heat to the cuts. 

some say no heat needed, some say use a heat mat...

i've tried both, and still no roots after ten days...i need help with this specific style...

this is how i prepared my cuts...i misted the donors with clonex rooting solution for three days, twice per day...took cuts, then soaked them in same solution for an hour(plugs too)...i made the 45 under water with new blade...i put new hole in plug with sterile knife...i dipped cut in dyna-gro root gel, then 'stabbed' them into rapid rooters...i put those under a dome for two days...(1st attempt, no heat, 2nd attempt, heat applied)...i removed dome in two days, and misted with my clonex solution, and returned to dome...

i am on my second attempt ten days in, and still no roots...what am i doing wrong? 

if you have experience with rapid rooters i need your help please...


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## Rosebud (Dec 10, 2011)

I just started using them too Irish. Sure sounds like you did everything more then right. I didn't know you were supposed to use a new hole.

I did two and one made it and one didn't.  I am glad you started this thread.


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## Growdude (Dec 10, 2011)

10 days is not that long, if the clones still look good just wait.


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## Irish (Dec 10, 2011)

the hole in the plug is to big for the stem to stay in constant contact, so i made a slit beside it...


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## Rosebud (Dec 10, 2011)

I wondered about that, but I thought the hole didn't go all the way through and you stuck it in the bottom. I think a new one is a good idea.


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## Ryder (Dec 10, 2011)

I use RRooters on an off.. .There pretty good as long as you have a very sealed dome and the Humidity stays constant.. When there working right and your dome is sealed it should be constantly foggy with humidity..  You shouldn't have to moisten them for at least for a few days after rooting them if you have adequate humidity...I use a heat mat and a thermostat set at 78-80 temps(in the Rapid Rooter Medium) constantly and leave a T5 on them with 24 hours of light.....  I use Olivias Cloning gel and I mist with Clonex Cloning liquid(Match the Ph of the Medium 5.8-6.0)...Ive found that they usually root within 10 days. Its important obviously to have full contact with the medium after rooting... It sure sounds like your more careful doing cuts than I am  cant imagine why you dont have roots... Whats the Ph your running them at.. I like 5.8-6.0 for Rapid Rooters.


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## Irish (Dec 10, 2011)

see now, this is the first time in a month anyone has told me i need to ph that low. i'm at 7. can't find a dome that actually fits either. thier all really loose and i have to duct tape then onto the trays, and still get a crappy seal. then on top of that issue, i heat my home with a woodstove, so its always very very dry. my dome never has moisture in it, so theres my issue...

thanks ryder...

i'll have to either find a good sealing dome, or toss this entire idea...before i dump this tray i'll try one more thing, and fill it with solution about a 1/4 inch in a solid tray, and suspend the clones over that solution in a slotted tray that fits in the solid. maybe it will give the moisture needed? idk...


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## Iron Emmett (Dec 11, 2011)

Hey Irish.

I use Rapid Rooters all the time, i like to use a heat mat with the dome, i usually show roots in about 7-10 days, something i do that i noticed helped, is after i put the clone in the plug, i break off a small piece of the rooter corner and push it into the hole, it helps close it up so light wont get in there and ive noticed since i started doing this, my success rate with clones has risen from about 40 to 90%.

I never really worry about PH my water runs about about 6.5-7.0, the dome is huge though as Ryder said, i bought a little plant starter from a Blair magazine that works great, the lid has sliding slots so you can decrease the humidity when the clones starts to toss roots, it was 15 bucks.


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## Locked (Dec 11, 2011)

Unless you are feeding the clones in the rooter I wld think and hve seen in my first hand experience that the water does not need to be ph'd. I only worry about the ph of the water if I am feeding....I never worry about it with my seedlings till they start feeding...and I don't feed my clones till after they hve roots so I just use plain water with a lil H2O2.  jmo


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## ozzydiodude (Dec 11, 2011)

set a cup of water inside the dome to help keep the humidity up. When I use RR I found that they hold alot of water and it was too much. I let then stay a little dryer and the rooted better. For me loose soils work the best for cloning, I just dont get that good a % using RR or peat pods


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## Irish (Dec 11, 2011)

i put a tray of solution in there yesterday, and taped the dome on good, and still no moisture...houston, we have a problem...without a dome that seals, its a waste of space and time i think is what my problem is...thanks for the suggestions...i'll seek out a dome to try again in the future...maybe...


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## Rosebud (Dec 11, 2011)

I am going through the same thing. I have a humidifier in the room the clones are in and it is set at 50% and runs constantly. My first time out with the RR's too. My clones look bad. But the humidity was 20 now it is 50. Did you see Hemper's pictures of his clones in RR? he had the touch.


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## ozzydiodude (Dec 11, 2011)

Heres a idea. look around for one of the ultrasonic water foggers. The table top things they sale for stuff to look at. Set it in water inside the dome on a timer and it should keep the humidity where you want it.


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## pcduck (Dec 11, 2011)

I flip them over make a new hole stick them in the dome and mist. Just do not over water, those RR hold water for a long time. The cooler the temps the longer it takes for them to root. If over watered you will get stem rot.


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## ArtVandolay (Dec 12, 2011)

OK, Irish, here are the pics I took this morning.  I doubt you'll learn anything new but you may see stuff not to do  We'll see whether and when they root :hubba:




I use Green Lantern rooting stuff (Lowes) and tupperware (call your local saleswoman :hubba: ) 3 Mad Dog Kush cuttings sitting in water, upside down rapid rooters and a clean razor blade (be careful  ).  The RRs are sitting in water and very moist.




I make my own holes in the RRs with a dart tip (Wally World)  




3 MDKs, all in a row  




Rocks in the bottom of the tware and water, but not higher than the rocks (for humidity later).




Tray on the rocks with MDK and Moon Dawg cuttings  :hubba:




Loose fitting (tware) lid  after misting the cuttings.




Hi tech rootin system sitting in the veg tent under the shade of the mom plants  Put yours in that porta potty thing you bought a few years ago!




My winter basil plant, lower right.  Place your bets!


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## Irish (Dec 12, 2011)

see now, that there is a tutorial i can wrap my mind around.:hubba: 

i bought a heat mat today. so you saying i don't need a good seal on my dome(tpware) lid art?

i'm transplanting, and taking fresh cuts, and here goes round three. (round two is still in trays at 12 days, and getting a lil wilt now, so i'll just toss those for space if theres no roots showing, clean everything, and fire up the porta potty. 

thanks bro...


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## ArtVandolay (Dec 12, 2011)

I suppose my theory is the clones will do well in a place where mother (and other vegging) plants are happy and I always make sure air can circulate into the HTC (high tech cloning chamber) 

I wouldn't give up on 12 days plants, yet    Put them into the porta potty, too:hubba:  Looking forward to seeing it again (the porta potty)


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## ozzydiodude (Dec 12, 2011)

Art I think you need to repost that in a thread so it can be stickied:aok:

Thats a nice little cloning tutorial.


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## Irish (Dec 13, 2011)

high tech cloning chamber, male chamber, seedling chamber, personal home sauna, deer blind , and porta potty.:hubba: did someone say sticky?


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## ArtVandolay (Dec 13, 2011)

Thanks, ozzy!  Let's hope it works for someone besides me :hubba:  Let's also hope mine root :hubba:

Real nice, Irish!  That should do it, that thing is great!  I misted the cuttings this am, I'll usually mist them at least once/day.  When the RRs start getting a little dry, spritz them, too


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## dirtyolsouth (Dec 25, 2011)

I LOVE POT~!!!:yay:

UP Twinkles to all of you this holiday season~! :ciao:


:joint:


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## Dunge (Dec 26, 2011)

Rapid Rooter plugs are the only way I have been able to reliably clone.
No dome, no misting, not much fuss.
I make a fresh cut on my cutting.
Paint bottom inch with Clonex (or any clone product) and stick it into the RR plug via a fresh hole poked into the plug. Plugs go into small six pack holders that perfectly fit the plugs, so six in a small footprint.
The important part is to dip the holders into water twice per day.
Place under 24/7 fluorescent and heat mat and wait.
So long as the plants stay green and healthy and the plugs stay wet they eventually throw roots.


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## ArtVandolay (Dec 26, 2011)

Up Twinkles to you, too, Dos  

I just got back from SW Florida for the holidays.  The cuttings have spent the last 4 days on their own.  I had put enough water in the bottom to keep them moist, but they were wet just now when I had a quick check.  One has rooted but they all still look perky :hubba:  They're a full 14 days today, stay tuned :icon_smile:


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