MantisMan SOG I
- Thread starter MantisMan
- Start date
MantisMan
Member
Sure but I probably fluked the 40/40 strike rate, just fyi, lol.
I used jiffy pellets. I went with them simply because they are the most forgiving from what I've read. Given enough time, assuming the clone is relatively healthy when cut, they will root one way or another. And all of mine did, fortunately.
I can go into detail and the specific process I did if you like but there are undoubtedly more experienced clone experts on here than me...
I used jiffy pellets. I went with them simply because they are the most forgiving from what I've read. Given enough time, assuming the clone is relatively healthy when cut, they will root one way or another. And all of mine did, fortunately.
I can go into detail and the specific process I did if you like but there are undoubtedly more experienced clone experts on here than me...
oh well you already replied me saying you are using jiffy pellets. I did too but results are not satisfying like they have used to be in the past (when I did not need all the clones lol).
Do you use any rooting gel?
MantisMan
Member
Oh my bad. Please forgive the oversight on my part.
So the method I used was gleaned from a variety of sources. Basically it goes like this:
A sharp, sterile instrument is used to make a cut at 45 degrees. Ideally you would cut just below a node. Clone is put immediately into a container of tap water. I didn't ph it but I can't see that hurting either. It is left in water for 24 hours to ensure the clone is well hydrated. You can also trim the leaves to reduce transpiration.
Standard sized jiffy pellet is soaked in warm tap water for a couple of minutes to fully expand. Now I take the expanded pellet and rather than squeezing it laterally, if you will, I apply slight pressure with my index finger to the base of the pellet to get a little excess water to drip out. Take the clone, give the bottom half inch a scrape with the sharp utensil to remove a little bit of the "skin", then slice vertically without cutting all the way through. Dip in a disposable container of rooting gel (I used clonex) and insert into the pellet. I put mine almost all the way to the bottom. If the hole isn't big enough for the size of clone you've taken, I used a toothpick dipped in clonex to enlarge it slightly.
The clone then goes into a humidity dome or tent. I used a tent because a very experienced grower told me that cramming clones too closely together is harmful to success rates. I used an entire tent as one big humidity crib but this obviously isn't essential. Just maybe don't have any of them touching each other.
The other parameters I used were 100% humidity for the first 5 days, dropped down to 85-90% thereafter. You can spray the clones if they're wilting but ideally just spray the inside of their dome. I always had heat mats underneath plastic trays in which the clones sat. 74-77 (23-25C) degrees is ideal afaik. Just keep a close eye on the pellets. You can get an idea of how much water is in them by lifting to feel the weight. And also by the lighter colour when they start drying out. I never watered them from the top. Always rehydrated them little by little by pouring water in the tray. As I'm sure you've noticed, they wick up small amounts of water, very quickly. Basically, you don't want them to completely dry out, but you don't want them absolutely saturated either. This is why the wicking action of the peat is useful.
And then yeah I just opened the tent door once a day to exchange the air, check the moisture levels of the pellets, and check the humidity was nice and high.
A few obvious things, which I'm sure you already know are, use very weak lighting. CFL's kept a foot away or more work well. Keep them on a 18/6 light cycle (24/0 is no more beneficial and may actually hinder root growth from what I've read). And use tap water rather than RO or well-water. Chlorine is a key thing missing in a lot of people's troubles with cloning.
Again these are just my very inexperienced musings but it's exactly what I did to get 40/40 on first go so take it how you will.
Humple
Well-Known Member
So many interesting techniques for cloning... I chop them, dip them in fresh aloe goop, stick them in root plugs (I use Root Riots), put them in any kind of container that will serve as a dome (I use those premixed salad containers), keep them and their environment moist, and wait. I'd estimate over a 90% success rate. Then again, let's not forget the importance of the genetics - some plants act like they WANT you to clone them (lovely little sluts), but others are divas about it (uptight bitches).
MantisMan
Member
Yeah genetics is obviously a factor. But if someone is using the same mother or a similar one of the same strain, and their rates mysteriously start to drop, you'd have to think it's something other than the genes. Cloning is still a bit unknown territory to me as I've only done it once. Mind you, even the rubbish clones I just left in water for 25 days all rooted. Maybe the strain I'm running is easily cloned. I dunno.
nfhiggs
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I have a feeling some bacteria got into the cloning tray and thats the problem. I may just toss it out and get some new hardware. The seedling tray setup is less than 20 bucks. Right now I got nothing to clone anyway, just got three little seedlings.
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
I would try coco jiffy pellets next time. I used the peat pellets for a long time and the coco ones are a lot better. Better air/water ratio(50% air when completely soaked), stable PH = better success rate. The rest I almost do in the same way! Are the stems still soft and green, I renounce the scratsching. If they are already a bit woody, I remove some bark and scratch the stem slightly. Best rooting cuttings are the ones cut from the lowest area.Oh my bad. Please forgive the oversight on my part.
So the method I used was gleaned from a variety of sources. Basically it goes like this:
A sharp, sterile instrument is used to make a cut at 45 degrees. Ideally you would cut just below a node. Clone is put immediately into a container of tap water. I didn't ph it but I can't see that hurting either. It is left in water for 24 hours to ensure the clone is well hydrated. You can also trim the leaves to reduce transpiration.
Standard sized jiffy pellet is soaked in warm tap water for a couple of minutes to fully expand. Now I take the expanded pellet and rather than squeezing it laterally, if you will, I apply slight pressure with my index finger to the base of the pellet to get a little excess water to drip out. Take the clone, give the bottom half inch a scrape with the sharp utensil to remove a little bit of the "skin", then slice vertically without cutting all the way through. Dip in a disposable container of rooting gel (I used clonex) and insert into the pellet. I put mine almost all the way to the bottom. If the hole isn't big enough for the size of clone you've taken, I used a toothpick dipped in clonex to enlarge it slightly.
The clone then goes into a humidity dome or tent. I used a tent because a very experienced grower told me that cramming clones too closely together is harmful to success rates. I used an entire tent as one big humidity crib but this obviously isn't essential. Just maybe don't have any of them touching each other.
The other parameters I used were 100% humidity for the first 5 days, dropped down to 85-90% thereafter. You can spray the clones if they're wilting but ideally just spray the inside of their dome. I always had heat mats underneath plastic trays in which the clones sat. 74-77 (23-25C) degrees is ideal afaik. Just keep a close eye on the pellets. You can get an idea of how much water is in them by lifting to feel the weight. And also by the lighter colour when they start drying out. I never watered them from the top. Always rehydrated them little by little by pouring water in the tray. As I'm sure you've noticed, they wick up small amounts of water, very quickly. Basically, you don't want them to completely dry out, but you don't want them absolutely saturated either. This is why the wicking action of the peat is useful.
And then yeah I just opened the tent door once a day to exchange the air, check the moisture levels of the pellets, and check the humidity was nice and high.
A few obvious things, which I'm sure you already know are, use very weak lighting. CFL's kept a foot away or more work well. Keep them on a 18/6 light cycle (24/0 is no more beneficial and may actually hinder root growth from what I've read). And use tap water rather than RO or well-water. Chlorine is a key thing missing in a lot of people's troubles with cloning.
Again these are just my very inexperienced musings but it's exactly what I did to get 40/40 on first go so take it how you will.
klx
Well-Known Member
Bottom up watering allows the top layer of the medium to stay dry, so less gnats, algae etc. But imo, in the end the results are pretty much the same.
klx
Well-Known Member
I reckon would be fine. The pots stay above the flood level so they shouldnt get too wet. But if you are gonna go mediumless more than one run its way easier to do mediumless cloning as well.
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Ah, a DIY hippy style bubble cloner is maybe 10-15 bucks, mate!
You could use a 3gal plastic tub with lid(12x 8x 4" or so), 20 small 2" pieces of ½" tubing (cut laterally) to hold the cuttings just over the water surface and a simple air pump with 8" soda stone. You need only to drill 20 holes in the lid for the small tubes and one on the side just below the edge for the air pump hose.
Easy peasy..
You could use a 3gal plastic tub with lid(12x 8x 4" or so), 20 small 2" pieces of ½" tubing (cut laterally) to hold the cuttings just over the water surface and a simple air pump with 8" soda stone. You need only to drill 20 holes in the lid for the small tubes and one on the side just below the edge for the air pump hose.
Easy peasy..
nfhiggs
Well-Known Member
I may have to make me one of these. I got tons of buckets.
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
I let them in the water for a few days maybe 5mm deep but my pump is a bit too small. With a bigger one there should be enough mist to keep them completely above the surface.