gr865

Well-Known Member
Aero cloner, I did a DIY and never looked back. It solved all my "hard to clone" issues. About 10 ml of clonex per gallon, aquarium heater to keep water at 78, no humidity dome is needed. I will never go back to dips or powders . . . or humidity domes. If you got the cash, buy one and you will never look back.
I agree, I DIY a EZ Cloner, works like a charm, got 33 of 34 and the one that didn't make it was because I broke it off when trying to put it back in the cloner after and exam. Now I won't always do 34 clones, so for a smaller number I will go back to straight coco, I get 9 out of 10 in coco.
 

hotrodharley

Well-Known Member
Another little trick to ensure clone health, using an antiwilt dip when you cut them. Vitagrow makes the one I like. I have rooted cuttings in low RH without a dome using this stuff. You can still spray it on but I do prefer the dip when taking cuttings as it covers all surfaces 100%.

I take a cutting, scarify the end of the stem, knock off any extra leaves and nodes, dip the stem in rooting hormone gel, then dunk upside down it in a jar with the anti wilt mix then into a moist rapid rooter plug. I take 6" long cuttings.
I scrape the outer layer off, dip in honey and then in Mykos. Straight into damp soil and under a big florescent bulb 5000K. Then wait. Only clone from flower for bud. To carry the strain on otherwise take clones before flipping.
 

myke

Well-Known Member
First roots to appear for me in the bubbler are usally at the point of the 45 cut,scrapes so far dont do anyrhing.Still in early tests though.
 

BostonBuds

Well-Known Member
May I ask, how come you cut the ends of the leaves off?
From what I understand you trim the leaves away because all the focus is on the roots growing, you want all the energy going to new root growth and not keeping full size leaves alive, then when the roots start growing new growth takes off.
 
May I ask, how come you cut the ends of the leaves off?
I've seen this done all over and I don't get it either.

From what I understand you trim the leaves away because all the focus is on the roots growing, you want all the energy going to new root growth and not keeping full size leaves alive, then when the roots start growing new growth takes off.
It seems like you would be limiting the plants ability to root because now it has a bunch of food cut off and additional wounds to heal. I don't feed my clones until they go into the soil for the first time which ends up being a bit and they draw lots of food from their leaves until they get there.

Cutting the tips adds stress and reduces the plants natural food reserves, its focus is already on rooting because of its environment and severance from the root system.
 

jjng5

Well-Known Member
SWIM is having issues with cloning in DIY bubbler after giving up on aeroponics -- I think some of the collars may be too tight for the stems. Grr... any ideas?
 

Gquebed

Well-Known Member
I've seen this done all over and I don't get it either.



It seems like you would be limiting the plants ability to root because now it has a bunch of food cut off and additional wounds to heal. I don't feed my clones until they go into the soil for the first time which ends up being a bit and they draw lots of food from their leaves until they get there.

Cutting the tips adds stress and reduces the plants natural food reserves, its focus is already on rooting because of its environment and severance from the root system.
The thing is though cuts dont need food. Food will make them grow with too much light. When cloning you want the hormones to kick into root production...

I mean... snipping leaf tips is just a scratch compared to a cut stem wound.
 
The thing is though cuts dont need food. Food will make them grow with too much light. When cloning you want the hormones to kick into root production...

I mean... snipping leaf tips is just a scratch compared to a cut stem wound.
The cuttings need the food in their leaves to grow their roots.

I've never had a clone start new top growth until its roots are back into an abundant food source.

I hear what you're saying and I'm not saying that a few cut leaves is at all dooming or over stressing the cutting. Hell, I scarify the crap out of the base of the cuttings before dipping in hormone, I get lots of great big roots.

What I am saying is, it seems like it amounts to gimping the cutting. Since the cutting's root connection is gone all it cares about is making due and repairing its support network. Without using hormone the cutting already knows this, using hormone will be more than enough.

Even when rooting without hormone and in standing water with the tiniest, least hormonally-limited, bottom cuttings, won't grow new growth without an abundant food source (your cut leaf tips are not enough for it to grow upward).

Do you have a study or some research to show this is actually a benefit? Preferably something other than because X has done it for X years.

I am genuinely curious and it seems counter-intuitive.
 
Last edited:

Mellow old School

Well-Known Member
Here's a tip: Put any extra cuts in water and into your refrigerator, you can hold them for a week or more, good luck
Good idea, but I would not recommend it, unless you have a spare fridge, hence the thing will have a smell of mary jane for some time after you have taken them out again...

3 weeks into flowering is possible when cloning, but as mentioned 2 weeks even better mate...
 

jtm4jfk

Well-Known Member
Humidity dome and peat pellets and cheap clone powder from ebay. 100% success from 4 hybrid strains I'm running. Only ones I lose if im to hard on the stems they damping off eventually.
 

Gquebed

Well-Known Member
The cuttings need the food in their leaves to grow their roots.

I've never had a clone start new top growth until its roots are back into an abundant food source.

I hear what you're saying and I'm not saying that a few cut leaves is at all dooming or over stressing the cutting. Hell, I scarify the crap out of the base of the cuttings before dipping in hormone, I get lots of great big roots.

What I am saying is, it seems like it amounts to gimping the cutting. Since the cutting's root connection is gone all it cares about is making due and repairing its support network. Without using hormone the cutting already knows this, using hormone will be more than enough.

Even when rooting without hormone and in standing water with the tiniest, least hormonally-limited, bottom cuttings, won't grow new growth without an abundant food source (your cut leaf tips are not enough for it to grow upward).

Do you have a study or some research to show this is actually a benefit? Preferably something other than because X has done it for X years.

I am genuinely curious and it seems counter-intuitive.
I dont know where you are getting your info, but.... the leaves ARE food. Thats why they turn yellow and die when they have nute deficiencies in the grow medium. They plant eats itself. Same goes if they are deprived of co2. They take it from cellulose that makes up the leaves.
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
I've seen this done all over and I don't get it either.



It seems like you would be limiting the plants ability to root because now it has a bunch of food cut off and additional wounds to heal. I don't feed my clones until they go into the soil for the first time which ends up being a bit and they draw lots of food from their leaves until they get there.

Cutting the tips adds stress and reduces the plants natural food reserves, its focus is already on rooting because of its environment and severance from the root system.
You cut tips off leaves to decrease leaf mass which decreases transpiration , you have no roots to support a lot of transpiration.

It also means you can fit more clones in a small propagator without huge overlap which in a moist and warm environment could promote PM.

Most of my clones will grow new growth using the stored energy in the bottom few leaves. Obviously once rooted a proper supply of nutrients is of benefit but clones will still shoot new growth if there is energy to support it even without added nutrients.
 
You cut tips off leaves to decrease leaf mass which decreases transpiration , you have no roots to support a lot of transpiration.

It also means you can fit more clones in a small propagator without huge overlap which in a moist and warm environment could promote PM.

Most of my clones will grow new growth using the stored energy in the bottom few leaves. Obviously once rooted a proper supply of nutrients is of benefit but clones will still shoot new growth if there is energy to support it even without added nutrients.
So the benefit to the clone is reduced transpiration?

Wouldn't spraying the clone with water, daily, restore the water lost in transpiration?

Fitting more: That is a good point, I hadn't considered the increased throughput in a small propagator. This alone would be enough to understand why this practice is so prevalent.

New growth occurs on the bottom of the clone (specifically the roots), sure. But not with top growth. Are you saying you see top growth?
 
To take weight off. So the stem doesnt bend over. Also, less leaf to photosynthesize with... but that can be controlled by limiting light too...
What??

Go look up vacuoles.
Go look up ATP and photosynthesis.

I dont know where you are getting your info, but.... the leaves ARE food. Thats why they turn yellow and die when they have nute deficiencies in the grow medium. They plant eats itself. Same goes if they are deprived of co2. They take it from cellulose that makes up the leaves.
Did you even attempt to read what I wrote?

I get my information from botany and science books, I might ask you the same question... if I cared. Your responses to a serious inquiry have been... poor, to put it mildly so I no longer care what you have to say on this matter.
 

Gquebed

Well-Known Member
What??

Go look up vacuoles.
Go look up ATP and photosynthesis.



Did you even attempt to read what I wrote?

I get my information from botany and science books, I might ask you the same question... if I cared. Your responses to a serious inquiry have been... poor, to put it mildly so I no longer care what you have to say on this matter.
They have been simple answers for those who dont read botany books.
I have some serious doubts that you read at all.
 

Gquebed

Well-Known Member
So the benefit to the clone is reduced transpiration?

Wouldn't spraying the clone with water, daily, restore the water lost in transpiration?

Fitting more: That is a good point, I hadn't considered the increased throughput in a small propagator. This alone would be enough to understand why this practice is so prevalent.

New growth occurs on the bottom of the clone (specifically the roots), sure. But not with top growth. Are you saying you see top growth?
Interesting.... this reply of yours to this other fellow... he said what i basically said, in better terms.

Leaf droop is caused by lessened or weakened transpiration. It is transpiration that causes lift via an imbalance of air pressure.

Energy. That is stored in leaf matter. When a plant "eats itself" it is because they cant find the nutrients to directly draw energy from.

Again, if you read botany books you would know this.
 
Top