CLONING Questions?

[Joint Monster]

So I'm going to try cloning for the first time. I have these Rockwool cubes (label says Grodan Gro-blocks). But they already have a huge hole in the middle of them? I'm confused I thought they were supposed to be solid cubes? Can I still use these, maybe squeeze the cube to make the hole smaller? Or should I cut off 1/5 of the top so the huge hole becomes small and maybe make my own smaller hole into that?


Any tips you guy's can give me?

-pre-soak cubes @5.5PH
-Clean utensils
-healthy parent
-45degree angle cut
-trim leaves/remove bottom leaves
-rooting gel
-into block

sound right?



edit: No need for 24 hours soak?? Will 10hours do it since I plan on planting tn1ght? (video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLyYY72mGKM)

 

[joe macclennan]

Do not squeeze rw. This removes air spaces.

you need to get the 1" cubes to clone in. I suppose you could do it in those gro blocks though.

The smaller cubes work better. If this is your first time cloning I recommend trying it in Rapid rooters instead. They do work a little better.

good luck

 

[Joint Monster]

Do not squeeze rw. This removes air spaces.

you need to get the 1" cubes to clone in. I suppose you could do it in those gro blocks though.

The smaller cubes work better. If this is your first time cloning I recommend trying it in Rapid rooters instead. They do work a little better.

good luck

Appreciate the quick response! I thought the 1" looked small at the shop so I ended up getting these larger ones (with the intention of putting them in 6" net pots).. Maybe If I cut the top a bit and make a new hole there the girls will fit better in them? I'm going to have to stick with these for now, I'll take a look into rapid rooters next time!

Anyhow I dropped them into 5.5 PH'd water. I'll leave them in here for around 7-10 hours, then put the cutting-girls in there. After that in the veg room (it'll be night) and then they can continue with the rest of the older girls in the veg cycle?

 

[Ilovebush]

Making the final 45 degree cut under water works well...also, don't forget to mist the clones a once or twice a day for the first week or so as they have no roots and will absorb the water through the leaves. For the first time I'd recommend using soil or rapid rooters as mentioned...it's so easy.

 

[joe macclennan]

The biggest thing about cloning imo is not keeping the cubes too wet. If you are soaking those blocks like that you may not have to water again for a week or so. That is why I like the smaller cubes cuz they dry out quicker allowing fresh water to be given more often.

I take 6-9" clones in 1" rw or rr's frequently. Use a tray and insert and space the cubes everyother hole.

How big of clone are you going to try?

You can cut some of the cube off the corners and shove it down in the hole to help hold the stem and eliminate air on the stem. This would be better than trying to squeeze it imo.

 

[Belle of Buds]

I love cloning! Here's my method. I have about a 99% success rate. I always plan to fail... cut too many clones than I need... and always end up giving away the extras.

So here's what I do.

1. From the plant, cut how ever many clones you want and immediately stick the cutting into a cup of water. I don't bother with pH at this stage because the plants have no roots.
2. Using 1" rockwool cubes, I turn them upside down (hole on the bottom) and use a toothpick to make a small hole where I want it.
3. Dip the rockwool in water and let it soak about 10-15 minutes.
4. Take out your first cutting, lay it on a flat surface and cut a 45 degree cut with a sharp knife. Dip the end into rooting compound. I prefer Hormex powder, but that's me.
5. Stick the tip into the toothpick hole and set aside.
6. Continue till you have all your clones in rockwool cubes, dipped in rooting compound.
7. Trim each of the fan leaves back by half.

Next, I use a propagation tray... a 12 x 18 plastic tray with a 12" high clear plastic dome lid.

1. Place the clones in the tray AND DO NOT MIST THEM.
2. Mist the inside of the clear dome and seal them in with all holes closed. Keep them under moderate light (I use CFL's for this stage).
3. After 24 hours, mist the inside of the dome again. Always spray the dome, not the plants.
4. Every day, mist the inside of the dome.
5. After 3 days, open an air vent. After 5 days, open all air vents
6. Typically after 6-7 days, I have roots coming out the bottom of the rockwool, at which time they are ready for transplanting

You didn't say what method of growing you were using. I think you mentioned netpots though, so I'm assuming hydro. The 1" cubes sit nicely in the larger netpots, if you surround them with hydroton and/or chunky perlite.

 

[Joint Monster]

Making the final 45 degree cut under water works well...also, don't forget to mist the clones a once or twice a day for the first week or so as the have no roots and will absorb the water through the leaves. For the first time I'd recommend using soil or rapid rooters as mentioned...it's so easy.

Don't have rr, but will definitely check them out next time!

The biggest thing about cloning imo is not keeping the cubes too wet. If you are soaking those blocks like that you may not have to water again for a week or so. That is why I like the smaller cubes cuz they dry out quicker allowing fresh water to be given more often.

I take 6-9" clones in 1" rw or rr's frequently. Use a tray and insert and space the cubes everyother hole.

How big of clone are you going to try?

You can cut some of the cube off the corners and shove it down in the hole to help hold the stem and eliminate air on the stem. This would be better than trying to squeeze it imo.

Okay, I will make sure I DO NOT squeeze them... just *Shake* out some of the extra water. *NOTED, not to over water since these are big cubes *... They're 3" cubes I think, I'll probably cut them in half, that way I have a small solid cube and can make my own hole for the seedling.

Cutting will probably be about 4-6", they have two nodes and the third nodes (leaves) are out and perky and just starting to spread out.

I love cloning! Here's my method. I have about a 99% success rate. I always plan to fail... cut too many clones than I need... and always end up giving away the extras.

So here's what I do.

1. From the plant, cut how ever many clones you want and immediately stick the cutting into a cup of water. I don't bother with pH at this stage because the plants have no roots.
2. Using 1" rockwool cubes, I turn them upside down (hole on the bottom) and use a toothpick to make a small hole where I want it.
3. Dip the rockwool in water and let it soak about 10-15 minutes.
4. Take out your first cutting, lay it on a flat surface and cut a 45 degree cut with a sharp knife. Dip the end into rooting compound. I prefer Hormex powder, but that's me.
5. Stick the tip into the toothpick hole and set aside.
6. Continue till you have all your clones in rockwool cubes, dipped in rooting compound.
7. Trim each of the fan leaves back by half.

Next, I use a propagation tray... a 12 x 18 plastic tray with a 12" high clear plastic dome lid.

1. Place the clones in the tray AND DO NOT MIST THEM.
2. Mist the inside of the clear dome and seal them in with all holes closed. Keep them under moderate light (I use CFL's for this stage).
3. After 24 hours, mist the inside of the dome again. Always spray the dome, not the plants.
4. Every day, mist the inside of the dome.
5. After 3 days, open an air vent. After 5 days, open all air vents
6. Typically after 6-7 days, I have roots coming out the bottom of the rockwool, at which time they are ready for transplanting

You didn't say what method of growing you were using. I think you mentioned netpots though, so I'm assuming hydro. The 1" cubes sit nicely in the larger netpots, if you surround them with hydroton and/or chunky perlite.

Wow long post .. That seems like a very good method, I've read a few and they're quite similar. Didn't find too much info on caring for them right after they are placed into the cubes.... Thanks for the "take-care-of-seedling" info... So no misting plants just the dome?

Can you guys clear up one more thing for me.... I'm misting 2-3 times a day so they can open and get some fresh air, but careful not to over water... Do I keep any water in the actual try the cubes are inside of?.. So I mean should I keep maybe 1cm of the bottom of the cube in water? When watering can I use normal (6.5.-7.0ph) water... the 5.5 is only for the pre-soak correct?



J Monser

 

[Joint Monster]

Okay wondering if anyone has any ideas with my problem... First, it's 20C + 90%RH. One CFL Bulb a couple inches above the dome. It's day 3 and I have gradually worked my way to opening one air vent completely. (quarter open, a little more, half open, a little more, full open). Randomly one or two of the cutting I will just find laying on the bottom of the tray, they just fell over? I used a little tie to keep them sort of standing up. I even had one cutting that looked like it was doing great!...It was bending and actually reaching for the light, found her on the floor this morning also! Staked her back up, but why are they taking turning falling on the floor?

 

[DemonTrich]

I use a 25 site cloner machine for my cloning. im about to pull a 100% success rate this time around. I run 6.5 ph water, and add in 4ml per gal of water of regent a root rooting hormone. I also run an air stone in the cloner water as well. in 8/9 days from cutting from plant, the roots are well developed and are then potted in FFOF and in solo cups. the only time I use RR cubes/seed propagator/heat mat is for seed germinating purposes only.

 

[Joint Monster]

^Nice cloner!

Okay so It's been a few more days, was hoping someone can give me advice. The clones still look the same, the "Stem-rot" (as I seem to think it is).... The clones are still wilted over! But they have seemed to begin to develop roots! (No they have not come out of the cube yet) But If you very lightly pull on it, it wants to stay in the cube, another clones seems to have sprouted two little roots just above the surface of the rock wool. Temps are still similar around 20-22C and humidity I've been trying to controller, RH is around 80%. (If it goes up I air it out a little, it doesn't really go lower than it should be). Will they eventually stand back up? Some have a very thin stem where they bent over from but the top and bottom of the stem seems fine?