Cloning Questions..

James87

Active Member
Ive never cloned before, but have absorbed tons of info from this site and others. I just cut my first two clones, using two lower branches that have 3-4 nodes on each. I prepped two planters, 6" wide 10" tall kind, with damp soil/perlite mix, and used a sharp pencil to make my holes before i cut the branches. I cut late in the day when the leaves were sagging. Mother was/is in veg, probably should have waited for early flower cuttings for "monster cloning" but i see this as a learning experience... I trimmed cut end and used powder hormone, placed in holes, sealed holes around stem, and placed a freezer bag over each planter after spraying them. Im concerned because its VERY saggy at this point, limp as hell. The clones, not the mother, i meant. Is that normal? Theyre about 20" from CFLs on the same 21/3. I didnt sink a node as i probably should have, and i didnt trim any leaves..... Temps are 77-81 or so. Not sure what other info to include. Will i have a 50/50 success or are these gonna die? I know i need to be patient and wait 10-30 days, give them air and mist daily... Is there a best time to cut?

*crosses fingers*
 

darkdestruction420

Well-Known Member
some droopiness is normal, but it sounds like you may be experiencing something a bit more severe here. have any pics?
on another note, you are making it alot harder than it needs to be my friend. a much easier way exists that imo works just as well as any other method. you dont have to worry about humidity or misting or anything really. here is a good guide on it. I did not write the guide, all credit belongs to the original author.

"As easy as cloning is to the masses that use powder, liquid/gel rooting hormone, bubblers and soil, etc. There is an even less complex method of cloning that is so easy, it must have been around for decades, if not centuries. The only ingredients involved are water, light, and the cutting you would like to root. In the example I?m going to show, I?ve cut three different sizes of clone. The first with two leaves and a single growing tip (S). The next has four nodes, but still only a couple large leaves (M). The third is 6? tall, has seven nodes and several sets of good-sized leaves (L).

As with normal cloning, you immediately dip the cutting in the water for about 15 to 30 seconds, tweaking it to dislodge any air bubbles that may be present. But the biggest difference is, you won?t be removing the cutting from the water until it has roots big enough to support the foliage above. Make sure the cup, which contains the cutting, is opaque. This prevents the light from shining directly on the roots.

So far, I?ve mentioned the cuttings and the water, but the most important part is the light. I have made this method work 100% of the time simply by sitting my cuttings on a windowsill that receives no direct sunlight. In fact, slightly shaded would be even better. In the evenings (short days), I sit them on an end table over 7 feet from a ceiling mounted 100-watt incandescent bulb. At bedtime, I just turn off the lights like normal, and when I get up in the AM its back to the windowsill. During the longer daylight hours they can be left on the sill full time. Remember, no direct sunlight.

The picture shows my three cuttings in their water cups. M & L have barely an inch of water to sit in. Any more and it would cover one of the leaf stems. The smaller one stayed in the plastic because the stem was too short to sit in water and stay upright in the cup. Do what?s necessary to keep at least ½? of the stem in the water.

Notice the glass that diffuses light, an extra measure against too much light exposure.


The clones grew roots at far different speeds. S showed in seven days, with a small ¼? long root and another small protrusion.


By the time S?s roots reached this level of development (nine days), L was just putting out the first nubs that would be roots. M has shown no inclination of rooting at all. Searching for an answer, I changed the water in Ms cup, but I think it boils down too the thickness of the stem. Both M&L have the same size stem but L has far more foliage on top.


S is doing far better than the others (seen below) and M is finally starting to show.


M showed roots in 14 days and was planted on day 18.
This picture was taken just before transplant.


L showed roots on day 11 and was in soil at day 18.
This picture was taken just before transplant.


S showed roots at seven days and was in the soil at 15.
This picture was taken just before transplant.

"
 
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