Hey guys, heres another one for ya'!!!
Cutting Clones:
Prior to cloning:
Exposed clones will wilt within a few minutes, so it is best to have all materials ready before you start to take cuttings.
1.Dip scissors and razor blade into alcohol (Grease is used to separate razor blades). Wipe cutting board with alcohol.
2. soak RW cubes or Prop. plugs in either 5.8 or 6.2 PH'd water with about 5 drops of superthrive per gallon of water.
3. Drain cubes,by shaking as mentioned in the start from scratch gro guide, then place into tray.
4. Poke a 1/8" hole halfway into the center of each cube, unless there is already one that will fit the size clone you are taking.
4. Cover prepped cubes with dome, or put in a cup of PH balanced water until you are ready to start
Clone types
Actively growing tops are preferred, as they contain the most growth hormones. Clones taken lower down are often spindly and less developed. I prefer 5-8" top clones with a 1/8" stem, 2-3 fan leaves and a slightly firm (but not yet woody) stem.
The clone should also be ' mature' ,with alternating leaves. Immature clones have leaves opposite each other and are usually pale and spindly.
Avoid stem cuts (no node) and plug cuts, as they do not root nearly as well (Roots form primarily at the nodes). Trim large fan leaves in half to minimize the leaf area the newly forming roots must support.
Selecting the clone (Where do I cut?)
Select a vigorous growing top on the mother, cut the main stem just above a fan leaf / auxiliary shoot node. The cut can be done with trimming scissors or razor blade.
(Leaving a shoot and fan leaf on the mother allows the remaining shoot to continue growing and another shoot to grow from that node.)
Pre-Trim the raw clone: (Removing lower nodes)
Once the growing top has been selected and cut from the mother, trim shoots and fan leaves from the lowest nodes. The lowest node will be inserted into the rockwool.
Cut 1/4 inch below the lowest node with the razor blade at a 45 degree angle on the cutting board for a clean cut.
The trimmed clone:
A fan leaf and shoot were both removed at the lowest node. The clone will soon be inserted dipped into gel, then inserted into a rockwool cube.
Trim large fan leaves in half (Reduces transpiration; the newly forming roots don't have to initially support as much leaf).
Spray the clones daily and recover untill you see roots poking out of the cubes. I only spray the leaves and not the cubes. Let the cubes alone until they lose some moisture. When it comes time to water the cubes, fill a jug, or cup with clean PH'd water. NO NUTES ARE NEEDED for clone watering. If you use superthrive add 5-6 drops per gallon, and dip the RW cube about 1/4 of the way up the cube into the water. This allows the cube to absorb the water and only the lower half of the cube where it is needed. This prevents stem rot at the base of the clone where it meets the cube.
On average, I can have visible roots protruding through the RW cube in about 5-7 days.A few spikes showing.
To really get a jump start on the growing process and eliminate the waiting game for the roots to hit the rez., I do the following:
1.Once roots are visible outside the cube, mix the same 3 parts perlite to 1 part vermiculite.
2.Fill the tray the clones are in or sometimes it is easier to fill another tray and move the clones at the end.
3. If you do the second tray method, fill the tray evenly with the mix.
4. Just like planting flowers outside, move some mix out of the way, big enough for the cube to sit in.
5. Pull mix back over and around the cube**This helps keep moisture in the cube but not too much water.
6. Do this with all the clones you have, then heavily spray the whole tray of mix with a spray bottle.***You do not want to pour water in the tray, it creates a pool of water to become stagnant in time and cause problems. The point is to moisten the mix, the cubes, and spray the dome really good.
7.Cover with dome, and in the winter months if it gets cold place on a heat mat ONLY IF YOU HAVE A THERMOSTAT CONNECTED TO IT, and set between 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit. if you notice any problems or feel it is too hot, drop the thermostat to the lowest setting....where mine currently is.
In the summer months when it's warm, you do not need a heat mat.
****The mix in the tray will hold heat and create inside temps of the dome to reach deathly numbers to the fragile roots inside the mix.
I keep the clones in this setup for about a week after they get buried in the mix. The only downfall is, you may have to water them a few times a day at first until you reach the right moisture in the mix.
This is a great way to jump start clones, but should be done with caution, it is very touchy and could either get too wet or too dry really fast. This could lead to a whole tray of dead clones.
I have had this experience.....yes lost two whole trays of clones, 25 clones in each tray!!!
If you want to attempt this method of cloning in a hempy tray, please feel free to contact me here for any questions or concerns you have, and i will try my best to help you.
