Cloning questions? Did I do this right? (Quick Response Please)

[knoxis]

Alright so, I got a plant from a friend. It was entirely too big for my cabinet so, I bent it over and let if veg for another week. Here we are 7 days later and I have been doing alot of reading and talking to my buddy.

He told me to get a rubbermaid container, fill it with this sweet ass soil less grow medium we got, "Promix BX" (like $45 a bail), put the clippings in root tone (in my case Shultz Take Root) then put them in the soil and put 4 sticks up, one in each corner and hang a piece of plastic over the container for humidity. I did all that and I got a pic, I also put my temp/humidity meter in there on the end to get accurate readings. My only concern is that it might get too hot under the plastic? So tell me what you guys think, will I be successful?

Here is the pic:
(You can't see in the pic, 67% Humidity and 87F. Also I just did it so I think humidity will go up over night)

[knoxis]

Also I should add, I am running two 43watt CLFs, about 8 inches over the grow medium, 4 inches over the plastic. I know it is a bit far but Im just a little concerned about heat problems...

[knoxis]

About an hour later and the temp and humidity haven't changed, should I lift the plastic and mist the surface of the soil and the clippings to up the humidity some? Also the plastic isn't sealed around the edges, its kind of hanging on the inside rim of the rubbermaid container.

Also I read something somewhere about cutting fan leaves in half to promote root growth? Any ideas?

Any suggestions? I hope I did this right... Thanks in advance...

[knoxis]

Well I misted the clippings a bit and stretched the plastic a bit more to the edges as to nto let as much evaporating water escape. The humidity has climbed to about 74% and the temp is still 87F, I know a bit warm but I think it will do.

I read somewhere optimal humidity levels for clones were somewhere in the 75-85% range? anyone know? Well its getting late and Im tired so, I'll check them in the morning, hope everything works out properly... Thanks in advance for any comments/answers...

[liquid069]

I've understood that for cloning it's best to leave the lights off for the first 24-36 hours after you've clipped them. This shuts down photosyntheses and promotes root growth

[knoxis]

other then lights out, anything else?

[ronin-md]

I root in Pro-Mix but use individual containers . Best to use something square or if round not tapered down (like solo cups - they get top heavy and fall over) . I then use one of those "pretty" clear plastic storage containers (you can get at a Dollar General , Walmart . or anywhere) turned upside down . These are cheap and durable and you can sit a blue fluorescent on top of it without it collapsing . I mist them once or twice a day for a bit and water from the bottom .

I cut the shoot from the plant with a razer blade then cut a diagonal cut at a node underwater to keep air bubble from getting in then I immediately dip in rooting hormone and stick in the Pro-Mix .

[knoxis]

Sounds pretty similar to what I did, alot of what I read people say their cutting fal over then they first take them but stand back up at a later time. So when they drooped over last night I didn't think much of it, well here it is like 8 1/2 hours later and they are still laying down =(

The temp is 83F and the humidity is 86%, I wonder maybe they are laying down because they are dead? Maybe because they are top heavy and cannot support the weight of the fan leaves? Maybe I should cut the fan leaves in half? The leaves aren't discoloring at all, they are still as green as they where when I took the clippings,

Any suggestions?

[ronin-md]

Looks like you have a lot of red light on them . Try to use just a small amount of blue light , like one bulb a way off , and no red bulbs . the high dome I suggested keeps the humidity in and keeps too much direct light from hitting them . Your dome is letting all of the moisture out .

It looks like you have too much growth for those stems for that method of rooting to work . cut back on some of the growth . Your roots are all going to get entangled if they do root all in one container like that .


Spray the tops and bottoms of leaves with water regularly until the straighten up , if the straighten up .

[Merfolk]

Clones wont need much light, also dark period imo for 24 hours, anything more they might die ( they did to me anyhow ) i personally used superthrive to help roots...

Cloning seems pretty easy.


Edit: Doesnt SEEM easy, it IS easy.

[knoxis]

Well I taped the plastic over all the edged, the humidity went up to about 90%. I don't have any blue spectrum bulbs, all I have is a 150 hps, in my cabinet, and two 42 watt CFLs red spectrum, I raised them up quite a bit, actually like 12" above the plastic. One of the four clippings is defiantly starting to stand up, I don't know about the other two yet also...

You think I should cut back some growth? like a few fan leaves? or cut the fan leaves in half or something? Hmm... I'll give it a try on one of the ones that aren't standing back up yet...

[ronin-md]

Cut em back

[Dr. Bud]

I think you might want to get them into separate containers as soon as possible. I had cuttings rooting in rockwool cubes that weren't separated and the bigger, healthier plants ended up stealing all the water from the smaller ones that are struggling to survive. Also, Superthrive does help, just be sure to use a SMALL amount for cuttings; they are very small and delicate. About 1/8 drop per gallon (or about the equivalent of sticking your dropper in the bottle, not sucking anything up, and then dipping it in a gallon of water). Be sure to test your pH often when using Superthrive as well.

[knoxis]

Good news, I checked a bit ago, all my ladies are standing looking for a bit of light. The humidity is still reading 91% inside the tub and my temps are staying in low 80's so Im happy. Also I took your guys' advise and I trimmed them up a bit, cut some fan leaves off, I think that helped alot.

Well I only plan on letting they stay in the one tub until they sprout their first roots then gonna step them up to plastic party cups. I'll give them about a week or so, something like that.

Also I got pics, one form a bit back so you can see the light, another with the plastic peeled back to see them.

Here we go:

The one in the bottom right corner is still laying down a bit, but standing up more then before, I think just a little time and it will be alright...

[knoxis]

Great... now the tips of a few fan leaves of the new clones are yellowing, any ideas? just the very tips... they are also standing up enough that the tips are almost touching if not touching the plastic... think it might have something to do with it? Maybe temps right at the plastic surface, maybe water just sitting on the tips because of the 91% humidity?

They stood back up, they want to live... Help me help them =P I think the pH is a bit high, maybe around 7, I just got a pH testing kit and my tap water is like 7.6+ and that is the water I used to wet the Promix. Also the plant I took the clippings off was having a bit of a pH problem... I been working on that though...

Any ideas? Thanks in advance...