Skunk #1 coning problems

[sneakers]

I planted a couple of Skunk#1 plants in a hydro system and it is growing well. I took about 6 cuttings from them as I normally do. A week later I took a couple more etc. After about 3 weeks, 2 of the first cuttings I took had very few small roots starting to appear on the outside of the rapid rooter plug so I planted them. The rest of the cutting I took that day did not have any signs of roots so I pulled them out of the plugs and looked closer. No roots at all.

All of the original cuttings that didn't root were thrown out and I took about 8 more cuttings a week ago. As of now they show no roots but it is still a little soon for roots to be showing.

The 2 clones that I planted haven't done a thing in over 2 weeks. They haven't grown any at all, havent died, yellowed or anything. The leaves tend to point at the lights but that is all. I poked around the edge of one of the rapid rooter plugs a couple of days ago and still no more roots than there were when they were first planted.

Is there something about Skunk #1 that doesn't like to be cloned or something?

I grew my first crop (different strain) with no problem. I then planted 2 more plants of that same stuff, took cuttings, they worked fine and were all males. Now this. I am hoping it isn't the genetics and just something I am doing wrong so it can be corrected. If these 2 clones don't start growing in another week I am going to throw them out. If those cuttings haven't rooted by then I am going to toss them too and put the 2 plants I was hoping to use for moms into the 12/12 light. and concentrate on my 1 WW that just germinated and start my Afghani Hindu Kush.

I harvested last September and had those next plants not been male I would have harvested again by the end of October. I was hoping to harvest again by January but now is getting to February. Damn this sux.

Here is my technique for taking clones. I got my information from here.

1) I take my cutting with at least 2 nodes above the cutting. I wipe with alcohol before cutting at a 45 degree angle. I then scrpae the side of that cut end with the razor blade and make a slit in the end. I dip this end in rooting powder, place some rooting powder in the hole in the rapid rooter plug and push the cut end into the hole.

2) cuttings are then placed in a plastic container without a top. I put saran wrap over the top and place them in the area with lights but not directly under the lights. They too don't seem to do anything. They don't die, don't grow roots or anything.

Any help will sure be appreciated.
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[ChilliWilly]

I use the method here:

http://www.hydroponics101.com/sw62495.asp

but no rooting powder, nutes etc just rockwool and tap water.
I think the vital things are:
keep the cube moist and never dry out
make sure that the end of the cutting is in firm contact with the medium
high humidity
warmth (~25c)
I put a plastic bag over the propagator to cut the light levels and put it under fluoros.

[sneakers]

Maybe I need a heat mat. One of these clones finally has shown some roots and started growing. The other is showing some roots but not growing. The other 8 clones are still waiting for roots in their enclosure before transplanting. A heat mat might be just what they need to give them a good boost at the very beginning.

These plants seem to be extremely touchy. This morning on the 1 cutting that is growing good, the leaves begin to curl under (I noticed just this morning). A sign of nutes too high or ph level off. I tested it and the TDS was up to about 1050 and the Ph was at 6.2. I added water to the nutes and brought it down to about 750 and adjusted the Ph up to about 6.5. This 1 plant seems to be about to start growing over an inch a day. I have raised the lights 2 times over the last 2 days.

Hopefully I haven't stressed this plant too much at this stage to influence it's sexual preference. LOL

[lancir]

Sounds like your doin stuff right, I get alot of good stuff of of You-Tube. Some of it is crap, some is good, just like the stuff you read sometimes. But at least You-tube makes you laugh alittle.
Rock-On

[ChilliWilly]

hi sneakers,
bring the ph down, 6.5 is too high for hydro, keep it approx. 5.8-6

[sneakers]

Originally Posted by ChilliWilly

hi sneakers,
bring the ph down, 6.5 is too high for hydro, keep it approx. 5.8-6

Will give that a try. thanks

[fdebozo]

i have been having this same exact problem. the last round of clones on my mother turned out just fine, but right now most of them will root and then just NOT grow. they wont die, they dont turn yellow...just they dont grow. im like WTF. and my ph is at 5.6 which imo is just perfect. i worked in the past but i'm really confused why they are freezing up

[amsterdamage]

Originally Posted by fdebozo

i have been having this same exact problem. the last round of clones on my mother turned out just fine, but right now most of them will root and then just NOT grow. they wont die, they dont turn yellow...just they dont grow. im like WTF. and my ph is at 5.6 which imo is just perfect. i worked in the past but i'm really confused why they are freezing up

Are you saying they grow roots ok and then do nothing?
What do the roots look like, and there lots of them and how long do they get?

How many nodes did you leave on the cutting?

I'll wait until you answer to ask more questions...

[fdebozo]

Originally Posted by amsterdamage

Are you saying they grow roots ok and then do nothing?

exactly.

Originally Posted by amsterdamage

What do the roots look like, and there lots of them and how long do they get?

i been cloning in these small rockwool cylinders, "plugs" i think they're called, you can push them into bigger rockwool or soil etc.
anyway, i wait for a good amount of roots (5+) to show poking through the rockwool andi'd guess the roots on average are about 3-4 inches in length each. they look white and healthy to me. not sure how else to describe them. it just looks healthy :shrug:

Originally Posted by amsterdamage

How many nodes did you leave on the cutting?

1 or 2 nodes below the top i leave intact.

Originally Posted by amsterdamage

I'll wait until you answer to ask more questions...

please do and i'll get some pics up too when my lights come on