i was gonna use FFLW for my clones, but my local shop hasnt had a shipment from FF in a while, so i just used FFOF mixed about 1:1 with perlite.... before i get too far gone, ill detail exactly what i did..... I wouldn't use mine as a guide until you see the results... i basically read several different cloning guides and picked out info from each.... obviously in a week or 2, you will see how well it worked.... Needed: scalpel or razor blade (im using a brand new hobby knife) sharp scissors alcohol rooting hormone (im using a liquid concentrate, there are also gels and powders) planting media (im using FFOF mixed 1:1 with perlite, although i hear FF Light Warrior is really good for clones) pots (i hear you can get these for free if you go ask your gardening place when they toss out the dead plants) humidity dome (im using some snap and seal storage containers) bowl large enough to submerge 12 clones to soak Nutrients for the soaking solution (I used Fox Farm grow big liquid fert) Distilled water Meat Thermometer or equivalent to measure water temp. Chopstick I started off by wiping a spot down with alcohol, i also wiped my scissors and scalpel down. I prepared my cloning solution, which was a liquid concentrate, the instructions called for you to dilute it a bit depending on the plant..... i discarded the dilution cup and used a shot glass because the cup was too tall for my taste. I put about a half teaspoon-like amount in the shot glass, filled the rest with lukewarm distilled water. I also prepared a tupperware bowl full of lukewarm (75 degree) water with a capful of Fox farm Grow big as a soaking solution. I mixed my soil and perlite 1:1 and filled my 6 pod planting tray with the mixture. I watered the soil with lukewarm distilled water and made a hole with a chopstick in each one to make way for the clones. I began to take my cuttings from #5 and initially i was just going to take a full tray (6), so i started hacking away with my clean pair of sharp scissors and ended up with 7. after each clipping was taken, I trimmed the lower nodes, leaving one or 2 at the top and then cut about half or a little more off of each fan leave. Then it was submerged in the lukewarm water/grow big solution. when i got all 7, i used the chopsticks and flipped the stack of them over, so i could use the one that had been in there the longest..... i didnt really time how long they soaked, basically the first one had the time it took to cut the others and flip... maybe 5 min at the most. So as i took my clippings out, i cut a 45 degree angle cut with my scalpel directly under the last node, then a dipped it in the rooting hormone about an inch for about 5-8 seconds, then put it straight into the soil and then lightly pressed down around the stalk for support but didnt pack it. when i got all 6 done, i put them on the upside down lid of a snap and seal storage bin i picked up at walmart the other day. Now we play the waiting game..... i have 6 CFLs at about 24 watts each, a mix of 3 daylight and 3 softwhite for balanced spectrum on 24/0 light schedule. my temps are 75-80 right now, but i also have the benefit of having my mother chamber directly below and it provides heat for the roots as there are 6 CFLs on the other side of the shelf. I plan on opening the bins once a day to replace the air inside, but other than that, i dont touch em..... I always read how people freak out when their clones dont take, and then like a week later they are relieved because they all took, they just reacted too soon. So basically im leaving them alone, only opening the cab to open the containers once a day and supposedly in 7-10 days ill have roots.... lol
Hey just finished reading all your threads and this whole journal, Good work, It all looks great, the girls look beautiful and healthy, Also your grow cab looks great. Nice work
Thanks man! Just a quick update on the journal.... im getting worried about my girls getting too big..... i already topped them and put them on 18/6 from the 24/0.... i dont want to flower them till i can get some good clones off, maybe i should do more than 12 clones at a time? First the ladies!!!!! Then the clones where they are for 99% of the time Then here they are for about 60 seconds each day where i air out the container, shake off excess moisture on the container and put them back in. I fear you may be witnessing my first 100% cloning failure...... remind you of anything? lol
Hiya PhL0aTeR! Your big girls are lookin great! I share your concern about them getting too big. I switched my mom cab over to 18/6 from 24/0 to try and stunt the growth a bit. Sorry to say, but your clones are not looking very good. I read over what you did, and I have a few suggestions/criticisms that may lead to success in the future. I think since you were using FFOF soil, you really don't need to add in the Grow Big. The plants really don't many nutrients to get their roots going - the hormones and what is in the leaves will be more than enough. Adding any more could be asking for trouble. This is again something that sounds kind of unnecessary to me. I've read some journals where people do have success soaking the cuttings first, but most of the time it seems like people simply cut, plop in hormone, and set in their medium. As cantharis would say about pre-germinating seeds when you're going to set them in soil, adding steps just adds more chances of failure. So there are my criticisms. I really like how you kept everything extremely clean during your operation. With all the hard work you've put into your grow, it's awesome to see you keep giving 110% (go get 'em tiger! haha). Keep in mind - I'm by no means an expert on cloning. I've never even cloned in soil! I only have 1 clone job under my belt, using a bubble cloner. For me it was stupidly simple; just cut, dip, and set in the cloner. No nutes, no superthrive. Just my rooting hormone (Rootech) in a shotglass, and pH adjusted tap water that had been evaporating for 48 hours. I'm going take some more cuts from my mother plant this weekend and try cloning in soil. Hopefully things go well. I plan on using a very simple process again. Just cut, dip in hormone, and plop in the soil. The soil is just going be be MG Organic soil mixed about 3/1 with MG Perlite, flushed 3 or 4 times for luck. Money/time/energy willing, maybe you should look into building a little bubble cloner. For me it worked wonders!
Thanks for the critique man.... yeah, i def was gonna change it up.... probably gonna try again tonight when i get done with my other stuff.... im gonna grab a couple more of those containers though so i can just leave those be for my full 10 day experiment. The next set will definitely be the cut, trim, dip, plop method
Good to hear man! I'll be looking forward to seeing those pics. I also like that you are not trashing your current clones. It would certainly be awesome to see those little girlies bounce back and make a nice recovery! Even if they don't, I'm sure you've learned a lot from this and it will only help you in future cloning endeavors.
My back is killing me, so im heavily medicated but still cant seem to sit and rest it.... Yesterday i made a trip to a new found grow shop in the area and picked up some rapid rooting pods and some new cloning gel, which he recommended after i asked him if there was an "own all" rooting hormone. I eat single serving yogurt cups which seem perfect size for these rooting pods, although they still needed a bit of soil on the bottom and the sides.... Anywho, i used a big ass washed out pickle jar as my himidity dome since i didnt make it to buy any more of those snap and seal containers..... so i cut it, trimmed it, and plopped it, as the hole was already filled with cloning gel as per the gel's instructions... only one, so we'll see how this works out, i feel more confident about this one..... in other news, one of the supposed failures seems to be looking perkier than usual.... unless its just the other 5 looking more dead than usual.... either way, im still letting it run its 10 day course.... we'll see im headed back to the couch where my vape is within easy reach
What a douche i am..... update with no friggin pics.... Theres one of my new clone then as it will sit most of the day I would have posted one of the big ladies, but they are on their sleep cycle...
Well ive been sick for a few days so i finally took some pics so i can update my journal. First things first, my initial 12 clones were a failure.... none of the 12 even showed signs of rooting. My first "pickle jar clone" is doing well, it appears. unlike the 2nd pickle jar clone.... Now if i may offer a poll of some sort.... here are my 2 big ladies..... With flash Without flash These pics DO NOT do these plants justice.... it amazes me how fast they grow! I think i would be doing a disservice to both plants if i left them both in there at this point. However i am happy to see #1 (on the right) catch up in growth to #5 (on the left). My initial thought is to take #1, take a shit ton of clones from her and put her on my mother chamber. i would then put #5 into flower and let her have all the room to herself. good idea?
nice .. read i sort of skimmed through it sorry its late....anyway what i saw of the pics you are futting big stems for the clones try to cut newer growth leaving only 2 or 3 growth nodes..and low nutes on the clones..anyway impressive for bag seed..if i understand corret you used the same type of lights in the whole process,,or not
Duuuude. Awesome plants. Me Tarzane You Jane Complaint the same..... Lapse it again next time Does this rhyme? Great grow man. Thanks for the updates
whoops... must have been in a daze lookin at those 2 big ladies any difference in how you planted the clones? are the both in grow plugs?