Cloning

[Luke Skywalker]

The light cycle for cloning is usually either 18/6 or even up to 24/0. Some swear by both. Cloning under 12 hour light will show the sex of the clones, and therefore the parent plants, which can be a useful tool.

 

As to the box, it's usually advised that you have a room, with the humidicrib sitting inside, compact fluoro or fluoro tubes above the humidicrib, (you can buy stands which fit on the lids of the standard propogation dome, hold a cf or other similar light. ) and the room thus suffused with cool, steady light. The humidicrib can certainly be placed elsewhere, like you've suggested, but you should realise that you won't have control over the environment as well as you will with a dedicated small room, (my mother/cloning room is about 500w x 800l x 600h or so, made of aluminium and pandafilm, with a plywood base underneath the floors panda and a light fixture inserted in the roof) and you may also attract attention.

 

Some people just clone outdoors, and the plants certainly respond to this, although it may take longer, and you will have to find a nicely lit, but not directly lit area, with fairly stable temps.

 

The temperature of the cutting area is also important, as too cold, (less than 18 or so) and the clones take longer to root; too hot, (more than 28) and they'll also be susceptible to long rooting, and will perhaps even never root due to a constant effort just to transpire enough to stay alive... A good medium temp is about 22-25, if you can keep things in that range you're laughing. In the winter it can be advisable to get yourself a heat mat for under the humidicrib. In Oz in the other seasons it's fairly good temps anyway, so I don't bother.

 

Hope that helps mate, and good luck! It can take some time to learn how to take clones yourself, and you will have failures sometimes, but never lose heart. Some strains are finiky, and are difficult to clone anyway, and then some will take if you break off a branch and stick it in the back garden... Well, almost. But yeah, take your time, do a little playing around, and in the end, do what works for you.

[F420]

tops stuff from Luke again. :thumbsup

 

The only thing I can add is that I have NEVER had a light proove room for a clone, its not needed.

the lid is what set the enviroment up for the plant, and the light sitting on top of it provides enough energy, and heat for the cloning process.

In cold weather I use a heater pad as this warms the root area slighlty making it root faster.

 

It can be easier to use one of those big plastic containers as the light sits on the top roughlly the right distance from the clones.

 

You dont need any fans or such until the clones are rooted and gone in to the system to grow.

 

[Kelly_J]

I tried something this afternoon as i was bored and was iffy about spending money on a clone setup, not sure if this will work, but i got nothing to lose.

 

I soaked one rockwool cube in water and 20ml of grow nutes for about 20mins then squuezed the rockwool cube till damp and placed under a coke bottle with tape around the bottom and taped into a ice cream container lid. it's sitting in the bathroom just near the sink. Only place which i can leave the light on 24/7 and no one see it,. The leaft i put in was the right cut well i beleive anyway from the pics i have seen.

 

Not sure if it will work or not but thought i would try as it's costing me nothing to put together, plus it took an hour to do, so filled in time good,!

 

kel.

[pipeman]

yeah good one kel. sometimes the simplest methods work well enough. let us know how it goes.

 

ferengi wrote:

he only thing I can add is that I have NEVER had a light proove room for a clone, its not needed.

 

yeah true but if you can light proof your box its still a good idea as light tends to attract pests.

[F420]

yeah true but if you can light proof your box its still a good idea as light tends to attract pests.

 

yup, It all depends on where you have it all setup.

In my case I dont have a problem, as I dont have insects in my house or garage.

If I did get a case of insects going near the lights I would treat the insect problem.

 

Indoors isnt a problem as long as your house is clean any tidy. make sure you dont have other indoor plants and/or soil indoors.

[Kelly_J]

I made eight clones today and put them into the humidcrib. I have one 20W (the lightsaver ones) hanging over the crib in a cupboard box thing which is all painted flat white.

 

I prepared the rockwool cubes as the post said before and worked out great, i cut the cuttings and placed them into the crib straight away, i did 4 at a time and left the lid off, when i placed the sixth one in the first couple started to droop like mad, i then quickly cut the other two and put all eight into the crib with the lid on and everything seems fine, those first few are still droopy but hopefully be good by tomorrow.

 

I also used clonex hormone gel, the purple one for $8 from bunnings. Dipped the stems in the gel then into the cubes.

 

Will let you know how everything goes in two weeks time roots are done :thumbsup

Edited January 16, 2005 by Kelly_J

[Kelly_J]

Here are some photos of my clone setup to give you a better idea of what i am on about......

 

 

 

[thatswho]

Hey there Kelly J,

Sorry for jumping in on your thread

I too am cloning for the first time, I borrowed a cloning unit form a very good friend of mine, due to lack of funds, and basically have done your method for the cuttings and stuff.

I have 7 bagseed plants that I started and 7 is too much for me to handle in my outdoor garden, I am basically only cloning to determine sex of the plants.

I have had the clones in the unit for 7 days. The unit is from rapidclone.

Has anyone used or seen this unit? www.rapidclone.co.nz

 

Anyway just a quick question some of the bottom leaves are starting to yellow. What would be the cause of this?

 

Once again sorry for jumping onto your thread.

Cheers

Thatswho

 

Bye the way, this is my first time growing, and I think I'm hooked!!!!!

[everest]

hey kelly , go kid ..... you will find the best way if you keep trying .

the last time i did some clones i just chopped the tops off my plants ,washed my budwieser bottles out filled it with tap water and stuck them in my sunny bathroom ....... they all rooted in a couple of weeks . amazing creatures hey .good luck anyway . ..... stoned again

[porkchop]

flexable heat mat