Creating a Mother plant

[holyreality]

G'day, I'm about to embark on the growing of my first plants, I was wondering if anyone could give me tips on how to create a mother plant and clone so as to not have to continuosly grow from seed.

[boulder]

Holyreality

Here is some xcellent reading;

 

http://www.overgrow.com/faq/browse.php

 

http://www.overgrow.com/faq/browse.php?topic=2

[Tom]

Grow a crop from seed, before flowering take a couple of clones (cuttings) from each plant and make sure you label which plant they came from. When the original plants show sex you toss out the matching clones to the males or hermies and keep the female ones from which you choose your future mother plants.

 

To take the clones I use a sharp pair of scissors, some like to use a razor or a scalpel, I try to choose a branch that is growing in an inconvenient direction if possible and cut it off just above the third node from the end (I count the tip as a node) I then snip the cut end of the clone on a 45° angle, dip it in a rooting hormone and stick it into the growing media, I use perlite/vermiculite, others use medias like rockwool, soil or aero-cloners. If you tip your plants you could use those tips as clones too, just tip a node further down.

 

Here's a picture of my mother/clone set-up: http://www.ozstoners.com/420Australia/InvB...ct=ST&f=16&t=74

 

[holyreality]

Thanks for the advice, I think cloning is definately the way to go. Especially as I just spent a bit of money getting feminised seeds sent from the u.k. don't want to have to keep doing that.

 

Holyreality

[boulder]

Holyreality

Good luck with the growing.

 

What strain did you purchase and which company, just out of curiosity?.

[holyreality]

Purchased some Original Blueberry feminised from Dutch passions. the thinking being if your gonna grow your own might as well do it properly rather than grow some crap.

 

Holyreality

[boulder]

Totally agree, the produce from one plant overcomes the initial outlay.

cheers

[Ferre]

To take the clones I use a sharp pair of scissors, some like to use a razor or a scalpel, I try to choose a branch that is growing in an inconvenient direction if possible and cut it off just above the third node from the end (I count the tip as a node) I then snip the cut end of the clone on a 45° angle, dip it in a rooting hormone and stick it into the growing media, I use perlite/vermiculite, others use medias like rockwool, soil or aero-cloners. If you tip your plants you could use those tips as clones too, just tip a node further down.

wow Tom, this is the most "clear and complete" way I ve read thusfar how to do it. you sure know how to explain these things, thumbs up manhttp://www.clubs.nl/ClubsData/67948/incoming/bongsmi.gifhttp://www.clubs.nl/ClubsData/67948/incoming/thumb.gifhttp://www.clubs.nl/ClubsData/67948/incoming/rasta.gif

[holyreality]

To start off the seeds I'm thinking of putting them on a small damp piece of grow wool and then as they establish themselves transfer them to a 50/50 perlite/vermiculitemix so that they can expand thier roots. Also I was thinking of starting them off on 18hrs of light per day, or should I pump out 24? Thanks for all the great advice so far.

Holyreality

[Guest Urbanhog]

What lights/what wattages you are using?

 

I have mine on 18hr shift, I can't afford the power bills if I left on 24 hrs for my 420 Watts son-t-argo, plus if I have on 24 hours, the heat goes up, since I live in the tropics, if you have on 24 hr, it will grow quicker than the 18 hours, its all about personal preferences.

 

I usually chuck the seeds in the potting mix after first sign of crack and tip just popping out, I sow in the small potting (I use 50/50 aswell) mix with the tips pointing upwards, to lessen the stress in the roots/white tips from the seed pods.

 

Because the seeds grow upwards then a u-turn downwards as the leaves, the plant's growth is inside the seed pod, once the u-turn root goes down, the seed pod pushes upwards.....

 

Since I have discovered roockwools,I just put the seeds inside the rockwool, I just wait for them to pop up, its easier and less hassle, as once they popped up, I just simply transfer them into the 50/50 mix.

 

As I find it's easier to keep the rockwools mosituire/wet then checking all the time to check that the wool hasn't dried out, can cause more stress to the seeds.

 

Everyone has their own different ways/perferences, after all marijuana is supposed to be a weed....

 

cheers, Urbanhog