Eikel's cloning method.

[Guest Eikel]

Hi Guys,

 

Well I've been cloning for awhile now, and noticed that OSA has no pictorials (that I've seen), of how to clone.

 

So prepare yourself, for:

 

Eikel's rockwool cloning method!

 

My cloning method is rather basic, just a plain-old rockwool method.

To date I've only ever lost 1 clone using this method, and that was due to a mold infection.

 

Ok, so you will need the following:

 

- Scalpel or VERY sharp knife.

- Scissors.

- Clonex Purple.

- Oxy-Plus.

- Water.

- PH-adjusters.

- Superthrive.

- Flower Nutes.

- 2.5" x 2.5" rockwool cubes.

- Humidicrib.

- Fluros.

 

Attached is a pic of the chems I use for cloning.

 

The first step is to pre-treat your rockwool cubes, now I have been told that you need to soak these in solution for 24-hours before using. Personally, I find only 2-3 hours is enough - I've had no difference in hit rates between 24-hour soak or 2-3 hour soaks.

 

My solution for rockwool soaking is the following:

7 Ltrs of water in an 8-ltr bucket.

Firstly I add a standard, or even slightly-high dosage of oxy-plus, around 1-1.5ml.

 

I should note here, I stir the solution after adding each individual chem, this is so they are all evenly distributed throuought the water-mass as new chems are introduced.

 

Secondly I'll add a 1/4-1/2 dose of 2-part flower nutes, I use flower instead of veg because I've been told nitrogen is detrimental to rooting, and flower nutes are normally lower in nitrogen.

 

At this point I'll adjust PH if required (should be at 5.5) and then add a 1/2 strength dose of superthrive (few drops, around 0.5ml).

 

After mixing up this solution I pop my rockwool cubes in to soak. I like to use the 2.5" cubes for cloning, alot of people prefer the 1", but I don't have time to check the moisture-levels of the cubes often so I prefer them slightly larger because they are slower to dry out.

[Guest Eikel]

Pic of the cubes in the bucket of solution.

[Guest Eikel]

Now next step if you are taking clones from several plants, is to label and ensure you know which plant is which.

 

I found these pot-tags at my local nursery, they were $3 for a pack of 20, quite useful.

 

Here's the pic of the labels after I've written on them, fortunately my wife found me a permenant marker to use after this pic was taken.

[Guest Eikel]

Ok, we're almost ready to start touching the plant, at this point I usually get all my equipment ready and laid out so that everything will be conveniently close when I need to use it during the cloning process.

 

Before I use any of my cloning gear I give it a wash in water with disinfectant and then a rinse/soak in a solution of water + oxy-plus. We're basically performing amputations on the plants here so you want everything to be clean around exposed wounds.

 

Ok, now we're all ready to start cutting. When you first cut you're never really sure where you should take your clones from. The plant in this pic is my WB x AP13 #4, I think this one is a male, so I only took one cut. I've circled where the cut was made and put a line through another potential point for cloning at the main-stem.

 

The next shot is a pic of the clone that I took, sorry they're not well-focused, I just couldn't get it right with one-hand.

[Guest Eikel]

And now we're ready for the rockwool cubes...

 

I normally put the stem of the plant in the bucket that contains the rockwool cubes and leave it while I make the hole in my cube. You can use skewers, nails, screwdrivers, anything small and around the size of your stem to make the hole.

 

Here's a pic of me making a hole with a small nail, I make mine 2-5cm deep for the plant, depending on stem-length.

[Guest Eikel]

The next step is to make a cut along the base of the stem at a 45-degree angle. I do this underwater so that no air-bubbles get into the stem.

[Guest Eikel]

Then we take our cutting and submerge it into a cap-full of the purple clonex. Don't dip the plant directly into the bottle of clonex, and wash the cap well after you finish before replacing it on the container.

 

(sorry, another outta focus pic here damnit).

[Guest Eikel]

Now insert the stem firmly into the hole you made in the cube, press down hard so the stem sinks-in, but not so you snap it.

[Guest Eikel]

At this point I normally cut the bigger leaves on the cutting in half, this seems to cause them less stress and makes them root slightly faster.

 

(Anyone know why?)

[Guest Eikel]

And that's it!

 

Congratulations, if you got this far in, you've successfully taken your first cutting, now you just need to take good care of it and hope it has the will to live