CFL watts for cloning bucket

[Sctanley007]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered but I searched and I couldn’t find it.

I took clones and am trying to route them using dip and grow and rapid rooters.

Last time I tried the ufo was way too strong for the small space and was frying them. Luckily summer sun provided a solution.

This time I had them in the tent and the leaves on a few began yellowing.

A quick lid mod and I switched out the led with a cfl outlet.

My question...I know rooting clones don’t need much light. Is a single 14w 5000k bulb enough to have them root or should I use two?

 

[Weaselcracker]

I think a single bulb should be fine. It works for me anyway. Sometimes I use two of them but haven’t noticed a difference. Seems to be more about getting the right temps and a reasonably sterile environment. I’m not sure they need much light beyond just something to let them know they still exist, and which way is up

 

[Sctanley007]

Thanks for the reply. Temp is holding steady at 76 so this might work.

The 3 I took 10 days ago are uncovered. The leaves are yellow but not droopy so I’ll see if they get some color back in. The two other clones were only taken 5 days ago so they’re staying covered for now. They’re still green and are stronger than the others.

I’m experimenting with this now To get a handle on cloning. My plan is to do a perpetual mega crop grow using a space bucket and a 2x4x5 tent.

Plan is to take clones in the 2 week of flower, root & flip back to veg and they should just be getting over the funky leaf phase around harvest in the tent and they will be put in there for a quick veg and flip to begin again.

I unknowingly did this with a plant in my last grow. Took her two weeks into flower. Took about 10 weeks to start real growth which oddly enough is the flowering time of the plant. I also noticed that when I took the clones in flower they rooted but never really flipped until I cut the budlets off. Then it almost immediately started throwing new veg. Possibly a way to manipulate the timing of growth.

I have a dated picture timeline to show how long it takes and the difference it makes. Here’s a pretty recent pic of my clone.

 

[Weaselcracker]

If I read you correctly, you’re saying that your new cuttings (not rooted yet) are yellowing. That’s normal. As they redirect their energy to form new roots the cuttings deplete energy from their leaves and turn yellow. To me when they start yellowing that’s usually a sign that they are beginning to form roots. This isn’t to say that they couldn’t yellow from other reasons, but generally I take it as a good sign that they’re starting to make the switch.

I generally try to avoid taking the cuttings during flowering if I can, mostly to avoid that funky-leafed reveg process that you mention. Also the cuttings taken in flowering are a little bit harder to root.
I usually take the cuttings around the time I stick them in the flowering room, or a week or two previous just to be sure, if they’re important strains and I am worried they might not root, and/or can’t afford to lose them.

 

[Sctanley007]

Well so far all the clones are alive, some more than others. There are 6 total, 2 of which look great, are totally green and are showing roots 9 days later. The other 4 are wilted on the lower leaves with upper leaves upright but yellow. Those 4 are trying to return to green and are trying to throw leaves. I also have those 4 in the tent which has much brighter light and higher temps. They were also taken 18 days ago.

The two best clones are still in the bucket. I added a second 14w 5000k cfl into the bucket and I think I hit the sweet spot. Enough light and very little heat. The bucket holds temp at 76 degrees and the two clones seem happy.

I tried 3 different approaches with the Rapid Rooters and Dip n Grow. Two were put into wetted rooter, two were put into wetted rooter and wet soil and two were put into rooters out of the package.

The difference in the two that are doing better is that I did not dampen the Rapid Rooter before inserting the clone and that I used the existing hole and cut a piece off the bottom of the rooter and filled the gap in the hole with it as I inserted the cutting. The soil surrounding the rooter was barely wet. I think not wetting the rooter and using the hole helped. I'm understanding the moisture level is very important in the rooting of clones. Humid, not wet, is key.

I am going to test my theory / luck by taking two more cuttings, one from each strain, and try rooting them without adding any moisture to the rapid rooter.

 

[Sctanley007]

So the clones obviously rooted. I covered the outside of the cup to protect from light.

Question...if there are visible roots should the clone then be moved to the grow tent or is there a transition to the stronger light?

I assume going from 2 14 watt cfl’s to the grow lights will beva shock

 

[Weaselcracker]

Nah. I just stick them in, but down low. I’ve never had one burn even if it was up higher. But they don’t need a ton of light to start