Help - Newbie cloner inquiry

[JolliGrnGiant]

Hello, never cloned before. I have a grow journal going in the other forum. I had take some clones last week and I would like to know from knowledgeable people if they are healthy. Everything i've read says that they are ok and its normal to take up to 2 weeks to see tiny roots even. But i dont have many options and would like reassurance and or help before its too late.

Setup and things used:
~200 watt cfl, mixed grow/veg spectrums(sits about an inch or two above the tallest clone)
6.0 ph tap water
rapid rooter rooting tray
hormex root powder.
used brand new sheers right out of package

Ive been following the trays instructions and keeping about 1/4 inch water in the tray.


pics:

 

[OldMedUser]

Generally you want lower light levels when rooting cuttings or the cuttings put more energy into maintaining vegetative growth than growing roots.

They look healthy enough and ought to put out roots eventually but I'd keep them further from the light for now.

L8r

 

[thebudking]

Put a dome on your tray, you need your humidity high and temp around 80 to 85. It will look like a rain forest in there.

 

[Auggie]

The first thing to know is that there is no ONE way to do anything. There are may paths to Nirvana. There is also a very good tutorial here, I assume you have read it more than once. When reading a recipe it is very, very important to follow directions exactly. Sometimes just missing one sentence can make a big difference. Imagine if you were making a cake, and you missed the instruction about adding an egg. Just one thing, one simple small egg ... Think you'd end up with a cake? You won't.

Everyone does what they do because they get the desired result, that simple. For example, I used a dome all the time for the first three days when I first started because someone suggested it. I found that I ended up with PM when I did that, so I stopped. Now I never use a dome. That works - FOR ME. Might not work for you. You might not get PM as easy as me. We live in different climates, and 'farm' in different environments. There is no cookie cutter, one answer for anyone. Sorry. You must find your own path grasshopper.

Having said all that I can offer a couple of tips. Don't put the cutting in the big hole. Stick it in off to the side toward the corner so that all of the stem is 'in' the plug - know what I mean?

But realize that - at first - you are going to kill a LOT of cuttings. LoL.
It's like anything else: it's easy when you know how. It's hard to learn how

Read that tutorial over and over.

~ Auggie ~

 

[JolliGrnGiant]

The first thing to know is that there is no ONE way to do anything. There are may paths to Nirvana. There is also a very good tutorial here, I assume you have read it more than once. When reading a recipe it is very, very important to follow directions exactly. Sometimes just missing one sentence can make a big difference. Imagine if you were making a cake, and you missed the instruction about adding an egg. Just one thing, one simple small egg ... Think you'd end up with a cake? You won't.

Everyone does what they do because they get the desired result, that simple. For example, I used a dome all the time for the first three days when I first started because someone suggested it. I found that I ended up with PM when I did that, so I stopped. Now I never use a dome. That works - FOR ME. Might not work for you. You might not get PM as easy as me. We live in different climates, and 'farm' in different environments. There is no cookie cutter, one answer for anyone. Sorry. You must find your own path grasshopper.

Having said all that I can offer a couple of tips. Don't put the cutting in the big hole. Stick it in off to the side toward the corner so that all of the stem is 'in' the plug - know what I mean?

But realize that - at first - you are going to kill a LOT of cuttings. LoL.
It's like anything else: it's easy when you know how. It's hard to learn how

Read that tutorial over and over.

~ Auggie ~

Hello,

Happy new year!

Good news all around. First off, thank you for the advice and tips. I purchased a dome, but haven't used it more than the initial purchase day. Its kind of colder on the floor and it wasn't turning into the rain forest environment you'd expect(i dont have a heating source yet). I felt it was suffocating them. I kept the plants in lower end of the light that the mother plant is using(80w). I also left them a little dryer then previously.


Auggie: I did read a lot of guides more than a few times. I noticed a basic trend among them and dove in to replicate. I saw that the holes at the top of the rooter plugs were a little big and some of them had itty bitty leaves popping up. I had squeezed each one nice and tight a few days ago. The light wasn't hitting the end of the stems now. It truly is a unique recipe!


Roots:
checked 17 out of the 22 and 15 had roots, around 13 had roots outside the plug. Looking like im good to go! I think only 2 or 3 are going to be super stunted and slow. The one I thought was going to die(Mr Wilty) has some of the biggest roots out of the bunch!

 

[Auggie]

Hell, yer doin' fine ...

Those are nice fat, white and fluffy roots.

Get em offa the floor, those plugs need to be at least 'not cold'. They'll still root cold, but they'll just take a little longer. Keep the temp above 70F, and preferably closer to 80F.

~ Auggie ~

 

[featherdusta]

Bottom heat helps rooting faster u can use reptile heat pad

 

[Auggie]

Be careful with heating pads of any type. I have a mat that is specifically for cloning, big enough for three nursery trays. I usually have between 9 and 12 trays up and waiting for roots at a time, so I put the youngest or newest trays on the mat first. BUT, the mat gets too hot, so I set the trays on upside down trays so it is up offa the mat. Also, I put it on a timer so it is two hours on, and one off.

If you use a mat, be careful it doesn't get too hot. The plugs should be just barely warm to the the touch. Not warm, but BARELY warm.

~ Auggie ~

 

[thebudking]

I have a mat for plants, looks exactly like my old reptile mat, perfect size for a clone dome. I have it hooked to a temp controller and set it for 85 degrees. I have kept clones in it for over 2 months just to see how long I could hold them back. I have near 100 percent success. Like Auggie says, find what works for you, lots of ways to get to the same end.

 

[featherdusta]

Ps when u get heat pad b sure to read instructions it helps immensly.Place an old car window or piece of glass,perspex on top

 

[Auggie]

Ps when u get heat pad b sure to read instructions it helps immensly.Place an old car window or piece of glass,perspex on top

Right. I have noticed that mats for cloning are TOO HOT. Why do they do that? The cubes should be just barely warm. If you notice by touch that the cube is warm then the temp MUST be over 99 degrees F. Your body is almost 99 degrees, so if it feels warm to you, it must be more than that -- and that's too warm. Pay attention to the ambient temp. If its summer, and the temp in your garden is 90 degrees, then YOU DON'T NEED A HEATING MAT.

It's better to be a little to cool, than a little too warm. A little too cool means yer roots show up a day or two later. A little to warm ... no roots, ever.

~ Auggie ~

 

[featherdusta]

Gday i hope it didnt come across like i was being a smart ass cause it was not intended to be i didnt realise until my mrs said something to me if it did i apologize.On instructions i have this most reptiles require a thermal gradient in their vivarium.That is they need to be able to move in and out of warmer and cooler areas the heat mat should be positioned so that between 1 half and 2 thirds of the vivarium is being heated. The remaining unheated section allows the animals to move away from the heat wen required.Mat can mounted at on end to create a thermal gradient.Mat mounted under the enclosure but covered by only a thin layer of substrate.If using under ur enclosure place a heat resistant barrier such as glass or fibro between ur enclosure so it doesnt damage furniture.They can b placed either inside or outside ur enclosure.Make sure there is adequate ventilation around heat mat for optimal performance.I hope this might help someone.I was just thinking could this be a way to heat a grow room in winter if ur using LED grow light.All the best