Turbo Klone Cloning Session Start to Finish

Hi Treemama!

Actually....The yellowing you are seeing is a GOOD THING! :thumb:

That means that the cuttings have ramped up their rooting activity and are pulling nutrients out of their fan leaves to help fuel their root development! Don't cut those leaves off unless that are totally gone. (Pure yellow and turning brown and curling up)

The Roots Excelerator should start giving the new roots more incentive to develop quickly and will also feed the tops.

If you are worried that the cuttings may be going too yellow too fast at this stage, you could always mix up a batch of Organic Kelp Extract, put it into a spray bottle and foliar feed the cuttings by spraying this mixture on the tops directly.

I use the GROWMORE brand 100% Organic Norwegian Kelp Extract. It has directions on the bottle for the correct amount to mix per gallon for folliar feeding. Most garden centers sell that brand, but another brand with the same ingredients would work too.

I usually don't start seeing serious root spikes emerging until around day 12-15, so you've still got a ways to go. Just let them continue. As long as the root end looks white or green with no signs of black or brown stem rot, you should be fine.

P.S. Can you post some photos of the cuttings in the cloner? It would really help if I could see exactly what they look like.
 
I'll post some pics later today. I'm having some computer issues right now.

I am only pulling leaves off that have completely died away. Some have turned yellow and got crispy and curled so those were the ones I pulled off.

I'm pretty sure we have some kind of kelp based product like you're referring to so I'll mix that up and spray on them. And this also seems to be the time to add some Clonex so I'll add that today too.

I'll be back later with some pictures.
 
I'll post some pics later today. I'm having some computer issues right now.

I am only pulling leaves off that have completely died away. Some have turned yellow and got crispy and curled so those were the ones I pulled off.

I'm pretty sure we have some kind of kelp based product like you're referring to so I'll mix that up and spray on them. And this also seems to be the time to add some Clonex so I'll add that today too.

I'll be back later with some pictures.

Sounds like a plan!

Make sure you mix the foiliar spray to the correct proportions indicated on the bottle. Even though organic Kelp Extract contains water soluable nitrogen, too high a concentration coupled with moderate to high light levels can burn the leaves which you obviously don't need at this point. ;)

Right! Forgot to mention the Clonex solution. This is the time to add that. I can't remember if you have a T-48 model too? I use 180ml of Clonex solution into the 4.5 gallon capacity of the T-48.
 
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In this picture you can see that it's not just yellowing leaves but that some of the leaves have dried and curled.

I have a T96. I just added Clonex at half strength which is what was recommended when I wrote to the company recently. And I also sprayed with the GrowMore kelp. It happened to be the same kind I already had on hand :)
 
Hmmmm....

Unfortunately, those dried up ones are dead, so you can pull those out and discard them. Not really sure why you have had so many die off like that. Generally, you should see some yellowing of the leaf tips at this stage, but not drying and curling leaves. Looks like you didn't trim off the leaf tips when they went into the cloner which helps to reduce moisture loss through the leaves during the first week.

How long are you leaving the pump off in between on cycles? I never let them sit without the pump on for more than about 4 minutes. Otherwise, they can go into shock from a lack of water.

Also, while the cloner is running, pull each collar out one by one and make sure that the jets are spraying that site properly. Sometimes, if a jet or two gets clogged, there won't be any water getting sprayed on that site.

Move the surviving cuttings to the sites that have the best spray volume. Most cloners have sweet spots where several jets converge and create a good solid spray.
 
We did trim the leaf tips, but not the very top leaves. Mainly just the larger leaves on each clone. Thanks for the info on why that is done. We knew it was common practice but never knew the exact reason why it was done.

I'll do as you suggest with checking each plug but I'm certain each one is getting proper spray from the jets as the entire underside of the top is always very wet. I do notice some plugs will get more of a heavy spray since they are located right above the jets but even the ones on the outside edge are getting sprayed.

I keep the pump running 24/7 as we don't have issues with the water getting too hot. The machine is located in a closed off area with an air conditioner which helps to keep the water temp around 73 on average. The air pumping out from e AC does not hit the clones.

What I am wondering is if I should have kept the humidity dome on longer than 4 days. When I took it off Sunday they looked good and since then have gotten progressively worst. I did check the stems and they all seem to be green with no signs of black or browning like you mentioned before.

One last thing I noticed when I added the Clonex was that the rooting gel hasn't completely dissolved in the water. It seems to be sitting on the bottom of the reservoir and at first sight I thought it was algae but I'm pretty sure it is the gel. I have never had algae grow in the res during any of the previous uses so that's why I'm guessing it is the gel. Do you notice the same thing? I know you said you use the same water throughout the whole process but I wonder if I should change it at this point.

Thanks a bunch for taking the time to answer my questions. My goal is to get my clones looking like yours so we can finally stop spending the money on clones from other people!
 
No problem. ;)

I use Clonex Gel and it always fully disolves into the water leaving a layer of bubbles on the surface if you turn off the pump and look inside.

It could be that your air is really dry inside. What is the relative humidity at the spot where the cloner is? I only leave the humidity dome on mine for about 3 days until the cuttings have recovered enough to be able to continue without the dome.

You may need to spray the cuttings with water a few times a day to prevent them from drying out so much. I also assume that you are cutting the stems at a 45 degree angle to give more interior surface area exposed to the water in the cloner.

Based on what I see on that photo, it looks like low humidity and possibly too much light, or the light fixture is too close to the tops of the cuttings. Since the temps you mentioned shouldn't be a problem, it has to be one or both of those other causes.
 
very good info, thanks.
I made a small cloner w/ a 5 gal bucket. this is the 1st time I ever got a clone to root. they are on day 8 and all 14 are doing great. thanks again:goodjob:
 
I'm on my first run with the new mini T24. The instructions say to just fill it up ( I used RO water) and put some clone gel on the stem. Then sit back and wait for roots. Sooo that's what I did. Day 6 and nothing so far.

I didn't use a humidity dome nor did I spray them. They were laying flat and wilted at first but within a couple hours they were standing strait up and I took that as a really good sign.

Anyway, thanks for the info! Hope mine root like yours did.
 
I have this same exact cloner, water temps are 75 degrees ph is 5.7. and my clones stems that are hanging are curling up and turning to mush in a few days can anyone explain to me why this is taking place?
 
I have this same exact cloner, water temps are 75 degrees ph is 5.7. and my clones stems that are hanging are curling up and turning to mush in a few days can anyone explain to me why this is taking place?

No need for ph'ed water because your clones are not taking up water they are trying to produce roots. I always used non ph'ed tap water. Always produced roots without using a humidity dome. I use a cycle timer with one minute on and 5 minutes off. Did you use a done and did you add any additives?
 
so even if the water is 8 I shouldn't ph it down? my 1st attempt I did use ph down together with h&g roots accelerator or superthrive 15m on 15min on as I couldn't find to buy timer on shorter intervals and they either curled up dried or rot now im attempting wth just tap water no aditives no ph correction pump always on day 5 no rots but they stil alive when I was beginning found some experience guy statmant for best result 15/15off and now coming across its a big no no as anything over 5min off would stress them without water its seems everyone has difrent opions
 
ok here is my problems i had wth turbocloner first collars are way to strong and it can potentially squeeze stem and kill it 2nd heat as couldn't find timer stil didn't buy as was using it through winter so temperature wasn't issue but needs timer during summer 3d dome as doesnot have small openings but u have to remove it whole which couses heap stress and if u transplating them away in pots cousing death from 90% humidity to 30% or so so u have to remove it @ back on few times a day 2_3 days to avoid shock and last jets sprayers while some might get clogged others can spray too hard on some stems and again kill it so every 3/4 days u have to check flow for not enogf or too much pressure also while all this checking has to be perfomed I once forgot to switch it back on amd they died of course {my foult} yes im bit pessimistic about it as in country where I live they are very expensive and should of come with simple openings on dome and short intervals timer which is $100 more :)
 
also one important sugestions is to always cut it of mother plant which is 5mths +old rather then young plant where stem isn't stif enougf and jet flow will destroy it in 2 days
 
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