Cloning
- Thread starter Wigmo
- Start date
Garden Knowm
The Love Doctor
mr. wigmo..
you will need a grow medium to put the clone in...
you can just put the cutting in a glass of water and when you see roots, stick it in soil.. this is not a very effective method..
your best bet is to get rockwool cubes, cloning gel, and wilt spray.. this is a small investment for a plant that will someday be worth $1000 +..
iloveyou
you will need a grow medium to put the clone in...
you can just put the cutting in a glass of water and when you see roots, stick it in soil.. this is not a very effective method..
your best bet is to get rockwool cubes, cloning gel, and wilt spray.. this is a small investment for a plant that will someday be worth $1000 +..
iloveyou
Nelson Mutz
Well-Known Member
Don't totally agree with you, knowm. But, before I "fan the flames" of threads and posters disagreeing/agreeing with me, let me preface by saying this:
It's a personal preference, plain and simple.
I like the H2O method, because it is simple and it works for me. I simply take a cutting, dip into cloning powder, and place in a plastic cup of aquarium water. While not a fast method, again, it works for me. I've used floro-foam, and it worked too, but have stayed with the H20 method over my past few clonings. But, I do have to admit, I am amazed at new methods that people try [and succeed] with; enjoyable to hear/read about the contributions to our favorite hobby...
Nelson
Garden Knowm
The Love Doctor
MR. MUTZ....
iloveyou
I am glad your method works for you,, and it is refreshing that your method is simple and successful.. hats off to you BRO!!
lovelovelove
iloveyou
I am glad your method works for you,, and it is refreshing that your method is simple and successful.. hats off to you BRO!!
lovelovelove
mogie
Well-Known Member
A wick cloner is a two part system that uses both a reservoir container and a container for medium. The two containers are nested together and a wick runs from the lower reservoir container to the upper medium container.
Why a wick cloner?
Its low maintenance. I only add water to mine every few days. But using a larger bottom reservoir would allow no required maintenance for a week or longer if any at all.
If the reservoir is maintained with water the medium stays consistently moist, with almost no effort...
It can be made out of household materials. I use 2 two liter bottles, some string and some vermiculite at minimum.
Can I use different mediums?
Sure so far people have used vermiculite, perlite, rockwool, and Rapid Rooters. These medium can also be used in combinations.
Does it work?
When I first began using the wick cloner I had immediate success.. My first run of clones resulted in about 70% success and I was delighted.. More recently I have been having 100% success with the first 20 clones using a specific method that will be documented here...
Materials needed:
The cloner requires two 2 liter bottles. I normally cut the bottom from the bottle top at about the bottom of the label.
The second picture shows the top portion of the cloner. The pencil demonstrates the approximate size of the hole required for the wick to pass thru...
Next to that is the string used for the wick. It is nylon seine string I bought from Wal-Mart. I use 5 pieces of string about 10 inches in length. Simply gather all the pieces together and tie them in the middle. The knot will be too large to pass thru the pencil sized hole.... I don?t make the knot too tight, just firm.
The third picture shows both parts of the wick cloner. One end of the wick has been inserted thru the hole. The wick strings have been spread over the top container (The cloner part).
The fourth picture shows the bottom container (reservoir part)with water. The top container(cloner part) has about the same amount of vermiculite in the top as there is water in the reservoir part...
Cloning procedure
Have the small container of clonex, and the wick cloner ready for use... Wash your hands carefully.
Once the cutting is made I use wounding or scarification. All that?s required is to lay the stem flat on something and scrape opposite sides with a razor blade... We only want to remove a small amount of the outer stem.
Usually I scrape in about 3 or 4 passes on each side... care should be taken not to remove too much of the outer tissue (This is very important). There is no question based on how the plants form roots that the wounding and/or hormones have a distinct and favorable effect.
Dip the cutting in the clonex count to 5 and insert the stem into the hole you made vermiculite.
I find I can fit about 15 clones around the outside of the cloner.. Then several more inside that. 20 clones in this thing is not unreasonable or overcrowded... Make sure that all plants have access to light....
You could also use about 5 or 6 whole rapid rooter plugs and larger clones....
Cloning notes:
My clones are made based mostly on size... If I see prospect that has a nice piece of stem and a couple leaves I see a good cutting.
Lighting - I use indirect lighting. The light is not directly over my plants... Make sure the light is well away from the cuttings if the light is over the plants or is low lumens.
Some cloning myths:
You must make the final cut under water or an embolism could kill your plant.. I did not find this...You must have at least one node that you strip under the medium: I did not find this. I suspect that the node thing is a method of wounding/scarification, which I believe is helpful.You need a humidity dome to root the cuttings; I have rooted many without one, but they may work better with a dome. Cutting the stem at a 45 degree angle; this doesn?t seem to matter much either.
Why a wick cloner?
Its low maintenance. I only add water to mine every few days. But using a larger bottom reservoir would allow no required maintenance for a week or longer if any at all.
If the reservoir is maintained with water the medium stays consistently moist, with almost no effort...
It can be made out of household materials. I use 2 two liter bottles, some string and some vermiculite at minimum.
Can I use different mediums?
Sure so far people have used vermiculite, perlite, rockwool, and Rapid Rooters. These medium can also be used in combinations.
Does it work?
When I first began using the wick cloner I had immediate success.. My first run of clones resulted in about 70% success and I was delighted.. More recently I have been having 100% success with the first 20 clones using a specific method that will be documented here...
Materials needed:
Cloning gel (I use purple clonex)
A small container to pour the clonex in ( do not use the clonex container to dip the plants in. It can contaminate the clonex.)
I used a piece of 1/2 inch plastic pipe and 1/2 x 3/4 connector for the base.
I inserted some plastic wrap into the 1/2 inch plastic pipe to form the dipping container.
Scissors
Something to poke a hole in the Vermiculite.
Building the cloner (first 4 pics)
A small container to pour the clonex in ( do not use the clonex container to dip the plants in. It can contaminate the clonex.)
I used a piece of 1/2 inch plastic pipe and 1/2 x 3/4 connector for the base.
I inserted some plastic wrap into the 1/2 inch plastic pipe to form the dipping container.
Scissors
Something to poke a hole in the Vermiculite.
Building the cloner (first 4 pics)
The cloner requires two 2 liter bottles. I normally cut the bottom from the bottle top at about the bottom of the label. 
The second picture shows the top portion of the cloner. The pencil demonstrates the approximate size of the hole required for the wick to pass thru... Next to that is the string used for the wick. It is nylon seine string I bought from Wal-Mart. I use 5 pieces of string about 10 inches in length. Simply gather all the pieces together and tie them in the middle. The knot will be too large to pass thru the pencil sized hole.... I don?t make the knot too tight, just firm.
The third picture shows both parts of the wick cloner. One end of the wick has been inserted thru the hole. The wick strings have been spread over the top container (The cloner part). 
The fourth picture shows the bottom container (reservoir part)with water. The top container(cloner part) has about the same amount of vermiculite in the top as there is water in the reservoir part... Cloning procedure
Have the small container of clonex, and the wick cloner ready for use... Wash your hands carefully.
Once the cutting is made I use wounding or scarification. All that?s required is to lay the stem flat on something and scrape opposite sides with a razor blade... We only want to remove a small amount of the outer stem.
Usually I scrape in about 3 or 4 passes on each side... care should be taken not to remove too much of the outer tissue (This is very important). There is no question based on how the plants form roots that the wounding and/or hormones have a distinct and favorable effect.
Dip the cutting in the clonex count to 5 and insert the stem into the hole you made vermiculite.
I find I can fit about 15 clones around the outside of the cloner.. Then several more inside that. 20 clones in this thing is not unreasonable or overcrowded... Make sure that all plants have access to light....
You could also use about 5 or 6 whole rapid rooter plugs and larger clones....
Cloning notes:
My clones are made based mostly on size... If I see prospect that has a nice piece of stem and a couple leaves I see a good cutting.
Lighting - I use indirect lighting. The light is not directly over my plants... Make sure the light is well away from the cuttings if the light is over the plants or is low lumens.
Some cloning myths:
You must make the final cut under water or an embolism could kill your plant.. I did not find this...You must have at least one node that you strip under the medium: I did not find this. I suspect that the node thing is a method of wounding/scarification, which I believe is helpful.You need a humidity dome to root the cuttings; I have rooted many without one, but they may work better with a dome. Cutting the stem at a 45 degree angle; this doesn?t seem to matter much either.
mogie
Well-Known Member
As easy as cloning is to the masses that use powder, liquid/gel rooting hormone, bubblers and soil, etc. There is an even less complex method of cloning that is so easy, it must have been around for decades, if not centuries. The only ingredients involved are water, light, and the cutting you would like to root. In the example I?m going to show, I?ve cut three different sizes of clone. The first with two leaves and a single growing tip (S). The next has four nodes, but still only a couple large leaves (M). The third is 6? tall, has seven nodes and several sets of good-sized leaves (L).
As with normal cloning, you immediately dip the cutting in the water for about 15 to 30 seconds, tweaking it to dislodge any air bubbles that may be present. But the biggest difference is, you won?t be removing the cutting from the water until it has roots big enough to support the foliage above. Make sure the cup, which contains the cutting, is opaque. This prevents the light from shining directly on the roots.
So far, I?ve mentioned the cuttings and the water, but the most important part is the light. I have made this method work 100% of the time simply by sitting my cuttings on a windowsill that receives no direct sunlight. In fact, slightly shaded would be even better. In the evenings (short days), I sit them on an end table over 7 feet from a ceiling mounted 100-watt incandescent bulb. At bedtime, I just turn off the lights like normal, and when I get up in the AM its back to the windowsill. During the longer daylight hours they can be left on the sill full time. Remember, no direct sunlight.
The picture shows my three cuttings in their water cups. M & L have barely an inch of water to sit in. Any more and it would cover one of the leaf stems. The smaller one stayed in the plastic because the stem was too short to sit in water and stay upright in the cup. Do what?s necessary to keep at least ½? of the stem in the water.
Notice the glass that diffuses light, an extra measure against too much light exposure.
The clones grew roots at far different speeds. S showed in seven days, with a small ¼? long root and another small protrusion.
By the time S?s roots reached this level of development (nine days), L was just putting out the first nubs that would be roots. M has shown no inclination of rooting at all. Searching for an answer, I changed the water in Ms cup, but I think it boils down too the thickness of the stem. Both M&L have the same size stem but L has far more foliage on top.
S is doing far better than the others (seen below) and M is finally starting to show.
M showed roots in 14 days and was planted on day 18.
This picture was taken just before transplant.
L showed roots on day 11 and was in soil at day 18.
This picture was taken just before transplant.
S showed roots at seven days and was in the soil at 15.
This picture was taken just before transplant.
Transplanting is as easy as it ever is. I use a pre-fertilized potting soil, mixed with 1/2 perlite. I like the clear cups as I can see how soon they can be removed from the humidity dome. Fill a 4 oz cup with soil mix and swirl a hole an inch deep in the top, insert the plants roots and cover.
DO NOT WATER!! Watering will actually delay the roots growth into the new medium. You want it almost dry below so they search for the moisture. Make whatever mix you use semi-moist before transplant.
The dome you see is a cheapo Styrofoam cooler available from any grocery store for $2-$3. Toss the lid and cover with saran wrap with a 1/2 dozen 1/4" holes in it. What you see in the picture is a spare piece of plexi I have. It sits off centre to provide some venting. Simply set an open jar of water inside and close. The jar itself will keep the humidity at around 75%. If you don?t like this, just spray a couple times a day with plain water.
L showed itself almost overnight.
All were in the 320-watt veg area in roughly three weeks from cutting to final transplant.
That?s it, the easiest cloning method there is. No spraying, no overheating, no drying out, no hormones, just plant, light and water.
As with normal cloning, you immediately dip the cutting in the water for about 15 to 30 seconds, tweaking it to dislodge any air bubbles that may be present. But the biggest difference is, you won?t be removing the cutting from the water until it has roots big enough to support the foliage above. Make sure the cup, which contains the cutting, is opaque. This prevents the light from shining directly on the roots.
So far, I?ve mentioned the cuttings and the water, but the most important part is the light. I have made this method work 100% of the time simply by sitting my cuttings on a windowsill that receives no direct sunlight. In fact, slightly shaded would be even better. In the evenings (short days), I sit them on an end table over 7 feet from a ceiling mounted 100-watt incandescent bulb. At bedtime, I just turn off the lights like normal, and when I get up in the AM its back to the windowsill. During the longer daylight hours they can be left on the sill full time. Remember, no direct sunlight.
The picture shows my three cuttings in their water cups. M & L have barely an inch of water to sit in. Any more and it would cover one of the leaf stems. The smaller one stayed in the plastic because the stem was too short to sit in water and stay upright in the cup. Do what?s necessary to keep at least ½? of the stem in the water.
Notice the glass that diffuses light, an extra measure against too much light exposure.
The clones grew roots at far different speeds. S showed in seven days, with a small ¼? long root and another small protrusion.
By the time S?s roots reached this level of development (nine days), L was just putting out the first nubs that would be roots. M has shown no inclination of rooting at all. Searching for an answer, I changed the water in Ms cup, but I think it boils down too the thickness of the stem. Both M&L have the same size stem but L has far more foliage on top.
S is doing far better than the others (seen below) and M is finally starting to show.
M showed roots in 14 days and was planted on day 18.
This picture was taken just before transplant.
L showed roots on day 11 and was in soil at day 18.
This picture was taken just before transplant.
S showed roots at seven days and was in the soil at 15.
This picture was taken just before transplant.
Transplanting is as easy as it ever is. I use a pre-fertilized potting soil, mixed with 1/2 perlite. I like the clear cups as I can see how soon they can be removed from the humidity dome. Fill a 4 oz cup with soil mix and swirl a hole an inch deep in the top, insert the plants roots and cover.
DO NOT WATER!! Watering will actually delay the roots growth into the new medium. You want it almost dry below so they search for the moisture. Make whatever mix you use semi-moist before transplant.
The dome you see is a cheapo Styrofoam cooler available from any grocery store for $2-$3. Toss the lid and cover with saran wrap with a 1/2 dozen 1/4" holes in it. What you see in the picture is a spare piece of plexi I have. It sits off centre to provide some venting. Simply set an open jar of water inside and close. The jar itself will keep the humidity at around 75%. If you don?t like this, just spray a couple times a day with plain water.
L showed itself almost overnight.
All were in the 320-watt veg area in roughly three weeks from cutting to final transplant.
That?s it, the easiest cloning method there is. No spraying, no overheating, no drying out, no hormones, just plant, light and water.
mogie
Well-Known Member
ITEMS NEEDED:
PLANT!
matchstick or toothpick
tape
razor blade
rooting hormone (Clonex)
tweezers
plastic wrap
scissors
pin
(1)Sterilize all tools before using them.
(2)Cut a branch that is at least 1/8 inch thick with at least two nodes.
(3)Select area from which roots will sprout. This area needs to be midway up the main stem, with enough room on each side of the cut to fasten the bag.
(4)Use the Razor Blade to make a 1-2" lengthwise incision along the stem. Cut all the way through the bark, to which the phloem is attached. Don't cut into the xylem, which is the layer under the bark.
(5) A ring of bark is removed from around the stem. The phloem and cambium are attached to the inside of the bark, so when the bark is removed the phloem is also removed. This leaves the central cylinder of xylem and upward water flow unaffected.
(6)Get clonex and apply it to the exposed xylem. For increased stability, you may tape a toothpick or matchstick parrallel to the stem.
(7)With thumb get some grow medium. (perlite, peatmoss, whatever) Pack the wound carefully with the soil.
(
Attach plastic wrap below incision with tape. Tape the vertical seam where the ends meet. The effect of this should be a funnel shaped plastic wrap enclosure.
(9)Pack with grow medium. Be sure to leave enough "slack" at the top so that it may be taped to the stem above the incision.
(10)Fasten closed with tape.
(11)Use pin to create holes in around bag. This will allow soil to breath.
Use an eye dropper to keep the soil wet. Do this every day. After 2 weeks, your cutting will have roots and will be ready for propagation.
PLANT!
matchstick or toothpick
tape
razor blade
rooting hormone (Clonex)
tweezers
plastic wrap
scissors
pin
(1)Sterilize all tools before using them.
(2)Cut a branch that is at least 1/8 inch thick with at least two nodes.
(3)Select area from which roots will sprout. This area needs to be midway up the main stem, with enough room on each side of the cut to fasten the bag.
(4)Use the Razor Blade to make a 1-2" lengthwise incision along the stem. Cut all the way through the bark, to which the phloem is attached. Don't cut into the xylem, which is the layer under the bark.
(5) A ring of bark is removed from around the stem. The phloem and cambium are attached to the inside of the bark, so when the bark is removed the phloem is also removed. This leaves the central cylinder of xylem and upward water flow unaffected.
(6)Get clonex and apply it to the exposed xylem. For increased stability, you may tape a toothpick or matchstick parrallel to the stem.
(7)With thumb get some grow medium. (perlite, peatmoss, whatever) Pack the wound carefully with the soil.
(
Attach plastic wrap below incision with tape. Tape the vertical seam where the ends meet. The effect of this should be a funnel shaped plastic wrap enclosure. (9)Pack with grow medium. Be sure to leave enough "slack" at the top so that it may be taped to the stem above the incision.
(10)Fasten closed with tape.
(11)Use pin to create holes in around bag. This will allow soil to breath.
Use an eye dropper to keep the soil wet. Do this every day. After 2 weeks, your cutting will have roots and will be ready for propagation.
I have found that if time isn't a huge issue you can simply take your cutting, making sure you have nice angle to the tip, apply your rooting hormone and place it directly into the soil you plan to grow in. With high humidity (I use about 70%) and by watering often I see root growth within 10 days and am yet to lose a clone.
A couple of other interesting things I have found about rooting hormones:
These can be incredibly cheap or incredibly expensive and I have not seen any difference in what they accomplish. (For cheap ones try powders sold at your local nursery ~ $6 for enough to do about a hundred clones)
I germ using the old school wet paper towel method, but recently I have begun to add some rooting hormone powder to the water I soak the paper towel in. This seems to save me on average 2 days in germ and seems to produce stronger seedlings.
Also, by adding a tiny amount of rooting hormone powder to the water you are watering your planted clones with you may see a quicker time for root growth.
A couple of other interesting things I have found about rooting hormones:
These can be incredibly cheap or incredibly expensive and I have not seen any difference in what they accomplish. (For cheap ones try powders sold at your local nursery ~ $6 for enough to do about a hundred clones)
I germ using the old school wet paper towel method, but recently I have begun to add some rooting hormone powder to the water I soak the paper towel in. This seems to save me on average 2 days in germ and seems to produce stronger seedlings.
Also, by adding a tiny amount of rooting hormone powder to the water you are watering your planted clones with you may see a quicker time for root growth.