curious about effect of cuttings being submerged in water for a couple hours

I took some cuttings two weeks ago, dipped in clonex gel and popped em into some rockwool. I usually have no issues getting cuttings to root just using plain water but the leaves get very discolored toward the end in what I assume is nutrient deficiency. So, to combat this problem I decided to start using a light nutrient solution (GO BioRoot, added a little 'great white' mycho/beneficials in hopes of getting an early colonization since i had a free sample lying around) toward the end of the rooting process.

Problem is to apply the solution I submerged the cubes in it (just up to the top of the small cubes) and stepped otu of the room for a minute, only to fall asleep on the couch and wake up 6/7 hours later to my clones still completely submerged in water.

I have ZERO experience growing hydro (usually pop the cubes right into an organic soil mix) so I'm not sure how bad this is... I assume any of the small roots that had grown would've drowned not having oxygen but I'm not entirely sure if that's the case. Should I cut some more clones now or do you think I might be alright? I dissected the smallest cutting's cube and noticed above the cube that a rootlet had grown but within the cube there was nothing but the brownish-looking cap on the stem where it was cut. The cuttings themselves are all still a healthy green.

Anyway just wondering if anyone had some expertise on just how long a cutting/early roots can stay submerged without killing the roots.

I would think they will be fine.
But I would try to remove excess water from the rockwool.
For cloning rockwool should not be too wet as this will slow rooting.
I also think that the discoloration is because they are taking too long.
I was having problems cloning resulting in discolored leaves and slow growth throughout flowering. (No veg time)
Really frustrating.
I have fixed the environmental conditions and now am producing nice green clones with fast growing roots.
Check out https://www.rollitup.org/hydroponics-aeroponics/15030-batch-clones-rockwool.html
I learned from this and ditched my cloner. Props to Al B. Fuct

Nice large cuts, DAMP 1.5" Rockwool cubes, plain tap water, 24/0 light (not intense, I use a 2 foot T5 over each tray), warm humid environment. (get a heat mat)
I converted a set of plastic storage shelves into a multi-level cloning chamber. Works awesome. Maybe I will start a thread about it with pics.

i use KLN by dyna grow and t5 6500k 1 foot away. when taking cuts i leave cuts soaked in water for a few mins to get air pockets out before dipping into the clonex and putting into my cloning medium. rockwool is always presoaked and pH adjusted, and then i rid of moisture when there is too much by wicking it away with paper towels/cardboard

The discoloration you speak of.. are you referring to them going semi/slightly yellowish in color? If so, that means it's gobbling up everything it can to produce the start of a healthy root system and should by no means be modified or hit with nutes unless you're absolutely certain that there's other issues in play that need a re-balance, and that the clone(s) in question can take it without keeling over.

My .02

The discoloration was usually more than just mild yellowing... would eventually red/brown the tips of the leaves and start workign toward the middle until the root were established and new growth began. anyway i wasn't tossing heavy nutrients at it, just a light feeding of gen organics "bioroot" toward the end to get em going.

thanks for the advice, in general I've been keeping my rockwool soaked (they're not standing in water but i keep it full saturated) so I'll see what letting up on that a little bit does on the next round.

Anyway they seem to be fine still, just slow.

JackStrawFromWichita said:

The discoloration was usually more than just mild yellowing... would eventually red/brown the tips of the leaves and start workign toward the middle until the root were established and new growth began. anyway i wasn't tossing heavy nutrients at it, just a light feeding of gen organics "bioroot" toward the end to get em going.

thanks for the advice, in general I've been keeping my rockwool soaked (they're not standing in water but i keep it full saturated) so I'll see what letting up on that a little bit does on the next round.

Anyway they seem to be fine still, just slow.

Click to expand...

You could go light, and I do mean light... perhaps 1/8th normal feed (of which if a full strength for that strain as you know or may have researched in some fashion is 50%.. you'd hit it with 1/16 if you really felt it needed a slight nudge.. just watch the root condition and make sure they're cooperating/behaving with you.

In my experience soaked rockwool always slows them. probably why discoloured .