Are cloners worth it?

I’m learning about taking clones and whatnot and I run across cloner machines.
Are they worth it? Isn’t it the same as using some clonex and some plugs?

I just stick them in rockwool with out any cloning gel.

I made my own cloning machine flrnlkke $20. And t was hella worth it.

Small Rubbermaid bin. Air pump with air stones. And poof. Got a dwc clone machine. Just need to check the water level daily. And sometimes top it up every 2-3 days. Works well.

Hi TreeFiddy,
They seem to be one of those things that some hate and some love. Plants can have soil roots and water roots (fatter). My feeling is that if you do lots of clones for hydro...then a cloner might be a good idea. The water roots will then be immediately hydro ready.

But if growing in soil/coco/soiless I just use little peat pots. I use rockwool for my hydro plants.
JD

I built one. Bought a waterproof plastic tote and wrapped it in plastic, cut a a bunch of holes in the lid to fit mini net pots with neoprene collars, got an old pump and ran it into a 1/2" PVC rectangle with 20ish sprayer nozzles on it. With an aquarium heater set at 70, I have only had 2 clones not root within a week in the past 3 years. I don't clonex the cuttings, but do pour about half a shotglass full into the container when I turn it on.

They'll live happily in it for up to a month before they start clogging the pump, sometimes I need to make use of every day of that to have room to put them into their soil pots.

Some people like them. I made one years ago but it was a hassle. It worked but no better than cloning in coco. Plus with coco I don't have to worry about water, pumps, and the space it takes up. I went to coco for everything. Years of flood and drain, reservoirs, pumps, etc... I don't have time for all that. If you are set on cloning with one just make your own. It's really easy. Here is what I made.

I like cloning machines. Made a lot of clones with rapid rooters. With rapid rooters your always having to check on them. Making sure their moist enough but not dry. Rapidrooter cloning is like baby sitting 24/7 for up to two weeks.

With cloning machines it’s like set it and forget it.

One thing to keep in mind with cloning machines, is that it’s imperative between each cloning round, the cloning machine needs to be thoroughly cleaned with a bleach solouton.

If you don’t clean and bleach it, your machine will not perform like you will want it to and like the first round you used it.

Like anything read up as much as you can about using a cloning machine.

JohnDee said:

Hi TreeFiddy,
They seem to be one of those things that some hate and some love. Plants can have soil roots and water roots (fatter). My feeling is that if you do lots of clones for hydro...then a cloner might be a good idea. The water roots will then be immediately hydro ready.

But if growing in soil/coco/soiless I just use little peat pots. I use rockwool for my hydro plants.
JD

Click to expand...

Yeah that’s what I was starting to think when I started seeing the comments. I’ll prob just stick to coco and soil for now instead of trying to learn everything at once. Thanks for the input JD!

digging said:

I like cloning machines. Made a lot of clones with rapid rooters. With rapid rooters your always having to check on them. Making sure their moist enough but not dry. Rapidrooter cloning is like baby sitting 24/7 for up to two weeks.

With cloning machines it’s like set it and forget it.

One thing to keep in mind with cloning machines, is that it’s imperative between each cloning round, the cloning machine needs to be thoroughly cleaned with a bleach solouton.

If you don’t clean and bleach it, your machine will not perform like you will want it to and like the first round you used it.

Like anything read up as much as you can about using a cloning machine.

Click to expand...

Yeah I’ll prob hold off for now I guess. When you use rapid rooters, do you use them for coco or hydro? Or soil?

JohnDee said:

Hi TreeFiddy,
They seem to be one of those things that some hate and some love. Plants can have soil roots and water roots (fatter). My feeling is that if you do lots of clones for hydro...then a cloner might be a good idea. The water roots will then be immediately hydro ready.

But if growing in soil/coco/soiless I just use little peat pots. I use rockwool for my hydro plants.
JD

Click to expand...

I used mine when I was growing in hydroton. But when I went to coco I just started cloning in coco and found that it works very well. I agree with you regarding the method of growing. For hydro a cloner makes sense. But for other methods like soil/coco I think it's better to clone in a similar medium. But everyone has their preferences. As long as you get roots that's all that matters.

TreeFiddy350 said:

I’ll prob just stick to coco and soil for now instead of trying to learn everything at once.

Click to expand...

I had been growing 20 years before trying hydro. Later when the coco thing was starting there were lots of seedling/clone failures because of residual Na+. But with properly prepared coco coir...you can do it all.

I just looked at my clone area and had to laugh. Seems like I've been cloning in whatever's most handy. Got 1 in peat puck, several in peat pots filled with coco and the rest in rockwool.. Plus I have a couple in water on a windowsill like Grandma used to do it. And happy to help TF.
Cheers,
JD

JohnDee said:

I had been growing 20 years before trying hydro. Later when the coco thing was starting there were lots of seedling/clone failures because of residual Na+. But with properly prepared coco coir...you can do it all.

I just looked at my clone area and had to laugh. Seems like I've been cloning in whatever's most handy. Got 1 in peat puck, several in peat pots filled with coco and the rest in rockwool.. Plus I have a couple in water on a windowsill like Grandma used to do it. And happy to help TF.
Cheers,
JD

Click to expand...

Lol I never had success with the the cup of water. I had one live for about 2 weeks. But no roots lol.

I made one out of 5 gallon bucket ,really didn’t cost very much penny’s,mind you was only testing how well they work first test had roots in around 12 days ,doing second test now with late flower clones see how long it will take , using pool shock only with water,first time I used rockwool as collars ,this time getting fancy made some out of kneeling pad from dollar store lol

The last time I cloned with rapid rooters it was into soil. I have put rapid rooters in hydroton before too.

Rapid rooters give a little bit more stability when initially planting into soil then just a clone out of a cloning machine, but a clone out of a cloning machine into soil works fine.

NGA said:

I made one out of 5 gallon bucket ,really didn’t cost very much penny’s,mind you was only testing how well they work first test had roots in around 12 days ,doing second test now with late flower clones see how long it will take , using pool shock only with water,first time I used rockwool as collars ,this time getting fancy made some out of kneeling pad from dollar store lol

Click to expand...

I made an aero-cloner out of a 5-gallon bucket as well, I think total cost was somewhere around $35-40. I went the easy route and picked up neoprene collars from my local hydro store. Ended up with 14 sites. It works really well for me. If I don't have time to transplant the clones I can just leave them in the aero-cloner as long as needed.

TreeFiddy350 said:

I’m learning about taking clones and whatnot and I run across cloner machines.
Are they worth it? Isn’t it the same as using some clonex and some plugs?

Click to expand...

Yes and no. But well worth having one in your arsenal.
If you haven't got cloning down pat then a machine is very valuable.
If you are doing lots of clones then its also easier and less work. Just set em up and come back 7 days later kind of thing.
If you are proficient in cloning and only doing a few cuts at a time and can check on them everyday then just doing it manually is easier.

I’m going on 7 days in the bubble dwc cloner without roots yet. But everything seems healthy. If it takes 12 days it’s worth it. Don’t need to mist. Don’t need to do anything. Just make sure my stems are getting water it’s the easiest way to clone I think. I did soil and it took over 3 weeks to get roots and I had 3 die and 2 rooted. These clones you can make for cheap and just plop your cutting in their and let it be.