Thinking about clones

[mrgrynch]

I have several different types of seeds and my current grow is from seed. I've read a ton about cloning which is appealing to me because of controlled genetics and short veg times, however, I only have one grow environment and it seems to me that clones cannot be stored/preserved the way seeds can.

Am I correct in this understanding? Can clones be stored for long periods of time without potting? If so, how, considering my single grow tent.

Thanks!
-G

 

[StoneyK]

Nope.
Thats why you keep a mother

 

[stoned-trout]

clones can go into stasis I think is the word..unrooted clones in a baggie or glass of water in the fridge...I have never tested how long tho ... I believe I have had some for around a month in fridge but never kept track... make em extra long so you can recut before rooting.... eventually they turn to mush...cant store em as long as seeds tho.. not even close.... making a small spot for clones would be your best bet... altho seed plants yield more than clones IMHO

 

[its trypp]

As Stoney said, low shelf life is generally why you keep a mother plant to make clones if you aren't going to root and grow the clones right away. You also risk higher chance of a plant herming from stress trying to keep the clone for so long, as well as other disease. Seeds will also be more reliable in the sense that if you plant straight into final pot there will never be a transfer shock to the plant, and no loss in growth days. All in all there are pro's and cons to each.

 

[meadowman]

i've forgotten em for bout 3 months with no rooting issues.

 

[mrgrynch]

i've forgotten em for bout 3 months with no rooting issues.

You've stored clones for 3 months? Can you elaborate on your process? You mention no rooting issues. I assume that means that you are storing straight cuttings.

The previous poster's mention of keeping a mother plant is not consistent with my original statement that I only have one grow environment, so keeping a mother is not an option.

 

[SooperSmurph]

Revegging your favorite plant from the batch, and then cloning her, would be another option.

 

[mrgrynch]

Revegging your favorite plant from the batch, and then cloning her, would be another option.

At what point would I take the cutting? Right before harvest? I assume this would only work if I wanted to turn around and grow the same strain, correct?

 

[mrgrynch]

clones can go into stasis I think is the word..unrooted clones in a baggie or glass of water in the fridge...I have never tested how long tho ... I believe I have had some for around a month in fridge but never kept track... make em extra long so you can recut before rooting.... eventually they turn to mush...cant store em as long as seeds tho.. not even close.... making a small spot for clones would be your best bet... altho seed plants yield more than clones IMHO

Thanks, stoney.. I was just attracted to the controlled genetics and shorter veg times for clones, but I guess its really only useful for certain setups

 

[its trypp]

Yes, clones are always going to be the same strain as the mother plant. But as Smurph noted, you can harvest and reveg the original plant. There are some debates on the effectiveness of this, as cloning is a much simpler process and often times faster. And usually when you take clones its during veg not during bloom, although there is a technique called monster cropping where you make clones out of cuttings in bloom. These produce really funky ass plants that definitely deserve the term "monster", but from what I have read on the process there is a high failure rate of the clones. Anyways got a little off topic :3

 

[mrgrynch]

Yes, clones are always going to be the same strain as the mother plant. But as Smurph noted, you can harvest and reveg the original plant. There are some debates on the effectiveness of this, as cloning is a much simpler process and often times faster. And usually when you take clones its during veg not during bloom, although there is a technique called monster cropping where you make clones out of cuttings in bloom. These produce really funky ass plants that definitely deserve the term "monster", but from what I have read on the process there is a high failure rate of the clones. Anyways got a little off topic :3

Its still with respect to cloning, and obviously knowing the options for when to cut is beneficial to me with only a single grow environment. Its all good! Thanks, Trypp!

 

[Snype]

In the past when I used to prune some of my VEG plants, I'd take clones that were about 5" longer than I wanted and rapped up the stems in a damp paper tower in tupperware and left it in the fridge for 30 days. When I take them out of the fridge I cut off some of the old stem and take my cuts.

 

[its trypp]

No problem lol. Heres a few awesome links I know your original post was to for advice on what to do about having vacations and whatnot preventing a proper soil grow, so hopefully these links can help you out.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=16647
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=115377
http://gardenpool.org/online-classes/how-to-make-a-simple-aeroponics-system

There are some other great threads but yeah.

 

[its trypp]

Good info to have Snype

 

[mrgrynch]

No problem lol. Heres a few awesome links I know your original post was to for advice on what to do about having vacations and whatnot preventing a proper soil grow, so hopefully these links can help you out.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=16647
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=115377
http://gardenpool.org/online-classes/how-to-make-a-simple-aeroponics-system

There are some other great threads but yeah.

Thanks Trypp! This is some good stuff! I am intrigued by monster cloning.

 

[its trypp]

Yeah, monster cropping what I am going to TRY to do with the grow after the one coming up, as my upcoming grow is made up of mostly Autoflowers lol. But the strawberry blue I am growing is a fem photoperiod seed, so will be cloning her when she gets to a 25-30 days inside the bud cycle. I added you to contacts btw so I will keep you updated if youd like on how that goes.

 

[mojave green]

in flower, just snip the very lowest branches with the smallest, airiest buds for cloning.

 

[its trypp]

Thanks for the good advice mojave

 

[mrgrynch]

Yeah, monster cropping what I am going to TRY to do with the grow after the one coming up, as my upcoming grow is made up of mostly Autoflowers lol. But the strawberry blue I am growing is a fem photoperiod seed, so will be cloning her when she gets to a 25-30 days inside the bud cycle. I added you to contacts btw so I will keep you updated if youd like on how that goes.

That sounds good, man!