~star~crash~
Active member
the issue for me in my area for this time of year is keeping the cloner rez temps cool
-
Happy Birthday ICMag! Been 20 years since Gypsy Nirvana created the forum! We are celebrating with a 4/20 Giveaway and by launching a new Patreon tier called "420club". You can read more here.
-
Important notice: ICMag's T.O.U. has been updated. Please review it here. For your convenience, it is also available in the main forum menu, under 'Quick Links"!
Cloning GG#4
- Thread starter Spaventa
- Start date
LifeIsGrowing
Member
Actually light cycles can greatly affect cloning time depending on how acclimated the source cut got over time. I've seen a number of clones that will only root under 18/6. Alot of real OG's, for example, will just sit around basically doing nearly nothing but surviving under 24 hours, but at 18/6 it'll root in 10-12 days... Temps do make alot of difference but usually if you put a heat mat under your cloning tray, it doesn't really matter if the temps drop at night because all the heat and humidity is trapped in the dome and the heat mat provides any heat necessary directly to the roots...
Also I soak peat cubes for at least 12 hours in a cup with a small bit of hydrogen peroxide (3 drops per 18oz cup) to make sure your medium is free of any bacteria or fungal issues that may inhibit rooting... Squeeze excess moisture out of the plug (but leave enough to still be wet), then clone, gel, and directly into it.
Soaking cuts before placing them in the plug can actually cause bacterial issues because there's always bacteria in the air which will settle into the water, every time I tried to do it... I would get either a bacterial or fungal issue on the stems around the area it was soaked (not always but basically always) and that was with clean RO water.. Environments make a big difference and light cycles, but I've never seen a benefit to letting them soak unless they are super woody.
-Life
Also I soak peat cubes for at least 12 hours in a cup with a small bit of hydrogen peroxide (3 drops per 18oz cup) to make sure your medium is free of any bacteria or fungal issues that may inhibit rooting... Squeeze excess moisture out of the plug (but leave enough to still be wet), then clone, gel, and directly into it.
Soaking cuts before placing them in the plug can actually cause bacterial issues because there's always bacteria in the air which will settle into the water, every time I tried to do it... I would get either a bacterial or fungal issue on the stems around the area it was soaked (not always but basically always) and that was with clean RO water.. Environments make a big difference and light cycles, but I've never seen a benefit to letting them soak unless they are super woody.
-Life
I feel your pain.
My cloning is done via beer cups in the summer so I can change the water more often... Like daily.
~star~crash~
Active member
i'm using ice cubes for temporary relief ...lol
Cannabis is a C3 plant - it don't grow or root in the dark cos it can't. all they do in the dark is stretch looking for light. C4 plants can and do need dark in veg too but not Cannabis.
Also, the faster growth on 24 is fact. C3 plants do everything during light so any dark period at all reduces growth. the only thing they need dark for is to trigger flowering.
I was reading up on Phytochrome in Cannabis more than a decade ago and no new discoveries have been made AFAIK.
LifeIsGrowing
Member
While it's true that they don't do much in darkness... Some varieties do need that temporary switch between Pr and Pfr to release the proteins needed to root. It's been shown the phytochrome plays a role in seed germination which is where phytochrome proteins that are crucial to proper rooting take place, so I don't see why it would be any different when a clone is taking root. All I know is I've tried alot of different methods over the years and if I take True or SFV cuts and try to root them under 24 hours of light then they either never root or take 20+ days.. But if I switch it to 20/4(or 18/6), it magically roots in 10 days, sooo it's definitely playing a role.
-Life
The reason why is that a seedling isn't mature and won't produce auxins no matter how much phytochrome accumulates, if it accumulates at all. A clone from a mature plant will accumulate phytochrome and that stimulates production of auxins which inhibit root development. This is why clones from flowering plants on 12/12 don't root.
heatherlonglee
Active member
Hey guys! Reading through the thread here. Looking at Star Crash's posted photos I'd say maybe the problem is taking cuts and not going into the new medium immediately. A fresh cut clone starts to feel it fast when cut. A cutting should be done one at a time, placed into a new moist medium and put under lights immediately after cutting it off the plant.
You need fluorescent lights for clones. I like the cool white variety. I've had success with cfl, and t-5 or equivalent styles.
Clones need a dark period! I get better results with cloning using a 3-4 hour dark period. This isn't a real plant yet. The dark period is for the clone to rest and rehydrate. The rise and fall of temperature/humidity when lights go off then back to lights on makes the clones/plants happy.
Spray the top of medium with a spray bottle mister, enough to get thoroughly wet; twice a day first 2-3 days, then go to misting once a day. Use this as your water method for the first week. Use RO water with a low ppm 200-350 grow nutrient and a small amount of liquid rooting hormone, I use 1/3 the recomended rate on rooting hormone. Use a medium with no nutrients, starter nutrients ok.
You need fluorescent lights for clones. I like the cool white variety. I've had success with cfl, and t-5 or equivalent styles.
Clones need a dark period! I get better results with cloning using a 3-4 hour dark period. This isn't a real plant yet. The dark period is for the clone to rest and rehydrate. The rise and fall of temperature/humidity when lights go off then back to lights on makes the clones/plants happy.
Spray the top of medium with a spray bottle mister, enough to get thoroughly wet; twice a day first 2-3 days, then go to misting once a day. Use this as your water method for the first week. Use RO water with a low ppm 200-350 grow nutrient and a small amount of liquid rooting hormone, I use 1/3 the recomended rate on rooting hormone. Use a medium with no nutrients, starter nutrients ok.
Ok I am running a test..I just cut 5 GG clones yesterday. Going to see how long and percentage I get. All I did was 45 cut scrap dip in powder and in homemade areocloner. Water has just a lil bloom and hygrozyme, no idea of water temp because I don't really care but lets say its warm since it runs 24/7. Light is 24/7 2ft florescent
i always take clones 7-10 days into flower ,it makes the stems hardier and they stand up better ,
just aquired the gg4 so will let you know how she responds when i clone her
Mayhem84
Member
i always take clones 7-10 days into flower ,it makes the stems hardier and they stand up better ,
just aquired the gg4 so will let you know how she responds when i clone her
She should b quite easy mate i get roots of in 13 days just using jiffy pellets and mist the dome every 4 or 5 days.
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
In reality, they often root a bit quicker. Too late in flower can trigger a reveg period. The further into flower, the more difficult it becomes to root.
Are you sure, mate?
This cut was taken from a plant that had flowered around 6 weeks, if i remember it right. It took around 3 weeks+ to show roots, but rooted eventually.
7-10 days is the window ,,been doing this for many years ,,they do root quicker ,,and i always take clones from the bottom not the top ,,
don't overdo the rooting gel or powder ,,use just enough to seal the cut ..
healthy mum equals healthy babies ,,its the circle of life ,,
to be honest u can just chop the end off and stick straight in a pot
.
Are you sure, mate?
This cut was taken from a plant that had flowered around 6 weeks, if i remember it right. It took around 3 weeks+ to show roots, but rooted eventually.
View Image
hardy fuckers aint they lol
Thats a different reality to the one the rest of us live in - google it and see how many people advocate taking cuts from flowering plants vs how many evidence the fact that at best, it takes an age and at worst, the cuts all fail.
I can only conclude that in your case, there are variables at work that you are not aware of - thats the only plausible explanation for your experience.
What I mean is, that theres obviously something you were doing that slowed the the cuttings you took from plants in veg, if they rooted slower than ones from a flowering plant. Do a properly controlled side by side with the mothers in veg and flower and you will change your mind about whats roots quicker.
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
Interesting, I look all over the net and back through 15 years of experience. I see a significant number of examples to back up what I posted. I'd say the majority have experienced the same as myself.
Keep growing.
Keep growing.
