What's new
  • 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"!

Why cut nitrogen before taking cuts?

Floridian

Active member
Veteran
This is something I remember from OG that I really never understood.I take a couple cuts from near the bottom off each plant I want to replicate.If a plant doesn't get enough nitrogen,the very cuts you want may start to yellow,due to nitrogen depletion.I've never starved my plants of nitogen before taking cuts and wonder if anyone can make any sense of it.Thanks
 
I have never reduced nitrogen for cuts or do most of the "tricks" to root any type of plant, including marijuana. I use rooting gel, but have also used plain water many times with good success.

I have never und stood why many cut the tips off of healthy leaf growth on clones.
 

Floridian

Active member
Veteran
Thanks for replying W 721 I don't understand it either except to say it was big on OG for some reason nobody could ever explain well lol
 
Maybe it helps with certain cultivars that do not want to throw roots? Idk, but IMO, probably just a gimmick that worked for someone in their given environment and feed schedule.
 

MrBungle

Active member
sounds like old stoner tales... You want to take cuts from a healthy veg plant, and that requires a fair amount of nitrogen
 

Betterhaff

Well-known member
Veteran
It might be an old wives tale. It may also have some validity. What does a plant do when it's not receiving the proper nutrients? It uses what it has in it's stores. When taking cuts/clones what is it that the cut wants to do? Make roots. Why? To absorb moisture and nutrients.

As far as trimming leaves, that depends on the growing environment, mainly humidity. My understanding for trimming is to reduce surface area subject to transpiration.

Don't know if that made any sense and not really lending much to the science of it but it seems to work. I will admit I don't starve my plants just to take cuts, my view is the healthier the better.
 

Siever

Active member
Veteran
Weedaholic,

The reason people cut the tips is because like that the plants evaporates less water which is better for a plant without roots.
 
Any proof Seiver, I've never done it. From all I've seen from videos and such of others doing it, it seems to stunt the growth significantly. My clones always stay green with no color change and usually without any leaf damage or decay.
 

Mikell

Dipshit Know-Nothing
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Trimming leaves is a space concern as well. I pack my trays tight, without trimming it would be a hassle to remove/put on the dome.
 

PoweredByLove

Most Loved
while i don't do it myself the story is that you cut nitrogen or don't feed plants before you take cuts is that too much nitrogen stops the plant from wanting to root, phosporous aids root development. nitrogen is for the leaves. people who cut leaves mostly say it's to reduce transpiration. i however in my own real actual experience have found that this will probably only benefit large cuttings as i mostly take small cuts and they need to retain all the moisture they can get. when i cut the leaves they mostly die and rot away. when i leave the leaves on they start to fade yellow and that's how i know the plant is using food and growing roots.
 

Siever

Active member
Veteran
Well to tell you the truth, I've never taken cuts. I only wrote what I've read on the internet.
 

Betterhaff

Well-known member
Veteran
while i don't do it myself the story is that you cut nitrogen or don't feed plants before you take cuts is that too much nitrogen stops the plant from wanting to root, phosporous aids root development. nitrogen is for the leaves. people who cut leaves mostly say it's to reduce transpiration. i however in my own real actual experience have found that this will probably only benefit large cuttings as i mostly take small cuts and they need to retain all the moisture they can get. when i cut the leaves they mostly die and rot away. when i leave the leaves on they start to fade yellow and that's how i know the plant is using food and growing roots.
This is a thinker post.
 

944s2

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I also remember that from Jorge Cervantes grow bible!!
yeah moses! i remember that also :),
always take cuts from the bottom because i believed they were the most likely to root but have been told recently to totally ensure cuts are pathogen free then cuts need to be taken from the top of the plant?
why?,,i cant remember but hopefully someone will chime in,,s2
 

Dropped Cat

Six Gummi Bears and Some Scotch
Veteran
In my case, if cuttings root in a couple weeks that's okay.

In summer I root in plain water, in winter the tube wick method.

If a mum plant is healthy I get rooted cuttings, the only exception
would be an exceptional mum whose cuttings were hard to root.

I do micro for personal stash, so curious to hear the pro growers
take on dropping N to get cuttings to root.

Thunk cutting in plain water:

picture.php
 

epicseeds

Member
Weedaholic,

The reason people cut the tips is because like that the plants evaporates less water which is better for a plant without roots.

I never trim leaves and in fact I want all the plant matter I can get when cloning in a tray with rockwool. If i dont have enough plant matter I will spray the top lid heavily as well as the leaves and just dont touch anything for 4 days minimum. You want it really humid in there during the beginning and then slowly allow it to escape after day 5 and make the roots seek out water as they grow.

I usually do a checkered board of about 20 in a standard tray and have near 100% success rate depending on how healthy and juicy the cuts are. I never cut N beforehand.

However, I do want to note that I presoak my rockwool with straight bloom base nutes in very low concentrations. I found the P and K helps with roots.
 

Floridian

Active member
Veteran
I don't think cuts from near the top would root any better than the bottom.I just use what I would trim off anyway, those top cuts are beefy bohemith flowers in the end.
 
Top