[Drop That Sound]

This will be my first time attempting this method, on a large plant. I want to take out all the branches in the center to clear more room for the scrog nets. Some are pretty large, but i've seen it done on other threads.

So anyway my questions are:

1. Is rooting hormone really required? I see many sources claiming you do not need it for this method, and it might even slow down root development, not for cannabis plants though but just in general...

2. I have smaller grodan rockwool cubes, should I soak them in 5.5 ph'd RO water first with some clonex, or just mist them and then wrap around the stems with plastic wrap? Figured I could double them up on the biggest branches I need cloned.

3. Should I run down and buy some clone gel or rooting hormone and also some Rapid Rooters or peat moss to use instead of rockwool? I ran out of all that stuff and don't want to use any old bottles of clone gel laying around.

4. I know there's a few threads, but can anyone give me some pointers for doing extra large size clones? I think I might need something bigger to wrap em with, maybe a cut pot with some coco? The tallest branch will become the new mom.


Hoping the large clones can be ready to go in one month to run along side their single plant RDWC monster mother!

[Grow Tech]

I've done small-ish air layers using rapid rooters but always used moss for larger ones. I've never pH'ed the water I used to moisten either one but it doesn't sound like a bad idea.
What i have found is that the tighter the wrap the better. Thay means you squeeze out a lot of the water your medium is holding as you do your wrap. With that in mind, I'd throughly moisten whatever medium you use.
I personally would use gel. My understanding is that the gels promote root initiation but in large amounts retard root growth....that could just be Bro Science though

[Drop That Sound]

Update: Stopped by the local shop and picked up some root-tech gel. The clonex guy rolled through there earlier too and my buddy that works there hooked it up! Got some free clonex stickers, 100 pack of root riot plugs, couple packs of clonex root maximizer, a cool plastic clonex tray and some other goodies.

I plan on using the root riots, and thought maybe on the biggest cuts I want to take, to use 3 plugs wrapped around it instead of just one cut like a hot dog bun. From what i've read I'm worried the roots from a huge cutting like that will suck 1 plug dry in no time. I'll use zip ties to hold the 3 plugs together tight around the stalk. Then cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes for air.

I got a 10 ml syringe to inject water and clonex solution when needed. The plugs are already moist so i'm choosing not to soak them, and wait until wrapped to inject any water, so It doesn't make a mess dripping everywhere.

Will update with pics soon, about to go for it. Going to do about 15-20 layers and take out a huge section from the middle of the plant! Also going to so some on the bottom suckers that get no light.

As of now my only real questions are:

1. Should I back off on the lighting or just keep going full blast (8 lamp t5)?

2. Should I use plain water or add some clonex solution before I hydrate the plugs, figuring small 500ml batches so like 2.5 ml of solution to the bottle of water, sound good?

[Big CLones]

Just a word or two of encouragement....

I havent taken a normal clone in months....

All me clones come from air layering......

WHy more folks dont to it is somewhat of a mystery to me.....

Good Luck....

[Drop That Sound]

Update 2: Finally got around to it a week ago, hoping to see some roots by next weekend! Been injecting the plugs with about .5 to 1 ml of either plain water or light clonex solution every other day. It was back breaking work bending way out over a large flat plant in the middle to do the surgeries, but must be done as I have less than 6 ft ceiling in the room.

I Have been pony tailing the branches around, which are all mostly the plants tops, so that light gets underneath them where the scrog net will soon sit. Working good and the underbrush is liking it! It makes sooo much sense to me now, to air layer if you like to grow huge single plants scrog style, I would of had to waste so many branches in the center that overgrew, to keep her in check.

I thought about stringing some Xmas lights around the root plugs with a temp controller to help keep them warm and speed up the process, let me know if anyone thinks it would work?

Looking at the size and amount of clones I'll be taking, is probably at least 25-30% of the total plant mass (not including the roots), so I will take the smaller cuts first and hold off on the large new mom branch, and the bigger ones till towards the end of say a week from taking the first few off. Just keep them propped up and scrog around them and cut later so I don't stress the plant out too bad.. by taking to much at once. Not sure if it matters to the plant when it comes to air layering with extra roots vs just cutting but seems like the best approach. Will be swapping for HPS and flipping by the time I cut the last big clones.

Thanks and will be back with an update next weekend, until then here is some pictures from last weekends operation:

[Drop That Sound]

A few more:

[Drop That Sound]

Update 3: BOOM! Most bad ass thing i've seen lately, all my air layers are rooting like crazy. Some are as big if not bigger than 2+ month old plants, must say that I am very happy! Took a little longer than I thought it would but then again it's been freezing lately and temps and humidity have been real low in the room. A few of them turned yellow and appear to have a mag deficiency but I think they will be fine.

The smallest one has the most roots so far and will will be cut first, probably just cut all the smallest ones right away. As for the rest I am going to add some coco around the plugs to make darn well sure they can support themselves before I cut, then toss a plastic grocery sack over each individual clone right after I do and keep a close eye on them.

Be back soon with more updates and pics!

[Big CLones]

As I said....Im not sure why more people arent doing air layering....

I havent taken a clone in months......I dont think Im that stupid.....

Like you I started with rooter plugs....

I then got rid of the plugs and moved to plastic wrap and coco.... 3 or 4 times the volume of the plug....

One thing you might consider...... I do a nice sized bundle of coco..... then when it has some roots..... transplant to a one liter bottle..... the transplant is done with the air layer still attached to mom....Im ok with the additional time expanding its roots.....

The larger air layer the more careful you need to have enough roots for a smooth transition to a plant.....

Funny..... some plants consume its biggest leaves.....and some show no damage at all....

[Drop That Sound]

I am definitely a fan of your work...

How does a mini resealed cup dwc air layer sound? I am going to drop a few of them in buckets but still planning to use coco on most, but thought I might try a hydro air layer before one gets chopped. Was thinking hot glue to seal around the stalk and cup. I burn myself with hot glue all the time so I think the lower stalk can handle it too

I am totally open to other experimentation if anyone has any suggestions.

Unfortunately I don't see the cuts and prop tech area of the forum receiving a whole lot of traffic so many probably won't ever even see this thread, but that's cool.

Oh and here is some pics from a few weeks ago showing how I've been pony tailing most the air clones to prepare for the scrog net.

[Drop That Sound]

Also though about just sticking a branch down in the res, to see if its possible to root out the very de-leafed tip of a branch, making the actual cut the new top, and forcing the clone to grow upside down if that makes sense. Maybe the lower leaves would flip upside down on there own as they become the new top. Mad science!