[Big CLones]

Originally Posted by Drop That Sound

I am definitely a fan of your work...

You know who I am????

SOmehow one of the folks up the food chain decided to lock me out of my account and it didnt set all that well with me....

I was working on an air layering thread.....which I refuse to finish unless I get my account back.....

[Drop That Sound]

Ya it totally occurred to me today, I posted there in hopes of support and looks like I got my wish but didn't know it till now lol. It seems like the most beneficial people on here always get the boot or disappear for some reason. Higher up's obviously have ties with companies that could go out of business if more people knew how simply our ancestors did it.

I have no qualms at this point about waiting to put the screen on, and proud of my new skill. Seeing the roots come out of "1/2 and bigger stalks is even better than a harvest to me for some reason?

I killed or gave away all my little cuttings that I was working on, and my super hybrid DIY cloning machine just sits unused now. All you really need is a small area with a mother plant and a light and some plugs it seems. Kill 3 birds with one stone

I am also going to air layer and learn to graft about 20 medium/large fruit trees that need to removed on a property starting this spring. Every branch will be a new tree! Thats like +1000 trees that will be selectively spread back over 10 acres. The remaining 1/2 acre or so plot will be turned into organic farm land and green houses after the stumps get pulled out. They are interfering with power and water lines after 10 years so have to go sadly, but with this method they will all be saved! At least the best growing ones, including a variety of apples, pears, peaches, etc.

I hope you do get it back, and thanks for the encouragement!

[Betterhaff]

What’s the old saying…if it ain’t broke don’t fix. But with that logic how do you know if there’s not a better way?

In regards to the rooting hormone, it’s my understanding that its affects are almost immediate (absorption) and less is better than more. You mentioned you fed with a clonex solution throughout the rooting process, what was the concentration or was it straight?

Also, congrats on your success.

[Drop That Sound]

Betterhaff: Thank you, not expecting 100% on the 11 layers but would be awesome!

They say to use 5-10ml per liter so i started at like 2 or 3 ml per, sometimes just plain water as I figured there are probably some residuals.

Went pretty light on the root-tech gel just enough to skim coat it before the plugs went on. I did scrape some skin just above the girdles on most the air layers. Even tried a few different ways of removing the bark but forgot now which ones as I didn't document everything like I should have.

I have now upped it to 5ml per liter and adding a drop or 2 of Rapid start. I have to make a run to pickup up coco tomorrow, they are sucking the plugs within the day on the ones I only used one plug now. Wish I just used my 3 plug technique on all but honestly I don't even like "root rots" because they seem to attract mildew and sometimes pests in my experience after transplanting to whatever hydro mediums I was using.

I am going to possibly be the first here to attempt a micro DWC air layer while still attached to the mom, with a super small air pump and stone, or just pump from the res up to the cup like a constant running ebb and flow, and a mini drain line back to the rest again. I do have a little air lift pump https://www.amazon.com/Aquarium-Lift...=air+lift+pump that would work good for something like that.

We shall see how it go's, I must get them more medium ASAP!

[Betterhaff]

Interesting, so you’re diluting the rootech gel. As I mentioned before I was under the impression that rooting hormones affect the plant pretty quick so it’s not necessary to use a lot, but this was pertaining to powders. But if what you are doing is working, that’s all that matters.

[Drop That Sound]

Originally Posted by Betterhaff

Interesting, so you’re diluting the rootech gel. As I mentioned before I was under the impression that rooting hormones affect the plant pretty quick so it’s not necessary to use a lot, but this was pertaining to powders. But if what you are doing is working, that’s all that matters.

Oh I was using the root tech gel as needed, It was the bottle of clonex solution (not clonex gel, didn't buy that because it comes in a plastic bag!?) that I was using with water to inject in. That is I brushed on the hormone first, and used clonex solution as well to keep the plugs wet with. Sorry for any confusion.

Update: I was trying to save money and bought a 5kg brick of coco gro, instead of the pre bagged stuff that cost almost 2 times as much and ends up being like 1/3 the amount. Haven't had a chance to saw off a chunk yet so I been having to inject clonex water like 2 times a day now.

Half the air layers are yellowing out on me but I see new green growth on the tips so they should be ok still. I went WAY to big on them for my first time I think. I had to keep the t5 on full blast because of temps, might have something to do with it. Its winter and I grow outside without much insulation in the rooms, not the best time to be cloning at all really. Room has been waaaay to low on temps and humidity. I'm talking like 50-65 degrees and 30-40 RH! Great for flowering not for vegging and cloning...

I'll get things done this weekend and report back!

[Betterhaff]

Got it, thanks for the clarification. Had me scratching my head a bit. With the cuts yellowing, maybe they could use a low dose of food, not getting enough from “mom” any more and they are now starting to utilize their own root system.

[Facelesdoll]

Has anyone else ever thought of using a candle stake? That way you can just split a little pop down the side into the center of the bottom and then you can actually make a potted plant with support coming up from the soil to that part of the Plant.

[Drop That Sound]

That seems like a good Idea Facelesdoll, you mean like a tiki torch pole? I grow hydro though so my plant is sitting in a 20 gallon tote and is over 6 feet wide. I'm just gonna hang strings to hold the plastic cup pots up tonight.

Betterhaff: I think I figured it out, I been using RO water from small drinking bottles and just realised it doesnt have any cal/mag in it. I Kinda figured the Clonex cutting AND seedling solution would take care of that and havent been PHing the water until now. Now im using a low nute dose (200-300ppm) and hoping I don't lose some of them that look real bad now.

Next time I will just use coco and really hit them with the right dose of nutes and probably skip the clonex altogether.

[Drop That Sound]

Update: Went ahead and cut the 2 smallest (but still big!) clones, they went straight into solo cups with coco, and into a 3.5 gallon bucket with plastic wrap on top for now. They look great

I'm wondering if I could of just cut them all and throw em in a bucket with an air stone and nutes, would make life sooo easy. I will be dedicating the one with the least amount of roots so far to try it out.

Probably will skip the DWC layer while still on the plant this time around, too much fooling around, the plant is still growing faster than I can take large branches off it seems! Cool with me though, as long as she stays flat. Not gonna have room for anymore plants this run so into a tent somewhere they will go, however a +2400 watt one plant scrog with 2 nets coming soon!