[Dday391]

So I had an idea but I'm not sure it will work and was hoping for some wise input. Due to living arrangements setting up a veg and cloning op for this year is mostly out of the question. My question for the guerrillas is on the viability of outdoor cloning. My idea is to take 1 gallon jugs and cut the tops off and put on screen over the top like for windows to keep bugs out and let train in, also have holes on the sides for drainage about 1.5 to 2 inches from the bottom. I figure if I use the peat pots the 2 inches of water I leave after taking the clones will wick into the already moist soil and in about a week or so I can come back and bury the pots into the holes that will be already ready. I can go the route of cloning in and taking them out but I am curious if this is just me thinking too much when I'm high or not lol. Any advice on how I can make this work would surely be appreciated as well as any advice on how it will fail. Thanks in advance

[DuskrayTroubador]

Originally Posted by Dday391

So I had an idea but I'm not sure it will work and was hoping for some wise input. Due to living arrangements setting up a veg and cloning op for this year is mostly out of the question. My question for the guerrillas is on the viability of outdoor cloning. My idea is to take 1 gallon jugs and cut the tops off and put on screen over the top like for windows to keep bugs out and let train in, also have holes on the sides for drainage about 1.5 to 2 inches from the bottom. I figure if I use the peat pots the 2 inches of water I leave after taking the clones will wick into the already moist soil and in about a week or so I can come back and bury the pots into the holes that will be already ready. I can go the route of cloning in and taking them out but I am curious if this is just me thinking too much when I'm high or not lol. Any advice on how I can make this work would surely be appreciated as well as any advice on how it will fail. Thanks in advance

You're a fucking genius regarding putting screens on top of your milk gallon greenhouses to keep bugs out but let rain in. Motherfucker I wish I would've thought of that a long time ago. I owe you a great deal of thanks, good sir.

That said, I've never fucked around with cloning. I grow from seeds every time. I can't quite picture your setup as you've described it, but if I were you I'd cut the bottoms off of the gallons as well. When I plant, I plant germinated seeds with little 'greenhouses' on top that the sprouts grow into. The peat pots sound like a good idea, but if I were you I'd put those in the ground and then just put the greenhouse (with the bottom cut off) on top of it. That way you don't have to worry about drainage/transplanting.

[Gantz]

You know, air-layering is also an option. You pretty much root your clone on the motherplant.
Look into it

Peace!!!

[Rodehazrd]

Originally Posted by Gantz

You know, air-layering is also an option. You pretty much root your clone on the motherplant.
Look into it

Peace!!!

How did you do that ? I have herd of it but never tried It seemed like a lot of extra work compared to just cutting clones.

[Dday391]

Duskray the idea came from my lack of seeds at the moment lol. The drainage on the sides in theory would allow water to accumulate up to about 2 inches and keep the soil moist so the cuttings won't dry out. I have used gallons before like you described but ive had to monitor moisture weekly because the top would keep water out mostly. Gantz I've looked into layering and it seems like a good option I'm thinking of trying it out. I learned about layering from silverbacks thread on yield increasing planting method. He describes regular layering and air layering is essentially the same concept just on the plant above ground right? I'll be looking into it for sure! I'm really just trying to stretch the few seeds I do have to the maximum and I don't have the option to grow a massive plant in my back yard so I gotta make it guerilla style and get whatever I can. Thank you all for the input

[DuskrayTroubador]

Originally Posted by Dday391

Duskray the idea came from my lack of seeds at the moment lol. The drainage on the sides in theory would allow water to accumulate up to about 2 inches and keep the soil moist so the cuttings won't dry out. I have used gallons before like you described but ive had to monitor moisture weekly because the top would keep water out mostly. Gantz I've looked into layering and it seems like a good option I'm thinking of trying it out. I learned about layering from silverbacks thread on yield increasing planting method. He describes regular layering and air layering is essentially the same concept just on the plant above ground right? I'll be looking into it for sure! I'm really just trying to stretch the few seeds I do have to the maximum and I don't have the option to grow a massive plant in my back yard so I gotta make it guerilla style and get whatever I can. Thank you all for the input

I see. So peat pot inside the gallon, drainage holes in the side, and let water sit in the bottom (and maybe bury the gallon a few inches deep) to make sure the young ones don't dry out. And then coming back to transplant the peat pots into the holes?

I've always wondered about the negative effects of transplanting, even if only done once. I try to avoid it (hence one of the reasons I plant seeds directly into their final holes), but your idea does seem quite interesting. Although any possibility of rootbinding due to the pots is also a concern of mine. Even if they don't get full-on rootbound, I wonder if they start to sense the boundary all around and adjust their course for growing accordingly before even reaching the boundary itself. (This is another reason I don't do the traditional starting inside a plastic cup deal)

[TychoMonolyth]

I hate transplanting, and I love Air Pruned root systems. So I do this.
https://www.icmag.com/ic/album.php?albumid=75784

The paper towel pots stay together once they have soil in them and don't disintegrate until after I get them in the ground. Once the roots get established, they're quite firm and movable.

I took the idea from this video. He uses Toilet paper but they're pretty small pot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv4SmWKWj54&t=236s

[hamstring]

Originally Posted by DuskrayTroubador

I see. So peat pot inside the gallon, drainage holes in the side, and let water sit in the bottom (and maybe bury the gallon a few inches deep) to make sure the young ones don't dry out. And then coming back to transplant the peat pots into the holes?

I

I agree its better to start in the final spot. The reason I like a cold frame is I can start early and protect my seedlings until the get larger for the transplant. I even like to set up the cold frame early to give the raccoons a chance to fuck with it if they are going to.

[Dday391]

The reason I wanted to use peat pots is the fact that if they stay saturated on the outside of the pots they break down so in the 2 weeks they sit out the roots will start to grow right through and there is no risk of dropping plants when trying to get them outta pots or solo cups or whatever. I've lost roots due to those situations and would rather just set it and forget it kinda lol. And I've never had a problem with a transplant unless it had damaged roots from the transplanting. I saw those paper towel pots and they look like a great idea seems like it would be much cheaper than peat pots. I'm going to see if i can make my own version with stuff i have. I actually thought of using a modified version of the watering system backcountry described were you use a bottle like a cat/ dog bowl and that way the water won't run out until it's needed because of the balancing pressures. We've probably all seen it when an animal drinks outta the bowl then it refills automatically. I can probably use that same function and not have to worry my clones will have moisture available. And with the holes they won't float away if it rains. Ideally I could take cuts from a designated plant all year provided I find one spot that I can have somewhat frequent access to. Then all I have to carry in is a gallon jug with the cuts in it set up the watering mechanism and come back to plant in two weeks. Seems simple enough. That's why I'm questioning it so much because it seems logical yet to good to be true hahaha. Also on the topic of cold frames. I love them. I kinda want to make one this year. I think my plan for it will work but I haven't been able to test it out. I might be getting some seeds from a friend but I'm not going to count on that and I feel like I can make these 3fem and 3 regular seeds go a long ways if I play my cards correctly. I'll definitely keep track of my misadventures in the name of guerilla science and to share with everyone here. I've learned so much here it'd be disrespectful to not at least try to contribute in some way.

[TychoMonolyth]

I'll be experimenting with flats and pulling the whole thing out of the flat to transport (so I don't have anything I have to carry back), and just pulling plants apart to stick in their holes. Works for peppers, and they're really delicate, so it might work with weed. I should be able to put a dozen in a flat. That'll make it pretty easy to carry to the grow.