Ace Seeds Malawi...1st pure sativa grow

[Ramsthepharoah]

Both

Both

I'll look forward to seeing the finished cloner project.
Do you anticipate growing mostly clones in the future.....or more of a mix?

Both. Basically I'll be taking at least one clone (genetic copy) of every strain I run just in case it's a keeper. I don't want to be the guy that says, "man I had the original____ cut, or I had a really good cut of____. And now she isn't around anymore.") I want The have genetic copies and then make F1 crosses of stable keepers. Stabilize what isn't stable, and have a personal seed library of what I like and what I create.

 

[Ramsthepharoah]

Got all materials in, but the inserts and collars are slightly too small for the 2 1/8" holes I drilled in the lid...

 

[Old Toker]

..the inserts and collars are slightly too small for the 2 1/8" holes I drilled...

Now what?

My plan.......such that it is....is to grow these 4 strains and then see which I like best. Of course that is assuming I don't manage to kill all of them. Then with my next grow do some pheno hunting from within that strain. I hope to have a cloner by then.....but I may also make some more seeds if I can do it without fertilizing everything in my tent. Anyway......I still have quite a few seeds from my last Ace order....10 Malawi standards, 9 GT standards, 9 Zamaldelica standards, 5 Ace Tropical mix fems. I only have 1 fem seed left of the PH. Ace has some other REALLY nice strains that I wouldn't mind trying...but I really need to use the ones I already have....before they get too old.

Good luck with the cloner! Hope your Malawis are doing well.

 

[Lammy]

old toker if you're not aware you don't need some fancy cloning machine. I've never even used one. we used to just put a piece of Saran Wrap over the opening to a cooler. The white interior was good for reflecting light. but if you're humidities over 60% you don't even need one. You can just leave the Clones out in the open. you'll probably want to use some rooting hormone. and I like using rockwool but you could just use dirt and a cup. usually the rooting hormone comes in powder form. before you start to flower the plants you have take a couple cuttings off the lower branches and then dip the bottom of those cuttings in the rooting hormone and place them in Rockwool or dirt. leave them in a high-humidity environment for two or three weeks with lower amounts of light and make sure they don't get too hot. you might kill them your first couple of tries you want to make sure that the dirt or Rockwool doesn't get to dry but also isn't too wet. Rockwool won't get too wet which is what's nice about it. Anyway I'm sure there's instructions on here. I just wanted to let you know that you don't need some complicated cloning machine. I've done ridiculous amounts of clones and I've never even used one. this way when you find the plant that you like hopefully you have a rooted backup of it and you could run that one next time. you never know one of these first plants you grow might be the best one you ever grow.

 

[Old Toker]

Thanks Lammy! Probably better to start start with something like you're describing until I get the hang of it. Cooler like a 64qt ice chest type cooler? Cover the top with Saran wrap. Where do the clones go? Sorry, I'm having difficulty picturing how it's setup. May have to do some Googling.

The other reason I'm not cloning (besides not having a cloner) is that I also don't have a separate veg area to keep the clones/mothers. I'm expecting at least 12 weeks of flowering and only have the one tent. Which I STILL haven't installed a drip irrigation system. As you can see...I'm a serious newb. Eventually I will get my act together and have a separate seedling/cloner/mother area AND a drying area. Someday.....

Thanks again brother for the suggestion!

 

[Old Toker]

Weekly update. Day 31 from seed. Up-potted 4 plants (2 Malawi & 2 Zams) into 2 gal fab pots. Their final homes. 12 days since they were put into the 1 gal pots. Would have done all 8.....but ran out of prepared coco after 4.

The math on this coco thing has me confused. Not that being "confused" is unusual for me....but usually I can figure out weights and measurements. Here is the deal. 8 plants in 8 1 gal trade pots. I realize 1 gal trade pots are actually something like .75 gallons minus the inch or so at the top. OK....so I want to up-pot to two gallon fab pots. 8 of them. I would "think" that because they are already in one gal (.75) of coco.....in order to up-pot to 2 gal fab pots that I would need an additional 8 gal of coco. 16 gal of coco for 8 2 gal pots. So I make up about 12 gal of coco to make sure I have enough. 50% more than what I thought I needed. I also took an empty 1 gal pot and filled it with the new coco about 11 1/2 times just to double check that I wouldn't start this operation and not have enough coco. Despite all this high level (for me) math and measuring...I ran out of coco after filling 4 of the 2 gal fab pots. And I mean ran out.....I used ALL of it. First thing I thought was that the 2 gal fab pots were actually 3 gal pots. Double checked the labels (5 count pkgs) and they clearly said 2 gallons. Not sure where I screwed up.....but I am currently preparing more coco.....for tomorrows transplant of the last 4. I've been trying to do the transplants a couple of hours before lights out to give them some time to feed and rest before 18 hours of intense light. Not sure if that helps....but so far it hasn't seemed to hurt.

Plants are adjusting to the new high wattage bulb. Had them too close originally but after I raised the light up to 3 feet or so from the top of the plants....they seem happier.

Once they are rooted in their new homes.....I will look at topping and LST.

Hope your Malawis are thriving! I'd say post some pictures but you are probably up to your as* trying to figure out how to make 2 1/8" holes hold 2" net pots. Good luck!
Malawi & it's roots.

 

[Ramsthepharoah]

I agree...

I agree...

old toker if you're not aware you don't need some fancy cloning machine. I've never even used one. we used to just put a piece of Saran Wrap over the opening to a cooler. The white interior was good for reflecting light. but if you're humidities over 60% you don't even need one. You can just leave the Clones out in the open. you'll probably want to use some rooting hormone. and I like using rockwool but you could just use dirt and a cup. usually the rooting hormone comes in powder form. before you start to flower the plants you have take a couple cuttings off the lower branches and then dip the bottom of those cuttings in the rooting hormone and place them in Rockwool or dirt. leave them in a high-humidity environment for two or three weeks with lower amounts of light and make sure they don't get too hot. you might kill them your first couple of tries you want to make sure that the dirt or Rockwool doesn't get to dry but also isn't too wet. Rockwool won't get too wet which is what's nice about it. Anyway I'm sure there's instructions on here. I just wanted to let you know that you don't need some complicated cloning machine. I've done ridiculous amounts of clones and I've never even used one. this way when you find the plant that you like hopefully you have a rooted backup of it and you could run that one next time. you never know one of these first plants you grow might be the best one you ever grow.

I agree 100% with @Lammy. You don't need some fancy cloner to root cuttings. I've been getting along just fine without one. I'm building one to raise my success rate and to automate this a little bit more for myself. I usually root in soil under a humidity dome with a small fluorescent light. While this method works pretty well; I personally want to enjoy a higher success rate and free myself of having to constantly mist my humidity dome. I'm a full time tattoo artist and I'm always gone all day and travel a lot to guest spot at other shops. So I need the ease of use and higher rate of success!! Thank you though @Lammy. Your post holds very true and I definitely agree with your sentiments. Peace!!

-Pharoah

 

[Ramsthepharoah]

You don't need one...

You don't need one...

Thanks Lammy! Probably better to start start with something like you're describing until I get the hang of it. Cooler like a 64qt ice chest type cooler? Cover the top with Saran wrap. Where do the clones go? Sorry, I'm having difficulty picturing how it's setup. May have to do some Googling.

The other reason I'm not cloning (besides not having a cloner) is that I also don't have a separate veg area to keep the clones/mothers. I'm expecting at least 12 weeks of flowering and only have the one tent. Which I STILL haven't installed a drip irrigation system. As you can see...I'm a serious newb. Eventually I will get my act together and have a separate seedling/cloner/mother area AND a drying area. Someday.....

Thanks again brother for the suggestion!

You certainly don't need a dedicated tent or anything to clone plants. You could literally take a cutting dipped in rooting hormone, put it in a small planter or solocup with moist warm soilmix (or whatever medium you choose), mist it, put a humidity dome over the cutting put it on your kitchen counter under a small compact fluorescent that you bought at walmart with the little sticky pad so you could attach it to the cabinet above the little cutting, and it will root as long as the soil is not to moist or dry and the humidity is kept up. You could even root it in your kitchen window during summer months if you wanted to. This plant really really wants to grow and survive. It's just the success rate and knowledge from experience, experimentation, and passed on knowledge (along with a little self educating) that separates the experienced grower from the novice. In my humble opinion....very humble opinion... Peace

-Pharoah

Below are pic of one sour cheese male successfully rooted in a solocup and 2 super lemon haze sussessfully roooted and starting to explode in vegetative growth in 1 small square pot. In the background I have my Black eyed Katy mom that is from clone. You can do it brother no matter how experienced you are!!

 

[Old Toker]

You certainly don't need a dedicated tent or anything to clone plants....

I never even considered treating them like any other cutting. I may try this. Thank you & Lammy VERY much!

RTP......your plants look very healthy and well managed. How are the Malawis fitting in with your other plants?

 

[Ramsthepharoah]

Doing well...

Doing well...

I never even considered treating them like any other cutting. I may try this. Thank you & Lammy VERY much!

RTP......your plants look very healthy and well managed. How are the Malawis fitting in with your other plants?

They're doing well you can see one clearly in the round pot in the upper right hand corner of the first photo and the other is not really in view

 

[Ramsthepharoah]

Very healthy!!

Very healthy!!

Your roots look very very healthy and your plants look happy as well. Looks like you're doing really well. @oldtoker

 

[Old Toker]

Thank you RTP! I feel like so far I've just been focused on growing roots and not paying attention to the canopy. Need to start taming them as soon as I see they are doing OK in their new pots. I've also been very cautious with the feed strength so far....but I'm going to have to push it up a bit to get ready for flowering. Sativas are supposedly quite sensitive about nitrogen....so I'm trying to under feed and avoid burning them. One of the fun parts of being a newb....every time you try something new you expect a disaster.

I'll try to post some pics of the other strains when I up pot tomorrow.

 

[Lammy]

Old toker you want to make sure your clones are getting light 24/7. Pharaoh suggested that you mist your clones to keep them moist or the humidity up. that was the way I was taught. But you do not want to do that. it will cause extra problems if somehow your humidity were too low you can mist inside the area where your clones are but not directly on them. It tends to cause mold issues and other things. if you forget about what I said about a cooler you could just try a plastic storage bin or tote. covering the top in Saran Wrap to let light through and putting the Clones inside the storage bin. now if you can imagine that same setup you could try doing that with a cooler and the white interior would reflect light better. but if you don't mind spending a few dollars I would just get a humidity Dome. I was just trying to express how you could possibly do it without spending any money except for the rooting hormone.

under low powered fluorescent lighting your clones will grow very slow and if you top them in addition. you can keep them very compact so that they will be manageable until your flower room is available again.

 

[Old Toker]

...under low powered fluorescent lighting your clones will grow very slow and if you top them in addition. you can keep them very compact so that they will be manageable until your flower room is available again.

Thanks Lammy! After reading yours and RTPs posts I googled it and figured out what you meant with the cooler. Great idea! I have a germination tray with humidity dome and also a heating pad with temp control. Thought I could use cloning gel/powder and some of the remaining Rapid Rooter plugs.

24/7 light on the clones until I'm ready to use them? Depending on when/whether I get a veg tent/box the clones could be in 24/7 light for 12+ weeks.

 

[Old Toker]

 

[Lammy]

Thanks Lammy! After reading yours and RTPs posts I googled it and figured out what you meant with the cooler. Great idea! I have a germination tray with humidity dome and also a heating pad with temp control. Thought I could use cloning gel/powder and some of the remaining Rapid Rooter plugs.

24/7 light on the clones until I'm ready to use them? Depending on when/whether I get a veg tent/box the clones could be in 24/7 light for 12+ weeks.

yes with a weaker light source you want to have the lights on continuously. in addition to maintaining a plant's light cycle in regards to the light / dark periods the plant also requires a certain amount of light per day known as The Daily Light integral. so you want to give them as much light as possible to avoid any problems. If they don't get enough light they may live but be unhealthy. I would be very careful with the heating mat for your clones. I bought one and killed my clones every time I try to use it. it also might have a tendency to dry out your clones.

 

[Old Toker]

I would be very careful with the heating mat for your clones. I bought one and killed my clones every time I try to use it.

Did yours have a temp probe and the ability to adjust the temps? I've used mine a couple of times and never had a problem.....yet. Maybe I've just been lucky.

Thanks again for the cloning info. My wife's not going to agree to a several month 24/7 lighting of clones in the kitchen. I have a small T9 that I use for germination.....I'll see if I can find a creative location.

Regards....

 

[Lammy]

Did yours have a temp probe and the ability to adjust the temps? I've used mine a couple of times and never had a problem.....yet. Maybe I've just been lucky.

Thanks again for the cloning info. My wife's not going to agree to a several month 24/7 lighting of clones in the kitchen. I have a small T9 that I use for germination.....I'll see if I can find a creative location.

Regards....

Yes it had that. in all honesty it was so many years ago I don't even remember what happened. I know I only used it three or maybe four times and after some random amount of days everything would die on me all the sudden. I believe the problem comes down to the temperature probe has no way of measuring the temperature in the root Zone. maybe there was something defective about my thermostat. but usually for me my clones are not too cold. if anything they're too warm. maybe you could keep your clones in a closet or something that's what we used to do or inside of a cabinet. the T8 bulb that I used to use sitting on top of the cooler seen the keep everything in a really good temperature. I think that was one benefit of the cooler.

in my experience if your clones are cold they will take longer to root. if they're too hot will die. if they take too long to root they will die. if you keep them in an enclosed area such as a cabinet will probably be pretty warm anyway. mine usually take 2 to 3 weeks to root.

if you let them dry out they will wilt and then die. you don't want to mist them directly. you could spray inside your Dome to raise the humidity.

it might seem overwhelming at first but once you get a feel for how to control the environment it won't take much effort at all. I check on mine maybe twice a week at most maybe every other week sometimes. although I usually take more cuttings than I need and keep the best ones

 

[Ramsthepharoah]

Day 43 above soil.

Day 43 above soil.

Well today is day 43 above soil and the Malawi are doing well. Verticals growth has slowed because they've been topped and they're developing plenty of later growth from lower side branching. The smells are still the same. One herb/sage-ish and the other herb/spicy grapefruit-ish. They're very healthy overall, but are showing slight signs of deficiency. I'm going to add a little Nitrogen and a little Phosphorus the next feeding. And a little bit of trace minerals the following. Then it'll just be plain water for a bit after that, as I am trying to stick to the very light feeding as recommended by Dubai and several other growers via different threads. I'll be taking clones in 2-3 week and flipping them to 12/12 along with my Cherry pie. I know they'll be going way longer than the Pie but it's cool. I've also finally finished my DIY aero cloner and it's working very well with no leaks. I took cherry pie clones and 1 super Lemon Haze clone from the clone that's now in Veg. Very excited to see how long they takes to root!! I really want to get the breeders pack from ACE and I probably will toward the end of the year. I really want to Pheno hunt so I can find a nice keeper to make my own crosses!! y'all have a wonderful day!! Peace

-Pharoah

 

[Old Toker]

Look good RTP!! How tall do you think they are? When did you top them?
I have one that's kind of bushy and the other is tall and thinner. Both need topped. If I can make it to this weekend without killing either of them I'll probably do it then.