Cloning Processes

[Clackamas Coot]

I was interested in how other organic growers root their cuttings.

Are you completely organic in your processes avoiding the commercial rooting products which contain IAA and/or IBA?

Just curious because most of the commercial products state these products are not approved for food plants.

BTW - in the commercial horticulture industry (companies like Monrovia Nursery, Teufel Nursery, et al) the majority use Dip 'n Gro

Thanks!

CC

 

[guest2012y]

I was interested in how other organic growers root their cuttings.

Are you completely organic in your processes avoiding the commercial rooting products which contain IAA and/or IBA?

Just curious because most of the commercial products state these products are not approved for food plants.

BTW - in the commercial horticulture industry (companies like Monrovia Nursery, Teufel Nursery, et al) the majority use Dip 'n Gro

Thanks!

CC

Dammit!!!!.....I have used Rootone all the live long day..............EXCEPT now I have made some observations that made me not want to use it. It seems to have to much of the "powder" factor. I feel it sort of gets in the way of developing roots,and yes I tap off the excess. I have recently begun using the recommended portion of Superthrive to root cuttings. There is some debate about if it's cool to use in an organic garden(check out the Superthrive thread we had going a few weeks back),but I have a large bottle and need to use it up before I go with the organic alternative.....Anyway,I have noticed that there is no difference in rooting times between Rootone and Superthrive. I want to get 100% organic in all areas,that's why I'm here.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Capt.Cheeze1

Over at the Dip 'n Gro web site they offer a 'gel' agent that will create a gel out of any mix and while this gel product is not organic, it is far less invasive than products with IBA and IAA.

I use kelp & alfalafa meal tea (instead of water) with both humic and fulvic acid (from BioAg.com) with the gel product. I also add a bit of B1 vitamin powder.

Generally I get root firmly set in 12-14 days depending on the strain. It's nothing fancy but it works and it's definitely cheap enough.

CC

 

[justintime420]

has anyone tried willow water mixed with natural rooting gel?

 

[mad librettist]

Great thread idea.

I just hack em and stick em in perlite/vermiculite or peat/perlite or whatever is in the little holes in my cloning tray at the time.

I did a side by side with powder an nothing, and could not discern a difference.

Superthrive - unholy stuff man. Should not even be legal.

 

[Bad_Replicant]

I recently made a simple bubble cloner following instructions on this site. I was able to get about 90% success rate within 10 days on my first try.

I used de-chlorinated water and Liquid Karma only, so no rooting hormone (non-organic, right?)

 

[Clackamas Coot]

has anyone tried willow water mixed with natural rooting gel?

Yes I have and sourcing willow trees is well worth one's time, IMHO

Very worthwhile actually.

CC

 

[justintime420]

thanks clackamas coot .... glad to know its worth the extra work!

have you also tried trichoderma bacteria to boost the roots?

 

[Clackamas Coot]

I recently made a simple bubble cloner following instructions on this site. I was able to get about 90% success rate within 10 days on my first try.

I used de-chlorinated water and Liquid Karma only, so no rooting hormone (non-organic, right?)

Bad_Replicant

A friend bought a used EZ-Cloner (30 sites) and we ran it using only fulvic acid in a kelp meal tea.

It worked and worked very well actually. Same results as you experienced.

It's overkill for running 5 medical plants - to say the least.

Good technology and the results speak for themselves.

CC

 

[Clackamas Coot]

thanks clackamas coot .... glad to know its worth the extra work!

have you also tried trichoderma bacteria to boost the roots?

justintime420

No but I'll look into it!

Thanks for the info!

CC

 

[Swoop420]

FWIF, I've rooted cuttings many times by simply cutting with scissors and putting them in a cup of tap water. That qualifies for organic, right? Some die, of course, but most have made it and shown roots within 2 weeks. This isn't the method that I normally use, but it illustrates just how easy cloning can be. I recently read an article in a local mag that described one persons method for cloning, and hoooly shit, talk about a novel.. the directions involved a multitude of not-so-simply steps and included quite a few different products as well. I'm sure this works great for some, but the directions seemed totally overwhelming to me.. My method is basically cut, stick it in a damp cube, cover, and let it sit for a week or so... and like magic, the roots appear! K.I.S.S. Oh, and I usually get damn near 100% success rates...

 

[guest2012y]

I have used willow to root everything but cannabis.......I think I felt that the water looked funky after things were rooted in it. As if it might grow undesirable life forms. I'm sure it could be refined.

 

[Lisdexik]

I prefer to do clones the cheap way. No rooting hormone, no pucks, no bubblers etc. I just use stuff I already have. I cut down keg cups to about 4oz and place soil mix inside:

1 part peat
1 part perlite
1 part EWC
1/4 strenght soil ammendments

water them w/ light kelp meal tea, compress soil around the stem, and keep them in a large ziploc container. Don't open for the first 2 days, then burp twice a day until they root. I typically see roots in 8-11 days, ~90% success rate.

Lisdexic

 

[Clackamas Coot]

Capt.Cheeze1

Monrovia Nursery (established in 1926 and based in Azusa, California) has an operation in Dayton, Oregon with 1,000 acres under production. At this specific facility (they have 3 on the West Coast and one in Georgia and another in North Carolina) they grow several thousand plants at any given time. They have a few commercial greenhouses but most of their plants are in an open field in both standard nursery pots as well as the SmartPots for sapplings.

At the Dayton, Oregon operation they grow cold-hardy plants like conifers, maples, broadleaf shrubs, etc. This specific operation also does all of Monrovia Nursery's 'tissue culture' processes as well as taking and rooting an average of 200 cuttings a day.

The cuttings are done by the field crews and they're simply wrapped in burlap and brought to the rooting sheds. There the workers trim the cuttings and they use Dip 'n Gro (they buy it in 50-gallon barrels) and place them in the germination mix (a finer grind).

I asked the guy conducting the tour how they misted their cuttings and he looked at me like I was a total moron. He explained that they only want the hardiest cuttings for production so they don't take the care and concern that the typical cannabis grower employs.

Tissue Culture - this is a very interesting process. They're able to take dormant seeds and by using this technology can extract the genetics from the dormant seeds - it's pretty amazing actually.

It's my opinion that the whole rooting process in the cannabis/grow store paradigm is over thought as well as overwrought.

Just a thought.

CC

 

[guest2012y]

I was wondering where to get a usable organic based gel to experiment with using some form of willow root water concentrate.....???? What about plain old horse hoof gelatin....Knox brand I believe....I know you can manipulate the amount of water in the directions to get different consistencies in the end "gel"

 

[Clackamas Coot]

I was wondering where to get a usable organic based gel to experiment with using some form of willow root water concentrate.....???? What about plain old horse hoof gelatin....Knox brand I believe....I know you can manipulate the amount of water in the directions to get different consistencies in the end "gel"

Capt.Cheeze1

The gel product from Dip 'n Gro may not be 'organic' but it's close enough for me.

It works - use a kitchen 'boat motor' device and it will 'gel up' in a minute or less. Stick the mess in the refrigerator for added viscosity.

Their gel is certainly cheap enough!

BTW - if you're coming to PDX anytime soon I'll give you a pound of this gel product to try out.

HTH

CC

 

[DARC MIND]

i use nothing at all or agave nectar or honey

agave
honey
agave top, honey bottom
agave has worked well and honey but i see no difference in time to root with using nothing @ all.
i like using coco and ewc as rooting media or perlite/vermiculite


this clone was done with nothing but moist perlite/vermiculite media

 

[Clackamas Coot]

DARC MIND

I love agave nectar as a diabetic because this product has a very, very low glycemic index rating.

It is VERY important to only buy organic agave nectar and a cursory search at Google.com can explain the reasons 'why' better than I can.

HTH

CC

 

[DARC MIND]

yea it makes my tea's (drinks) kick ass, good to know about using only organic
just took a peek and mine is usda organic
i get this at fresh and easy for a decent price

 

[Clackamas Coot]

yea it makes my tea's (drinks) kick ass, good to know about using only organic
just took a peek and mine is usda organic
i get this at fresh and easy for a decent price

Sounds like a great product.

I like agave nectar in my coffee and teas because it's 2x as sweet as cane juice sugar so you use far less and it doesn't have the flavor profile of honey and/or maple syrup, i.e. you actually taste your beverage and little more.

Great stuff!!!

CC