plugs for cloning

[Suby]

Hey CT,

you pics won me over I have taken a batch of clones and they are rooting in rinsed coco under a dome as we speak.

Coco is an serious part of my soil mix as of this summer, I always have it around and you can't overwater with it so it makes sense.

Plus those pics are convincing

S

 

[clowntown]

Those pics were actually taken on my very first trial of using fine coco as cloning medium. If I had a camera, I would attempt to impress you with a current batch of rooted clones... but yeah, I think coco and insert cells is the way to go in terms of cost and ease of use.

 

[greenisgold]

I asked this question a while ago and received no response. Plugs like RR’s and such usually are placed in a plastic container that the plug fits into nice and tight. This then is placed into another tray where one puts water into the bottom for moisture. Has anyone taken plugs and just placed them into a tray loosely? In other words a screen is placed in the tray (half inch above bottom), and plugs are placed on screen with water below screen. I'm wondering if this might help with root development based on my assumption that there will be more O2 and not such a cramped space.
Thanks
I'm thinking of doing this as one of my mom's is ready to trim, but I don't want to take 30 clones and f them up if this is a bad idea.
Peace

 

[Suby]

I can't help, I've only use RR's once...

Someone help the man out

S

 

[Julian]

Title caught my eye,.....

I'm a big fan of the RW plugs, and, split em a little and get 1 per side, so, a higher degree of efficiency (numbers...)

And, RR's absolutely kill, but, have seen and heard people occasionally talking about drying issues, and, me , personally,I just make sure to keep something in bottom of tray.....sure, your looking at a couple days added on, but, beats having them dry out on you....and, of course, people will see excess moisture an issue, and, not something I've ever really had a problem with....

RW more of an issue because higher degree of absorption, so, you go less, but, as far as the RR's...not a problem.....these sat in about 1/2" of water (light nutes also...) The RW you go less, and, peat pellets the same, can leave little in tray and all peat products basically act as wick for all moisture...but, have a fairly high degree of aeration due to porosity...

Note: imo with the RW plugs, I give them a couple extra days and they literally break apart the plugs....root mass becomes larger than the original plug when I wait too long on em...

 

[jaykush]

only one way to find out just give it a try if it doesn't work think of something else.

 

[Julian]

Wrong pic in post.....This is the one.....always have about 1/2 water/mix in there with RR's... .....and, do the same quite frequently with all because sometimes I don't get to things when I should and don't want them drying out, same with peat pellets (always 1/4-1/2"...same with RW.....all work fine...just minor nuances...

Note:If one looks at front of tray can see the wetness...looks more like 3/4"...maybe even 1" of water/mix...

 

[Mr Celsius]

Something that I will likely be wholesaling:

100% coco with cotton netting (biodegradable), unlike peat pucks which doesn't bio-degrade. Retail will be around $100US for 1000 pucks. I'm also going to get it OMRI listed.

 

[clowntown]

Yup, I've placed RR's on the tray directly (w/o using insert cells or whatever). To do this with the plug version, you'll likely need to create a new hole on the round end, and place it upside down.

GH makes Rapid Rooters in a perforated sheet format. You buy a 10" x 20" sheet of Rapid Rooter material, perforated into 98 squares. I wrote a little bit about it here:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=59977

At first I also thought of the potential theoretical benefit of having more surface area, more air exchange, etc. But in practice, I've found that it makes no difference. If serving no other purpose, the insert cells help keep the cuts standing up (in case you bump into the tray and knock them over, or whatever) as well as the roots separated.

They also help keep the plugs from touching the very bottom of the tray. I put a very shallow layer of water at the bottom of the tray (not touching the cloning medium), which along with a heating mat helps keep the dome nice and humid w/o any other work, until roots come out. I've found that with a heating mat and no water other method of re-moistening the medium, RR's and coco tends to dry out a little towards the end when I'm expecting roots.

Bottom line: This method allows me to effectively cut, dip, poke, and forget until it's time to check for roots in 7-10 days... with the minimum amount of effort and maximum amount of laziness...

 

[greenisgold]

^^^ Thanks for the post, and the work. I'll stick with the old tried and true.

 

[Guest]

While these arent purchased plugs they end up that way....

This is a wick cloner plug in vermiculite....

Uses a walmart ice tube maker, vermiculite from lowes...and clonex.....

Love it...


Up to 27 individual clones


The 'plugs'


Rinsed off to see roots...

 

[jaykush]

great shots pepe, i always thaught of using popcicle makers for cloners just cant find the right size. only ones that are 1-2 inches deep those look perfect.

 

[Sammet]

This is the very first clone I've ever taken. Took 4 days to root in my propegator - cut it at an angle with a sterile blade, dipped in clonex and placed in peat puck.

Et Voila...

 

[Guest]

great shots pepe, i always thaught of using popcicle makers for cloners just cant find the right size. only ones that are 1-2 inches deep those look perfect.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=42847&page=1&pp=15
I cant recommend these enough... I no longer look for a new method....I cant imagine liking another way thats better for me...

I get around 95%

No misting...no domes... no wicks for that matter....

just keep the reservoir with an inch or so of water and you are good to go...

 

[FRANKENBLUNT420]

which ones are better for what is my question!!! which one shoudl i use for my seedlings?, it seems its up to personal preferance when it comes to clones though, but what about the lil ones? any suggestions?

 

[Mr Celsius]

Plant into straight coco. I've found the best results from this as of recent.

 

[Suby]

After arguing I tried the method described by clowntown and it works bomb, I use a popsicle tray with holes in the bottom of where the juice for the popsicles goes in.
I filled it with coco and dropped some clones in, worked better than RW.

I'm sold, it's my new method...stil 80+RW cubes left though...

Suby

 

[varriform]

Something that I will likely be wholesaling:

100% coco with cotton netting (biodegradable), unlike peat pucks which doesn't bio-degrade. Retail will be around $100US for 1000 pucks. I'm also going to get it OMRI listed.

Beautiful Mr.C
Is that cheese cloth?
I've been using cheese cloth for a while now and I really like it. Only difference is that I use the non-bleached kind. Have you compared bleached to non-bleached? Can't imagine that it would matter too much.
I usually clone in 2-3 inch pots lined with cheese cloth, because my biggest problem with cloning has always been trying to get the plant out of the pot. Now I just pull it out and it works great. I tried to make my own little cheese cloth pucks but it didnt work as well as I had hoped.
Is that just a normal peat puck wrapped in cheese cloth?

Peace

 

[spiral]

Anybody ever try soil blocks? There just like R.W., but you can use your own soil mix. I love these things! I dont know how to post links, you can google "soil blocks" to see how to make them. They sell soil block makers but it wasnt that hard to figure out how to make my own.