Relaxed's Outdoor Medical Grow - 2015 - Cloning

Lester Freeman;2368524 said:

B A R;2368361 said:

I've been using rockwool cubes. Can you explain your method of cloning? What I meant is they do take off but nearly everything turns yellow prior to the new growth.

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If they turn yellow prior to the new growth, then it's probably because the rockwool does not really carry any nutrients, it's merely a medium that holds water so it can root. After it roots, it's time to play ball. Since I use peat moss , there is a little bit of added nutrients for the cutting, but sometimes it's not enough, it's case by case depending on the hunger of the specimen.

Anyhow, my cloning method is as follows;

I prepare the little container for the cuttings (usually red cups, they work just fine). I then fill them with the OMRI certified peat moss and soak them completely. Next, I sprinkle about 4 teaspoons or so of the DS Step 1 mycorrhizae on top and mix it into the medium using my fingers (gloves on of course). I make sure not to add any more water so that I don't dilute the mycorrhizae too much. Next, I get my bottle of Clonex rooting compound ready, next to the little containers. But before I go and make the cutting, I use my handy-dandy ice pick to make a hole in the peat moss where I will put the cutting. Okay, so I go and make the cutting and run back to the cloning area. Firs thing I do is use a razor blade and shave off the exterior "skin" (if you will), of the lower portion of the stem. This will make it easier to root by allowing more of the hormone to contact the inner environment of the stem. I cut off and remove all shoots and leaves that are about half way down the cutting (these only weigh and bog down the cutting IMO). I leave the top shoots and the node that is directly below it. Fan leaves on these nodes get trimmed (as we all know) to limit transpiration. After they are cut, and the stem is shaved, I dip it profusely in the root hormone and then stick it in the hole (much like planting a seed). Similar to making a transplant, I use my hands to squeeze down the peat moss so some of the water juices out and gets that mycorrhizae all juiced up with goodness. Now that the stem and cutting are placed in a sturdy and upright position, I can place the cuttings into my tubberware humidity dome which I constantly have to spray the walls of (inside) to keep the cuttings moist, as per their transpiration gradients with the external environment... I make sure (at least for the first few days of the rooting process) not to spray them directly, as this could potentially cause drooping. Anyhow, they are placed in the dome under decent power CFL's and taken root.

I will only root clones indoors during the winter. During the Spring and Summer, I will root clones exclusively outdoors, which can sometimes entail a longer rooting process.

There ya have it!

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