BudTester420
New Member
Xlr8 said:Hey Blazin -
I'm sorry I realize this is a pretty late response to your question, but I've been swamped at home lately and haven't been able to get on as much. As I understand it, you can take a clone at almost anytime during flowering. If they've been in flowering mode more than about 14 days or so, it might just take a lot longer to root than if it were in veg. I've taken a clone at about 7-10 days into bloom, and it rooted in 8 days or so, no problem. Around 14 days or so, the plant will be focused on budding/flowering, and rooting a clone will take longer - maybe 2-3 weeks before showing roots (haven't tried this yet myself, though).
There is a technique called "Monster Cropping" where you take a clone at about day 21, and that clone supposedly will produce more sidebranching and give you a better yield by growing to a big bush. I've never tried this, and while I've heard it from growers I think of as reputable, I'm still a little skeptical about it, honestly. I'd love to see someone try a comparison somehow.
You can get a nice root system without cloning powders, etc., but you'd probably improve your odds/chances by using a cloning hormone of some sort.
This is just what I do, in a nutshell:
I use "Rapid Rooters" which are little plugs made from compacted tree bark of some sort. They have some micronutrients built in that cuttings and seedlings both really thrive in. I soak them for 24 hours in Clonex clone solution (as directed on label, at their lowest recommended dilution rate, then PH balanced).
I take my cutting, without wasting time I trim the leaves down, leaving just a couple of fans that are typically clipped down to half their regular length at the top. I trim off other leaves close to the stem, leaving one clipped node near the bottom of the cutting. I then cut the bottom at a 45 degree angle with a sharp, sterile razor knife right below a clipped node which will also be coated with gel and buried in the rooter plug. I dip the cutting into Root-tech rooting hormone (gel) that I put into a little bowl, making sure the entire end is coated evenly in the rooting gel. I stick the cutting into the Rapid Rooter, place under a humidity dome, and 7-10 days or so later (depending on the strain - some take longer) I have roots showing through the Rapid Rooter plug. During that 7-10 days, I will remoisten the rooter plug if it starts to lose it's dampness some. I re-moisten it with a light mixture Clonex solution, same mixture as I soaked the plugs in originally.
I have nearly 100% success this way now.
But, there are many many ways to clone successfully. In a pinch, you could even keep it in a glass of clean water until it rooted (I'd probably use a good bottled spring water, personally). As long as you change the water at least once a day, and take a good cutting, even that should work most of the time, with many strains (some strains clone much less easily).
If I were on a severe budget, I'd still do the rapid rooter plugs, and the cloning gel, but skip the presoaking/feeding with the Clonex. I'm guessing that would still work pretty well. To me, the Rapid Rooters make perfect cloning media. I think any rooting hormone, gel or powder should work well. I can only speak to the Root tech, which has worked great for me.
Again, sorry for the late response - hope this is still helpful.
Thanks so much for that info X. I just came across rapid rooter plugs today at brew and grow and they looked interesting, now I know I need them. I picked up some cloning gel and super thrive to go with my dome. Will try your method on cloning in a few weeks and report back.
