100% Perfect Cuttings

May 8, 2008

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If you follow this guide exactly, your cloning troubles are over! Cuttings stay strong and put down, healthy, white roots fast! No more cuttings that rot at the base, mold, fall over, or take forever to put down roots.

Supplies

Small GH or GRODAN rockwool cubes. Pick out the firm feeling cubes, soft ones are not as good.
6″ dome lid and tray.
Plastic egg crate material cut to fit tray.
Vitamax liquid, Rootmax, Pure Blend or Liquid Life
Eyedropper
Scalpels – “trim away” scalpels

Make a cloning solution to soak the cubes in:

In each gallon of water put:

10mL drops of Kick Start or Vitamax
1 tbsp. of Liquid Life or Pure Blend
MIX WELL. ADJUST TO A pH LEVEL OF 7.

Soak cubes until they fall to the bottom of the solution.
Remove cubes, giving each one about 6 shakes to remove some of the solution. (The cubes should now weigh about 56 grams). The weight of the cube is included so that you will know exactly how much to shake them. The major causes of cloning trouble comes from the cubes (or any other rooting medium) being to wet. There must be a proper air to water ratio.
Round out the holes in the cubes a little, so you don’t knock all the Rootmax when the clones are inserted. Don’t make the holes any deeper than they are (about 1 inch).

Take cutting
The cutting should be 3 to 5 inches long, with a little growing top and a set of two healthy leaves. A cutting can be taken anywhere off of the plant; they all seem to work.

After taking the cutting from the plant, make a new 45-degree cut right in the Rootmax. Scoop up some gel on the stem, then stick it in the rockwool cube deep enough so you just feel it stick into the bottom a little bit.

Put all the cuttings in the tray with the egg crate material. Try using a heat mat below the tray, it makes a big difference. When the roots come out they grow down the holes of the egg crate. This way the cubes never sit in puddles in the tray. You can also lift up the total egg crate to look for roots without disturbing the cuttings. The roots should come down about 8 – 10 days after you take the cuttings. It may take a little longer with some varieties, but most have strong, healthy, white roots in less than 14 days at the latest. If the cubes are a little too wet it will slow things down.

Next: Put the tray of cuttings under a 400watt halide. The clones don’t like strong light in the first 24 hours, so put the light about 4ft above the clones.

Lower the light to about 2ft above the clones after 24 hours.

Leave the light on for 20 hours and off for four hours. Do the same each day until transplanting; then 18 hours on and 6 hours off each day. Don’t let the room temperature drop below 70 degrees when the light is off, if you can help it.

Lift the lid off for a few minutes each day. Mist the inside of the lid lightly before you put it back on. There should be some water droplets on the inside of the lid, this ensures that there is enough humidity inside the dome.

Temperature of the room should be 72 to 80 degrees for good cloning action.

Note: Around the 10th day some clones could dry out a little too much. At the first sign of wilting, give the dry ones about a teaspoon of INSTA GREEN (mix fresh). The wilted ones should recover. The trick is to let them dry out enough so they are forced to put down roots, but not to let them dry out to the point of wilting. This is something you get a feel for. Most of the time they will send down roots with no problems and you will transplant them to the larger size cube before they dry out too much. If you have any root problems a small amount ½tsp (3mL) of Hydro Shield or Guardian Angel will help.

This can also be done with a 1000watt halide. It will work as good or better than the 400watt light for cuttings. In the first 24 hours after taking, then clone, keep them about 6 or 7 feet away form the light. Remember, they are sensitive in the first 24 hours. Too strong of light can shock them. After 24 hours move the tray of cuttings to about 4 feet below and 4 feet away from the 1000watt. 20 hours on, 4 hours off seems to work good. Change to 18 hours on and 6 hours off, after transplanting to the medium of your choice.

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