Clones keep dying off

[EZnot]

I've read about 10 different articles on how to clone into rockwool cubes. Everyone has different opinions and experiences - no humidity dome - yes humidity dome, but just 1st 3 days. Spray plants - don't spray plants. Nutes - yes - nutes - not until they root. Cut under water - don't cut under water. OUt of the whole hydro operation this is my only job and right now I'm batting 0 for 320. My husband won't fire me! I'm keeping the right temps, the right lights, the right amount of moisture in cube, but the little devils wilt and die. When I look inside, there are little white spots that look like mold, or the whole root is brown. If I mist the plants, they damp off and fall over dead. Some, in the morning, have white fuzzy mold growing around the top of the cube on the stem. I can clone every herb you can think of - basil, tarragon, rosemary, sage....but this is a weed and it's more touchy than anything I've experienced. Mother plants are getting sparse - they can't keep up with my losses. Always cut at an angle, lightly scrape stem, make another cut, dip into CLonex, dab off excess and gently push into rockwool that's been soaked for 24 hours with distilled water. Help - they look great for 5 days and slowly die off.

 

[amstercal]

Although I've heard some people use distilled, I've heard more say it gives their plants, especially their clones, real trouble. Have you tried using regular tap water?
What are the temps, humidity and lights the clones are under. That mold doesn't sounds good and it appearing right away concerns me.

 

[Zissou Intern]

if you use tap water that has been sitting out for about a day is whats ideal IMO.

no chlorine, but trace elements to keep it a little something until they root.

 

[Bobby Smith]

First time using rockwool?

If so, I'm gonna wager you're keeping it too moist - pretty much everything you've mentioned gives me that impression.

And instead of saying "right", it'd be helpful if you gave us actual numbers; i.e., "I'm keeping my rootzone at 78F with ambient 72F, I'm keeping my T5 bulbs X far above the clones", etc.

Would help us help you better.

EDIT: Just re-read your post, and I'm 99.99% sure the rockwool is too moist.

The brown stems kinda give it away.

 

[EZnot]

Thanks for the help, you're right about them being too moist. Usually just dip the bottom of the cube in ph'd water and then proceed to do everything wrong. Just found out you can't squeeze the rw cube, even lightly - when misting plants, can't get the rw wet, just the leaves - have to maintain constant temp in air, and on their 3rd day we got 80 degree temps for 2 days in a row and they got overheated - and it goes on and on, the more I read. I use our well water, adjust Ph to 5.9, and keep a 1000 watt fluorescent over two trays about 2' away. Anyway, just bought a TurboKloner 48, hoping to control conditions a little better. Can't find answers I need about cloning machines, tho. Do they run constantly - 24/7 or would it help to put it on a timer with a few minutes on and few minutes off? Dome or not dome. Mist plants or don't mist plants? And when - not if - those little girls root - do I put the clone and it's collar both into my aeroponic system's basket or take off the collar and try to stand it up in the basket with the clay pellets. Used to run a big soil operation over 25 years ago, but things have definitely changed since then. Any advice will be surely appreciated.

 

[Bobby Smith]

No dome, no mist, take the collar off and put it in a netpot with hydroton.

As far as timers, 24/7 is better and will allow cuttings to root a touch quicker, all else equal, but many (myself included) have to use cycles to keep water temps in check (heats up too much with the pump running 24/7 for me).

 

[Dunge]

This could be my story. I would love to read threads that deal with mother maintenance, through planting. I just can't get this skill. I cut clones, they die.

 

[FARM THIS]

This could be my story. I would love to read threads that deal with mother maintenance, through planting. I just can't get this skill. I cut clones, they die.

no mothers here !!!!!:winking0067:
i take clones off of my veg before they go into flower so i dont have to dedicate a room or so to mothers !!
and so the next question is well what happens if you lose your veg where are you gonna get clones from ???
we are a big connect down here and if i ask i can have 500 clones in a day from the boys !! and we also return the favor !
happy growing and hopefully this gives you something to think about !

 

[cindy99 king]

i find the best way to clone in blocks(this is the only way i have ever done it)

first off all i fill a 20 ltr bucket with 20mills of a & b canna
grow,10mills of rizo,then drop the cubes in,get my double trays(top one having holes in it)now i place my cubes(being 12 cubes per tray)i now make little holes in the centre of the cubes,get my mother plant out and start taking cuttings(i cut them at about 6" high)i then dip them in honey(i dont use any form of clonex)once i have taken all my cuttings i spray them with water and place them under a grow fluro(which is on 24hrs)then i go in ever day and spray them up with water only.about 7-10 days later all cuttings have roots( i have never lost a cutting)anyways this is how i do it.:harvest:

 

[UrbanGorilla]

first off i check the ph of my water to about 5.8 for hydroponics. i have a 96-97 % success rate with my cuttings so maybe my method will help you. After my ph is set i add a light a and b food (advanced nutrients) or whatever your useing for veg nutes i use it at about 1/4 strength to soak my rocks in. I have had issues with spider mites so i always prepair a neem dip to kill off any mites on the cutting befor it goes into the steril flower room. After i have dipped the cutting i hold the stem under water and cut at a 45. the reason for this is to prevent and ambulisme (air bubble) in the stem. Next i split the stem about a 1/4 of an inch with a razor blade and scrape up the outside of the stem befor dipping it into dip and grow rooting hormone. I then place the cutting firmly into the rock rinse and repeat. once in the domed chambers i leave the vents on the top cracked a bit if yours dont have top vents you can just cock the lid to the side. i have cloned under 250 hps and floresence and both seem to work well but the hps usualy roots 3-4 days sooner. once rooted i remove tops totaly so my foliage doesnt get water logged and start to rot. This method may not be bullet proof but has worked very well for me with my strains and hope it will help you as well.

 

[EZnot]

Thanks for the advise, Bobby Smith. Have a fan on my TurboKloner, so water stays at between 72 and 76 degrees all the time. Haven't misted them, but partner thinks having the dome on is better - it doesn't fit tightly, has air coming in all around edges. Just cloned 48 babies 2 days ago. Will keep everyone posted on my success this time. And good luck, Dunge, you can only have so many failures before you're finally successful (I hope!).

 

[Tex]

Welcome to the Farm!!

I just cut two bags of plugs worth of clones and I expect 100% success rate always. I never ever use rockwool, nasty shit for Mother Earth.. I just cut Tahoe, Pre-98 Bubba Kush, Strawberry Bubba Kush, Chemdog99, and KillerChemdog.. Here's how I do it..

I use Rapid Rooters, Nitrozme Kelp and Superthrive(any B vitamins will work). I use a brand new jug of distilled water with cap and mix the Nitrozyme Kelp @ 6-8 teaspoons per gallon of water(nice and rich) & 1/2 teaspoon of ST, temps stay around 80-85F in dome at all times, daylight fluorescents - 5,600K temp. Standard dome and trays..

I would def use a dome if your new at cloning. I allow the cuts to sit in clonex for 3-5 minutes(gives time to seal cut, antibiotic properties kill off pathogens, etc..--very important ime and will get your cuts rooting much faster & healthier). I soak my plugs in the Nitrozme Kelp + Superthrive mix in a small bowl for 5 minutes before sticking cuts in them.

I take my cut off the mother by cutting a 45 degree angle on the stem with a brand new razor blade only. Don't worry about that underwater cutting stuff, keep it simple stoner ;). I then trim down unnecessary foliage on cut, cut leaves in half, get a spray bottle and fill with kelp mixture, spray cuts with Nitrozme Kelp+superthrive mixture. I then spray inside top of dome with distilled water, pour 1/4 cup of water in to cloning tray. Re-spray clones 24 hours later and then 48 hours later only!! Too much is no good. Allow dome to sit covered until they show roots in 5-10 days.. Now, you might have to wet the plugs with the Nitrozyme mixture you made up a week later or so. You can tell once they turn light brown instead of the dark. Just spray with kelp mixture bottle or take clones out and water them by hand with mixture. Simple and easy!!

Here's what they should look like if you're using standard dome and cloning trays. See how humid it is in the domes, they should look like this ime. I normally root in 5-7-10 days pending on strain. I hope this helps ya. Best of luck!

 

[lil miss lone]

Honey I'm so sorry, but I believe you are dealing with root aphids, this is the signature damage.

Look carefully at the medium (or rooter plug) and see if you see any tiny crawlies. If you have a jewelers loupe look at those brown roots and you can see the little fuckers. Its a plague as of late but there are ways you can deal with it. Make sure that is what it is first though. Are there little "fungus gnats" flying around??

 

[EZnot]

gnats around soon to be mothers

I do have gnats flying around the month old seedlings, but not the clones. I read up on fungus gnats and found they could be flying aphids from aphids in the roots, but the seedlings look good, no leaf browning or curl. Put lots of yellow sticky cards around seedlings so I can look at them under the scope. Gnats are not around the larger, older mother plants, just the seedlings that are about 8" tall.

 

[Buddy Flowers]

Tex- great break down, thanks