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timbob60
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Hi all. While I'm new to this forum, I'm not new to growing or cloning. After reading several forums over the years, it seems to me that one of the most mysterious and discussed areas seems to be cloning. I've personally tried about every technique over the years and found one about 8 years ago that I use exclusively today. Even though I don't cut 3500 clones at a time for med growers, I do cut between 25-30 per month and can honestly say that I haven't had a failure in the last 8 years. It's simple, cheap and fairly quick. It's a variation of air layering and I'll summarize how I do it.
Supplies needed: A good mother plant, rooting powder or gel, a single edge razor blade, rapid rooters or 1" rockwool cubes, a cheap 10 cent paint brush from WalMart or dollar store, a roll of saran wrap and a roll of aluminum foil both also from the dollar store. They will last a LONG time, twister ties. That's all.
First, make sure the rooters or cubes are moist. Pick a branch on the mother plant anywhere from 4" to 12" or more. Leave a node or set of leaves closest to the main stem. This is where the mother plant will grow a new branch from. About 1" above this point, Take the razor blade and scarify the stem on both sides about 1" long. That means just use the blade to scrape off the outer layer of the stem. Don't cut all the way through and don't scrape the top or bottom of the stem, just the sides. Now take the paint brush and dip it into the powder or gel and lightly apply some to the area you just scraped. Next, take a rapid rooter or rockwell cube and split it top to bottom with the razor blade. Go only halfway through, to the center of the cube or rooter. open it slightly and place it over the stem where you just scraped and coated it. Use a twister tie around the cube to keep it in place. Not too tight, just snug. Now cut a piece of saran wrap about 4" long and 2" wide. Wrap it around the rooter or cube so it's completely covered and covers the stem about one-half inch above and below the cube. Now cut a piece of aluminum foil the same size and cover the saran wrap. Twist it lightly above and below the cube. The saran wrap keeps the rooter from drying out and the foil keeps the rooter dark so roots form. That's all there is to it. Wait two weeks and remove the foil. You should see roots poking through the root cube. If not, replace the foil and wait another week. When the roots are seen, cut the stem just below the root ball, unwrap, and plant as you normally would.
Advantages to this method are that you can root larger clones. Mine are typically 8" TO 12". The clones can't fail because they aren't trying to draw energy from the leaves. Since they are still attached to the mother plant till they are rooted, they draw energy from the roots and can use whatever energy they need to root. Also, if LEO should come knocking, God forbid, the clones aren't considered plants till they're cut from the mother plant.
Well, that's it. Simple and works for me.
Supplies needed: A good mother plant, rooting powder or gel, a single edge razor blade, rapid rooters or 1" rockwool cubes, a cheap 10 cent paint brush from WalMart or dollar store, a roll of saran wrap and a roll of aluminum foil both also from the dollar store. They will last a LONG time, twister ties. That's all.
First, make sure the rooters or cubes are moist. Pick a branch on the mother plant anywhere from 4" to 12" or more. Leave a node or set of leaves closest to the main stem. This is where the mother plant will grow a new branch from. About 1" above this point, Take the razor blade and scarify the stem on both sides about 1" long. That means just use the blade to scrape off the outer layer of the stem. Don't cut all the way through and don't scrape the top or bottom of the stem, just the sides. Now take the paint brush and dip it into the powder or gel and lightly apply some to the area you just scraped. Next, take a rapid rooter or rockwell cube and split it top to bottom with the razor blade. Go only halfway through, to the center of the cube or rooter. open it slightly and place it over the stem where you just scraped and coated it. Use a twister tie around the cube to keep it in place. Not too tight, just snug. Now cut a piece of saran wrap about 4" long and 2" wide. Wrap it around the rooter or cube so it's completely covered and covers the stem about one-half inch above and below the cube. Now cut a piece of aluminum foil the same size and cover the saran wrap. Twist it lightly above and below the cube. The saran wrap keeps the rooter from drying out and the foil keeps the rooter dark so roots form. That's all there is to it. Wait two weeks and remove the foil. You should see roots poking through the root cube. If not, replace the foil and wait another week. When the roots are seen, cut the stem just below the root ball, unwrap, and plant as you normally would.
Advantages to this method are that you can root larger clones. Mine are typically 8" TO 12". The clones can't fail because they aren't trying to draw energy from the leaves. Since they are still attached to the mother plant till they are rooted, they draw energy from the roots and can use whatever energy they need to root. Also, if LEO should come knocking, God forbid, the clones aren't considered plants till they're cut from the mother plant.
Well, that's it. Simple and works for me.
