hey meeks
I clone using rooter plugs and Ive noted from you that cloning powder/gel is not necesssary
I was wondering whats the perfect environment for clones?
How often do you mist if you mist? Vents closed or open
Basically your cloning regimen
I havent had any problems cloning I get a good success rate, but I am looking for more consistancy of vigorous cuts vs non vigorous
The ideal environment for clones is very high relative humidity (decreasing slowly with root development), low light (increasing slightly during root development), and bottom heat (decreasing during root development).
The goal of the high relative humidity (as close to 100% as you can get) is to prevent any amount of water loss from the clone once its been cut. So as a less-than-ideal alternative to keeping your cuttings in a fog-like condition, many growers choose to intermittently mist their clones. The down side to this is that repeated foliar misting during rooting is proven to cause nutrient deficiencies by leaching from the leaves, and commercial trials with incorporating a light fertilizer solution into the mist were only moderately successful. Still, this is the dominant method, so it is important to know that the goal is to mist as often as is required to prevent the leaf surface from drying out. Once the cutting has begun to develop a callus and is beginning to root, the misting can gradually decrease in frequency until the cuttings are rooted and ready for planting. This helps prevent the chance of disease with prolonged standing water and begins to tone or harden the plants for the lower humidity/no mist environment after planting.
The goal of the low light is to reduce stress on the newly cut clone that have no current source of water or nutrients without roots. 1000-1500 foot-candles is all that is required early in the cloning process, moving up to 2500-3000fc gradually before they are fully rooted and ready for transplant. This helps them harden off in preparation for more intense light, and gives them more energy to use as they begin to uptake water and nutrients again. (Foot-candles are equal to lumens per square foot.)
And the goal of the bottom heat is to direct and maintain the plants activity in the root formation zone of the cutting. Plants processes are sped up and slowed down by temperature, so by keeping the root zone 6 or 7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the air temperature you are able to slow the growth/energy expended in the foliage, while keeping the lower cut stem actively working towards new root development. Toning the bottom heat back towards the end again helps with hardening the plant for its more stressful environment to come and reduces the risk of root diseases that do better in warm conditions.
My cloning regime attempts to do these 3 things as best I can, but would be less valuable to copy than simply understanding my goals and figuring out the best way to accomplish them in your own setup.
And on the note of cloning gels, while I do not personally use them, they are often a useful tool to help aid in successful propagation so I do not discourage their use. The plant generates enough of the hormone Auxin in the apical meristem (the growing point in the tip of each shoot) to promote root development on its own, but it takes time for that hormone to flow from the tip of the cutting down to the point where you cut it. Then the auxin needs to pool up at the cut base to a certain concentration before it provokes new root development. While this occurs eventually, you can simply dip the base of your cutting in a synthetic auxin (rooting gel), and get the roots going right then. If you are looking for the highest vigor, a cloning gel might be a valuable crutch in a less-than-perfect cloning environment. The cloning gel does not increase the vigor, it simply decreases the time spent in a stressful environment before roots begin to form.
Long winded answer, but I hope it helps. Thanks for bringing the questions DrKB, good luck cloning!
