Cloning Issue - Frustrated as I Can Be. Please Help!

I have a lot of problems cloning. I have gone through method after method including using EZ Cloners with hardly any success. I have to cut about 150 clones to get like 20 that will root, if that.

I know one of my main problems was lack of control of the climate. So, I built a DIY humidity cabinet by taking one of those plastic 4 shelf units you get at Wal-Mart, attaching some 48" flourescents to the top, and then wrapping it in sheet plastic. I cut windows on one side for ventilation and access. I also put a humidifier on the bottom shelf. The humidity in the room where I grow is like 19% without anything to provide it so I think that is why I havent had much success.

So, I have the humidity where I can control it based on the setting of the humidifier and by the size of the window (I can tape the cut out part up further). The temp was a little high in there (like 80 degrees) so I got some little 4" fans for each shelf and it lowered the air to like 73 to 75 degrees. I tape it closed for the first two days where I have humidity in the 90s and then I cut some of the tape off and allow some air to get in to lower the humidity to the high 70s and 80s.

I clone in dixie cups in a mixture of cocoa and perlite.

The problem I am having is stem rot. I have gone through like 500 clones in this unit and only had three root and they didnt survive long afterword. The rest die within 3 to 5 days where the top of it is fine but the stem from where it meets the medium to the end just rots out. It is happening with every single one.

Anyone have any ideas on how to prevent this? I have a very clean growing environment and I sanitize all my tools with alcohol wipes when I do my cuttings. I thought this would fix this issue with the temp and humidity and it has but now I have another issue. No matter how I try to clone there is always a problem area. You are suppose to have high humidity and temps to clone but when you create it, you create an environment for fungus so it seems like a Catch-22 where it is impossible to get this right. I constantly see people cloning at success rates above 90% and I have no idea how that is even possible, it is extremely aggravating.

Sorry, I know this is a rant but I have been trying to clone at a good success rate for a couple of years with no success at all. I have spent tons of money and nothing works at all.

Do I need to use another medium that doesnt hold water so well? I have always read to keep cocoa wet for clones but it seems like here, it is leading to the problem. I am also using a warm mist humidifier, do I need to use a cool mist one? I really, really need to make this work. Please, someone, tell me how to fix this.

dam man that sucks. i do it all the wrong way and i get clones to root about 80% of the time. but i only do 5-20 at a time not hundreds like you, maybe its just too many to keep up with. ive got a cheap 32 spot plastic cloner with dome. i put in 5 clones every 1-1.5 weeks, take out 5 rooted clones the next 1-1.5 week and put in 5 more fresh ones. when things go bad i only lose 1 every cycle, 2 max but thats rare.

i mist with room temp water neither cold nor warm. and my coco is pretty much soaking wet most the time. if it gets too wet i just lift the dome and let it evaporate a little then the dome goes back on. good luck dude.

What Works For Me:
Pick a strong vigorous branch from a happy mother.
Cut it 4-6 nodes from the tip of the branch.
Prepare the clone by removing bottom branches/leaves
Scrape the first layer of stem off with a clean razor (leave the frayed remains, don't touch the exposed stem w/ your salty-ass fingers)
Dip in a basic rooting solution, I think I use EZ-Clone
Throw it in a Jiffy-7 and support the stem w/ a twist-tie if needed
Put the new clone(s) under a warm CFL set-up in a humidity dome
Spray them every four hours, feel free to add a LIGHT nute (like an organic tea)
It MUST be WARM and HUMID in there; I'm at H: 80% and T: 80F
I do not use a heating mat unless I feel the clones aren't happy.

That's it man; I don't know why you're having troubles. It will take 2-3 weeks for your clones to root and they often wilt between days 2-4.

GL

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XKF7SE?&tag=shopwiki-us-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325

get one of these Jiffy mini greenhouse and some rooting gel... soak the pellets with 5.5 ph warm water... dip cutting in gel... pop the cutting into the pellet and put under weak light or off to the side of the grow room for a couple days... should have roots showing in about 7-10 days

Just but a 4 dollar plant done /tray. What rooting hormone are you using a powder gel, or liquid? You want the medium to only be a bit moist not wet as if its wet you get rot. I like rapid rooters and rockwool. never use peat pellets they do hold to much water. keep the temps in that 75 to 80 range with very humid condition. Dont tape close as you need to open twice a day for 5 minutes to get fresh air exchange and mist the cutting lightly. I prefer powders over gels and liquids myself. keep lights on 24 hours and set them right on the dome. I use 4 foot t5 4 tube setup which covers 3 or 4 trays nicely. Dont over pack you dont want leaves really laying on top of each other .

ur soil is to wet, dont water them so often. mist them with a mister with room temp water. no dome is needed. in fact it can hold in 2 much moisture and create mold mildew and rot.

Gel , damp Rapid Rooters, dome, one small cfl and a thermostat heating mats at 78. Medium should be damp not wet. I don't think you need the humidifier. Try a glass of water with an air stone bubbling in it. Mist if more needed. The root area needs to be warm more than the dome. Best of luck. Seems folks take abit to fing their own sweet spot. And trim main leaves in 1/2.

plants do not need water at night or when the light are off at all. Remove moisture from around the plants then and you will solve most of you rotting problems.

Don't listen to anyone who can't post their own pics.

It's so simple.

I use fox farm light warrior, it's made for seedlings and clones. I soak small cups with water and fox farm big bloom. I take cuttings from any vegging plant that looks healthy, I take entire lower branches during prunes and take cuttings from them. They immediately go into pitcher of water. I get everything ready at propagation tray and poke holes in dirt with a drill bit or something similar, not quite all the way to the bottom of cup but close. I take cuttings from branches at 45 degree angle then I slit from bottom of cut up through stem almost an inch up, dip heavily in Clonex gel, put cut in hole in dirt, gently pinch/push dirt into stem so it's secure and that's it. I do 12-24 at a time.
I attach humidity dome and put under T5 lights.




I spray leaves 3-5 times a day with water one day, then water/big bloom next day. While under dome I keep dirt wet. Rotting will not occur in light warrior in most cases. I end up spraying both the dome and leaves(under and tops). I add in Roots 66 to spray every third spray. After about 7 days I remove dome and continuing spraying more lightly until dirt starts to dry out. Then I soak it down again with water/big bloom and roots 66. I continue to let cups dry out and soak them when dry, always with a least big bloom which works amazing for clones and seedlings.
By week 3 I transplant into 50/50 mix of ocean forest/light warrior. By day 20-25 they look like this



In a week when I throw them under MH they take off quite quickly. I veg for a total(from cutting) of 45-55 days and get half pound plants.

I don't know if I helped or not but this is how I do it, it works. 95% success rate.

Here is the top of this strain from these girls older sibling who just finished. Le Defendu Fruit



HAPPY GROWING!

I have used pretty much every rooting gel and powder available but lately I have been using Clonex and Olivias lately.

I cant do the cuttings without the humidity cabinet because the humidity is only like 19% in there and if there is one thing I do know about cloning, it is that humidity is required. I know this humidity cabinet can work because I have found many like it online that people have high success rates with.

So, I think I have the right method to get a high success rate, it is just eliminating the stem rot that I need to get a grip on.

I think I am going to try a mixture of perlite and vermiculate and start using distilled water to see if that helps.

I tried everything and was getting a very high mortality rate. It was very deflating as I could produce awesome grows but lousy clones. I broke down and bought the Daisy EZ Cloner for $80 and havent lost a single one since. Just follow the instructions, 100% thrive. Goodluck.

ya 19% wont work well except with rockwool. A clear tote is my fav unless i am using rockwool then i use notta in 25% humidity. r/o is great for clones 7.0ph. what is ph now? heat mat temp?

once you get pathogens in your cloner you have to throw the plugs away and buy new ones and bleach the hell out of the pump and everything else other wise you be lucky to get 20% every time

BeastGrow said:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XKF7SE?&tag=shopwiki-us-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325

get one of these Jiffy mini greenhouse and some rooting gel... soak the pellets with 5.5 ph warm water... dip cutting in gel... pop the cutting into the pellet and put under weak light or off to the side of the grow room for a couple days... should have roots showing in about 7-10 days

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This works for me, love those peat pellets b/c you can squeeze excess water out then place cutting in the hole and re-water so the peat mix fits snugly around stem.

To OP: Low humidity sounds like it has been an issue, has to be at least 80-90%(100 is better)...if not plants will suffer dehydration. I would also recommend the jiffy peat pellets as they have starter nutes pre-mixed into the peat, and are great for germination as well.

bigbsharko said:

I tried everything and was getting a very high mortality rate. It was very deflating as I could produce awesome grows but lousy clones. I broke down and bought the Daisy EZ Cloner for $80 and havent lost a single one since. Just follow the instructions, 100% thrive. Goodluck.

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I have two 120 EZ Cloners and I filled it many times and would usually get about 5 or 6 to clone, sometimes none. I followed the instructions to a T, read it about 5 times every time I filled it, spent over an hour scrubbed every part including all 120 nozzles with a toothbrush and pipe cleaners with bleach, and changed the water regularly. I even bought the solutions that go in the water and it still didnt work. Most often, most of them wouldnt die, they would just sit there and sit there. I once left about 40 cuttings sitting in one for four months because they werent dieing just to see what would happen. About half of them rooted after about 4 months of being in the EZ Cloner. I have friends who have tried the EZ Cloner too with no luck.

I also dont like the process of filling it. I like working with growing mediums and having my hands in the dirt so to speak.

The funny thing is that cutting clones and the whole process is my favorite part of growing but then seeing them fail after getting them all cut and into whatever medium is saddening because I actually enjoy doing the cuts and all the work that goes into it.

jessica d said:

ya 19% wont work well except with rockwool. A clear tote is my fav unless i am using rockwool then i use notta in 25% humidity. r/o is great for clones 7.0ph. what is ph now? heat mat temp?

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I PH my water to 5.8 to 6.0. I havent used a heat map in my new setup because the temps have been high enough without it. I am not sure using a heat mat when I am having rot issues would be wise.

Sunbiz1 said:

This works for me, love those peat pellets b/c you can squeeze excess water out then place cutting in the hole and re-water so the peat mix fits snugly around stem.

To OP: Low humidity sounds like it has been an issue, has to be at least 80-90%(100 is better)...if not plants will suffer dehydration. I would also recommend the jiffy peat pellets as they have starter nutes pre-mixed into the peat, and are great for germination as well.

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Along with trying the vermiculate and perlite mix, I am going to try a few of the pellets as well. I have never wanted to use them because they seem like a pain in the ass but I am going to give it a shot. I have always preferred to clone in the same mixture I use for flowering because it makes for a stress free transplant and they dont miss a beat. I start flowering and they start growing right away.

Humidity and climate are definitely an issue. We dont exactly have consistent weather where I am so climate has to be controlled. The only time I have had a high rate of success cloning was last summer when my Central Air was on the verge of dying and the temps were 80 in my house and humidity was like 65 to 70. I had one batch with a 58 out of 60 success rate, half of them rooted within 5 days. That is the one and only time I have gotten more than like a 40% success rate.

having the root zone 5 degree warmer then ambient is important for cloning. if rot issues are present use a little h202 in the water.

jessica d said:

having the root zone 5 degree warmer then ambient is important for cloning. if rot issues are present use a little h202 in the water.

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I've read that but also read that H202 should only be used if absolutely necessary. I am losing all of them to stem rot. Every single one, over and over again.

philcox7572 said:

So, I think I have the right method to get a high success rate, it is just eliminating the stem rot that I need to get a grip on.

.

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Are you using heating mats, set to around 80F ? Warm feet cool heads.

Bottom heat can make a big difference. roots grow faster. Pythium likes it cool. Water will move up through the soil better and keep the humidity high enough in a domed vented chamber.