+rep for help with cloning

I'm on my first grow, about 2 1/2 weeks in. 2 of the clones I bought were FIMed and are growing branches from branches. The other 6 plants I just FIMed myself 2 days ago. I finally have my cloning station built and I was going to start taking clippings today, but after reading some info I have some questions.

The 2 plants that came to me already fimmed were tha plants that I was going to get most of the clippings from, and maybe 1 ea. from 5 of the remaining 6 plants. I was planning on taking lower branches to clone which I wont be able to do if I need part of the main stem for each clipping which some of the posts I read seem to imply. If I have to cut from the top of the plant then I wont be able to cut from the 6 plants that were just fimmed, and I'm not really sure when I'll be able to cut from the tops of those plants without messing up the FIM.

On a chart posted in a how to how to thread https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/5515-clone-questions.html it shows how to cut up a branch to get multiple clippings. This how to thread seems to imply that every clipping doesn't need part of the main stem. So which is it, do I need part of the main stem or as long as I have a branch with a leaf and a budding site it will work fine?

Also on these plants that have been FIMed, if a branch grows from a branch which itself is coming off the main stem, does that branch coming off the main stem then become a main stem itself, you know, like if you top for 4 colas for example.

Someone had advised me to use 4 fluoro tubes to root clippings so I bought a 4 bulb fixtrure and put in 32w bulbs, 3 are 6500k and 1 is 3000k. Is this too much light? If it's too much, how many bulbs would be best? And how close should they be? (I was previously told to put them as close as I can)

+rep for any and all usefull info.

You dont want the main stem,lower branches clone faster and easier

Mr.Therapy Man said:

You dont want the main stem,lower branches clone faster and easier

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info +rep

That's what I thought but I had to make sure before I start cutting up my babies.

Do you have any advice on the lights?

you dont need the main stem u just need a branch... keep it in a dome so humitiy is high and mist them often!!! keep thoes lights 3-4 inches away from the plant it wont be to much and on the clones are u using any hormoan or gel? you can always take a clp of clipings let them grow back and take more later that way u always have some harvesting a clp of week apart and i think u need more 6500k lights to veg with and 2700k are for flower hope this helps good luck bro

flouros are nice, not to intense, if not and you using HID keep the girls far away. keep the clones and your dome moist with a spray gun as well as your medium.
keep warm as well

one 24 watt cfl about one foot above your dome will work fine..peace

sour420D said:

you dont need the main stem u just need a branch... keep it in a dome so humitiy is high and mist them often!!! keep thoes lights 3-4 inches away from the plant it wont be to much and on the clones are u using any hormoan or gel? you can always take a clp of clipings let them grow back and take more later that way u always have some harvesting a clp of week apart and i think u need more 6500k lights to veg with and 2700k are for flower hope this helps good luck bro

Click to expand...

I'm going to be using dixie cups with FFOF soil & perlite (50/50) with the top halves of Pepsi 2-litres for domes to get started. I may get or make a "rooting station with a dome" once I sell off some of these clones. Money's real tight though so if Pepsi bottles work well I might just stick with them till my first harvest. (Money from the clones will hopefully help me keep from putting the plants into flower after only a month of veg)

I just mixed in the one 3000k bulb because I had read somewhere that while plants in veg need the 6500k a lot more, the 3000k spectrum is still used to a small degree. I don't know how true that is, but I've read it in a few places including a book that I bought. If I don't add anymore lights (four 32w four ft tubes) is 3 to 4 inches still good, or should I move them closer than that?
(one of the how to threads sais to use one 20w bulb)

I bought Green Light Rooting Hormone.

To make sure there's a good seal at the bottom of the Pepsi 2-litre bottle I'm going to be putting a little water in a 14" saucer & I wont be making any drainage holes in the bottom of the cups. This should make a air tight seal and also help keep the humidity high in the "domes" which is important since the humidity is normally 15 to 20% here.

The 2 plants that came to me already FIMed have a lot of lower branches. Even a couple that originate below the soil level, don't ask me how (I hope these will turn into roots when they grow back, but who knows). To reduce stress I was only going to take a couple of the branches on the first day, and a couple more 2 or 3 days later. Ane each of those branches should make 3 to 10 clippings each.

+rep

nuera59 said:

flouros are nice, not to intense, if not and you using HID keep the girls far away. keep the clones and your dome moist with a spray gun as well as your medium.
keep warm as well

Click to expand...

Thanks for replying, +rep

I already killed 3 clippings with my 400w MH at 30" (3 of the clones I bought ended up being clippings). So I'm definately going with fluoro tubes until I see a good root system.

Mr.Therapy Man said:

one 24 watt cfl about one foot above your dome will work fine..peace

Click to expand...

Thanks again, I was going to use four 32w bulbs at a couple of inches so I think you just saved me from killing my first batch of clones. You're a life saver, it wont let me +rep you again though, I'll try again later.

I have a perpetual grow, i depend on cloning.

I use 1 26 watt CFl over the dome, mist 3 times a day (also mist the dome for added humidity)
Check the bottom of your containers, you want them at room temp or warmer. If the medium isnt warm rooting can take much longer.
I use an equal mixture of organic potting soil, perlite and vermiculite, light cycle is 24/7

cloning made easy...
choose a branch cut your clone at a 45 degree angle no shorter then 1.5 inches no bigger then 3-4 inches
dip in rooting gel/powder
insert into medium(rockwool,dirt,petepellets, rapid rooter plugs)
place in humidity dome (heatmat for seeds may be necessary)
you dont want to have a ton of direct light on the clones ambient lighting is plenty fine 6" or higher (rec floros)
mist once maybe twice a day(the wetter u keep them the longer it will take to root)
water when medium dries out with a rooting hormone mixed wit water(clonex)
dont satuate cuz the if the plant does not have to search for water the roots will not grow

good luck

ink the world said:

I have a perpetual grow, i depend on cloning.

I use 1 26 watt CFl over the dome, mist 3 times a day (also mist the dome for added humidity)
Check the bottom of your containers, you want them at room temp or warmer. If the medium isnt warm rooting can take much longer.
I use an equal mixture of organic potting soil, perlite and vermiculite, light cycle is 24/7

Click to expand...

Thanks for your help +rep

I wish I had spoken to you earlier, I spent $60 on the 4 tube fixture and I can't return it because I kinda ripped off the lense (I was having a real bad day and the thing cut me while I was trying to remove it, temper got the better of me. lol) so I can't take it back.

The thermometer sais low 80s under the lights, I have the thermometer hanging from the top of an empty cup inside the top half of a 2 liter bottle. But I have to move the lights farther away so I might have to go out and buy one of those fish tank heater pads. I have a regular heating pad but there are 3 heat settings, you can't set a specific temp.

So I can go with a 1/3 soil & 2/3 perlite mix? That would be better since it makes it's harder to overwater but I didn't know if that was enough soil.

dgk4life said:

cloning made easy...
choose a branch cut your clone at a 45 degree angle no shorter then 1.5 inches no bigger then 3-4 inches
dip in rooting gel/powder
insert into medium(rockwool,dirt,petepellets, rapid rooter plugs)
place in humidity dome (heatmat for seeds may be necessary)
you dont want to have a ton of direct light on the clones ambient lighting is plenty fine 6" or higher (rec floros)
mist once maybe twice a day(the wetter u keep them the longer it will take to root)
water when medium dries out with a rooting hormone mixed wit water(clonex)
dont satuate cuz the if the plant does not have to search for water the roots will not grow

good luck

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info +rep

I didn't understand "(rec floros)", sorry I'm learning fast but I'm still a newbie.

After getting advice on this thread I was planning on using 4 fluoros at about a ft from the clippings. Would it be better to use one 32w fluoro at 6"?

My no hands approach.

Cut clones from lowest branches, because lowest branches have youngest hormones.

When you make the cut, do it at 45 degree angel, so there is more open surface area.

After taking cut, dip it in Cloning gel, I use Root Tech.

After which, I place in the media I will be growing in, which is Coco and Roots Organics Soilless Mix.

After that I fill the bottom of a cloning tray with water, and add 2 mL of h2o2 (Hydrogen Peroxide).

The h2o2 keep it sterile so no algae or mold will grow. Spray the inside of the Dome.

DO NOT SPRAY THE LEAVES, it is only stress.

Acquire a heating mat and set it under the tray, and set it to 80 degrees.

Place 26 watt daylight CFL one foot over the tray and leave for one week.

7 days later you will have roots.

Do not touch the tray, every single time you move, bump, and even touch
the system you interrupt the cloning process, you must allow it to sit by itself
for as long as possible. h2o2 Helps immensely with this process

DannyGreenEyes said:

Thanks for the info +rep

I didn't understand "(rec floros)", sorry I'm learning fast but I'm still a newbie.

After getting advice on this thread I was planning on using 4 fluoros at about a ft from the clippings. Would it be better to use one 32w fluoro at 6"?

Click to expand...

sorry rec floros translates to reccomend flourescent lights

Shrubs First said:

My no hands approach.

Cut clones from lowest branches, because lowest branches have youngest hormones.

When you make the cut, do it at 45 degree angel, so there is more open surface area.

After taking cut, dip it in Cloning gel, I use Root Tech.

After which, I place in the media I will be growing in, which is Coco and Roots Organics Soilless Mix.

After that I fill the bottom of a cloning tray with water, and add 2 mL of h2o2 (Hydrogen Peroxide).

The h2o2 keep it sterile so no algae or mold will grow. Spray the inside of the Dome.

DO NOT SPRAY THE LEAVES, it is only stress.

Acquire a heating mat and set it under the tray, and set it to 80 degrees.

Place 26 watt daylight CFL one foot over the tray and leave for one week.

7 days later you will have roots.

Do not touch the tray, every single time you move, bump, and even touch
the system you interrupt the cloning process, you must allow it to sit by itself
for as long as possible. h2o2 Helps immensely with this process

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, +rep

I never hear of using Hydrogen Peroxide to prevent algae, mold, & mildew. It would work great the way I have mine set up (14" saucer with water in it, clippings in a cup of dirt with no drainage holes placed in the saucer, top of 2 litre pepsi bottle placed over the cup & clipping.

The water in the saucer will give me an air tight seal, and the water inside the 2-litre will help make more humidity. I may have to open the 2-litre bottles from time to time to allow more water to enter through the bottome or it may do it by itself when the water level gets low enough. I'm having trouble getting my head around that part of it for some reason so I'm going to have to learn by experiment.

But the Hydrogen Peroxide would help with the mold & mildew problems that I was worrying about. It is safe for the plants though, right?

Of course, the rooots loooove oxygen friend, that is why hydro is so successful

Shrubs First said:

Of course, the rooots loooove oxygen friend, that is why hydro is so successful

Click to expand...

There's oxygen in hydrogen peroxide? Or are you answering the dirt/perlite mix question?

what do you think peroxide is? O2... Hydrogen Peroxide means H2O2

Did I notice someone say 2/3 perlite? I guess it could work but that would dry so quick you would have an issue keeping it wet in my opinion. Unless you are going to use a drip system or something I would say using a max of 1/3 perlite is enough, some people go as high as 50/50 but I have never heard of anyone using that high of a percent without having it on top of a DWC or something.