20 Cuttings In Coco, All Rooted In 8 Days :)

[Scouser]

Just thought I'd share my clone method which has got me 100% success with 20 clones in 8 days, no leaf clipping required, and little to no transpiration burn.

I use a storage box that cost £4, this one came with a black lid so I'm using some perspex I had in my shed. Any transparent lid that allows at least a little light through should work, you want it close to air tight, doesn't have to be perfect though.

I filled a spray bottle with some Canna rhizotonic at half strength (2ml per litre) and PH'd down to 5.8.

My aim was to create an extremely aerated & lightly moist mix of coco for the cuttings, so as I sprinkled the coco into the 3" pots I sprayed into the pot a few times. Note that Canna coco is quite moist, so I was careful not to over do it, maybe 3 - 4 sprays as the pot fills up.

I coated the lower stems of the cuttings, which had been *very* lightly scraped to break the surface skin layer, with a very thin layer of Clonex, avoiding the open cut at the end.

Then just gently inserted them into the coco filled pots, about 3-4cm deep, I did *not* create a hole first, the coco was so light I didn't need to, plus I think this way makes sure there's contact between the stem & coco.

All 20 went into the clone box, I gave them 2 sprays of the 2ml rhizo mix, put the lid on and left them for 2-3 days, only opening the lid to wipe excess condensation from the lid & walls of the box, it's important to do this once a day at least, otherwise problems can occur.

Humidity was over 80%, no heating mats used, temps about 26c in there in daytime.

On the 4th day I took the lid off and left it off until about a third of the leaves wilted. The idea is to shock the cutting into growing roots faster. It should only take a few minutes depending on how fast the leaves lose water, so stick around while it happens, time it if you want, though I didn't bother.

The next day do the same thing, you should be able to leave the lid off for a while longer than the day before.

Go ahead and give them a spray if you think they need it, or if you notice the top layer of coco in the pots turning light brown and drying off, spray!

At this point you want to start leaving the lid open slightly to get a little air exchange going on.

If at any time you notice the leaves turning yellow, that means the cutting hasn't developed strong enough roots to take in water quicker than the cutting is transpiring it through the leaves (sweating), don't freak if it happens, they'll live, just keep the humidity up a little more with an extra spray or by closing the lid a little.

Don't have them in direct light, a single 20w CFL would do for the first few days. I actually used some frosted type plastic over my lid to keep a lot of the light from my veg room off the cuttings.

This is the first time I haven't clipped leaves, most guides seem to recommend it but this has been the quickest & most successful clone yet for me, 20/20 in 8 days, I'm stoked. As you will see there's plenty of leaf surface area, but almost no transpiration burn.

Enjoy!

[Sickboy]

Good technique Scouser..Did you get roots at the bottom of the pots 8 days from cutting?That's really good mate ..

I have just rooted 20 cuttings too.I used jiffys and then potted into 3" pots of coco..I have rooted straight into 3" pots of coco before with no clonex or even a propagator,just popped it in as you describe and left it in the veg room(as an experiment).It takes much longer but still works.I absolutely love coco,it's so versatile..

What strain you got going mate?

Good luck with them..

Sb..

Edited April 15, 2010 by Sickboy

[Scouser]

Cheers Sickboy.

Yup, I took the cuttings on the 4th, and the roots where bottoming out by the 12th.

They're out the clone box and looking perky, due a first feed soon, coco nutes, rhizo & A/B, EC @ 1.0

These were all from a bag-seed source, believed to be a Blueberry, not much stretch so far, verrrrry bushy, some of that no doubt because I veg under 360watts of 5600k & 6500k cfl, kinda slow bu tight internodes. Fingers are fairly broad creating lots of shadow and slowing the airflow below, a pruning & some fans are needed.

I've let them grow waaaay too big for my grow space, another newbie mistake.

These are my best effort so far (meaning I haven't killed them yet!), and also my first coco grow.

11 days in flower under a 400w HPS, soon to be a 600w. They suffered a night of cold a while back by mistake, 15c, but they seem ok.

Will put up a grow diary later.

[GreenNinja]

Nice one Scouser - some really nice tips in there. Had no idea about the shocking....definitely going to give it a go.

Cheers for sharing

GN

[Scouser]

2 weeks since cuttings taken, as of yesterday feed is half strength rhizotonic (2ml per litre) and canna coco A+B at EC 1.6

Root porn!

Time to pot up you think?

[Scouser]

Another

[taffy]

Hi Scouser, i didn't know about that shocking idea either, i haven't done any cutts in coco yet but i am about to ss i'll give that a go.

Peace

taffy

[Guest Tutu]

I have to use an aerocloner to get clones that happy and it takes me 10-14 days plus 2-3 days to root into the coco enough to go under real lights.

I too use 1 20w cfl for my clone light, my last lot in roo riot took 3 weeks to clone and look battered by the time they rooted satill grew into strappers but yours look so much nicer.

A++

[Guest papaduc]

Scouser, were all the clones taken from the bottom of the plant mate?

Cheers.

[Scouser]

Yes m8, all from lower down the plants (5 off each plant)

[Guest papaduc]

Thanks mate. I'll try it this way next time. Do you find any difference between cuts from the lower areas and ones from the top?

[GreenNinja]

Thanks mate. I'll try it this way next time. Do you find any difference between cuts from the lower areas and ones from the top?

I don't know what Scouser's experiences are, but every single time I've rooted a 'top' (i.e. topped the plant, rooted it) it has rooted in 5-7 days with long thick hairy roots that always surprise me. I think there's more growing cells in the tops, so there's more 'life' in them....but no real idea....

GN

[Scouser]

I don't know what Scouser's experiences are, but every single time I've rooted a 'top' (i.e. topped the plant, rooted it) it has rooted in 5-7 days with long thick hairy roots that always surprise me. I think there's more growing cells in the tops, so there's more 'life' in them....but no real idea....

GN

I'll try this next time I top some, how many nodes do you aim to have on the newly topped cutting?

You got me thinking... if you did a 'supercrop' type pinch to the branches from where you intend to take cuttings, say 3 days before... there should be plently of new cells there too to aid roots in the new cutting no? (does this method exist or has anyone tried it already?)

[Guest papaduc]

Don't know if anyone has tried that yet but I was thinking the exact same thing, for the same reason as well. I'm trying a few different things with cloning, which is why I picked up on this thread. It's guesswork but maybe the reproduction of cells at the point where you pinch might aid the rooting process. I'm giving it a go anyway.

GN, I've taken cuts from both top and bottom of the plant and never had a clone root in 5 days.

Can you talk me through exactly what you do please.

For what it's worth, one of the things I tried recently, based on what someone on here said, was root a clone in coco with no humidity dome from when it was taken. Just straight into the pot and left to sit there. It rooted without wilting once. Only time it wilted was when I put it in direct light.

[GreenNinja]

GN, I've taken cuts from both top and bottom of the plant and never had a clone root in 5 days.

Can you talk me through exactly what you do please.

I do exactly the same as everyone else - but it HAS to be the 'top', not a cut from somewhere near the top, the actual top. 45 degree cut, sometimes also a lateral split cut as well (or lots of little 'nicks' with the scissors), put in Clonex for 2-3 mins, straight into a 3" cup of coco presoaked with baby juice (formulex, rhizo, superthrive) and into unheated prop with 2 x 28w fluoros sitting on the lid for heat (vents closed). Spray daily with baby juice. Ordinarily regular cuts take about 10 days to root, but the 'top' is always MUCH MUCH quicker....5-7 generally. Try it...

GN