Operation Clone

[Crow River]

During my current grow, which is currently at week 4, I accidentally snapped the main stem while performing LST. Attempts to splint it back in place were immediately unsuccessful as the break was just above a node, literally just a couple of millimetres. I couldn't hold the top in place to graft back on. So I inadvertently topped the plant, but she's doing fine.

I took the top, popped it in a tub of water to try and keep it alive. I then placed it in a small amount of water in a ziplock bag in the salad crisper in the fridge. My thinking is to try and make a clone of this plant because it's a nice strain with vigorous growth.

Having done some reading, I know it's possible to clone autoflowers, but with the caveat that the genetic clock is still ticking. I'd like to try it as an experiment. I got hold of some rooting powder, and I plan to try and root the "cutting" in compost.

 

I just checked in the salad crisper, and no-one has eaten the cutting, which is good. (Labels in capital letters saying 'NOT FOOD. LIVE PLANT. DO NOT OPEN!' probably helped).  Also she has perked up from the wilted creature of a couple of days ago, looks really fresh. Whaddaya know? Salad crispers work!

 

So Operation Clone is Go. 

 

As there will be no room in my wee grow cabinet if the cutting roots successfully, I bought a small tent in the sales. I have a spare fan, filter and ducting, also my backup InkBird, heat mat and circulation fan can be put to good use.

 

I also have a spare grow light, which believe it or not I picked up in a charity shop last year. Unused, still in packaging, basically brand new. It's another interesting design by Chinese manufacturer Fecida. Basically consists of four 'sunlike' full spectrum COB style LED boards, rated at 50 watts each. I tested one and it draws 47 watts. Now what I like about this design is it is modular. All four units can be used individually, or daisy chained together to make a larger lamp. You can just use one, or connect two together, or go for all four. I think four would be too much in my small tent, so I'm going to join two together giving me 94 watts of LED. 

 

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll start the cutting off in compost in my heated propagator. I'll just set it on a table near the window, out of direct sunlight. Then wait.

 

If it roots successfully (and signs are good as the cutting looks healthy) then this will be my first ever tent grow, as well as my first attempt at cloning. That's why I started a separate diary, because it's not very stealthy, and it's not in the cabinet!

 

Thanks for reading and I'll post again when I start the rooting process.

 

Link to my diary of the current grow if you want more background:

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by Crow River

[Cajafiesta]

have a look at this for mostly everything you need to know.  I use this method and it works nearly every time.  

 

 

 

 

Although I can't speak to cloning Autos successfully.  I certainly don't know everything, but it doesn't seem like that would work well to me. I would suspect, even if it puts down roots, it won't act right.  You can't control it with light cycles, so you can't force it to stay in veg while rooting and establishing.  

 

 

Best of luck.

[Crow River]

@Cajafiesta thanks. It's just an experiment. The opportunity presented itself and I thought I would give it a try. An auto is what I have to work with, so we'll see what happens I suppose. 

 

I've been reading up on cloning autos. There is another forum dedicated to these quirky creatures which shall remain nameless out of respect for the great community here.  A fair few growers have documented cloning successfully, seems timing is key. By pure chance, I appear to have taken the "cutting" at the right point in the mother's life cycle to give a clone a decent chance. Assuming it roots of course!  

 

[RUFUS HOUND]

Pulling up a chair - interested to see if cuttings have enough time to grow and flower as they are already 2 weeks old at cut and will take a week or two to get rooted. 

Thats pretty much the whole veg period over as your against the clock with autos but will await the results.

[RUFUS HOUND]

19 hours ago, Crow River said:

interesting design by Chinese manufacturer Fecida. Basically consists of four 'sunlike' full spectrum COB style LED boards, rated at 50 watts each.

 Do you have a model number for this or photos - sounds interesting - I will delve into the net for a look see 

Edited May 25, 2022 by RUFUS HOUND

[Crow River]

10 minutes ago, RUFUS HOUND said:

 Do you have a model number for this or photos - sounds interesting - I will delve into the net for a look see 

 

Box says "YJ Series" and they are 4 x 50w "sunlike" COBs (not he pink ones). I don't think they make them any more. I remember seeing them on Amazorg a couple of years back. They have a lower powered, step-dimmable model now in the same case, but only available as a single unit and no use for our purposes. Okay for lettuce maybe, or rooting clones.  

Maybe you can still find them at a certain Chinese e-commerce site. Here's a rather stoned sounding American dude doing a very casual unboxing video and demo of the one I have...  
 

 

[Crow River]

30 minutes ago, RUFUS HOUND said:

Pulling up a chair - interested to see if cuttings have enough time to grow and flower as they are already 2 weeks old at cut and will take a week or two to get rooted. 

Thats pretty much the whole veg period over as your against the clock with autos but will await the results.

 

Cheers man. Yeah it's not clear how she'll get on if rooted successfully. From what I've seen online the plant will end up smaller than the mother, but we'll see.  

[Wacky Wardrobe]

2 hours ago, Crow River said:

It's just an experiment.

Been there.

Done that.

It'll probably root and flower at the same time like this one did.

:-)

[Crow River]

@Wacky Wardrobe, ha! Yeah this is maybe what's coming.  Still, it's a bit of extra weed...  

 

On the other hand, have also seen pics of much bigger plants resulting from clones. I suspect it may be strain dependent to some extent.

 

Hell, I'm going to give it a go, why not? Good practice for a photoperiod grow...  

[Wacky Wardrobe]

I guess if you took your clone early at say the second or third node and vegged them for 24 hours you could end up with something.

The one above was all natural lighting outdoors and not in the greatest location. It only got the sun for half the day at best as do all my balcony plants.

I did just about get a spliff off of that one just for a taste :-)

[Crow River]

@Wacky Wardrobe, yeah that's the plan, to veg on 24/0 to try and get faster growth. Anyway it will be interesting to find out what she does.  

[Wacky Wardrobe]

Just now, Crow River said:

Anyway it will be interesting to find out what she does.

Yeah.

I love a bit of experimenting. I've been doing a bit of it with clones myself recently to get more consistent results now I'm in coco..

I've got some in the fridge that will have been there for 5 weeks tomorrow.

I'm going to pot the first one of each in the next couple of days and again next month and so on to see how long it works for.

Or doesn't.

[Crow River]

@Wacky Wardrobe, presume these are clones from photos? 5 weeks is a fair time to store them. Maybe they'll just take a bit longer to root? Anyway, good luck!  

[OldFord]

Im in for the ride     Watching with keen interest and cheering the poor auto on from the sidelines     

 

Please keep the updates coming on this one mate 

[Crow River]

49 minutes ago, OldFord said:

Im in for the ride     Watching with keen interest and cheering the poor auto on from the sidelines     

 

Please keep the updates coming on this one mate 

 

Thanks man! I will certainly post here again once I take the cutting out of the fridge.  

The mother plant seems to be doing fine. I'm going to leave her to do her thing for a bit...