Operation Clone

[RUFUS HOUND]

fridge????

[Wacky Wardrobe]

Just now, RUFUS HOUND said:

fridge????

Think cryogenics.

[RUFUS HOUND]

just seems like another problem for the poor little auto clone to overcome - get it in a pot with a bag on it.

 

These are autos and the clock is ticking or does the cold stop the clock ??????????????????? 

Edited May 25, 2022 by RUFUS HOUND

[Wacky Wardrobe]

59 minutes ago, RUFUS HOUND said:

These are autos

Yeah.

The fridge idea is not for autos.

[Crow River]

1 hour ago, RUFUS HOUND said:

just seems like another problem for the poor little auto clone to overcome - get it in a pot with a bag on it.

 

These are autos and the clock is ticking or does the cold stop the clock ??????????????????? 

 

It's in the salad crisper.  

 

I did some reading up on this. Seems there is a botanical science term known as 'degree days'. Putting it simply, the autoflower 'clock' (or that of any hardy annual) is not determined by time alone. Environmental factors, especially temperature but also light levels, soil, nutrients, etc. govern how and at what speed the plant develops. The 'clock' appears to be more about the stage of development (partly arising from these factors) rather than how many days/weeks it's been growing. Which helps explain why a strain that is supposed to take 60 days to finish from seed, might take 120 days instead!  It's still running the 'clock', just slowly...

 

Anyway placing the cutting in the fridge slows down growth to a state known as 'stasis'. Just like in the science fiction films like 'Alien' where the crew are put into suspended animation. Of course we can't do that to living humans yet (if ever), but it works for plants. I suppose it must be a naturally evolved survival mechanism, which makes sense.

 

So, in short, it doesn't stop the 'clock', but slows it down so much that we mere mortals cannot really tell the difference.  Or so I've read. I even saw a test where a grower tried to store cuttings for three months. That failed, except for one specimen, which then did not root.  But apparently a couple of weeks is fine. You store your cuttings until ready to root. I suppose it's more common to store already rooted clones this way, which also makes sense. 

 

The reason I did this is because I had to research what to do. Also didn't have any rooting powder, and no setup for growing the cutting on after rooting. Once that's all in place, I'll start. Won't be that long. 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2022 by Crow River

[RUFUS HOUND]

interested to see if it works.  good luck

[Crow River]

@RUFUS HOUND, just checked on the cutting and it seems fine down there in the salad crisper. I'm not planning on keeping it there any longer than I have to. Then we'll see if it roots...

[RUFUS HOUND]

good luck 

[Crow River]

Gathered the necessary supplies. Seen here on top of a small tent which I got for much cheapness in the sales. So all set for some rooting fun starting this weekend.  

 

[Wacky Wardrobe]

I potted one of my 5 week old fridge cuts yesterday.

The ones in the Blueberry Cheese bag had all died and gone manky but the Gelat OG bag were all looking pretty perky and had even grown a good bit!

I wasn't expecting that.

The new growth was very pale unsurprisingly but they all looked healthy otherwise.

At the same time I took another cut from another plant in flower. That plant is from the same mother. She was flipped into flower 5 weeks ago.

 

As of today the flowering one looks like it never missed a beat.

The fridge one looks a bit stunned.

The big leaves are still a bit droopy as they were yesterday when she came out of the fridge. I trimmed them a bit when I potted but maybe I should remove them completely. The newer ones are nice and erect but are still a bit furled up.

She doesn't look too bad though for having been 5 weeks growing in the dark, in a plastic bag, in the fridge...!!!

 

I'm using well buffered coco with a weak nute mix, a bit of roots excel and seaweed extract, and a bit of a leaf from an aloe plant for rooting gel.

Fingers crossed all round.

[Crow River]

Today was cloning day.

 

For a pot I'm using a small cottage cheese tub. Put some drainage holes in it using a bradawl heated on the small gas ring of the hob. Filled about 3/4 up with my usual potting mix, then watered with Maxicrop 2ml/litre. Drained off the excess and popped it into the heated propagator. 

 

Then took the wee cutting out of the fridge, stripped some lower leaves so I had a node to cut across. Sterilised a Stanley blade, cut at 45º. Then covered liberally in rooting powder. At this point some of the leaves got covered too.  Dabbed them with some kitchen roll, then popped the stem into a pre-dibbed hole in the soil. Pressed the soil lightly around the stem to ensure good contact. 

 

Popped the lid on the propagator. She's sitting just beyond the reach of sunlight, on a table near the window. So bright but no direct sun.

 

Now I wait and see if she'll root...

 

[Crow River]

11 minutes ago, Wacky Wardrobe said:

The ones in the Blueberry Cheese bag had all died and gone manky but the Gelat OG bag were all looking pretty perky and had even grown a good bit!

I wasn't expecting that.

 

Interesting! It is amazing how robust cannabis is really. Just wants to live!  

 

12 minutes ago, Wacky Wardrobe said:

She doesn't look too bad though for having been

5 weeks growing in the dark, in a plastic bag, in the fridge...!!!

 

Pretty sound result I'd say. Hopefully she'll take root nicely too. I didn't want to risk longer term storage for my accidental "cutting" given the less than ideal circumstances. So as soon as I had everything I needed, in the soil.

 

In future, I'll try and plan the taking of cuttings a bit more deliberately...

 

[Wacky Wardrobe]

24 minutes ago, Crow River said:

I didn't want to risk longer term storage for my accidental "cutting"

I'm expecting mine to take a good bit longer to root than usual but that's OK.

I can't help feeling that any delay on your auto though is going to be eating in to that oh so brief veg time that they have.

I look forward to seeing your results though buddy and I'll understand if you don't have quite enough for me to cadge a spliff off you :-)

[Crow River]

@Wacky Wardrobe well it's in the propagator now. We'll see what happens!

 

Just keeping things interesting really.

[Crow River]

I have been checking in on the cutting each day to see how she's doing. The past two nights I trained a single 6500k LED bulb on her at a distance of around 10cm, so she gets 24 hour light. 

 

Today I decided to take the propagator cover off. Originally was just going to open the vents, but I noticed the tips of a couple of leaves were starting to die off, going a dark colour. I thought maybe the humidity was too much in there, not enough air exchange. Most of the older leaves are looking a bit dishevelled, but still alive with some discolouration. The good news is the young leaf shoots at the top appear to be growing. They're certainly turgid and healthy looking. So it's possible that she has already put down some roots. 

 

I'm thinking I'll maybe leave the cover off during the day, and pop it back on in the evening when temperatures in the room drop a bit. I'll leave the vents open for air exchange.

 

Fingers crossed, she might just make it...  

 

Edited May 31, 2022 by Crow River