clones wont root

Jonion309161

Active Member
hi,
I have read the threads on cloning and followed the advice and my clones still won't root.
I take a medium size cutting, about 2-3 inches, dip them in rooting powder, put them in a small rockwool cube that has been prewetted with tap water (well water no chlorine) put them on a tray with a clear dome, then under 2 20watt 2foot florescent tubes, I mist them several times a day. It has been 2 weeks for some of them, and a week for the newer ones I tried. Still no roots. a couple of them have roots starting to grow out of the stalk( I pulled a couple of them to examine) but most of the leaves are starting to turn yellow and they are not looking so good anymore.

what am I doing wrong? Shouldn't roots be growing through the sides of the rockwool by now? I thought 2 weeks would be long enough and I would be ready to transplant to soil by now??

thanks
 

smokebros

Well-Known Member
use olivias cloning solution. mix that with your water, and also soak your rockwool in it, itll help. when the leaves turn yellow they are needing nitrogen, the solution will help with that, though they will naturally get some yellow.
 

Silky Shagsalot

Well-Known Member
I mist them several times a day. It has been 2 weeks for some of them, and a week for the newer ones I tried. Still no roots. a couple of them have roots starting to grow out of the stalk( I pulled a couple of them to examine) but most of the leaves are starting to turn yellow and they are not looking so good anymore.
no need to mist so often, once or twice a day is good. some don't mist at all. it is a good idea though, to take the dome off a couple times a day to allow for some fresh air exchange. are you keeping the temp. rh at proper levels? also, are you keeping the cube/soon to be root area warm? i use a heat pad. also, yellowing leaves is a sign of rooting.
 

taint

Well-Known Member
Rockwool needs to be ph adjusted just so ya know.
Perhaps another mediums in order.
his is an easy way to do some cuts.First a healthy plant in veg with some good branching,side and top views.
I use an old cutting board,a rusty razor,sharp fine pointed scissors and roottech gel.
You don't need any hormones at all to take cuts successfully but it speeds up the process and the plants are less beat up by the time they root.
How the branch looks removed with nodes attached and stripped off,I just pinch them off be careful not to kink the stem.......kinking is bad.
Stick in gel let sit for 30 seconds or so.
In this case I'm using peat pellets but it'll work in just about anything that will keep the cut from drying out while it's rooting.
Soak the pellets overnight or they'll suck the moisture outta the cuts with bad results.
Poke hole in pellet,stick cut all the way down again careful not to kink the stem.
Form pellet around stem,gently.......then dunk in water to replace what ya squeezed out by forming then put in a dome.I'm using a cake box,they come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes plus ya getta cake.......fucking A.
In this case they're about 12"s under a 42 watt cfl,just leave'em alone they don't like being messed with.
Roots take anywhere from 5 to 15 days depending on plant and temp,I will take some pics and explain how I quick harden them off and pot'em when these root.
Now the donor plant provided 6 cuts and has 4 main branches,ready to be up-potted and flowered tomorrow.
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Jeffdt1966

Active Member
maby you are overthinking it ? to be honest .. I have never tried a root hormone . I have always simply cut a good looking branch about 4 or 5 inches from the tip at a 45 degree angle , shaved a little off the outer stem to expose some inner tissue on about the bottom half inch of the cut , and put them in plain ole tapwater . I dont use a dome or speacial lighting ... just keep them kinda shaded and out of the direct light ... dont use a clear glass .. and keep the area warm . I dont even spray em , I want to them to get all the water they need through the stems . This sometimes takes up to 3 weeks and there is always some yellowing of lower leaves .. just natural I guess . Try this with a few small branches .. I think you will be suprised at how simple it can be .. good luck , hope this works as well for you as it has for me in past cuttings :weed:
 

Ken3531

Well-Known Member
If the clone is not dead then just let her be. i had some clones and 1 of them took over a week and a half longer and they came off the same mother. A little trick is to actually let the rockwool dry out (not completley just as much as you can dry it out but keep the plant safe) thsi makes the roots search for moisture and root growth explodes. Thats how i clone and i get super fat roots when i start to let the cube get a little dry. also, if youre misting them and giving them water through their leaves, they will absorb it. If you were a little clone and noticed that you can just absorb all the water you need through your leaves you probally would say "fuck growin roots, i get my agua through my leaves."
 

Silky Shagsalot

Well-Known Member
A little trick is to actually let the rockwool dry out (not completley just as much as you can dry it out but keep the plant safe) thsi makes the roots search for moisture and root growth explodes. also, if youre misting them and giving them water through their leaves, they will absorb it. If you were a little clone and noticed that you can just absorb all the water you need through your leaves you probally would say "fuck growin roots, i get my agua through my leaves."
don't let your cubes dry up. the above is true, once the roots are established, but not before then. the new, tiny root-hairs, are very fragile, and completely at your mercy. a late or missed watering could destroy those all important first/new portals for nutrients. i also agree with the above on misting. keep to a bare minimum...
 

Ken3531

Well-Known Member
That's what I meant.(sorry for any misinterpretation) When you have some roots starting to poke out let the cube loose a little moisture. Prior to that and you will have dead clones. The root growth will really explode once you have some roots and ditch a little moisture.
 
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