Cloning assistance Please 😊

[SubmarineGirl]

Second try at cloning. Tried to use a tiny fish tank on first try thinking it would be perfect like a steamy little glass box. It seemed to work for a few days until the clones started burning from the heat of the bulb. (I’m no expert on bulbs but figured out quick it was to hot for the task) They had begun to root tho when I pulled one out of its little peat pod after about 10 days…. Getting my plants ready to flower, I took some new clones for a second try. This time I invested in a small propagation tray with a clear dome lid and light. I chose to use fresh aloe first as I had it on hand and after reading that it works in place of the root starter gel packet I bought from a local grow store on my last try. I hope this wasn’t a mistake. I treated the “holding water” with the fresh aloe as well and let them sit for 24 hours PH 6.5 before I set them in peat pods with more aloe as I read on the instructions of cloning with aloe page. Don’t really know if the clones look normal as I haven’t anything to compare them to except my fish tank experiment which I believe now would have worked out with a different light. I didn’t have a heat mat nor did I spend the extra money for one in my new setup but maybe someone can tell me if it would be worth it. The plastic cover shows signs of good humidity building up a little sweat. The temp inside the little glass house is only 71 degrees F as the inside my house which is usually maintained at 68-70 degrees F during the winter. The humidity is at 92% inside the little house. The clones seem to be very happy and no damage to anything green yet. It’s only been a few days tho. So, do my clones look normal? Any thoughts on the aloe thing or if investing in a heating pad would be worth it? I really don’t want to lose these girls…. Also, does Size matter on clones? These are a bit larger than the first try but still not as large as I’ve seen online but I thought since I did see root growth from the even smaller ones I used on my first try after 10 days these would have similar results. Thanks in advance for any suggestions

 

[Witchking]

I would pull that light away from your clones. It's making them transpire way too quickly.
Here is what I have learned about cloning:

Rockwool cubes rule for cloning. I have tried it all, homemade bubble cloners, peat plugs, rapid rooters..all of it. Inch and half by inch and half Rockwool cubes increased my cloning success from like 50% to 100% damn near every time.

For me I have better luck with rooting when the light is not right on top of the clones, first it increases heat dramatically which causes the clones to really have to fight to stay alive and prevent wilt, which just stalls them out and eventually they lose the race against time and they die. Heck my light is a 2 bulb t-5 that sits 3 feet away from the dome, you want them to try and root , not grow.

Bigger beefier clones tend to do better, but once you get good at cloning even the thin weak looking ones will root quite well.

While keeping 100% humidity in the dome, I air exchange once a day. Keeps mold at bay and gives them a breath.

The real secret for me was to keep the dome nice and moist for an extended period of time. Leave the vents closed for 5-7 days, then just crack a vent. You need to SLOWLY introduce dry air and oxygen, this is what I believe stimulates the roots to grow, but must be done SLOWLY. Go too fast and the medium dries out to quickly and roots stall and plant dries out and dies.

Most important..Put them in, have faith and don't keep messing with them, rooting takes time, like weeks sometimes, if they haven't fallen and died in the first 24 hours, usually they will make it,Although I cannot guarentee that's always the case.

Hope some of this helps. It took me a while to get cloning down to where I was confident I could do it almost without fail everytime.

 

[pute]

Thanks for the input and glad to see you WK. Been to long.

 

[SubmarineGirl]

I would pull that light away from your clones. It's making them transpire way too quickly.
Here is what I have learned about cloning:

Rockwool cubes rule for cloning. I have tried it all, homemade bubble cloners, peat plugs, rapid rooters..all of it. Inch and half by inch and half Rockwool cubes increased my cloning success from like 50% to 100% damn near every time.

For me I have better luck with rooting when the light is not right on top of the clones, first it increases heat dramatically which causes the clones to really have to fight to stay alive and prevent wilt, which just stalls them out and eventually they lose the race against time and they die. Heck my light is a 2 bulb t-5 that sits 3 feet away from the dome, you want them to try and root , not grow.

Bigger beefier clones tend to do better, but once you get good at cloning even the thin weak looking ones will root quite well.

While keeping 100% humidity in the dome, I air exchange once a day. Keeps mold at bay and gives them a breath.

The real secret for me was to keep the dome nice and moist for an extended period of time. Leave the vents closed for 5-7 days, then just crack a vent. You need to SLOWLY introduce dry air and oxygen, this is what I believe stimulates the roots to grow, but must be done SLOWLY. Go too fast and the medium dries out to quickly and roots stall and plant dries out and dies.

Most important..Put them in, have faith and don't keep messing with them, rooting takes time, like weeks sometimes, if they haven't fallen and died in the first 24 hours, usually they will make it,Although I cannot guarentee that's always the case.

Hope some of this helps. It took me a while to get cloning down to where I was confident I could do it almost without fail everytime.

Thanks for your advice on my clones. I have a temp humidity gage in the bottom of the little house. It’s registering at only 72 degrees F with 90% humidity. I have read that the optimal temp humidity is 80 degrees and 90-100%. They are inside my house in a spare room. Our house temp is set on 68 degrees F so it’s hard to get that medium temp to 80 degrees. I managed to catch them this morning at 75 degrees which Made me happy to see. Some advised that a heating mat would help. I finally did end up getting one. It didn’t have a low/high setting. When I plugged it in, within an hour my gauge read 85 degrees F and only 68%humidity. I quickly unplugged it as I didn’t want the little clones to get to hot and figured that 72 F and 95% humidity was better for them. My light is cool to the touch but I could figure a way to hang it a little higher so the plants don’t take to growing leaves instead of roots. I have rooted other plants in the past but not weed. I do know sometimes it takes two or three weeks to take. They all seem to be looking healthy. I’ve had them in the box now for one week. They haven’t grown but look to be very healthy so I hope you are right about the if they last 24 hours they will make it thing I took this picture this morning. I will take your advice about giving them a little air every day. I do intend to use the rock wood cubes next go around. I used what I had on hand this time the peat pellets and a tiny Dixie cup with the bottom cut out to hold them up a little. Thanks for your reply

 

[ness]

Morning here. SubmarineGirl your clones are looking O:K right now. Make sure you don't drown them.

 

[ROSTERMAN]

Don't worry if you lose a few of them It Happens
Looking Good SubGal

 

[ROSTERMAN]

I have to ask
What is the meaning of your handle(name)
Did you do time in the NAVY on Subs?

 

[SubmarineGirl]

I have to ask
What is the meaning of your handle(name)
Did you do time in the NAVY on Subs?

Retired submarine repair

 

[ROSTERMAN]

Retired submarine repair

They tried to get me to be the Nuclear Engineer on a new type of Class yrs ago.
Too long under the water for me.
Glad to have you aboard .

 

[ROSTERMAN]

I knew a guy who was a sub mariner and he was Crazy , even had Props tatted on each butt cheek LOL.
So we have a female Submariner who knows her way around wrenches on Board ,
COOL

 

[SubmarineGirl]

They tried to get me to be the Nuclear Engineer on a new type of Class yrs ago.
Too long under the water for me.
Glad to have you aboard .
View attachment 282747

Thank you. Hope to learn a lot here and have some fun too. 30+ years civil service in Sub repair. I didn’t ride them tho just made sure they were safe to ride. Under water is definitely a different gig and not for everyone.

 

[ROSTERMAN]

Thank you. Hope to learn a lot here and have some fun too. 30+ years civil service in Sub repair. I didn’t ride them tho just made sure they were safe to ride. Under water is definitely a different gig and not for everyone.

OK , Did you at least get to test drive them?
Or just build and work the bugs before launch ?
Either way, Welcome, You will learn , great group we have.

 

[SubmarineGirl]

I knew a guy who was a sub mariner and he was Crazy , even had Props tatted on each butt cheek LOL.
So we have a female Submariner who knows her way around wrenches on Board ,
COOL

I’m sure that butt cheek thing was adorable to someone. Yes I know how to use a wrench on board. It was a great profession. I was lucky to have such an interesting job for a girl. Back when I started there were not many of us but by the time I retired many very smart women joined the ranks.

 

[WeedHopper]

That should be a movie. Women on a Sub.

 

[ROSTERMAN]

I believe women were allowed to serve on Subs in 2010
and now serve on subs along with men and share all the same facilities .

 

[SubmarineGirl]

OK , Did you at least get to test drive them?
Or just build and work the bugs before launch ?
Either way, Welcome, You will learn , great group we have.

No I did not drive them. some of my work had to do with making sure they were “drivable” tho

 

[SubmarineGirl]

I believe women were allowed to serve on Subs in 2012

Yes there are some women on subs now. Not really sure how it’s working out tho

 

[ROSTERMAN]

Yes there are some women on subs now. Not really sure how it’s working out tho

Has to be Hard Im sure

 

[SubmarineGirl]

That should be a movie. Women on a Sub.

View attachment 282750View attachment 282748View attachment 282751View attachment 282749

Not quite me haha. This was more my style according to the guy that drew it.

 

[user 60570]

Hunt for Red October , one of my favorite Clancy movies and book