noobie questions about cuttings

[robbiegy2k]

I've always used germ'd seeds straight in to the final 5Ltr pots - no problems other than wasting soil/space etc on those that end up as males..

So i've got 2 questions regarding cuttings.

a) (and I hope it's okay to ask this on this site) whats the average price per cutting if you were getting from someone who does them on a bigger scale? assuming genetics can be trusted to be pretty good.

b) when buying will they 'root' it for me as in get it to the point where the roots have started to develop? and if so is it possible to transplant straight in to the final pot and treat it like normal seedling?

Im just trying to make this as simple as possible, im not even sure what state i get the cuttings in so it may be that I have to do a fair bit of work before their ready for their final pot. Just wanted to get an idea of what i'll get for my buck..

I know I could just ask but as soon as you do that the price will probably go up 20%

Thanks - oh and if anyone has any links or pointers to some reading on how to do what im after (not the cutting and cloning part - just the growing in to soil from cutting) im more than happy to read up on it.

Cheers!

 

[tcbud]

I personally buy clones. And yes they should be rooted, otherwise they are not clones but as you said "cuttings". Never heard of someone selling cuttings. I pay anywhere from 15-30, paid 50 once, and was well worth it. A friend pays about 5, but he knows more growers then me.

Look at the sticky's here in the Growing Marijuana Forum, they will cover growing techniques. You pretty much treat a clone as you would a seedling that is about four weeks old.
Good luck to you.

 

[robbiegy2k]

Thanks TCbud - yep just reading up on hicks cloning guide which is answering most questions. Thanks for pointing out the clone/cutting thing - see I could of turned up looking like a proper first timer! Oh and when you say 15-30 I take it thats US $?

Thanks for the reply - appreciated.

 

[dman1234]

in my part of canada clones will be 10-25 bucks, rooted and ready for transplant is the only way i have heard of them comming

 

[robbiegy2k]

Cheers dman1234,

Kinda thought that would be the going rate - £7.50 - £10 Glad to hear they'd be ready to drop straight in. I've heard about root shock, do you think im safe just putting them straight in or should I look to use epsom salts or something to help with the transplant?

I like hearing about other people's ways of doing things, everyone tends to have ways that work for them and as long as you get bud at the end then no 'single way' is wrong.. It's all green knowledge!

 

[dirtyolsouth]

Hi,

Unless you really enjoy growing plants from seed and all the coddling and care it requires clones are THE way to go. Buying a rooted clone not only eliminates the need for determining sex but it also saves you from wasting so much time not only to find out who's female but also which plants are quality phenotypes. It's always very disappointing to me to spend 4-5 weeks vegging and 8+ weeks flowering a plant from seed only to find out that it's not very good when it's all finished. I'd rather have a plant show it's male early in the grow than waste the time, space, energy and resources required to find out in the end that it's only so so at best...

If you have a veg space take a cutting off of your new clone to start a mother plant you can keep around. I love having a selection of not only quality genetics to choose from but also the ability to repeat results of a specific pheno time and time again. When you find a strain and a specific pheno's characteristics that you like you'll be able to take clones of that pheno for years to come and you can have some of that same bud in your stash time and time again whenever you desire. I really hate it when I bloom a girl that happens to yield very special flowers and I don't have a clone of it for future grows. I always feel like it's the ONE that got away.

But... having said all that, this is coming from the perspective of a guy growing where clones are hard to come by. There are no dispensaries or med mj around here so any chances at getting rooted clones of quality genetics are few and far between. After a 3 year break from growing due to living circumstances I started my current grow from seed. Then, when I finally had them at around 5 weeks, sexed and ready to bloom I had a buddy not too far away out of town who was able to get me three clones, White Widow, Avalanche, & Poison Afghan, and I JUMPED at the chance to have some quality strains for my next grow. I now have some great new strains to bloom in my garden for years to come.

Happy Growing!

 

[dirtyolsouth]

Cheers dman1234,

Kinda thought that would be the going rate - £7.50 - £10 Glad to hear they'd be ready to drop straight in. I've heard about root shock, do you think im safe just putting them straight in or should I look to use epsom salts or something to help with the transplant?

I like hearing about other people's ways of doing things, everyone tends to have ways that work for them and as long as you get bud at the end then no 'single way' is wrong.. It's all green knowledge!

Hi...

You'd probably be just fine without any products but you could pick up a 'start up' fertilizer such as Alaska Morbloom to help ease the transition. It's a great quality organic nute that won't burn your babies. Just about any 'transplant' fertilizer with vitamin B1 will help ease stress... Even that old container of Superthrive you've had around forever will help. Superthrive has an air of 'snake oil' with all the claims made on the bottle but the one thing it DOES do well imho is when it's used to help with transplants and relieve stress.

I've used Alaska Start-up Fertilizer for many years and it has a nice molasses funk odor that I've grown accustomed to. When I transplant my gals I'll mix up a gallon of Alaska Start-up and give my clones a drink a day before transplanting and after the transplant I'll give them another good drink to water in the soil around the root structure. When I transplant clones from my DWC clone bubbler I'll soak the roots directly in this solution for a few minutes and then plant it in the new pot and follow with a light feed with the solution after it's in the soil. They always stay happy, happy, happy!

I use it religiously for transplanting yet to be determined seedlings as any stress can lean tendencies toward becoming male plants, imho. I think a clone would have to be really beat around to stress it out but it doesn't hurt to help the transtition with some B1 if you can.

OH! Don't leave it laying around where your dog can get at it because my buddy's dog LOVES the stuff and it's hard to keep him away from the bowl if he gets a whiff... He drank probably a half liter one time and the next morning he had grown too big to get into his doghouse! J/K...

Peace!

 

[MindzEye]

I live in cali where weed is "legal" to med patients... In dipensaries here I wont pay more than $15 a clone... I dont care what strain it is, if you charge more than that then you are bending me over...

With that said I use a vit B1 supplement to get them started... The brand I have is western states.... I saw a gallon of the same type of stuff in wal-mart for $7... Dirtysouth has some knowlege here... A fish mix isnt bad at the first stages... but you will want to convert to a hydroponic fert soon after...

 

[robbiegy2k]

Hi, and thanks for the advice, wow to be able to get a permit to grow that stuff would be a dream come true! Im coming over to Cali 'n bringing my arthritic back 'n dodgy joints with me! :headbang2:

I don't know why I used to grow from seeds, I can see what your saying theirs sooo many advantages to growing from clones, just back then (when i were young) like you it was hard to get hold of these things, seeds were just much easier.

Im sure I could read this up but thought i'd see what others do. In the past when ive germed seeds and put them straight in (potting soil) i've used plain water for first few waters (after it's broken through the top) before upping the nutes to 1 quart/half/full. As the clones are a touch more developed do you use nutes with the first water or maybe half? or follow my rule of thumb mentioned above?

Thanks everyone.