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cloning Cloning Question--Bonchi Challenge

C

Captain Capsaicin

This is really a two part question.

First off. I'm inclined to participate in the bonchi challenge. After examining my limited number of over-winters I think that a portion of a 7 Pot Jonah would theoretically work best. It's one of the main stalks of the plant. It's thick and woody and branches off into three thick, woody off-shoots. It's thick and symmetrical. The problem is that I don't want to sacrifice that portion of the plant unless I'm reasonably sure that it won't die. I've never cloned a plant before. What are my odds of keeping it alive and getting it to take root.

Here's the second part of my question. In my experience super hots are pretty finicky and a huge variety of stressors will result in them just dropping flowers. If I succeed and have say a 1' tall plant in a small pot will it produce fruit? I'm not a master grower by any means so it's safe to say that I'm not going to get the watering and nutrient portion exactly right.

Basically I'm totally down for this if I have a decent chance of getting a cool looking mini-Jonah that produces fruit year round. I just don't want to do it if I'm either going to kill a cool portion of the plant out right or end up with a plant that doesn't produce. Any feedback would be much appreciated.
 
I have never heard of someone successfully cloning a thick woody off shoot, but maybe I just haven't seen it. I am not an expert in cloning by any means.
 
My packet of root stimulating hormone references its ability to work on woody stems but I'm with you poypoy. I've only heard of people cloning grow tips. Assuming that the advertising is correct I'd have to imagine that the success rate would be a lot lower.
 
Willard has(had) a piquin something like 7 years old that he cut back to just a woody stump and regrew. I'll see if I can find pictures.

Have a look here.

http://thehotpepper.com/topic/11974-wintering/page__st__20
 
So, if I were to cut off the branch, get it to take root and grow it in a small pot while regularly pruning it back to 1' or so, do you think that it would produce pods? Obviously an incredibly root bound plant which underwent regular pruning would be under a great deal of stress. Do you think that I'd get any fruit to set? Oh yeah, my intent would be to keep it indoors under a CFL.
 
I would root it and let it grow all messy up until like a month before the contest before pruning it just so it can establish a good base
 
Don't think a month would be enough. I would keep pruning the larger leaves and random stems to keep it the shape and size you want. It'll produce as long as you give it everything it needs. Stress be damned.
 
Cool. Thanks guys. I'll get the ball rolling on this.

Final question. I have an Aerogarden. I assume that first and foremost I've got to get the branch to produce roots. I was going to apply the rooting hormone and then put the base of the branch in a plastic baggie filled with damp paper towels. After it does I could get it going in the Aerogarden. Would that be better than a soil medium? If so, what type of fertilizer should I add to the reservoir?
 
And yes you can easily get these things to fruit heavily too. This plant never got above 1.5' but produced over 40 full size Bhuts.

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poypoyking said:
Cutting it back though is quite different from cutting off a woody branch and rooting it. I would be very interested to see where this goes either way.
Click to expand...

I understand, and it is different, but what he did was basically the same thing. BASICALLY... I have had no luck doing it but I just stick my clones in dirt. Maybe if someone had a cloner or took extra special care it could be done easily. Either way it is pretty cool.
 
for softwood plants, you would want to use air layering. I use this all the time for small trees (maples). Never tried on a pepper plant.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/landscape/air-layering/
the reason why you air layer is because the softwood / hardwood plant takes longer to root (its stem is tough), and a cutting will die before the necessary roots form to support its own life. By air layering, you keep the plant alive, and start the roots. Once the roots are formed, you cut it off and have an alive plant with roots ready to put into dirt.
 
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