When I try to root plants they take forever and the stems start to turn white at the tip I cut and slowly creep toward the top with brown sploches on the stem, I suspect they rot. Aphids will also take them over, how do I root plants the fastest way possible?
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Rotting cuttings
- Thread starter charlie5heen
- Start date
Âcharlie5heen said:
Let's back up a little. How can you see the end of the cutting? You aren't leaving these in a cup of water are you???
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Seriously though, can you confirm you are using a rooting hormone and what your growing medium is for the cuttings?
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It could be the stems drying out at a guess. Not that you should be adding water the the medium but that until the stem takes root it relies on its' fluids within the stem. Making sure it's not too warm, kept in semi shade and halving the big leaves to reduce moisture loss could help.
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The way I was taught was to first have a fine medium like coir, like you would use for seed starting, nothing with particles too large else it could affect initial root development with air gaps or tough matter. Medium should be moist but drained. Second use a hormone, we used to use a willow tea, diagonal cut on the stem near a node, leave in tea for an hour or so, cut larger leaves in half and just push the stem into the soil. Store somewhere out of the sun. It was pretty effective, always some loss, I know there are hormone powders and gels which are more effective.
Sometimes I will get a grow request for something I dont have seed stock for. Seed can be a buck a pop for new stuff. So I clone the heck out of a few plants cause I am a cheap bastard. Of course my cloning method would be cheap too.
Five dollar mortar tray from Lowes.
Fish tank bubbler from Walmart.
Fish tank heater looks like bullet on cord from Walmart.
Sterile medium, doesnt matter what as long as sterile and absorbent. Rocks do not work well for clones. Potting soil fine.
Solo cups with holes in bottom.
Rooting Hormone will increase odds, but not absolutly needed.
Medium into cups, cups into tray, water (about 2 gallons) into tray, bubbler and heater into tray. Let sit overnight to get plenty of air in water, plenty of heat, and for chlorinated water to become unclorinated.
Next day, scoop water from tray into a cup of any kind. Key here is it is the same temp as the medium you are using since it soaked overnight. Make cuttings downward with very sharp thing, razor blade, scalpel. Try for 45 degree but can trim later. Goes imediately into cup of water. Take your other cuttings, same thing. You need at least two grow points that you will also cut off. Each grow point is a root point.
Cover the cut parts and stem with rooting hormone. Poke holes in medium with pencil. Drop cutting into hole so stem is almost to bottom. Squish medium around hole. Back into the mortar trey with bubbler, heater, and water. Then over night in complete darkness. Next day, 24 hour lights and leave them that way until you see roots out the bottom. My best results have been normal four foot shop lights. HID lighting seems to screw them up more.
Things that help. Mist every day. Cover with plastic or something to keep humidity up. Oh, and there is this stuff called plant shine. It is a liquid wax. Have read it helps keep the moisture in the plants but I grow in a basement so humidity is fine for mine.
I figured this out when clone kits cost a fortune. Like I said, I am a cheap bastard. Today, they are cheaper. You can get one at any grow shop or on Amazon. I still use this system because the same size trays fit my regular indoor grow bed stands. If space is a concern, the clone kits are normally smaller.
Welcome to cloning. You will get frigging hooked. Once you have your first few methods figured out, it will be nothing. It is a great way to save money on seeds and keep fantastic dna going for years. Start from seed and no matter how good the dna is, you are never sure of the results. Clones are almost identical to mama. You will love it.
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Five dollar mortar tray from Lowes.
Fish tank bubbler from Walmart.
Fish tank heater looks like bullet on cord from Walmart.
Sterile medium, doesnt matter what as long as sterile and absorbent. Rocks do not work well for clones. Potting soil fine.
Solo cups with holes in bottom.
Rooting Hormone will increase odds, but not absolutly needed.
Medium into cups, cups into tray, water (about 2 gallons) into tray, bubbler and heater into tray. Let sit overnight to get plenty of air in water, plenty of heat, and for chlorinated water to become unclorinated.
Next day, scoop water from tray into a cup of any kind. Key here is it is the same temp as the medium you are using since it soaked overnight. Make cuttings downward with very sharp thing, razor blade, scalpel. Try for 45 degree but can trim later. Goes imediately into cup of water. Take your other cuttings, same thing. You need at least two grow points that you will also cut off. Each grow point is a root point.
Cover the cut parts and stem with rooting hormone. Poke holes in medium with pencil. Drop cutting into hole so stem is almost to bottom. Squish medium around hole. Back into the mortar trey with bubbler, heater, and water. Then over night in complete darkness. Next day, 24 hour lights and leave them that way until you see roots out the bottom. My best results have been normal four foot shop lights. HID lighting seems to screw them up more.
Things that help. Mist every day. Cover with plastic or something to keep humidity up. Oh, and there is this stuff called plant shine. It is a liquid wax. Have read it helps keep the moisture in the plants but I grow in a basement so humidity is fine for mine.
I figured this out when clone kits cost a fortune. Like I said, I am a cheap bastard. Today, they are cheaper. You can get one at any grow shop or on Amazon. I still use this system because the same size trays fit my regular indoor grow bed stands. If space is a concern, the clone kits are normally smaller.
Welcome to cloning. You will get frigging hooked. Once you have your first few methods figured out, it will be nothing. It is a great way to save money on seeds and keep fantastic dna going for years. Start from seed and no matter how good the dna is, you are never sure of the results. Clones are almost identical to mama. You will love it.
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