Cloning problems

I tried to clone a plant last year during my last grow and i took 6 clones.The problem is I couldnt get it to work and I tried like 4 times.I would cut the clone at an angle neer a node when the plant was in veg,then i would dip the cutting into rootech gel and the i would put the cutting into a rockwool cube(yes i soaked the cube first to remove its acidity),then i would put the cutting under light,and then water it but not to much or to little.But they always just fall over and die within a day after taking the clones.I read zandors cloning 101 and its was informative and im not new here so i know to check the grow faqs but what am i doing wrong.Please help becuase i would like to clone instead of having to grow from seed each time...its to time consuming.Thanks in advance appreciate it.

what kind of light, generaly want low intense light
did you have a bag over/ humidity dome
was everything sterile, and did you dip from the clone solution bottle, or did you pour capful and dip from there
maybe ph is not correct for babies
maybe try a bubble cloner cheap and easy to make(about $30) and very reliable

dont forget to leach the mother for a week b4 you take your clones it lowers N and increases carbs that makes the clones root faster,you chould try antiwilt aswell,put a little superthrive in with the feed helps with stress,use a probagation tent a heated 1 if you can.goodluck.:thumbsup:

when you have taken the clones leave them alone dont keep touching them let them do they own thing,and get an air flow to the tops of your clones they like the top to be cooler than the bottom.:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by texas grass

what kind of light, generaly want low intense light

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Yes... a low-instensity light.

Even a fluorescent, if placed near them (<= 4inches) will be too much.

Give it another go man... sounds like you did everything right.
It's easy and simple as hell.

Personally, I would ditch the rockwool cube... and go with the DIY bubbler cloner... excellent results.

Small CFL about 18" away, use a humidity dome, cloning gels CAN go bad (never dip directly into the jar, pour out what you need, store in fridge when not in use), try a cloning solution wiht fungicide like Dip-n-Gro, and read the section in the sticky in my signature. I've screwed around with MANY MANY different cloning methods and have hit the 100% survival mark with that one.

I cut it at an angle, pull all but two sets of leaves off, dip the stem into water and then into a rooting gell and let the cut angle and the part of the stem that is gonna be covered soak in the gel for 30seconds, and then place in a moist but not soaked rockwool cube. I usually dont even water for the first 3-4 days, but I wipe the condensation off of the clone dome everyday at least twice once in the morning and once at night. With in a week to ten days I have roots on every cutting I take. Dumpster is an easy variety to clone, but other plants I have cloned all lived too. Within 5 years of growing I have only ever have three clones not root, it is pretty simple.

It sounds as if your doing things right, but it doesnt sound like you have a clone dome. This is a must to trap the humidity so the enviroment is right for the clones to root. You never want to overwater the clones just keep thigs MOIST not wet and you should have terrific results.

A tip:
on the stem part that will be in the rockwool scrape your razor along side of it exposing a lil of the inside, not to much though just a couple swies up and down. This will help roots develop there after the gel is applied and that are is covered by moist rockwool. It will definetly help root clones that are more difficult.

Thanks guys im using a 42 watt cfl light and i think i may have found my problem from al these replies.I dont have a dome or anything to keep humidity so maybe thats why.What are the best ways to keep humidity?Also i was wondering how you get a mother plant t constantly take clones from?

mums
this should help

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Originally Posted by letsburn06

I tried to clone a plant last year during my last grow and i took 6 clones.The problem is I couldnt get it to work and I tried like 4 times.I would cut the clone at an angle neer a node when the plant was in veg,then i would dip the cutting into rootech gel and the i would put the cutting into a rockwool cube(yes i soaked the cube first to remove its acidity),then i would put the cutting under light,and then water it but not to much or to little.But they always just fall over and die within a day after taking the clones.I read zandors cloning 101 and its was informative and im not new here so i know to check the grow faqs but what am i doing wrong.Please help becuase i would like to clone instead of having to grow from seed each time...its to time consuming.Thanks in advance appreciate it.

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Here is my favorite clone right now a California Skunk. I kind of go for the KISS method on cloning and it has worked for me.
I take a cutting from the plant using sharp scissors. Put the cutting under water in a shallow dish. Cut the stem with a razor blade to a 45 degree angle. Have a piece of rockwool that you have soaked for several hours in distilled water ready for your clone. Poke a small hole in the rockwool with a toothpick, open it up enough to accept the stem of your clone. Dip your stem into Clonex. Clonex has never failed me. You can get it on the internet if a store near you does not have it. Then have a plastic lettuce container handy. I buy salad greens at Costco and the containers are the perfect little greenhouse. Put the clones in the rockwool that has been soaked in distilled water in it and invert the lid and you are ready to go. I keep them inside the house under a skylight. No direct sun or artificial light. Add no water, rockwool can hold a lot of water. After several days or a week take the top off of your little greenhouse, for an hour or so a day. Tempering the plants is what you are now doing. Get them used to be out of the greenhouse. If they look a little limp. mist them with a spray bottle of distilled water, and put the plastic cover back on them. Keep doing this and you will find they are growing up and producing more leaves. Do not get into a big rush to transplant them though. Keep tempering them. Give them more and more open air time with the plastic dome off during the day. You will be able to tell when have had enough. They may start to wilt at times. Just cover and maybe spritz a bit with water. I have never added water to the rockwool, once the clones are in it. When they are strong enough to stand on their own with the top off of your mini greenhouse, which maybe several weeks, transplant them. I like to look for roots emerging from the rockwool, or just the plant looks like it is ready to go into soil. Remember do not pull the plant from the rockwool! Plant the rockwool and plant into your soil! Good Luck!

I have never had any kind of success cloning in rockwool. I hate that stuff anyway. I have had close to 100% in both my cheapo areocloner, and in soil. Search the cloner if your interested in building a simple fantastic device. If putting in soil, it's real easy; Just flood the non fertilized soil once before planting the clone with water and a couple drops of B1 like SuperThrive PH'd to 6.8, scarify the clone, dip it rooting hormone, poke a hole in the soil and plant the thing. Keep it and the soil warm and moist however you want, and it will root within a couple weeks, providing you cut the clone from a good area of the mother. Use a humidity dome or mist or use anti-wilt. Harden after they get about 3 inches of good root.

Keep fluorescents a few inches back and HIDs a few feet back. Watch for mold. It too likes warm and moist.