:wtf: an update ... I pulled the clone out of the hydroton yesterday, as one of my new seedlings was looking better ... out of curiosity, I tore open the rapidrooter plug ... the clone had no roots at all ... zero, zilch, it never even tried to root ... I can understand that OK, but the damned thing 'looked' fine ... it looked just like the day I put it in there (which is why I replaced it) some sort of suspended animation, I guess ... regardless, I found out I can't always be lucky , and luck has always been my 'ace in the hole' ... :jointsmile: