need some advice on clones in humidity domes

[420F4i]

First time I used clones they were given to me in cups of backyard dirt. They took a month to get started but grew up to be very healthy girls. Once they grew some shhots, I took a few clippings off the nicest one. I used rooting hormone and followed the steps I learned by reading on here. Instead of just sticking them in backyard dirt, I used my good potting soil and kept them in a humidity dome. That worked great. Within a few weeks all of them had nice root growth, and new leaves coming out looking healthy. All was going well. So I started taking them out of the dome for an hour or 2 at a time, then 4-6 hours at a time, and they were doing great. Then one time I left them out overnight, about 9 hours. When I woke up the next morning they were brown and very dry, despite the soil being moist, and roots all over the place. I put them back in the dome and misted them every few hours, but it was too late. They all died.

2 months later (today) my next batch of clones have developed roots and top growth, and are almost ready to leave the dome. Im scared. I dont understand why my last batch dried out when they had roots and moist soil.

Does anybody have any advice for me on this?

420F4i Reviewed by 420F4i on 10-09-2008. need some advice on clones in humidity domes First time I used clones they were given to me in cups of backyard dirt. They took a month to get started but grew up to be very healthy girls. Once they grew some shhots, I took a few clippings off the nicest one. I used rooting hormone and followed the steps I learned by reading on here. Instead of just sticking them in backyard dirt, I used my good potting soil and kept them in a humidity dome. That worked great. Within a few weeks all of them had nice root growth, and new leaves Rating: 5

[stinkyattic]

I've seen that happen when the soil is TOO moist, without enough drainage, and when the air is too dry. Also, if the soil pH is even a little off, clones with spankin' new root systems seem a lot more susceptible to that. Finally, if there is a lot of nitrogen in the soil, or none at all, you can have issues.
I would try to do the hardening-off more slowly. Try a completely inert, undertilized soil like seedling mix or promix. During the hardening-off period, after the clones have fully rooted, I like to mist them LGIHTLY when I first take the dome off with a mixture of SMC leaf wash and GH Micro to help them start feeding and growing, while protecting them from dry air. Don't give them too much light too soon either. If you can find a dome that has adjustable vents, those are GREAT, just leave the vents open, or prop the dome up so there's a crack around the base just SLIGHTLY to get them used to drier and drier air.

You wanna hear something silly, I have been putting newly-rooted clones into my hydro table on a PERFORATED nursery flat with the dome over, sitting in small pots of hydroton. I never would have thought they would do so well but I had to go away for a weekend and was like, well, they would die anyway so I might as well test this... lol it works nice. But that's if you're hydro.

[420F4i]

I've seen that happen when the soil is TOO moist, without enough drainage, and when the air is too dry. Also, if the soil pH is even a little off, clones with spankin' new root systems seem a lot more susceptible to that. Finally, if there is a lot of nitrogen in the soil, or none at all, you can have issues.
I would try to do the hardening-off more slowly. Try a completely inert, undertilized soil like seedling mix or promix. During the hardening-off period, after the clones have fully rooted, I like to mist them LGIHTLY when I first take the dome off with a mixture of SMC leaf wash and GH Micro to help them start feeding and growing, while protecting them from dry air. Don't give them too much light too soon either. If you can find a dome that has adjustable vents, those are GREAT, just leave the vents open, or prop the dome up so there's a crack around the base just SLIGHTLY to get them used to drier and drier air.

You wanna hear something silly, I have been putting newly-rooted clones into my hydro table on a PERFORATED nursery flat with the dome over, sitting in small pots of hydroton. I never would have thought they would do so well but I had to go away for a weekend and was like, well, they would die anyway so I might as well test this... lol it works nice. But that's if you're hydro.

Damn I just threw out my runoff water. i should have tested it