Yet another cloning question!

[KeiserSozeh]

Greetings all, and thanks in advance for any input you may have.

I've got 2 'mothers' in veg state that I started from seed. They seem to be doing well and I've gotten to the point of having made a clone of each to determine sex. The clones have been rooted and placed in their grow mediums where they've had a couple weeks to get settled in and have started getting taller again after the rooting process. When I cut from the mother to make the clones, I 'topped' the mother plants, taking I what will later become the 'cola' if they turn out to be female. (One of the 'mothers' is already showing pistils so I'm happy with that)

So basically, I've gotten past the seedling to veg state, and created the first set of clones - out of the potential cola's. My plan is to let the clones grow up to maybe 3 or 4 feet and put them in flower cycle, where I will both determine sex, and if female, start my first 'for-harvest' cycle. I plan to rotate out clones from the mother plant into a veg cycle as I put the maturing and older clones into the flower stage, and start a new flower stage each harvest cycle.

Would it be better to take the new clone cuttings from the 'mother' plant each time for a new production cycle, or to take the cutting from the vegetative clones before flowering so I basically would be cloning the cola each time? The 'mother' plant is growing quite quickly in veg state, and has already hit 5 feet tall. Space is of a concern for me, and having just one would be ok, but if both turn out to be female and I keep both 'mother plants', space is going to run out quickly. That being said, if I could clone the clones, so to speak, I could save some space.

Secondly, what's a good height to keep the 'mother' plants at? The last time I grew, I was just starting out and the darned thing got some 13 feet tall where I had bent it around and folded it over. In my current situation, that isn't an option so I'm going to need to keep it well trimmed. I was thinking of using those trimmings as my new clone stock but wanted to see if anyone had any experience with my suggestions above or what works best for you.

Setup:
Indoor closet (damned prohibition state)
Warm and Cool florescent lighting evenly spread out
Soil for rooted plants, clones, and the 'mothers'
Water for rooting cuttings until sprouted (using indol-3 to promote root growth)

Fun facts:
This will be the third time I've grown.
The first was in my early teens, and I got so desperate for weed I picked off all the leaves and smoked them, killing the poor little plant.
The second time the plant did great (the 13 footer mentioned above). Shortly after placing it in the flowering state and it started to look really nice I got so paranoid about helicopters flying over that I ran in it's little closest and chopped her down. 8*( So close

KeiserSozeh Reviewed by KeiserSozeh on 11-18-2013. Yet another cloning question! Greetings all, and thanks in advance for any input you may have. I've got 2 'mothers' in veg state that I started from seed. They seem to be doing well and I've gotten to the point of having made a clone of each to determine sex. The clones have been rooted and placed in their grow mediums where they've had a couple weeks to get settled in and have started getting taller again after the rooting process. When I cut from the mother to make the clones, I 'topped' the mother plants, taking I Rating: 5

[catbuds]

Ok. First of all .... why so tall? You can put your clones under 12/12 as soon as you pot them. Read the forum, learn from it. Look at pics. See how everybody's indoor grows are kept small. Even outdoor grows where stealth is important. We top them, bend them over & manipulate them to keep them short in both indoor & outdoor grows. Study the forum, subscribe to High Times, then start over. Keep your mothers growing untill you get some knowledge under your belt. We're always glad to help, but at this point you need to backup & regroup. Clone your mothers, clone your clones, doesn't matter, but don't grow them so damned tall. They will stretch a LOT in flower. Try growing them short, finishing at 2 1/2' - 3'. To that, you will need to put them in 12/12 within two weeks of potting your cuttings. Now go do some reading!


P.S. cool lighting for growth, warm lighting for flowering. Warm light makes them stretch, getting tall & lanky. You don't want that. Stay with cool untill till 2 wks into to 12/12 to help keep them nice & short & stocky.


You younguns are so cute when you're little. Us old heads will try to raise you right!

[KeiserSozeh]

Thanks for the reply.

My main reason for letting the mother get so tall is inexperience. When I made the first clone cuttings, the mother plants were only a little over a foot tall. (Or maybe close to two). I wanted to make sure the mother plant would tolerate the cutting without getting too stressed. The seeds I used, although an unknown strain, came from a particular batch of really good smoke that I haven't seen in a while (Seeds are approx. 6 years old). Being in a prohibition state, strain access is difficult since I've gotten old and fat and don't hang out with the cool kids who have the great stuff now.

As for the clones, I had assumed growth would be limited to bud production when I put them in 12/12. I wanted to maximize output, therefore not flower them until about 3 feet tall. I did not know they will continue to get much taller while flowering, so that's a good lesson to learn along with the need to make some changes from the mix of lighting. Also I guess some more reading is in order, or perhaps, reading comprehension. All I had taken from what I've researched was that they needed both cool and warm. Looks like it's time for another trip to the hardware store, and time to go ahead and start that first production run. I was thinking I was still about 6 weeks out.

I was planning to use a 250 watt HPS work lamp for the flowering portion of my little room, but you're saying, Veg room = cool light, and Flowering room = warm? I had some decent success with the HPS on the last try, but if I can use warm florescent instead that would be a major boon.

You seem to know a great deal so I'll also ask this: Have you known anyone to get busted solely from heli's and FLIR? My biggest take from what I've been reading is that, by far, trouble starts when people know whats going on. So far, no one, and I mean no one, knows about my closet project and I intend to keep it that way. My only reason for even going back to growing was lack of good product around here, and the fact I don't want to spend my money anymore when I can produce my own and it's much better.

[catbuds]

Well, you kinda need your hps just because fluorescent light doesn't penetrate foliage as well, but you might want to side light with fluorescents to help light lower bud sites. BTW cool light means from the blue spectrum, & warm light means from the red.
---- We're not legal here either. We have mmj, but its the shittiest medical laws I've ever heard. I'm not becoming a guinea pig for a teaching hospital so they can 'study' me. Cant they understand, if you don't feel good the last thing you need is to travel for over an hour, sit on uncomfortable waiting room chairs for over an hour, then be poked & prodded where you hurt, wait an hour or more in those uncomfortable chairs again untill medical transport comes back for you, & end all this with that long ride again!

Know what you mean about the cool kids thing! I'm a few months shy of 60, & now what I hear is, I can't sell pot to YOU! You know my grandmother! Urghhh.....

Getting busted depends upon your area. They only mess with you here if you're a trouble maker, or your flaunting your transaction out in public. I think country cops would rather you stay home & be peaceful than out in public drunk & belligerent. From what I hear, city cops are a whole different species. So your best answer to that question would come from someone familar with your area.

You already know how to grow plants & keep them alive & healthy. All you really need now is to learn how pot behaves. You've already learned it can get big enough to push the roof off your house if you let it! LOL! Do that again & we'll start calling you jungle Jim! So do a lot of reading, especially before you go to the hardware store, as you may already have what you need. Have fun Jungle Jim! & don't blow the roof off the house!

[KeiserSozeh]

Greetings all!
Here's a couple pics of the flowering stage of the clones. If you've seen me around here, these are the same clones from the 'mother' plants I was discussing in the http://boards.cannabis.com/cannabis-...ains-pics.html thread.
Attachment 297100Attachment 297101

[tlranger]

A lot easier to clone from bottom of plant, instead of top. I take couple of clones from each clone right before it goes to bud room. Have no mother plants, just a continuous rotation. Leave the tops to get big buds.

[GaGrown]

Air layer'n from any part of the plant is fun and teach's ya alot about the plant and it's action..

[bjmaes]

I am here in the wonderful state of Colorado! In response to your questions here goes. First of all I prefer to take a cutting from a plant in the vegetative cycle. In my cloner they root within 7 to 10 days. Mothers keep growing and growing and so yes space is a factor. Most people I know usually purchase a grow tent and keep their mothers in those however they can be pricey. Mothers are kept between 5-7ft and this seems to work well for me and other growers here that we network with in our co-op. Hope this helps. I have an e-mail address you are welcome to use also [email protected] GOD BLESS and good luck.

[bjmaes]

AMEN to that

[bjmaes]

Just had to say I like your attitude