Bubbler issue - old cuttings

Indoor Growing
1

Hi All - question on bubble cloners for you.

I’ve been having good success - plants that aren’t too old typically root in 7-10 days.

Where I’m struggling is with older clones(I.e 15+ year old plants)… they just seem to take a long time to root. I’m going on 5 weeks for some cheese right now… nothing.

Often I’m finding some significant yellowing at the centre of the main stem before they root - similar to this NL clone (took about 3+ weeks):

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I typically just ph the water to 6 (tap water - nothing done to it) and then maybe change the water every 2 weeks… so mega lazy.

Would like to see these old cuts root faster… ideas?

The cuts always pull out of it and are fine (if they root) - but I feel like it’s taking too long with older plants.

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2

Do you check the pH of the outgoing water? I bet you it’s really high. Like, 8, high. I had similar symptoms and it was pH issues.

All the best

1 Like
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So, just pHed water?
No rooting hormones, B1 kelp crap or molasses etc?

Cheers
G

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I haven’t - and I’m fairly certain that’s the case.

There’s no outgoing water - just a container, plants in nets and 2 bubblers.

Perhaps my ph is swinging after I adjust it as it’s literally right out the tap into bin and ph’d.
I’ll check tonight.

But would wonky ph be keeping the cuts from rooting quickly?

5

Just water yep… I’m a bit lazy I guess. Always looking for the simplest solution with the least work.

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Way back when I used a bubble cloner and my rates would plummet, my first move was to sanitize it really well.

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I do clean it when I make a water change… but it typically isn’t dirty at all as there is just good ol tap water (and minimal ph down) in there.

8

As I understand it older cuttings need a bit more encouragement.

My EZ clone unit came with a gel rooting compound (standard IBA, 0.3%) to dip the cutting in as well as a mild chlorine based sterilizer.
The store manager said that the rooting gel helped esp. with older cuttings but he was busy trying to up-sell me some magic unicorn poop :unicorn: :poop:. :laughing:

Cheers
G

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Well I have some cloning gel - I’ll give them a dip next round and see if it helps… I always just assumed it would wash away.

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10

its been my experience that even on the same plant smaller cuttings take noticably less time then larger, mostly talking about diameter. Do you mist your clones? esp. b4 they have roots? undersides of the leaves?

11

Exactly my question as well, he said it was in the res solution and would be still affecting the cutting… :thinking:

Cheers
G

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12

I think @Foreigner is correct. I use a turboklone water cloner and the only time i had issues rooting was the first time i used it when i did not ph my water.

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I don’t most at all with the bubbler - they never droop so I’ve never needed to.

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Ok - I’m gonna check ph today when I’m home from work.

I know I ph’d to 6 at the last res change… will be interesting to see where it has drifted.

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15

I should ask - pH to 6?

16

What is the temperature of your water? You want it around 75 degrees.

Definently use clonex or another rooting compound.

Like you I just use tap water without ph’ing it.

Smaller cuttings will root faster then larger ones. What size pots are you using?

If it has been that long. Recut the stem. Put it in clonex, then in the cloner.

What I did.

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3 Likes
17

PH was 7.8 in the clone Rez!

Wild - not sure why it would jump up so significantly…, does bubbling do that?

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18

Mid 70s for water temp - I’ll try using clonex.

Only one of the 5 week cuts has a mushy stem - the rest look similar to the day they were cut… I did take about 6 more a week ago.

Well see how the ph change goes.

19

Ph drift. It happens in every hydro setup i have seen.

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Makes sense I guess - I have never in my life done anything hydro, so I’m learning. Thanks!

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