Over-lighting a fresh cutting can easily cause it to droop and stress. We are trying to minimize water transpiration from the leaves once the cutting has been made, so soft light is preferred for this process. One T5 over a single flat tray is adequate lighting.
A struggling clone may also have roots, but it will likely not push leaf buds. As a result, the color is more dull-green, fading to yellow. Also, note the color of the stem where it enters the growing medium. A stem that is turning black is dying.
Often, un-rooted clones receive too high of light intensity which can manifest itself in the form of yellow, cupped leaves. This usually occurs when light levels exceed 180ppfd as excess light will trigger increased photosynthesis, which in turn will increase the plant's demand for water and nutrient consumption.
Look up a god chart and try to get as close as you can. Clones want high humidity around 70-90% and temp no lower than 70, no higher than 84. Keep dome over then for first 4 days, letting them breathe with it off for 10 or so mins each day until you take it off. Keep them moist with very light waters.
Schedule Consistent and Regular Watering for Your Clones
Watering everyday is unnecessary at the start. In fact, in an ideal situation, you should only be watering your plants once every two to three days.
In their first few days it is critical that you spray the leaves of your clones with water about 4-5 times a day to supply the water that isn't able to be supplied to the plant through the roots. One pair of scissors to cut your clipping and remove excess foliage. A glass of fresh, tepid, water. Pencil or chop stick.
Follow these guidelines: Vegetative Stage Photoperiod: During the vegetative stage, provide clones with a minimum of 18 hours of light per day. Some growers opt for a continuous light cycle of 24 hours per day to maximize growth potential.
Over-lighting a fresh cutting can easily cause it to droop and stress. We are trying to minimize water transpiration from the leaves once the cutting has been made, so soft light is preferred for this process. One T5 over a single flat tray is adequate lighting.
Around day 7 open up your vents all the way. This is also a good time to water your tray again to keep things moist.
We recommend starting our plants between 300-500 PPFD for the first 7-10 days to minimize transplant shock. After the plants get established in your garden you can then increase the light intensity up to 900+ PPFD.
If a plant is getting too much light and suffering from high light stress, its leaves may look as though they have burned or simply are falling off. In many cases, the soil will be dry to the touch, too.
The LED grow light distance above the clones differs from the height required for seedlings. With clones, they will need intense light to begin. Depending on the power of the light and maturity of the plants, this could vary quite a bit between 14-36 inches from the top of the plant canopy.
Although the exact rate at which clones aged is unknown, it appears to be nearly twice as fast a natural-born Human and it is theorized that this rate increased as clones grew older—especially under stress, thus leading to a dramatic shortening of the clones' life expectancy.
The secret to fast rooting is maintaining ideal humidity levels in the air while keeping the cutting as dry as possible. This helps to prevent mold or bacterial growth and helps force the cutting to push out roots as quickly as possible.
Please Note: As soon as healthy new roots have formed it is important to remove dome to prevent mold forming.
Clones were designed to fight and die for the Republic. They aged at twice the rate of normal humans and began fighting after about 10 years growth when they were physically 20 years old. They were expendable and not expected or intended to survive more than 40 years at best.
Spray your cuttings with Clonex Mist every other day to ensure they don't dry out. Beyond that, leave the cuttings alone. Most plants will root in 7 – 10 days, but some could take up to 2 weeks or longer.
As a general rule, it is best to let the pot dry down until it is very light to pick up (compared to after a watering) before watering. You can keep a pot full of your growing medium that has not been watered to compare, once the pot with the plant in it feels close to the empty pot in weight, it is time to water.
Humidity:
Maintain high humidity levels (around 70-80%) to prevent excessive moisture loss through transpiration. Using a humidity dome or a humidifier can help create a suitable microclimate for clones, promoting root development.
The rooting medium must be humid, having used water with a pH of 6.0, which will immensely help them to root properly. Make sure you don't wet the medium too much as the trunk might rot and then it won't root at all. Another common mistake that people make is scraping the cutting too much when taking it.
You should only water your cannabis clones every two to three days. This allows the medium you're using to slowly dry out and encourages oxygen to be drawn into it. In turn, aids in root development and growth for your clones.
Regularly monitor and adjust your watering schedule as your clones grow. Avoid overwatering, as it can lead to root rot and other problems. Feed your clones with a balanced nutrient solution tailored to their growth stage and adjust the dosage as needed. Implement preventive measures to keep pests and diseases at bay.
For most plants, it's best to keep lights on clones for 18 hours, and off for 6 hours. This 18/6 light cycle helps retain moisture and energy they'll need to grow root systems. Just like people need sleep to rejuvenate their bodies and refresh their cells, so do plants.
Clones can take from 7 to 21 days to root depending on environmental conditions and genetics/cultivar. Ideally, you want the plants to finish at approximately 24 to 36 inches tall, so you will induce flowering when plants are approximately 12 to 18 inches tall.
You'll want to cut just below the node (the area from which leaves grow) at a 45-degree angle.