The biggest requirement for taking clones is a healthy parent, or stock plant. The parent plant should be in excellent health and should posses the characteristics wished for in the new plants. It should be at least two months old and should still be in vegetative growth. There are a few things you will need to take healthy cuttings and  igrowhydro.com offers a few propagation starter kits that can help you pull all this stuff together and we also have a fully stocked cloning and propagation section.  To get started, you will need the following items.

• Extremely sharp, sterile razor blade for cutting off leaves and foliage
• Rooting Hormone or solution
• A Tray and Clear Plastic Dome
• Growing media, such as  Rockwool or other hydroponic media
• Prepared nutrient solution. We like Dutch Master APS Clone Media Soak
• Spray Bottle
• Heat Mat

Step 1
Prepare the humidity tray by soaking the growing media with your prepared nutrient solution.  Growing Tip: You will use this same nutrient solution to water the clones in a few days. Once your media is wet you should poke holes in it (if it does not already have them). Place the tray on a propagation heat mat, and cover with the plastic dome to warm the rooting medium. After you have prepared your tray, you are ready to begin to take cuttings.

Grow Science: Branch points are call internodes. Usually these internodes will only have leaves coming out of them. The point at which the stem is actually growing is called the apical meristem. The goal of cuttings is to cut that apical meristem and grow roots on it. It will then become the top of your future plant.

Step 2
Cut a short piece of a growing stem with several branch points on it.  Using your sterile razor you should cut the stem off with a precise and clean cut, cutting through cleanly without causing any extra damage. The cut should be made at a 45 degree angle. For absolute best results, make a first cut and then make the second cut at a 45 degree angle under water.

You should strive for clones that will have one or two internodal spaces under the growing media. Cut off this extra leaf matter and dip the cut part in rooting hormone or solution. Immediately place the cutting into the previously soaked growing medium. The cutting should be about 1/2″ deep in the growing medium. When doing this be VERY careful not to bend the stems!

As you continue to take cuttings, be sure to keep them moist by spraying them frequently with the spray bottle – get the undersides of their leaves.

If you need more help with cloning or propagation, check out our cloning info section, cloning articles or cloning faq.

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