INFORMATION: PROPAGATION & CLONING

SUCCESSFUL SEED STARTING AND TRANSPLANTATION (SUGGESTED ITEMS)
STARTING SEEDS
TRANSPLANTING

SUCCESSFUL CLONING (SUGGESTED ITEMS)
TRAY AND DOME TECHNIQUE
AERO-CLONER TECHNIQUE

SUCCESSFUL SEED STARTING AND TRANSPLANTATION

SUGGESTED ITEMS

• Nursery Tray and Dome-10”x20” Tray w/ 7” Dome ($7.35)** Insert ($1.29).
• Seedling Heat Mat-10”x20” ($26.95) *Thermostat available ($39.95).
• Glass Thermometer—Aquarium type ($2.50).
• ReadyGro or Rockwool Plugs—ReadyGro is a ready-to-use plug formed from a coco-peat mix with trace vitamins and minerals already added and is all organic. Rockwool is derived from spun rock and is all natural, but requires pre-treating with a pH down solution, rockwool conditioner or A.P.S.
• pH Up & pH Down—For adjusting the pH of your water. Soil 6.3-6.6/Hydro 5.8-6.1. (1qt. $9.95) pH testers run from $7 for strips, $8 for shaker & digital meters w/ price points between $40 and $240 (You get what you pay for).
• Rhizotonic—Rhizotonic is an excellent root stimulator and stress reliever composed of over 60 micro-biological substances. (.25 Liter $21.95/1L $64.95).
• Organic B—Organic B is completely organic and can be used in both hydroponic and soil mediums. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals, proteins and amino acids. This product is best used duringing transplant and helps to reduce transplant shock (1Liter $25.95.)
  
• FloraBlend—Has plenty of beneficial microbe strains, this product is a bio-fungicide and will protect your root zone from pathogens & diseases that lead to root-rot.
• Plant Success Soluble—Soluble blend of humic acid, endomycorrhiza & ectomycorrhiza. Soluble mycorrhiza is a very fine powder that should be mixed into your soil. Highly recommended for rapid root growth ($19.95).
  
• Fluorescent Lighting—(Prices vary by type).

STARTING SEEDS

To start with, it is a good idea to soak your seeds in water for 8-12 hours to make sure that they have all the moisture that they need. It’s also a good idea to start more seeds than you will actually use, just in case some don’t make it. Next, you will put the seeds into ReadyGro or Rockwool Plugs. ReadyGro plugs are nice because they are all organic and ready to use, while the rockwool plugs need to be soaked for 8- 12 hours in water with a pH between 5 & 5.5 to bring the pH of the rockwool to useable levels—you may also use a rockwool conditioner like Europonic Rockwool Conditioner or Dutch Masters’ A.P.S. for this purpose— it’ll save you some time to do so. Tear a pinch of Readygro or rockwool off of your plugs and use it to cover the hole with your seed in it.

PROVIDING LIGHT
Depending on conditions and seed type, it will generally take anywhere from 2-14 days or more for your seeds to sprout. Once sprouted, your seedlings will need light. Even before your seeds sprout, it is a good idea to have them under light - this will give signals to the plant telling it which direction to grow (some seeds though may need a period of complete darkness before they sprout. Follow the directions on your seed packet for best results. Fluorescent lighting is best for this purpose. You may use a simple fluorescent shop-light, a full-spectrum fluorescent, a compact fluorescent or a T-5 high-output fluorescent. Choose “cool” or “daylight” bulbs if given a choice. 8” - 12” is a good distance for lights, unless using T5’s, in which case you will want to keep them about 12-16 inches above your plants. You may use HID. Lighting if it is kept high enough from the plants (four feet or more), but why waste the electricity?

TRANSPLANTING
Soon your seedlings are ready for transplant. They will be between 2” and 3” tall, will begin to show roots coming out of the plugs and will have some new top growth. To alleviate stress and shock during transplant, we recommended that you use both Rhizotonic (Rhizo at ½ strength) and Advanced Nutrients Organic B. These products provide your plants essential B vitamins, hormones and amino acids and will help your plants bounce back more quickly from their transplant shock. If you are transplanting into soil you will want to use Mycorrhizae in the form of Soluble Root Growth Enhancer—this will help to explode your roots out. Put your seedlings into their new home—either soil, coco, hydroton,rockwool or some mix of your own.

VEGETATIVE STAGE
Your seedlings are now ready for the Vegetative or Growth stage. Your plants should be moved under H.I.D. lighting, either Metal Halide or High Pressure Sodium—still keeping the lights high so as not to harm the plants with too much heat or light intensity. You can bring the lights down about 6” per day until they are about 2 feet from the plant tops. Your lights will stay on for 18 to 24 hours per day during this period.

If you are moving your plants outdoors, you may want to put them in the shade for a couple of days, then move them into partial sun for a couple days and then they will be ready for full sun. This is called Hardening Off. Too much light too soon will adversely affect your plants. If your plants are in soil you will want to keep the pH between 6.3 & 6.6. If you are in a hydroponic system your ideal pH is between 5.8 & 6.1. The amount of nutrients to use will range from 500-700 ppm for early vegetative growth and up to 1000 ppm during later vegetative growth. Don’t be too alarmed if your plants are looking a little sad for the first few days as it takes time for them to adjust to their new environment. Soon they will pick up and perk up and will be well on their way.

SUCCESSFUL CLONING

SUGGESTED ITEMS

• Nursery Tray and Dome-10”x20” Tray w/ 7” Dome ($7.35)** Insert ($1.29).
• Seedling Heat Mat-10”x20” ($26.95) *Thermostat available ($39.95).
• Glass Thermometer—Aquarium type ($2.50).
• ReadyGro or Rockwool Plugs—ReadyGro is a ready-to-use plug formed from a coco-peat mix with trace vitamins and minerals already added and is all organic. Rockwool is derived from spun rock and is all natural, but requires pre-treating with a pH down solution, rockwool conditioner or A.P.S.
• pH Up & pH Down—For adjusting the pH of your water. Soil 6.3-6.6/Hydro 5.8-6.1. (1qt. $9.95) pH testers run from $7 for strips, $8 for shaker & digital meters w/ price points between $40 and $240 (You get what you pay for).
• Roots Excelurator —Roots Excelurator, composed of beneficial bacteria and essential oils is an excellent root stimulator and stress reliever. Only use on clones once they have roots formed. (.25Liter $72.95).
• Liquid Karma—Soluble blend of ascophylum nodosum (North Atlantic Sea Kelp,) humic acid, fulvic acid, carbohydrates, fermented soy proteins, and other organic good stuff. Promotes new root growth.
  
• APS—Advanced propagation system by DutchMaster, comes ready to use, is designed to stabilize pH levels in Rockwool and provide base nutrients as cuttings develop roots.
• Rootech—Strong Cloning gel. Works like a champ. Also contains a fungacide to prevent infections on newly made cuttings. (Prices vary by size).
• Fluorescent Lighting—(Prices vary by type).

TAKING CLONES
Take cutting at one of the plant’s lower branches. The cut should be at a 45 degree angle and measure no shorter than 3 inches in length. Remove the lowest branch point or leaf from your cutting. This branch point or fan leaf site that you removed provides site for further root intitation. At least one branch point or “fan leaf” should also remain up topside, right below the developing shoot (lateral meristem). Dip cutting into rooting hormones such as Rootech Cloning Gel and place in rockwool cubes ensuring that node (where you removed the branch point or leaf) is buried beneath the rockwool. Immediately apply foliar mix (described below).

TRAY AND DOME TECHNIQUE
24 hours photoperiod. Water rockwool cubes in solution of 5.0 - 5.5 pH (If soaked in APS, the PH is already stablilized and this step is not required). Fill grooves of tray only with pH’ed water. Ensure this level remains consistent while cuttings develop roots. Foliar spray with Liquid Karma at 1 tsp/Gallon immediately afer cuttings are placed in dome. This will be the only time a foilar spray is applied to the plants. Intitially, adjust temperature in conjunction with thermostat at 82 but no more than 86 degrees between rockwool cubes in dome. (A thermometer is used to guage temperature within dome between rockwool cubes - failure to maintain this range will produce poor results.)

You will know the desired humidity levels have been reached once condensation has formed at least five inches up the dome. Lock in temperature at this point. (Ex: If desired humidity is achived at 84 degrees, this is where you want to keep the temperature while cutting develops roots.) At same time everyday, take off dome and shake out the stale, moist air. Ensure that this is done at the same time everyday. The solution in trays is responsible for condenstaion that produces humidity in the dome which is imperative to this method of cloning.

Spray interior of dome if humidty is not forming as desired. If you have to spray the interior of the dome you are doing something wrong. Your temperature is prob. wrong or you do not have enough water at the base of the tray. Make sure cubes are not oversatured with water! Be sure cubes DO NOT dry out. 3-5 days after first soaking the cubes will need to be watered again. Water with 500ppms of Bloom nutrient at 6.0 pH. Within 5 - 14 days cuttings will be ready for transplant. Harden them off properly.

HARDENING CUTTINGS
Once clones are rooted, (and roots have emerged from the cubes) begin to harden cuttings. This process begins with the removal of the humidity dome. Make sure to spray cuttings with either pure water or water mixed with Liquid Karma (1tsp./Gal.). If at any point cuttings begin to wilt, put humidity dome back on and try again after cuttings have straightened back out and look good again. Increase the interval between sprays. Decrease the frequency between sprays. (Ex. spray every 10-20 mins. at first then every 20-30 mins. then every 30-45 mins. then again in an hour. By then plants should be adjusted. If the plants wilt, usually spraying is enough to bring them back. If not put the dome back on.) Please Note: As soon as healthy new roots have formed it is important to remove dome to prevent mold forming.

AERO-CLONER TECHNIQUE
Fill up Aero-Cloner with purified water pH’d to 6.3. Do not add any nutrient or additives at this time. It is however extremely important to keep the water temperature at 75-76 deg. F. This will insure a good amount of Oxygen is contained within the water / spraying solution. People who who have bad results with Aero-Cloners usually have allowed their water temperatures to get too hot. This can be a BIG problem for users of these units. If keeping water temperature cool enough is an issue, there are 3 options:

1. Remove the pump from the Aero-Cloner making it operate externally (make an accessory “manifold” out of PVC parts, bulkheads, and tubing.) Since the pump is the primary heat source, temps. will lower.
2. Lower the ambiant temperature in the room itself. This will in turn lower the water temperature. Usually 70 degrees F. within the space itself is the ideal temperature for this application.
3. Assemble and attach a water chiller to the aero-cloner unit. This is the best option, but also the most expensive. It can double the cost (if not more) of the orignial unit, but yields the best control.

As soon as you have some healthy roots on all of your cuttings, immediately transplant them into their new medium (Rockwool, soil, coco, Hydroton, etc.). Do this as soon as “good” roots have formed to prevent stress on the plants from moving them betweem one type of system (the Aero-Cloner) to another type (wherever they are going). When you transplant them to their new resting place, we suggest using a stress relieving product like Roots Excelurator, Rhizotonic, and/or B-Vitatmins. Also: Spray with pure water or with a solution of Liquid Karma 1tsp./Gallon to help ease the transitions “stress” on the plants. If you do this procedure correctly your cuttings will immediately start to grow after the transplantion to the new medium is over.