Keeping Clones Alive for Extended Periods?

slinkysaurus

slinkysaurus

Well-Known Member
The short and long of it- I'm tired of growing from seed.

I have cuttings from my 2 week in flower DWC system.
I want to use these cuttings when this current grow gets chopped.

They're in rock wool cubes just now, and I'm certain that by the end of flower, the roots will be sticking out of the 2nd rock wool cube, considerably. (I took some 5 weeks ago in mid veg and they're roots are almost out of the big cube!!)

SO what's the best way to keep them in stasis for 10 weeks from taking the cutting, to putting them into the DWC?
 
BDOGKush

BDOGKush

Well-Known Member
Ziplock bag and the crisper drawer of your fridge can keep cuttings in stasis for around 8 weeks.


"The crisper drawer and a ziploc bag provide a suitable stasis chamber for a fresh cutting for upwards of EIGHT weeks. In order to obtain this sort of longevity in the fridge, the bag containing the dry, unrooted branches should be opened to breathe at least once a week.

Clones kept in the fridge this way actually root faster than non-fridged clones once they are removed-- up to a point of 2 or 3 weeks, when they will take longer to root and you may lose a few. When they are removed from the fridge to be replanted, be sure to recut the stem with a fresh X-acto blade or scalpel."
 
skunkd0c

skunkd0c

Well-Known Member
slinkysaurus said:
The short and long of it- I'm tired of growing from seed.

I have cuttings from my 2 week in flower DWC system.
I want to use these cuttings when this current grow gets chopped.

They're in rock wool cubes just now, and I'm certain that by the end of flower, the roots will be sticking out of the 2nd rock wool cube, considerably. (I took some 5 weeks ago in mid veg and they're roots are almost out of the big cube!!)

SO what's the best way to keep them in stasis for 10 weeks from taking the cutting, to putting them into the DWC?
Click to expand...

i like to keep cuttings "on ice" too so to speak, there are a few things you can do
as BDOG said you can keep them cold, you can also give them limited light no more than 20w for a small propagator big enough for 20 cuttings
keeping them a little more wet than normal also delays rooting
you can root them with plain water without any clonex etc, they will stay healthy for weeks without rooting just sitting in a glass of water
you can also let them grow and keep cutting them back to keep them small for when you need them
taking cuttings from plants that are in early flower can also help delay growth since these cuttings will grow very slowly after they have rooted
as they are in a "rejuvenation" type phase
when you keep them long term keep a close eye on them as it is possible in a damp environment mold can start to develop

i find it more helpful to delay the rooting as well as storing them longer term
as this stops the need for cutting them back so much once they start to grow

if you took cuttings from plants that are 2-3 weeks in flower, you should have no problem keeping the cuttings small over the next 7-8 weeks ,
if you delay rooting until 3-4 weeks, by keeping them cold under low light and slightly wet they will only have 3-4 weeks to start growing
it will take another 2 weeks to come out of the rejuvenate phase , so they will only grow a couple of inches by the time you need them

peace
 
slinkysaurus

slinkysaurus

Well-Known Member
Can I mix your techniques together?!

As in- take my clones, put them in rock wool cubes, (after being dipped in rooting powder)
Then keep them in the fridge in the propagator?

Also - is it possible to trim the roots from the rock wool cube should they start protruding whilst in stasis and/or cuttings under lights?
 
BDOGKush

BDOGKush

Well-Known Member
slinkysaurus said:
Can I mix your techniques together?!

As in- take my clones, put them in rock wool cubes, (after being dipped in rooting powder)
Then keep them in the fridge in the propagator?

Also - is it possible to trim the roots from the rock wool cube should they start protruding whilst in stasis and/or cuttings under lights?
Click to expand...
The technique I refrenced is meant for unrooted cuttings, I'm not sure how well it'd work with a rooted clone but if I had to guess I'd say it wouldn't. The cutting is just plant matter until it roots so you're basically preserving the material from decaying. Once it's rooted it's alive and would need to be cared for.

You can root prune, it's stressful for the plant but they bounce back. Ever see somone root prune a clone in order to pot down and make a bonsai mother? Pretty neat technique for people that are working with limited space.

I've never kept a clone in stasis past 6 weeks but I've heard people claim to take them well past the 8 week point.
 
vostok

vostok

Well-Known Member
The fridge is the best place^^^ ..spray them daily don't let them dry out,
but just remember clones don't have that vitality that you are so accustomed too, so you may see them as weak puny things,
I'm the opposite of you, having growing clones for years by far prefer the intimacy that you get from these vital seeds

I have frozen the cuttings up to 8 months with a 1/3rd loss rate, ensure you deplete the clones of n.p.k as much as you can,
and keep them very dry ..... for these longer periods

ps look to making a bubble cloner ..much of cloning has change in the last few years and besides bubble cloning is much fun
to my blog: https://www.rollitup.org/Journal/Entry/cloning-bubbler-n02-11-2009.28758/
 
OGEvilgenius

OGEvilgenius

Well-Known Member
BDOGKush said:
Ziplock bag and the crisper drawer of your fridge can keep cuttings in stasis for around 8 weeks.


"The crisper drawer and a ziploc bag provide a suitable stasis chamber for a fresh cutting for upwards of EIGHT weeks. In order to obtain this sort of longevity in the fridge, the bag containing the dry, unrooted branches should be opened to breathe at least once a week.

Clones kept in the fridge this way actually root faster than non-fridged clones once they are removed-- up to a point of 2 or 3 weeks, when they will take longer to root and you may lose a few. When they are removed from the fridge to be replanted, be sure to recut the stem with a fresh X-acto blade or scalpel."
Click to expand...
This works well. For the record, they can keep longer than 8 weeks but not consistently. I took a million cuttings from my OD plants and tossed em in the fridge. I popped the ones that were still good over almost 4 months later. Most of the cuts had started to mold though.
 
rory420420

rory420420

Well-Known Member
BDOGKush said:
Ziplock bag and the crisper drawer of your fridge can keep cuttings in stasis for around 8 weeks.


"The crisper drawer and a ziploc bag provide a suitable stasis chamber for a fresh cutting for upwards of EIGHT weeks. In order to obtain this sort of longevity in the fridge, the bag containing the dry, unrooted branches should be opened to breathe at least once a week.

Clones kept in the fridge this way actually root faster than non-fridged clones once they are removed-- up to a point of 2 or 3 weeks, when they will take longer to root and you may lose a few. When they are removed from the fridge to be replanted, be sure to recut the stem with a fresh X-acto blade or scalpel."
Click to expand...
I kept unrooted cuts of my fruity chronic juice in my drawer for 5 days,AFTER waiting 2 days for delivery from Ohio..
Only one failed.
This method has my seal of g.s.d.:-)
 
rory420420

rory420420

Well-Known Member
slinkysaurus said:
Can I mix your techniques together?!

As in- take my clones, put them in rock wool cubes, (after being dipped in rooting powder)
Then keep them in the fridge in the propagator?

Also - is it possible to trim the roots from the rock wool cube should they start protruding whilst in stasis and/or cuttings under lights?
Click to expand...
Let us know the results and experiment either way...
 
slinkysaurus

slinkysaurus

Well-Known Member
I will try all the methods and keep you posted!
Some are getting roots trimmed later, new cuts are going in the fridge =]
 
WeedFreak78

WeedFreak78

Well-Known Member
Would vacuum packing help to preserve them longer? If you used a crush proof container? submerge in clean water, vacuum pack, then refrigerate? or do they need the little bit of air that's in there? What about a fridge with low wattage cfl's kept at a temp( upper 40's low 50's?) that rooted clones could be put in and kept in stasis.
 
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WeedFreak78

WeedFreak78

Well-Known Member
I'm necroing this, newbs can't have all the fun. Anyone have anything to add? Better to leave them as rough cuts, or trim them up to clone size? I'm going to try it out. Is it possible to put to many cuttings into a single bag? I'm going to fill a couple 1 gallon bags, multiple strains.
 
O

oill

Well-Known Member
slinkysaurus said:
The short and long of it- I'm tired of growing from seed.

I have cuttings from my 2 week in flower DWC system.
I want to use these cuttings when this current grow gets chopped.

They're in rock wool cubes just now, and I'm certain that by the end of flower, the roots will be sticking out of the 2nd rock wool cube, considerably. (I took some 5 weeks ago in mid veg and they're roots are almost out of the big cube!!)

SO what's the best way to keep them in stasis for 10 weeks from taking the cutting, to putting them into the DWC?
Click to expand...
Look into tussie culture kits.
 
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