Need help with cloning

[shockrocket]

I'm about to start my first grow but before I begin I would like to ask a couple of questions regarding clones. I've put in many hours of research (perusing through the forums and listening to Zandor's show). However, I still lack some important info. Your input is greatly appreciated!

Mothers: Please excuse my ignorance but do I or do I not flower a mother plant? Is a mother plant only good for one harvest? I am confused about the life-cycle of a mother plant so any clarification here would help immensely.

Clones: What is the safest number of cuttings that I can take from a mother (to ensure the mother doesn't die)?
Once I have rooted my clones how do I incorporate them into my current grows light cycle? I'm not sure if I have to wait for my plants to finish their grow cycle and be harvested etc. before I can start the clones under a veg light cycle or if once they have rooted, place them back under the lights with the other plants?

Is there anyone reading this from South Africa that may be able to recommend a good cloning gel?

Thanks to anyone who replies to this thread. And thanks to Zandor for all the information!

[Steeldiehard]

Mothers: Please excuse my ignorance but do I or do I not flower a mother plant? Is a mother plant only good for one harvest? I am confused about the life-cycle of a mother plant so any clarification here would help immensely.

Your mother is for taking clones and not flowered while she serves that purpose. I'm not an expert on the life-cycle of a mother, but I think you can keep her for a year before she begins to tire. Before you get to that point, just keep one of the clones in veg and develop a new mommy...and so on, and so on, and so on. :)

Clones: What is the safest number of cuttings that I can take from a mother (to ensure the mother doesn't die)?

No idea on this. I've only ever taken 7 at any given time, but I'll be taking more soon and will find out. I don't think you want to strip her of all her branches at once; however, you can train her to branch a lot.

Once I have rooted my clones how do I incorporate them into my current grows light cycle? I'm not sure if I have to wait for my plants to finish their grow cycle and be harvested etc. before I can start the clones under a veg light cycle or if once they have rooted, place them back under the lights with the other plants?

I believe you can add new clones to your flower cycle as soon as they are ready...anywhere from 6" - 18" depending on how much room you have. This does depend on what medium you are growing in though. If growing in soil/less mix in individual pots...no problem because you can feed them according to their lifecycle. If adding them to a hydro system where they all feed from the same reservoir...not a good idea, since the nutrient requirements of a new flowering plant and a mature flowering plant are different. If the new clones will have their own hydro feeding system...no problem.

Good luck shockrocket!

Best,

Steel

[shockrocket]

Thanks man! I really appreciate it.

[tink]

as long as you leave 50% of her growth she will be fine

[latewood]

In order to have a perpetual grow cycle...You need a veg room, chamber, box..etc. I made one out of a cabinet, and put a couple cfl's 45w in there, and had a nice cozy veg box. then you have your flower room. In a cloning op...you only need the clones 6-12-18" as stated above. and your flower time is cut a bit, by the shorter veg time. this is a good thing. I use perlite filled standard 3-4" pots to veg my clones. or a 11 top bubbler, but you have to stay up on the growth, or the roots will get all tangled. So individual wrapped is more versatile, to me. When ready just pop the nice perlite/rootball out of pot, and place in soil, netpot, or hydroton.

You keep a MOM in veg under 16 hours a day light. Less stressful, and feminizing...preferably a blue/green spectrum light. Only give her light nutes...a slightly deficient MOM will be more supple, and will root easier than a hardened off MOM full of Nutrients.

As far as wht you can take from MOM. This is an artform. the 1st time I clone...I top. and take 2-3 more of the strongest, and proerly stretched cuttings I can find. After that. I let the palnt fluorish, for 2-4 weeks, then take a branch that will yield 3-4 good strong cuttings, or more. I am not up on what volume you are looking for. Anyway. taking the 1 branch, instead of several cuts, from all over the plant is less stressful...In my $.03 worth of opinion.

I also suggest:
buying the Indoor bible, by J. Cervantes. peace