Clone your cuttings & never see gnats!

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Brooklynmatty

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Posts: 279

Posted 1451522474	Reply with quote #151

I didnt go this route since i did it with blood, sweat and tears. But if your looking for an affordable tap/die set, harborfreight actually has a decent set and i have friends who use it in automotive industry as a backup to their expensive set -they said its pretty good and helped them when they didnt want to mess up their good set. I'm sure if its pretty good for them, its great for us since its just tapping pvc. http://www.harborfreight.com/40-piece-sae-carbon-steel-tap-and-die-set-39391.html __________________ Matt - Long Island - Zone 7B Wishlist: CDD Roja, Planera, CDD Rimada Please use the following thread if your growing my "unknown Sheepshead" to track your progress. http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/saved-brooklyn-tree-unknown-sheepshead-community-growlog-7808733?pid=1290171384

snaglpus

Registered:1244258188
Posts: 4,072

Posted 1451522729	Reply with quote #152

Thanks Matt. I'm going there tomorrow to get one of these. __________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a

SCfigFanatic

Registered:1450004954
Posts: 471

Posted 1451524707 · Edited	Reply with quote #153

snaglpus, Did you try cutting the slot in the bolt? That is what gives the chips a place to go for cutting threads. Thanks for all your information. Doug __________________ South Carolina zone 7b-8 Off and on member since 10/1/2012

SCfigFanatic

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Posts: 471

Posted 1451568599	Reply with quote #154

It's been running more than 24 hours, not a drip not a drop. It's going to be a good day. Happy new year! Doug __________________ South Carolina zone 7b-8 Off and on member since 10/1/2012

Frankallen

Registered:1371842383
Posts: 994

Posted 1451578061	Reply with quote #155

Does everyone using a Cloner have lights above the cutttings? I was wondering because when we root cuttings in a plastic box with moist coir or moss, some of my best roots was in a dark closet? Any help will be greatly appreciated.... : ) __________________ Frank from Bama- Zone 7-b Alabama .................................................... "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever". Mahatma Gandhi

AndyInNYC

Registered:1338686467
Posts: 195

Posted 1451580045	Reply with quote #156

Frank, The roots are in the dark here too - obviously blocked by the cloner lid. While I have a light on above the cloner, it isn't set up the way it would be if I were trying to grow out the figs (i.e close to the cuttings and full power). I lost a lot of cuttings when I used a humidity dome and Root Riot cubes (which in general worked great) when my cuttings leafed out prior to the roots getting developed. In those cases, I had the 'plant' exerting energy growing at a time when it didn't have a root support system. I'm much more interested in having the cuttings get some serious roots before I convince them to leaf out. Especially since I'm starting in December. Basically if I have a stick with roots I can expose it to sunlight and the leaves won't need to be coddled (I hope). Just my thoughts (and I killed all my figs 2 years ago in a snowstorm, so what do I know?). Andrew

Frankallen

Registered:1371842383
Posts: 994

Posted 1451582163 · Edited	Reply with quote #157

Quote: Originally Posted by AndyInNYC Frank, The roots are in the dark here too - obviously blocked by the cloner lid. While I have a light on above the cloner, it isn't set up the way it would be if I were trying to grow out the figs (i.e close to the cuttings and full power). I lost a lot of cuttings when I used a humidity dome and Root Riot cubes (which in general worked great) when my cuttings leafed out prior to the roots getting developed. In those cases, I had the 'plant' exerting energy growing at a time when it didn't have a root support system. I'm much more interested in having the cuttings get some serious roots before I convince them to leaf out. Especially since I'm starting in December. Basically if I have a stick with roots I can expose it to sunlight and the leaves won't need to be coddled (I hope). Just my thoughts (and I killed all my figs 2 years ago in a snowstorm, so what do I know?). Andrew Thanks a lot Andy for the post ! : ) __________________ Frank from Bama- Zone 7-b Alabama .................................................... "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever". Mahatma Gandhi

SCfigFanatic

Registered:1450004954
Posts: 471

Posted 1451584792	Reply with quote #158

I use lights for the simple purpose of making a plant think its summertime with long daylight hours. The plant will grow vigorously until spring, and I plant the tree in ground in march. Here are figs that were dormant 2-3 weeks ago. They had no leaves. But with long daylight hours the plant will grow just like it does with long hours of sunlight during summer. Here are the same dormant (was) figs. Have fun Doug __________________ South Carolina zone 7b-8 Off and on member since 10/1/2012

Frankallen

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Posts: 994

Posted 1451586439 · Edited	Reply with quote #159

Quote: Originally Posted by SCfigFanatic I use lights for the simple purpose of making a plant think its summertime with long daylight hours. The plant will grow vigorously until spring, and I plant the tree in ground in march. Here are figs that were dormant 2-3 weeks ago. They had no leaves. But with long daylight hours the plant will grow just like it does with long hours of sunlight during summer. Here are the same dormant (was) figs. Have fun Doug I understand about the lights after it develops Roots...I have around 50 cuttings under lights right now, but I rooted them first. What I am trying to find out is, why do you have lights above the cuttings? What i am going to do is root them first and then put them under my grow lights! You did not put a light on them when we rooted in a plastic containers with coir and moss ?? Any help will be appreciated.. : ) __________________ Frank from Bama- Zone 7-b Alabama .................................................... "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever". Mahatma Gandhi

snaglpus

Registered:1244258188
Posts: 4,072

Posted 1451590558	Reply with quote #160

Frank your setup should be fine. I just added my lights because I copied the setup they had at the hydroponic shop. My cuttings have 6 inch plus roots but i'm in no hurry to pull them out yet. So, technically I can leave them in the cloner another month or so. But what will happen is the roots will eat up the water and the cutting will put on 6 inches plus of branches and leaves. And they will get top heavy and start to lean over and eventually fall over. this isn't a bad thing because the roots will be hard as nails and the cutting will not be a plant. But your setup should work out fine. __________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a

Bluemalibu

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Posts: 230

Posted 1451590577	Reply with quote #161

Frank, Utilizing the cloner is new to me, (although I've been propagating via rootings for twenty years.) So, taking my experience with a grain of salt, what seems to be working well for me so far is kind of a middle road between Doug and Andrew. I keep two systems running... starting off my cuttings without artificial lighting, but immediately moving the cuttings that leaf out into the system that has intense LED lights. Upon receiving this Desert King (largest leaves) from Charles (EatMoreYeah) I had it begin to leaf out after just a day in the dark, and with no roots present. I moved it over under the lights and this is the fig after eight days: My thinking is that supplying the light to cuttings that are already pushing leaves, will hopefully allow them the energy to build their supportive foundation of roots. Here is that same plant's roots now, after the eight days under lights: Again, I too am just in the experimenting stage, but if we each share our experiences, we'll get this sorted out a heck of a lot quicker... Blue __________________ Ebay: Bluemalibu NorCal, 9B - Fig Heaven. No fog, no snow; just lots of sunshine!

Brooklynmatty

Registered:1434844871
Posts: 279

Posted 1451591406	Reply with quote #162

Beautiful results blue! Question for Dennis and others who have been using cloners historically in the past, when your removing the cuttings (or tree, lol) do you pull it out from the top or the bottom? I'm looking at the root development in these pics, and im just wondering how people do it to not damage roots or top growth from the netcup. I'm assuming its either way, but that worries me. __________________ Matt - Long Island - Zone 7B Wishlist: CDD Roja, Planera, CDD Rimada Please use the following thread if your growing my "unknown Sheepshead" to track your progress. http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/saved-brooklyn-tree-unknown-sheepshead-community-growlog-7808733?pid=1290171384

snaglpus

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Posts: 4,072

Posted 1451591468	Reply with quote #163

I am so happy to see every one is having success with cloners! Wow! so if you have a prize cutting that you want to make sure it roots...just place it in the cloner and let it do its thing. A very good friend sent me a bag of cuttings in November and I loaded everyone inside the cloner. From what I can tell, every cutting has roots! And the one fig that I wanted was Kure Beach and that dude has rooted even after I chopped it up into 4 cuttings! Here's another tip guys, it won't hurt to add some liquid fertilizer to your water every 2 weeks or so. I use Clonex Clone Solution....about a capful every 2 weeks. The roots will be very strong so no need in worrying about breaking the roots! Once you start rooting cuttings this will way, you won't go back to other method unless you're just playing around. Hehe!! How bout those figs!!! __________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a

SCfigFanatic

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Posts: 471

Posted 1451594502 · Edited	Reply with quote #164

Dennis, could you help me with how much hydrogen peroxide I should use for about 4- 5 gal of water? And how often? I think you have one of the same size containers I used. I need to get on a schedule. Sorry if this has already been answered, I need specifics. :) I guess I run the light over my cuttings for the warmth and as soon as a bud breaks it starts absorbing the light, And because I have other plants I'm trying to keep growing through winter. Doug __________________ South Carolina zone 7b-8 Off and on member since 10/1/2012

DaveL

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Posts: 247

Posted 1451602602 · Edited	Reply with quote #165

FYI. For anyone contemplating building a cloner, Lowes has the 27 gal Commander tote, used by most, on sale for $8.98. It is the yellow lided one with 35 squares on the top. __________________ Dave Waterford, Ct. Zone 6B

greenfig

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Posts: 3,182

Posted 1451604678	Reply with quote #166

Guys, What is the shortest cutting that can be used in a cloner? It seems one would need 3 or so inches under the lid. __________________ wish list: Violeta, Calderona. USDA z 10a, SoCal

coop951

Registered:1217167527
Posts: 596

Posted 1451612154	Reply with quote #167

Happy New Year My Friends. Here is my newest timer. 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off. Its from Hyrdofarm and it isn't jerry rigged like the other variable timers. I think this might be a good on off cycle and I'm going to give it a shot. The best part is I bought it on Amazon for $13.90 (free shipping with Amazon Prime) __________________ Coop Northern NJ Zone 7a

snaglpus

Registered:1244258188
Posts: 4,072

Posted 1451614702	Reply with quote #168

Doug, I add a teaspoon every 3 days. I know it's not much but it works well. I have an event placed on my Outlook calendar at work which is sync he'd with my IPAd and iPhone. This is how I know when to add the HP. Green fig, I broke an unknown 2 node tip cutting by accident. I placed it in the 64 spot in my cloner. The roots are not longer than cutting. The cutting was barely 3 inches. Coop, that's a good timer to get. The 15min on/off will work fine. __________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a

SCfigFanatic

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Posts: 471

Posted 1451665075	Reply with quote #169

After 3 days in cloner I have white bumps on a fresh rdb cutting. Hard to believe, my wife didn't. I had to pull the cup to prove it! I now have 35 cuttings in the cloner. Filled to the max. My pump uses 16.7 watts, how cheap is that going to be to run? Pure excitement here. No more dirt rooting for me. Let alone I can clone my seedless grapes ect. I can think of all kinds of ways to use this contraption. Thanks for the tip Dennis, I will set it up on my phone calendar. Still, no leaks, drips or any sign of escaping water....ya I'm happy. Happy New year! Doug __________________ South Carolina zone 7b-8 Off and on member since 10/1/2012

OldOneEye

Registered:1398177091
Posts: 42

Posted 1451676055	Reply with quote #170

Quote: Originally Posted by SCfigFanatic Doug What is that plant between your cloner and the figs on the windowsill? It looks a lot like my Mamey Sapote. __________________ Zone: 6b TN

Brooklynmatty

Registered:1434844871
Posts: 279

Posted 1451676380	Reply with quote #171

Quote: Originally Posted by snaglpus Doug, I add a teaspoon every 3 days. I know it's not much but it works well. I have an event placed on my Outlook calendar at work which is sync he'd with my IPAd and iPhone. This is how I know when to add the HP. Green fig, I broke an unknown 2 node tip cutting by accident. I placed it in the 64 spot in my cloner. The roots are not longer than cutting. The cutting was barely 3 inches. Coop, that's a good timer to get. The 15min on/off will work fine. Dennis - i also got the rapidstart solution you recommended and planned to use it. I know you have left cuttings in cloner for a while, whats the longest you left them in? I would love to leave them in 6-8 weeks, but afraid that the roots will be too massive (pipe dreams) to take out. Any pictures from your root growth in weeks of leaving them in? __________________ Matt - Long Island - Zone 7B Wishlist: CDD Roja, Planera, CDD Rimada Please use the following thread if your growing my "unknown Sheepshead" to track your progress. http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/saved-brooklyn-tree-unknown-sheepshead-community-growlog-7808733?pid=1290171384

SCfigFanatic

Registered:1450004954
Posts: 471

Posted 1451677566	Reply with quote #172

Oldoneeye, that is 2 Plumeria plants. Cuttings came from Hawaii. They are 2 years old. Gonna attempt to make it flower this winter. Doug __________________ South Carolina zone 7b-8 Off and on member since 10/1/2012

snaglpus

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Posts: 4,072

Posted 1451692808	Reply with quote #173

Way to go Doug !!!! Matt, I've left cuttings in the cloner for 8 weeks. There was so much leaf growth, the cutting got too top heavy! Here's a pic.. I have more pics but I am having trouble locating them. I use my IPAD for all internet use and photos. I have over 3000 photos that I need to move over to my MAC. Attached Images image.jpeg (668.67 KB, 54 views) __________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a

Frankallen

Registered:1371842383
Posts: 994

Posted 1451701841	Reply with quote #174

Quote: Originally Posted by Bluemalibu Frank, Utilizing the cloner is new to me, (although I've been propagating via rootings for twenty years.) So, taking my experience with a grain of salt, what seems to be working well for me so far is kind of a middle road between Doug and Andrew. I keep two systems running... starting off my cuttings without artificial lighting, but immediately moving the cuttings that leaf out into the system that has intense LED lights. Upon receiving this Desert King (largest leaves) from Charles (EatMoreYeah) I had it begin to leaf out after just a day in the dark, and with no roots present. I moved it over under the lights and this is the fig after eight days: My thinking is that supplying the light to cuttings that are already pushing leaves, will hopefully allow them the energy to build their supportive foundation of roots. Here is that same plant's roots now, after the eight days under lights: Again, I too am just in the experimenting stage, but if we each share our experiences, we'll get this sorted out a heck of a lot quicker... Blue Great. Job Blue! Man what some roots! It will take me a while to settle in rooting this way but I really think this is the way to go! Thanks to everyone for all the help! : ) __________________ Frank from Bama- Zone 7-b Alabama .................................................... "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever". Mahatma Gandhi

danw

Registered:1444807539
Posts: 60

Posted 1451717182	Reply with quote #175

Quote: Originally Posted by Frankallen Does everyone using a Cloner have lights above the cutttings? I was wondering because when we root cuttings in a plastic box with moist coir or moss, some of my best roots was in a dark closet? Any help will be greatly appreciated.... : ) Hi Frank, I don't use any lights above my cloner, and the room the cloner is in is un heated and quite cool, maybe 40-50 degrees. I keep the water temperature in the cloner up in the 70-75 degree F range. Most of my cuttings have rooted and quickly get a ton of roots. I think the cooler air temperature and lack of bright lights prevents a lot of green vegetative growth, while the warm water temperature encourages lots of root growth. I have not done this before, so I am not sure how it will work out. Once the cuttings are fully rooted I moved them into gallon pots and watered them in with potting soil. Now the potted cuttings are sitting in the same cool room as the cloner. I am hoping that they will just hang out in this state until spring when the weather warms up and I can move them outside. The cuttings and cloner do get some light since there is a window in the room, but no direct sun. Also my cloner is black so the roots don't get any light. So far so good, but keep in mind this is my first year rooting figs! Good Luck Dan __________________ Wish List: Bordisot Negra Rimada, BB10 (dan_la), Peloponnisiaka Aspra Sika, Mavra Vasilika Sika, Sanguinato, San Donato, Smith Zone 9A

Frankallen

Registered:1371842383
Posts: 994

Posted 1451740308	Reply with quote #176

Hey Dan...Thanks so much for the Info! This is my very first time using my Cloner. I have been rooting the old way for a couple of years, so this is totally new to me! Thanks, so much, that answered the question for me! Good Luck to you too! : ) Frank from Bama __________________ Frank from Bama- Zone 7-b Alabama .................................................... "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever". Mahatma Gandhi

fignatic

Registered:1415840587
Posts: 54

Posted 1451751601	Reply with quote #177

I was just wondering if anybody is using Clear Rez in their cloning machines. I received an EZ Cloner for Christmas ( family enabling my addiction) and it included this product with it. Also when I researched it on line there was one site that said HTH Pool Shock non buffered is the same exact product and much cheaper in price. __________________ joe paradiso 6B New Jersey

danw

Registered:1444807539
Posts: 60

Posted 1451790837	Reply with quote #178

If it came with your cloner, then go ahead and use it. Essentially the Clear Res is just adding chlorine. I use liquid chlorine in my cloner for the same effect. Over time the liquid chlorine will add salt to the water, but I change the water every month or between batches of cuttings. I believe the Clear Res adds some calcium which is fine for the cuttings so you would not need to change the water as often. Personally I like to clean and sterilize the cloner between batches of cuttings anyway so changing the water is no problem. What ever you do I would recommend testing the water for both chlorine level and PH since both liquid chlorine and pool shock will change the PH of the water. Oh, and if you are on city water you probably already have more chlorine than you need or is good for the plants. The desired chlorine levels are pretty low, about 0.5 ppm. So you would not add Clear Res until the chlorine levels drop below the desired 0.5 ppm. __________________ Wish List: Bordisot Negra Rimada, BB10 (dan_la), Peloponnisiaka Aspra Sika, Mavra Vasilika Sika, Sanguinato, San Donato, Smith Zone 9A

fignatic

Registered:1415840587
Posts: 54

Posted 1451834708	Reply with quote #179

Dan: Thanks for the feed back. I wasn't sure about adding it since most of the info on the net comes from growing pot sites and not figs. __________________ joe paradiso 6B New Jersey

coop951

Registered:1217167527
Posts: 596

Posted 1451878766 · Edited	Reply with quote #180

I've been doing some research on the EZ Clone Clear Rez and there is a lot of discussion on the herbal cloning boards. Clear Rez which is included with the EZ Clone unit is basically chlorine. In a nutshell, to make the solution, you use 1 gram of HTH Pool Shock per gallon of water. To use the solution, you add one ounce per gallon of water in your cloner every 3 days or so. Chlorine seems to be a real friend in your cloner. Makes a lot of sense. I'm going to give it a shot. IMPORTANT NOTE: I have not tried or trialed using this mixture. Make your own decision on this, there is ample information on the subject on the web. http://www.rollitup.org/t/make-2200-worth-of-clear-rez-for-4.423650/ https://forum.grasscity.com/advanced-growing-techniques/685546-ez-clone-experiencesand-breakthrough.html __________________ Coop Northern NJ Zone 7a

snaglpus

Registered:1244258188
Posts: 4,072

Posted 1451929438	Reply with quote #181

Ok, all you guys and gals who either built a cloner or bought one have it up and running the past few months....How fast did it take your cuttings to root? I'll start. For me, I had cuttings ready to be potted up in 17 days. __________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a

Bluemalibu

Registered:1448153498
Posts: 230

Posted 1451946744	Reply with quote #182

Quote: Originally Posted by snaglpus ....How fast did it take your cuttings to root? I'll start. For me, I had cuttings ready to be potted up in 17 days. Dennis, I have to begin questioning these cloners now... or, maybe someone can give me some incite as to where I am going astray here... The picture above, at eight days, was my only cutting to do so well. I've potted that plant up. Three others are showing just a tiny bit of roots after 12 days, but their bark is mush. The rest of the 28 cuttings have had their bark rot away. The water is at a constant 82*, digitally measured. I have 22 EZclone mister heads, fed by a 600 gph pump, which produces a soft, full-coverage spray of straight city-chlorinated water. It has been cycling 4 min ON/ 7 min OFF. After the first three days, all cuttings displayed the pre-root hard white bumps. 28 cuttings never progressed beyond that, instead the dots became mushy white blobs. All I can think to do at this point is to cut the part of each cutting off where it has been exposed to the spray, and put them in coir to save a couple-hundred $ in cuttings. The 20 cutting that I started in coir are all rooting perfect. Color me Blue. __________________ Ebay: Bluemalibu NorCal, 9B - Fig Heaven. No fog, no snow; just lots of sunshine!

AndyInNYC

Registered:1338686467
Posts: 195

Posted 1451947547	Reply with quote #183

Bluemalibu, Is it possible that 82 is too hot? I seem to recall 72-74 being the 'right' temp (but I could easily be wrong). I set my cloner up in mid December. This cutting - an LSU Purple - is the current winner for rooting by a long shot: The rest of the bunch are somewhere between small white roots and bumps with a few seemingly doing nothing at all - including my RdB from Marcus. Andrew

Bluemalibu

Registered:1448153498
Posts: 230

Posted 1451948819	Reply with quote #184

I think that you may have pegged it Andrew... Per the online EZclone manual: "When I was creating and first started using the EZ-CLONE, I noticed that if my water temperature was getting over 80 degrees in the reservoir, the cuttings were prone to developing harmful bacteria. This was usually in the form of a grayish-brown slime, and if not treated quickly, would kill all of my cuttings. That being said, it didn’t take me very long to figure out that during warm periods of the year, I had to keep the unit in an air-conditioned room or find another way of keeping my water at a suitable temperature. My focus was keeping my water as close to 70 degrees as possible. This is where I was seeing the best results and as long as I was cleaning the unit properly in between uses, my results were very good, usually between 95-100%." Well, time to roll up the sleeves... Blue __________________ Ebay: Bluemalibu NorCal, 9B - Fig Heaven. No fog, no snow; just lots of sunshine!

snaglpus

Registered:1244258188
Posts: 4,072

Posted 1451953740	Reply with quote #185

Blue, I am sorry for your lost! Your water was too hot. You cooked your cutings. Hang in there and try again. It happened to me using a 5gal bucket 2 yrs ago. __________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a

Bluemalibu

Registered:1448153498
Posts: 230

Posted 1451965045	Reply with quote #186

Quote: Originally Posted by snaglpus Blue, I am sorry for your lost! Your water was too hot. You cooked your cutings. Hang in there and try again. So, it would be a waste of time then, to cut the bottom portion from the cutting and try to save them? Each of the cuttings still has 4 to 5 inches of viable stock above the neoprene collars and none have wilted leaves yet... ??? I'm not trying to be argumentative... I really want to know whether or not I stand a chance of saving these or if it is simply wasted effort and I should just scrap $300 worth of cuttings. Thanks, Blue __________________ Ebay: Bluemalibu NorCal, 9B - Fig Heaven. No fog, no snow; just lots of sunshine!

snaglpus

Registered:1244258188
Posts: 4,072

Posted 1451965833	Reply with quote #187

I'd give it a try. Couldn't hurt. __________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a

Bluemalibu

Registered:1448153498
Posts: 230

Posted 1451967662	Reply with quote #188

Thanks, Dennis. I was leaning that way, but if other's knew for certain that it would be a lost cause, then I'd bow to their expertise... Blue __________________ Ebay: Bluemalibu NorCal, 9B - Fig Heaven. No fog, no snow; just lots of sunshine!

danw

Registered:1444807539
Posts: 60

Posted 1451970740	Reply with quote #189

This is after about 4 weeks. I also have a couple of cuttings put into the cloner at the exact same time, that still have nothing after about 6 weeks. And some that were in between. It seems to be somewhat variety dependent, but I have seen a lot of variation within one variety. I think temperature control is pretty important. Too cool and nothing happens, too hot and things rot. From what I have read, keeping the water sterile is very important at the warmer temperatures. I run mine at 75 degrees and use chlorine. I have read about people going as hot as 85 with religious sanitation and chemistry control. Bluemalibu, do you check your chlorine levels? I have a feeling if you don't, then you started with city water that is too high in chlorine, but over time it has dropped to zero and the warm temps you are running led to nasties (technical term) growing. You have to periodically add chlorine or sanitizer. Also depending on the type of chlorine you probably should adjust the PH. Since you have chlorine in your city water, you could also change out a portion of your water every week to keep the optimum chlorine levels. I have read that 0.25 to 0.5 PPM is a good target. This is considerably lest than most treated city water and swimming pools, but my pool test kit has a 0.5 ppm window so I use that. If you are going to try again in the cloner, I would thoroughly clean the cloner with some water and bleach. Be sure to run it through the pump and sprayers. and dunk your net pots and collars. Personally, I would trim off the rotting part and try again with cooler temps. Depending on how many cuttings you have of each variety, you might hedge your bets and also try some other rooting methods. I personally want to try http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/bag-rooting-techniques-7848105?highlight=bag+rooting&pid=1290243673 since it seems so hands off once started and Mai has great success with it. Personally I am sold on the cloner, and I think it will be great for propagating other types of plants from soft green cuttings. With the figs we have lots of options it seems. Less so for things like tomatoes or peppers and herbs. __________________ Wish List: Bordisot Negra Rimada, BB10 (dan_la), Peloponnisiaka Aspra Sika, Mavra Vasilika Sika, Sanguinato, San Donato, Smith Zone 9A

kkk2210

Registered:1420862008
Posts: 474

Posted 1452021607	Reply with quote #190

Dennis, I have two options - buy the 40 cloner or 120, but you mentioned somewhere about 5 gallon having an issue with overheating. My question is should I got for 40 or 120(which is very expensive ) the 40 cloner only hold Upto 15 litre of water , and 120 holds about 23. Please find attached picture which will give you an idea of their size. When you said 5 gallon did you meant 5 gallon water holding capacity or is it just the size of the box?. Thanks Attached Images image.png (436.97 KB, 14 views) __________________ Vinny Bognor Regis, United Kingdom Wish List : Callara, De La Rio,Cul Noir, Calvy, LSU Red, I-258, Maltese Beauty, Preto, FMV Infected Ischia Black UCD. My Ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/myb/Summary?MyEbay&gbh=1

AndyInNYC

Registered:1338686467
Posts: 195

Posted 1452025263	Reply with quote #191

Vinny, I'm the least mechanically competent person around. The only tool I'm proficient with is a checkbook. That being said, I built a cloner with my son as a project and completely over-engineered it (we used 2 ten foot sticks of PVC). Why buy one? A big rubber tote, 400 GPH aquarium pump, PVC, mister heads and net pots and plugs are really all you need. The PVC and tote are from HD or Lowes and the rest is from Amazon. You'll need a 2" hole cutter and a small drill bit for the mister heads. Depending upon the tote, you'll have a 40+ cuttings cloner quite quickly. But for my incompetence, it's really a short afternoon project. Pardon all the typos, I'm typing on my phone. Andrew

Bluemalibu

Registered:1448153498
Posts: 230

Posted 1452028197	Reply with quote #192

Well, ...here's the update on Operation Ficus Salvage: Over the course of last evening, I built yet another cloner; (I'm getting pretty proficient at it, if you'd like me to put one together for you Vinny... LOL!! ) as I wanted to remove as many avenues for failure as I could, and that included the re-inoculation of the water with any bacteria that I may have missed by simply cleaning the old system. The cuttings were then clipped well above the neoprene collar to amputate the rotted portion; the lower winding of grafting tape was removed to expose the area to the cloner spray, and the ends were sanitized in 10% dilution chlorine before being inserted into new collars and new cups. The heater is now set to maintain 70*. Hopefully, some of these cuttings will respond to the revised growing parameters, and I'll yet realize trees from the endeavor... Thanks again, for the assistance with solving the puzzle... Blue __________________ Ebay: Bluemalibu NorCal, 9B - Fig Heaven. No fog, no snow; just lots of sunshine!

APORTO

Registered:1443104360
Posts: 101

Posted 1452031047 · Edited	Reply with quote #193

This thread has a lot of information and I have some observations and questions. My status: I bought supplies over the weekend and began construction. First thing I did wrong was I bought a 4 way PVC connector and assembled the pipes with the inlet to one end of the container. This caused the hose to bend and kink so I will be buying new connectors and changing configuration so the hose is fed from a 90 degree angle (bottom up). Second, I ran out and bought a tap and die set at Harbor Freight. I thought I needed it and it seemed like something every man should own. The misters I bought came with a drill bit and they snap into the hole instead of being screwed. Seems to work OK. Lastly, I expected a finer mist coming from the misters. A better description would be sprayers. They spray fine streams in all directions. Here are my questions: 1) Do your sprayers/misters actually mist or are they more of a fine spray? I was expecting something akin to what you see in the vegetable isle in the grocery store. 2) How far below the top are your sprayers located? 3) What is the purpose of adding H2O2 (hydrogen Peroxide)? 4) What is the proper PH level to keep the water? 5) What steps did you take to clean the system before using? There was great information regarding water temperature in the 70's and Dan's info that is outside temp is 40-50 which is exactly where I plan to be. Thanks to all! __________________ 6B-7A - Woodbridge, CT

kkk2210

Registered:1420862008
Posts: 474

Posted 1452031169	Reply with quote #194

Andrew Thanks, i agree with you. Making one myself would be more economical and more fun as this is all about having some fun isint , we ain't selling them after all . But the trouble is I will have to find equivalent parts here in Britain and the 40 cloner is only £70, but I think it might get over heated due to its 15 litre water holding capacity . Anyway i have my new setup up and running so this can wait for a bit as I'm still learning . Blue That would be nice mate haha lol. I'm sure you'll be ok . I am really interested in this cloner after seeing what Dennis have achieved . Ofcourse he is very experienced and is a long time member and I wouldn't hesitate to try his meathod. However we all live in different zones and countries in my case. So we need to think about Ph , chlorine content , temperature etc . I can send few cuttings from trees growing around London boroughs if you guys want to play around . Thanks __________________ Vinny Bognor Regis, United Kingdom Wish List : Callara, De La Rio,Cul Noir, Calvy, LSU Red, I-258, Maltese Beauty, Preto, FMV Infected Ischia Black UCD. My Ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/myb/Summary?MyEbay&gbh=1

AndyInNYC

Registered:1338686467
Posts: 195

Posted 1452034073	Reply with quote #195

Vinny, 70 euro is presently about $75. My Rubbermaid tote was $22 and the pump $25. I could have bought a 35 cutting size tote for $9. I think the collars and net pots and misters were probably another $25. My cloner, though is set for 70+ cuttings and could easily have been cut more closely to hold even more. The overheating issue usually applies to US 5 gallon paint bucket size cloners. These are pails which hold 5 gallons of liquid when full. People have used this size with external pumps, but heating is a problem, nonetheless. They also hold very few cuttings at a time, so they are useless, in my opinion. The pump is the most expensive piece of equipment and will service any size tote. So I bought both the biggest I could find and one the pot growers stated didn't leak - it did anyway, but I fixed that as we all have. You could also get by with homemade inserts and without netpots. Misters (sprayers as most have noted) are the other "required" purchase. Andrew

snaglpus

Registered:1244258188
Posts: 4,072

Posted 1452042308	Reply with quote #196

Hi Vinny, Go for the EZ Cloner 40. It's the perfect size in my opinion . For me, the 5 bucket cloner didn't work. I could not keep the water cool enough and I tried using it twice. The 5 gal bucket cloner holds less than 5 gals of water.....it's really holds around 3 gallons. Hope this helps. Good luck! __________________ Dennis Charlotte, North Carolina/Zone 8a

Bluemalibu

Registered:1448153498
Posts: 230

Posted 1452046931	Reply with quote #197

Well Vinney, we're like extended family then... one of my daughters and four grand-kids live in Merseyside, Liverpool. We alternate years, flying them back to California one year, and then my wife and I over there the next. __________________ Ebay: Bluemalibu NorCal, 9B - Fig Heaven. No fog, no snow; just lots of sunshine!

danw

Registered:1444807539
Posts: 60

Posted 1452058059	Reply with quote #198

Here are my answers: 1) Do your sprayers/misters actually mist or are they more of a fine spray? I was expecting something akin to what you see in the vegetable isle in the grocery store. Spray, and rather coarse at that. It bounces off the sides and top and goes everywhere 2) How far below the top are your sprayers located? 5 1/2 inches below the top of the 5 Gallon Bucket, 4 1/4 inches below the bottom of the neoprene collars. 3) What is the purpose of adding H2O2 (hydrogen Peroxide)? I don't do it, I use chlorine 4) What is the proper PH level to keep the water? I target a PH of 6.0 I am not sure how important this is since the PH strongly effects how the plants absorb nutrients, and I am just using water. But I have read several places this is optimum and if you let it stray too far it can damage the plants. 5) What steps did you take to clean the system before using? Flush out the chips from drilling and taping the PVC before you install the spray heads so they don't clog. I let the PVC cement cure for a day and then filled the cloner with water and ran it for 24 hours. Next I changed the water and loaded it up with cuttings and started rooting. Here is a picture of my cloner wrapped in insulation to keep the water temperature up. As I alluded to before, I think the over heating issue completely depends on the temperature of your room. Clearly I have no problem with overheating since my room is so much cooler than the desired water temperature. If your room is warmer than the desired water temperature, then I don't care how large the reservoir is, you are going to need cooling. It is true that there is a small range of room temperatures, slightly less than the desired water temperature, where a large cloner with greater surface area will shed the heat from the pump, where a smaller one like a 5 gallon bucket will not. This is offset somewhat, since a larger cloner requires a larger pump that dumps more heat into the water. Yes the 5 gallon bucket cloner is small. Mine only has 12 sites, 11 if you consider I run the cord for the pump out one of them. For me at this stage the size is perfect, and I find it extremely useful as evidenced by the fact that all my cuttings seem to be rooting just fine. I think my wife would kill me if I was rooting 64 cuttings. Here is a picture with the lid off showing the manifold and spray nozzles Here is a picture showing the pump and manifold I used the ECO plus 390 GPH pump and it cost $22.42 I measured the power consumption when running in the cloner and it is drawing around 11 watts. I spent $11.99 for 50 spray nozzles and used 9, so I have a few spares. I spent $10.99 for 25 net-pots and collars and used 12, so again some spares. I also spent probably $10 or $15 on PVC pipe and fittings. I already had the 10-24 tap and hole saw required to complete the cloner. You are probably looking at $25 more if you need to purchase those items. I don't think you should build the cloner to save money. If you add up the parts / tools, and pay yourself anything for your time, you can buy one cheaper. You should build one if it sounds like fun, and you like having stuff you built! Dan __________________ Wish List: Bordisot Negra Rimada, BB10 (dan_la), Peloponnisiaka Aspra Sika, Mavra Vasilika Sika, Sanguinato, San Donato, Smith Zone 9A

APORTO

Registered:1443104360
Posts: 101

Posted 1452105298	Reply with quote #199

Dan, you are indeed the man! Thank you for the information. I was concerned my sprayers were faulty, now I will spray with confidence. I bought PVC glue, but I don't think I need to use it as all parts seem to fit snugly without leaks. PH and cleaning data was great help. Also, thank you to all who mentioned 70-75 degree target for root development. I assumed humidity was key and the more heat, the more humidity. My greenhouse fluctuates in degrees between 75 (night) to 95 (sunny day). The figs have noticeable growth almost daily. I assumed the same would hold for cuttings. Now I know better than to assume anything! Thank you, Andrew __________________ 6B-7A - Woodbridge, CT

AndyInNYC

Registered:1338686467
Posts: 195

Posted 1452111540	Reply with quote #200

Dan, I think the math works out in favor of building your own. Given what you spent and have, your second cloner would need: 1. $5/$0 -5 gallon bucket - $5 if you actually had to go buy one or free if you already had one lying around. Lids are $2 if you didn't have one. 2. $22.42 for a second pump 3. $10 for PVC pipe/fittings You already have all the pots, collars and misters you'd need. So for $37 you'd have a second cloner up and running. Given the number of spray heads which come in a packet, your 3rd and 4th cloners (for friends) would run an extra $5 each for more netpots and collars. The 'big' investment on these is the pump - which is also why I went as big as possible for my first unit on the tote. I think most of us have a friend/neighbor who has a 2" hole saw and likely has the tap set (although a properly sized wood screw can also be used which is virtually free). Not arguing in any way with you - I just think that you do save money by building yourself and there isn't a whole lot of 'tech' that goes into the design or usage. Leakage is the biggest issue and that can be solved with plastic sheeting or some other method. If I were more precise with my drilling and alignment I could have fit a much more dense layout of holes in my cloner - as a first attempt I was very generous with the spacing. Aside from the initial buy of plugs and pots there would be no extra costs - same running cost just a lot more space for blueberries or lots more figs <g>. I'm hoping my cloner is successful - it was fun to build with my 10 year old and I can pull each plug out and look at my results every few days and dream about Spring. I've gotten a few requests (denied!) for rooting alternative crops already when I discuss it over drinks or lunch. Andrew

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