I'm also trying a bunch using the Lasagna method from Ben B. on YouTube. I'm layering using coco and perlite.

Guys, after reading this long but very nice thread, I still have 2 questions:

1. This is the most important one to me. When we start the cuttings in the cloner, is better to start them without lighting, or a few hours of lighting or full hours of lighting (let's say 14 hours)? I'm asking because my current batch of cuttings are on full lights since day 1, and they developed healthy leaves, but barely any roots and this is week number 3. Only 3 cuttings have roots, and only one of them has healthy roots, the other two only have two or three roots.
I noticed that Frank asked that question many times, and to me it makes sense, not to use light until the cuttings develop roots and then use lights, like the old way of rooting cuttings. Obviously this is using a cloner and is not the same, so if anyone could tell me more, I will appreciate the input.

2. After all, dechlorinated water is better than tap water? Will you use Water from your filters or can I use some drops of my API Water Conditioner to remove the clorine and heavy metals from the tap water just like I use them in my fish tank?

BTW: this is a very nice thread, keep it going!!!!!

mfehmi,

Let me preface this by saying I'm only an expert if I'm the only one in the room.

I have a shop light hanging over my cloner.  I leave it on just so that I don't stumble around getting to that area of the basement.  Some light is OK.  You're not trying to get leaves growing - it's much more preferable to get roots going first.  The leaves will come.  Leaves only = dead cutting; roots only = slow tree; roots + leaves = best case scenario.

I can't answer  question #2.  I just fill the cloner with a hose attached to an outlet on top of my hot water heater.  Maybe it's my water, but, at whatever speed, I get roots on cuttings.

Andrew

I'm glad to hear my thread is still useful! The lights aren't necessary at first but when the cutting begins to leaf out they do help. There are several factors that do play an important role for success. One is the freshness of the cutting second is heat. If you have bottom heat which here is the water, the cuttings will root fast. Most of mine root in 17 days. My cloners run inside my garage which is around 50 degrees or more depending on the outside temperatures.

I rooted 6 moldy Nero 600m cuttings and this system shocked me. Today I use a variety of methods to root cuttings. This is just one of them.

Thanks Dennis, that's the answer I was looking for!