Howdy all
If anybody is still around I have been busy experimenting as usual.
To fast forward I decided on another thread to try and clone a small cutting 22 days after sprout. This was one of the bottom most branches. Strain is Spliff Seeds White Widow. The plan is to take a cutting, root it, then reverse it. A lot to ask but so far so good. I do not think this would work with extremely fast growing strains, but I never grow them. A longer growing strain seems to be logical as it takes more time to develop which will allow the clone to root and then be reversed. I have been told and read that a self pollinated plant from a reversed clone will not increase the chance of hermie offspring, where selfing by changing one branch and allowing pollination on the same plant would. The reason this is so attractive to me is that it will only involve growing one plant instead of two.
The mother is now just coming into flowering. She started showing preflowers earlier this week and they are becoming more and more numerous.
The clone is doing very well. She is getting roots at an amazing pace. Sorry for the blurry pic but it was the best I could get:
She started growing more on top as well, and has begun preflowering. I started spraying her with CS yesterday and will continue daily until pollen sacs are formed and producing:
Just to have it recorded here is the exact experiment protocol my OCD mind has come up with, which I even wrote down Ha!:
1. Prepare 1/4 strength flowering nute solution (I have read that high phosphorus roots plants faster)
2. Take cutting and dip into rooting compound, making final cut with razor. Take cutting from lower branch of mother before she flowers.
3. Place in Aerogarden, mist frequently with R.O. water.
4. As soon as roots are noted switch to 1/4 strength veg nute
5. Begin CS treatment as soon as flowers are noted
6. As soon as male flower formation is noted switch to flowering nutes (This is because Bob, now gone from the site, suggested that flowering nutes be added then. This was supposed to increase pollen production.)
7. Pollinate mother plant's lower branches.
It is important in all steps to maintain proper PH. During rooting a warm, humid environment will be necessary. Keep Aerogarden plug covered with tin foil to ensure a dark, humid environment for proper root development.
The protocol was designed to ensure that the clone rooted as fast as possible. It indeed worked. I had rootlets at 7 days:
I am now at step 5 of the protocol. So far I am very pleased with the results