Taking a cutting from a mother plant is pretty easy. All you do is cut a stalk at a 45 degree angle. The difficult part is setting up an optimal environment for the clones you strip from her, but aeroponic cloning machines make this easy.
What is an Aeroponic Cloner?
One of the most advanced hydroponic systems on the market is the aeroponic system. Aeroponic cloner systems take the same principle and apply it at a smaller scale for cloning. These propagation machines hold clones in place with reusable neoprene sleeves. The cut end is exposed underneath, where misters will spray water and nutrients up into the root zone.
Aeroponic plant cloners can be as simple and small as the EZ-Clone 9 Site Cloning System, or as large as the Ez-Clone 459 Site Commercial Cloning System. Which cloning machine is best for you will come down to your budget, the level of automation you want to achieve, and how many clones you want to cultivate at once.
If you want to set up the best environment for your clones, saving you time and energy constantly having to take fresh cuttings because others have failed to root, get a complete aeroponic cloning kit. These kits include:
- Cloning tent
- Clone grow light
- Cloning system
- Duct fan
- Rooting gel
- Water conditioner for cloning system
- Light hangers
If you are more interested in hydroponic cloning machines, we also carry deep water bubble cloning systems!
How long before a clone starts rooting?
If you provide your clones with the right temperature and humidity levels, they should sprout roots within 7-10 days. This can take longer in certain varieties, and sometimes it can be faster. If you do not see roots after a couple days, there is a chance the clone may never root. That is why it is important to take lots of cuttings!
Ways to encourage faster rooting
There are a number of ways to increase your success rate when cloning, and cut down on the time it takes to transplant clones. The most common method is using cloning gel or rooting powder. These products contain hormones that encourage rapid rooting. Simply dip the cut end of your clone into the gel or powder, and place it in the cloning machine carefully.
Another way to increase rooting is using supplements like mycorrhizae and other root stimulants. These contain some of the same hormones as a rooting solution would, and these will help build a more dense root system once tap roots appear.
Do clones need nutrients?
Some growers think that feeding their clones a full strength fertilizer or nutrient solution will increase the growth rate, but this is not true. Clones can start rooting with just water and rooting gel, but they can benefit from a micro-dosed nutrient schedule, which can be slowly increased to full strength once the clone is ready for transplant.
Want to learn more about propagation? Stop by our learning center and check out our definitive guide on how to clone a plant!
If you want to learn about the best cloning machines, visit our blog and read our complete guide! Or, you can learn how to build a DIY cloning machine.
If you have any questions about cloning machines, give our experienced growers a call today at 888-815-9763.
