Taking The Perfect Cuttings

If you want cuttings to survive and thrive, don't just start hacking! For best results, here's what you do.

It pays to be prepared. Before you do anything else, get yout equipment ready.

You will need:

• Propagator
• Scalpel
• Clonex
• Measuring cup
• Seed cubes
• Propagation light
• Disinfectant (like Silver Bullet Mist)

Once your equipment's ready, follow these 9 steps.

Clean and sterilise your equipment - especially your propagator and scalpel.

Silver Bullet Mist will kill 99.99% of bacteria.

Soak your cubes, blocks or plugs.

If pre-fertilised (like jiffy plugs) soak in dechlorinated water. Otherwise, use a rooting stimulant (like SHOGUN Katana Roots or VitaLinkPlant Start).

Pour some Clonex Rooting Gel into a small measuring jug.

You don't need much - you're only going to dip clones into it to seal the cut and stimulate rooting.

You want to take cuttings that:

• Are on lower 1/3 of the mother
• Have 3 - 4 leaves on them
• Are 7 - 8 cm long

Be careful not to remove more than 50% of your mother's foliage.

Make a clean, diagonal cut at the internodal intersection (where the branch meets the stem).

As a rule, you need to take twice the amount of cuttings you need.

Remove new leaves and shoots from the bottom half of your cutting.

Dip the exposed cut into Clonex Rooting Gel for a few seconds.

By now (20 minutes) your jiffy plugs should have absorbed enough water and be ready for cuttings.

When they're ready, create a hole in your jiffy plug using a pipette.

Place cuttings in the hole - don't forget to label them so you know which plant they came from.

Move cuttings in a propagator, with the top and sides misted.

• Vents: closed (briefly open every 1 - 2 days)
• Temp: 22 - 24oC (4oC cooler at night)
• Humidity: 70 - 80% RH
• Light: Run for 18hrs a day

After 7 - 14 days, cuttings will root and you'll be ready to move them to transplanting cubes.