View Full Version : storing clones in water
peakguy
12-11-2006, 09:03 PM
Heard that this is possible, but can't find where I read about it. Seemed like the thread stated you can place clones in water and stick them in fridge to keep them somewhat inert for several weeks. I would like to try that, but don't want to waste the clones I take from this plant, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Cranky
12-11-2006, 09:14 PM
yep...read about it myself mate....basicly....just have the clone sitting in a sealy bag with abit of water in...prop it up so that just the stems in the water if ya gets me;)
ment to keep for like 2-3 weeks...ive never tried myself but i think i will just for the hell of it:D
cranky
peakguy
12-11-2006, 09:31 PM
seems like that is pretty much what I read too. Well, based on info I found here, I think I will wait another week, take the clones, and then have time to swap the lamps out. Could I go a month? Thanks cranky.
midwestbluntman
12-12-2006, 03:57 AM
Ive not try'd this either but i read the same info.Peeps ive talk to about it said that it works and that i could save cuttings that way for several weeks,so i think you could get away with a month.thats what i was wanting to do,when i talk to them.The idea was to hold them inert for a few weeks then root them so i would be in time for a perpetual grow.I never made to perpetual tho,my kid cant seem to stay out of trouble.Ive torn down 3 or 4 times because of his crazy shit.
peakguy
12-12-2006, 09:40 AM
So, I am going to take about 6-8 cuttings tonight, and put half of them in R/O water and half in tap water, cover them with baggies, and see how they do. Maybe I should stick a thermometer in the frigde. I will keep updates posted.
RedEyezzzzz
12-12-2006, 09:46 AM
So is this to be used to basically sustain them? Or will they actually develop roots? Tis strange....
Cranky
12-12-2006, 01:02 PM
just sustains um bro;)
peakguy
12-12-2006, 01:44 PM
Yep, my impression is that they don't develop or die, they kinda stay dormant until you give them the opportunity to grow roots. That's why I'm wondering about temps in the fridge, not sure how cold to keep them, but plan on putting them in the bottom away from the freezer. I am also going to cut them a bit long expecting to lose the bottom 15% when I cut them before putting them in soil.
Cranky
12-12-2006, 06:42 PM
ya on ya own fella:o me fekin wife aint having any of it...
plants in the fridge she says???
no fekin chance lol
o'well,ill be watching mate;)
cranky
vernonsupreme
12-12-2006, 09:31 PM
it's called stasis, when you buy clones on the commercial market :eek: most of the time they come out of the fridge.
the way i've seen it done is a little water in the bottom of a ziploc, like a tablespoon, and then clones in the ziploc... bottom drawer. Will keep for 2-3 weeks.:)
Greenmachine
12-13-2006, 05:32 AM
Kind of a hibernation for plants.
peakguy
12-21-2006, 08:56 PM
and things are looking fine. I checked both sets tonight, and they look great. I had it in my head that I should recut the bottom, sort of like one would do with cut flowers, but after I cut one set, I decided to leave the other alone. By both sets, I mean one is in tap water and one is in RO water. I kinda now think it does not make much difference as I don't think there is much going on. I was going to change the water as well, but didn't 'cause they look fine the way they are. Pretty cool. I hope they look this good in another couple weeks when I might be able to root them.
peakguy
12-27-2006, 09:26 PM
And they still look great, just like when I cut them. I didn't look at the individual stem bottoms, but the leaves and upper stems are great, and that is where I will make the final clone cut anyway. I don't know that I would ever have another situation where being able to stash these away for a few weeks makes it viable for them to get a chance to be stuck back in soil, and maybe even meet their mom before she gets ripe, so this could work out nicely. The mom is a Kali Mist that has just been put to flower, so I am not sure how long she is gonna take.
peakguy
01-06-2007, 05:28 PM
I am hoping to get them back into soil tomorrow. I wonder if they need to warm up gradually, or if I can just stick them right back under the lamp. I'll try to get some pics posted to show how good the cuttings still look.
The Hooded Claw
01-06-2007, 06:23 PM
You're right. Get its ass in soil but IMOO under any light but as subtleas is possible.
Interesting thread. Why didn't the colonel think of this recipe... :pass:
midwestbluntman
01-07-2007, 08:17 AM
I'll try to get some pics posted to show how good the cuttings still look.
Peak guy
Great thread bro, How much water did you initially put in the baggies?Moho suggested a tablespoon[15ml's],that seems to be very little when ya think of it spanning the length of a baggy.I got the same problem as cranky,the wife will have no part of it.However I am fortunate enough to have a dorm room Fridge in my grow room.I picked it up intending to make a DIY chiller for my resevour.The problem with this fridge is that small amounts of water left unattended freezes.not solid but more so then a frost and that is prolly to cold for them to survive.It doesnt have a temp setting so maybe if I added a few diffrent things into it so
that i could possible regulate some what.Cant wait to see the photo's bro,they should clear up any questions as to the circumstances of this experment.
Cranky
01-07-2007, 08:49 AM
i was thinking of using a small container with somit inside to support the cuttings and just have water in the bottom?what ya think?or do ya just toss the bag in and the water gets all over them or is it sat so there standing up and just the bottom of the stems are in the water?
i do believe that this method is used in flower shops to keep cut plants fresh...
cranky
peakguy
01-07-2007, 03:15 PM
We have been having intermittent power outages all day during a winter storm (luckily, it's light's out time in the grow room) and the misses has a couple neighbor ladies coming over for a stich-and-bitch session, so the transplant will be later tonight.
But as far as the amount of water, it depends on how you hold the girls up. My first set of cuttings I set up the full width of the baggie and used an olive tray to support them, perfect shape. But the next set of cuttings, after seeing how well the first set looked, I just stuck in a baggie with enough water to cover the bottoms of the stems and put them in a small tumbler-like glass with all the cuttings crowded in a corner of the baggie. I didn't seal either of the baggies. Wish I could work on it now as there is some natural light left, but here come the neighbors.
peakguy
01-08-2007, 12:32 PM
Well, our power went out right after I last posted, still off, and not expected back on until tomorrow. That means the grow room will be dark through 2 lights-on periods, so not sure how that is going to effect the gurlz. I have not been able to get the clones in soil; part of my roof blew off, a tree came down blocking the road in front, and I did not get in to work until just now. So, not sure when that is going to occur. I may try to do it tonight under candlelight as the temp in the fridge is bound to start creeping up. Love winter in the mountains!
Cranky
01-08-2007, 02:52 PM
bummer there dude....hope alls sorted for yas soon.
cranky
gorilla
01-08-2007, 06:52 PM
At least your safe. :o
Good luck with your weed. :cool:
peakguy
01-10-2007, 11:28 PM
but the worst appears to be over. Regarding the theme of the thread,the cuttings appeared to hold up better than I would have thought, as the fridge did get kind of room-temperish toward the third day of no power. However, as I transplanted them tonight, the losers appeared to be the set sitting behind my 12-pack of soda. They were apparently knocked horizontal by some asshole with a caffiene habit. However, the other set looked splendid and I did manage to take a couple of pics I will try to resize and post tomorrow. I can't actually recall when I first took these cuttings, but I have the impression they have been in the fridge for about a month, so this stashing away can definately be done. Of the 5 original cuttings, I tossed one as just too wimpy looking. The other two that had gone horizontal looked kinda like they were fished outta the north sea, but I put them under the lamp anyhow.
Oh, as for the grow room being without lights for two consecutive days, the gurlz have grown as much as 2" taller, fattened up all bud sites, and they smell so dank it is incredible. The dankicity had begun just before we lost power, but man, now the missus says I smell of it when I come back to the house. My goal is to have the daughters under the lamp before the mom is chopped.
peakguy
01-16-2007, 03:08 PM
man, I did everything right with one exception. I forgot to dome these poor girls! I was just too tired from dealing with weather problems and I shouldn't have been working in the garden, but I wanted to get them into soil What an idiot. Lost every one of them. But, coming out of the fridge, the cuttings were mos def still viable. Hope I can load the pics here to show how they looked in the baggie coming out of the fridge, after being planted and clipped, and the mom, a tall Kali Mist that was about a week into flower when the pic was taken. I took the six cuttings all from the bottom of the plant, and you can see she wouldn't have missed them at all.
midwestbluntman
01-17-2007, 04:40 AM
damn bro,I was hope'n that you would be successful.I was wanting to try this but really wanted a success story to model off of.Im going into the 3rd week of flower so the time is at hand if im going to do it now is the time.
SpanglyBoovus
01-17-2007, 09:04 AM
watching this thread contently. ;)
thanks folks!
peakguy
01-17-2007, 10:04 AM
midwest, go ahead and take the cuttings, as I am now sure the stasis thing works. The cuttings looked great out of the fridge, it was my mistake that did 'em in. I will stick the thermometer in the back of the fridge where the cuttings were to get the temp there. I even wonder if one couldn't get the clones to root and then put them in the fridge for a bit.
This was probably kind of a one-time thing for me as I had extra space in my grow room to bring in a set of clones. I am not yet set up for perpetual harvest, so I usually start a bunch of seeds and see them through to the end and that is what I will do again for my upcoming grow.
By the by, I'll get a pic of the mom up soon as she has really filled out comparted to the pic above. The two days in the dark seems to really have gotten them to start developing.
midwestbluntman
01-17-2007, 05:57 PM
yea PG,I think im going to try it,I cant do but a few without killing this lil harvest.Ive been nursing these to for months just try'n to preseve the strain.Im going to give a few to a buddy just in case i cant pull them out of stasis in tact.The grow room is in need of some roof repairs and im kinda stuck waiting on it.I got the 2 in my cabby i started building, hell,prolly a year ago.then the better half pulled the rug out from under the project.The idea was to have the cabby DWC but its not they are in soil,and i aint worth a damn at soil growing.Im just going to flower them out and shut down till i get the roof fixed,so being able to hold clones in the fridge might just be the ticket,if not i'll still be able to get a few cuttings off my buddy.
Elephunt man
01-17-2007, 07:14 PM
Ok, don't think I will ever need to do this...but decided I have the resources to test the theory for you guys anyway. Fridge is half full of nutes, no worries about a cup of clippings.
2 very healthy sativa clones in coffee cup with about an ounce of RO water.
Remind me in a month (or whenever) and I will try and root them for you. I use an aerocloner, so if they are still viable, they will root.
midwestbluntman
01-18-2007, 04:12 AM
sweet man,
Im going to take a few prolly saturday,that i dont plan to try and root for a couple months[8 weeks].that will put me about the end of march which should be more than enough time to get the repairs in order,and plenty of time to see how you come out E.Thanks for steppin up and joining in on the project.
peakguy
01-18-2007, 10:52 AM
was 38 F. And I think that you could go ahead and get the cuttings to root, let them get settled, and then put them in the fridge too. And Elephant, not sure how big your cup is or even just how much water an ounce is, but I think they just need enough water to keep the bottom bit of the stem covered. With the baggie over them all the moisture stays put.
Permagrin
01-21-2007, 06:15 AM
but the worst appears to be over. Regarding the theme of the thread,the cuttings appeared to hold up better than I would have thought, as the fridge did get kind of room-temperish toward the third day of no power. However, as I transplanted them tonight, the losers appeared to be the set sitting behind my 12-pack of soda. They were apparently knocked horizontal by some asshole with a caffiene habit. However, the other set looked splendid and I did manage to take a couple of pics I will try to resize and post tomorrow. I can't actually recall when I first took these cuttings, but I have the impression they have been in the fridge for about a month, so this stashing away can definately be done. Of the 5 original cuttings, I tossed one as just too wimpy looking. The other two that had gone horizontal looked kinda like they were fished outta the north sea, but I put them under the lamp anyhow.
Oh, as for the grow room being without lights for two consecutive days, the gurlz have grown as much as 2" taller, fattened up all bud sites, and they smell so dank it is incredible. The dankicity had begun just before we lost power, but man, now the missus says I smell of it when I come back to the house. My goal is to have the daughters under the lamp before the mom is chopped.
Sorry to hear about the trouble, but it settles my nerves a bit about my situation. We don't have much company so I was just growing mine in the bedroom out in the open... and well all of a sudden we hear a car go by the drive way and voila.... we got company. I just had enough time to stuff everything in the closet where its not warm and obviously no light at all. They stayed about 2.5 hours or so and as soon as they left i got out the plants and light and put the light back on them for the rest of the light session. bout 4 more hours. This morning its leaning fairly hard, but I did just water them. I hope they/IT makes it. I've got it in the kitchen right now. I am going to make them a permanent home TODAY!. :) here's a pic of the problem.
peakguy
01-22-2007, 01:17 PM
Here is the mother of the cuttings that I killed. She is at about 6 weeks of flower in the pics and you can see how she has fattened up over the last couple of weeks. She is over 6' tall and probably just over 1/2 way through flowering. She is beginning to develop some nice trich coverage, and, other than here and there around the bottom of the plant, all her hairs are still very light. I expect her to double up from this before harvest time. The buds are now starting to get pretty dense.
peakguy
02-15-2007, 05:27 PM
So, how did your cuttings hold up?
Elephunt man
02-15-2007, 06:29 PM
So, how did your cuttings hold up?
Oh yeah...the stasis clones. :) Thanks for reminding me Peakguy ;), hmmm...pretty sure I saw them last week behind the duck sauce. (LOL)
I tell ya PG, I personally don't even think we need to root these little girls to know they are still very much viable. Still as perky and green as the day I took them, 01/17/07.
I originally just did this because I could and because my freinds here at HGB were curious. Now I am curious how long they can actually go without wilting or discoloration.
But at any rate these are your clones and I will do whatever you guys want me to do with them. Ready to see them rooted Midwest or should we wait a little longer?
Here's a few crappy attempts at showing their great color and vitality in various lighting. One pic of my cloner, I can pretty much guarantee success with this thing and my additives. These clones have been pretty much just chillin' in the cloner for over a week since rooting...change of plans and I might not need them. Very alive and green with no discoloration or disfiguration.
:coffee:
Thoth
02-15-2007, 07:30 PM
Root half, and keep half for later if it works. :o
peakguy
02-16-2007, 03:13 PM
keep planting them every couple weeks to see just how long they will go in storage. After seeing how good yours looked and knowing how good mine looked after a full month in the fridge, I am sure that this method of storage can be used without much danger of loosing your cuttings unless the fridge screws up.
I wonder how Midwest's did? I am too busy with planning my new grow room and taking care of current crop to try this experiment again, but once I am settled in the new digs, I think I will try it with both cuttings and rooted clones.
Elephunt man
02-16-2007, 04:08 PM
Good idea guys...but there are only 2. Recent changes in my grow also include growing from seed continually too...so no more cloning other than these 2. Gonna wait and see what Midwest says too.
midwestbluntman
02-17-2007, 07:02 AM
I wonder how Midwest's did?
I dropped the ball,I put all my faith in a local and lost my strain.we've had a cold snap for the last few weeks so i havent done the needed roof repairs.I got a few more weeks left till the last of my G-13 comes down.
Elephunt man
03-28-2007, 10:10 PM
Ok, I decided to just push the limits and see how long they would continue to be 'perky and green' appearing. Last weekend on Saturday, I noticed the leaves on them curling up and crispy, from the tip inward...no yellow, just brown. I promptly gave the aerocloner a good cleaning and fill with solution, and cut about 2" off of the stem (big clones). Today I have inch long roots from one, the other dried up. I will post pics in a day or 2, so you can see the longer roots better with my crappy cam, but anyway, this was a success. And if you are just signing in, these 2 clones were kept viable for over 2 months in just RO water. Think that means guys that clone could go harvest to harvest using this method. Hope this experiment has helped any who were curious whether or not it would work.
:coffee:
peakguy
03-29-2007, 09:19 AM
I actually may end up doing this again as I have a Cosmic Nights plant that started showing trichs at 6 weeks in veg and I may just want to save a cutting or two from her.
i stored some cuttings in water for about two weeks and then managed to pull 6/10 rooted clones.
my question is,
is it possible to freeze cuttings in a block of ice to preserve them for a month or more?
gorilla
06-13-2007, 03:37 PM
is it possible to freeze cuttings in a block of ice to preserve them for a month or more?
lol, I think that's hysterical. :crazy:
peakguy
06-13-2007, 04:33 PM
you can preserve them, but you won't grow them.
is it possible to freeze cuttings in a block of ice to preserve them for a month or more?
dont think so as of yet LINK (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryogenic)
thanks CB, you got me on a new mission.
By processing, I mean we take the seed, dry it partially, and then we can freeze it at minus 40 degrees centigrade. Once it's frozen, the seed can literally live for centuries, and we think that this is a very economical way of preserving plants. If you just try and grow them in captivity, you're liable to lose them eventually. But by having a collection in a deep freeze, it's safe there for a long period of time."heres the article: LINK (http://www.solutions-site.org/kids/stories/KScat1_sol27.htm)