If you already have access to healthy plants that display desirable characteristics it is possible to clone new plants from them these plants will be genetically identical to their parent plant, provided the environmental conditions are constant, the new plants should perform exactly as their parents did.

1. Soak rockwool SBS in a weak rooting solution and place in heated propagator and allow to drain until no water runs out when gently squeezed.
2. Remove a selected piece of foliage with a sterile scalpel cutting diagonal so there is more surface area to apply rooting gel.
3. Pour a small amount of clonex into a sterile container and dip the cutting in so as enough to cover the cut.
4. Insert the cutting into the top of your presoaked rockwool cube. It is important not to push the clone to far, just enough to support itself in an upright position.

Ideal conditions for rooting Temperature.

For most species, the ideal rooting temperature is around 23 to 28 Degrees Celsius. Heat is supplied from underneath to warm rockwool and encourage root cell Initiation it is most important that the temperature remains constant.

Humidity.

Humidity is of critical importance because the little plants have no roots to Begin with maintaining a high humidity around the leaves will protect them from rooting until new roots appear.

Light.

Unlike seeds clones will need light from day one, it is possible to use filtered sunlight but the best results are achieved under fluorescent which are now availableWith high efficiency and output e.g. 2x55w tubes with equivalent output as a 400w metal halide, some growers still filter this light in the first few days as it is of no benefit to introduce the plant to intense light until it begins to root.

S Dop is the webmaster of http://www.grotec.co.uk, one of the biggest hydroponics shops in the UK.