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Cloning: The art of producing an identical copy of an existing plant. This can be done by tissue culture or more often by taking part of the living mother plant and growing it away from the parent.

First prepare the medium to receive the clone. One of the easiest methods is to use wrapped rockwool cubes. Soak the cubes in a half strength nutrient solution that has been made up using spring water. Plan on putting the cubes in a tray or trough to keep the bases wet...

Cloning: The art of producing an identical copy of an existing plant. This can be done by tissue culture or more often by taking part of the living mother plant and growing it away from the parent.

First prepare the medium to receive the clone. One of the easiest methods is to use wrapped rockwool cubes. Soak the cubes in a half strength nutrient solution that has been made up using spring water. Plan on putting the cubes in a tray or trough to keep the bases wet.

Take your rooting hormone and put some into a clean container.

Pick an active growing tip on the top of the plant or a side shoot. Count back from the tip to find the third leaf set back.

Cut the stem behind the third leafset using a clean pair of scissors or knife.

        \./         |        \|/         |        \|/         | ----- first cut here         |

Take the cutting to the cube and then remove the second leafset leaves. Cut at 45 degrees just below the second leafset then dip the cut end into the rooting hormone.

        \./          \./           \./         |            | /       .---|---.        \|/           |/        .   |   .         |           / |        .       .        \|/         / \|/       .........         |             |         |             |

Make a small hole in the centre of the rockwool cube using a pencil and place the clone into the cube at least 1 - 2 cms.

Handle the clones carefully and when they are in the cubes try to keep the humidity up.

Expect about 90% success rate. If putting the clones under lights expect to see them established within 4 - 7 days. The better systems place the rockwool cubes in channels and have a stream of nutrient passing down the channels.