If you want to maximize the return on your gardening efforts, it is important to maintain a clean and properly functioning EZ Cloner.
In other words, you must ensure that the system is clean and functioning properly by frequently changing the water and other components!
If you do not, you are significantly increasing the odds of a bacteria problem.
In a perfect world, a grower would change the water and nutrient solution in their cloning system every 5 days. Not only will this keep the water fresh for the cuttings, but also reduce the risk of a bacterial infection.
Nutrient Solution & EZ Cloner
Using a clean and sterile nutrient solution is an excellent approach to eliminating bacteria from your EZ Cloner.
As your cloning cycle continues, however, that solution will lose its ability to do its job, until finally it won’t do anything at all.
As your plants form roots and acclimatize to their new environment, the nutrients are taken up and diminished, and then they slow growth.
Another method to remove bacteria from your EZ Cloner is to replace water and other components, midway through your cloning cycle.
This is especially useful if you suspect you have these pathogens in their infancy.
If you think you might have bacteria or potential pathogens the best thing you can do is change the water.
Other reasons you might find it necessary to change the water and other components from your EZ Cloner include:
- Changes in water clarity: when water looks dirty, you can see that it has received debri. It should be changed ASAP so the dirty water doesn’t justify other issues.
- Excess debri, including leaves, in the cloner: when leaves and other wastes begin to break down, they offset the chemical balances in your water.
- Growth of your plants: once your crop has matured from the propagated clipping stage to the vegetative stage, it will have used all of the nutrients as well. To remain on track for harvest times, you will have to change out both, the nutrient solution and the water.
- Extended loss of electric power: if you lose power for an extended period, dirt and debris has already accumulated, and that is why you need a backup systems such as generators or solar panels.
- Unbalanced nutrients: the most basic indication of an unbalanced nutrient and mineral composition within your cloner is that your plants are no longer growing vigorously. If this is observed, you need to replace the water and nutrient solution ASAP.
- Rapid pH fluctuations: additionally, if you look at the pH of your cloner and it is either way too acidic or way too alkaline, after checking with the crops you are growing, you may need to add water to get back to the recommended levels.
Alternative Ways of Optimizing Your EZ Cloner
Aside from frequently swapping out water and nutrient solution, here are some additional ways to assist in maximizing the growth of your plants in your EZ Cloner:
- Water temperature
- Hormone products
- Cleanliness
- Light purchase
Checking Water Temperature
When the water temperature in your cloning system is in the warm zone (up to 30o C), it enables the cells to divide faster and, consequently, plants will grow at a rapid rate.
The downside is that warm temperatures are also prime for the growth of bacteria and fungi. Before warming the water in your cloner you want to ensure you sterilise the water to kill any pathogens.
The best devices for measuring the water temperature are an infrared thermometer or a temperature meter which is built-in to your cloner.
They are fast, convenient and safe to measure water temperature which eliminates any contamination while you are measuring.
Be Aware: Infrared thermometer readings are approximately two degrees lower than the actual temperature.
Applying Hormone Products
Hormones that are soluble in water can boost the growth and health of your cloned crops.
But you need to check to see that the supplement you’re introducing has the mineral compositions to support your plant’s growth.
This is because the outcomes of hormones without mineral nutrients are invisible.
Cleaning Regularly
Always use blades that are clean, sharp, and disinfected to put fresh cuts into your cloner.
Do not use blunt manucuring tools like scissors because they will simply crush the stem of the clone.
Next, you want to clean your cloning system right after you have taken out your rooted clones. The longer you put off cleaning the cloning system, the harder it will become to clean.
Even worse: you may see a slimy coating on the cloning sytem, and you may also begin to notice an incidental foul odour, at which point you may want to throw out your clones and start the cloning process all over again.
Invest in Lighting
Light can have a big impact on rooting cloned crops.
Because of this, you’ll need to locate your cuttings in an area that receives a sufficient amount of natural light.
If that can’t be provided, you’ll simply need to put in some fluorescent lamps.
Don’t place the lights too close to the plants (less than four inches).
Final Words
Similar to other methods of cultivation, cloning requires perfect conditions to guarantee that the cuttings grow healthy.
This all comes down to the condition of water and the nutrient levels in your cloner.
If you would like your cuttings to root quickly, you need to ensure water changes are done regularly.
You should also keep track of all other factors such as temperature, pH, lighting, and so on.