Step-by-step rooting guide for beginners Rooting cannabis clones is straightforward once you understand the basics. Whether you're rooting fresh cuts from a nursery or taking cuttings from your own mother plants, here's exactly how to do it.
What You Need
Rooting hormone — gel (like Clonex) or powder Growing medium — rockwool cubes, peat plugs, or aeroponic cloner Humidity dome or plastic bag for maintaining humidity Low-intensity light — T5 fluorescent or weak LED, 18/6 cycle Spray bottle for misting Clean scissors or razor — sterilized with 70% isopropyl alcohol
Step-by-Step Process
Prepare your medium — soak rockwool in pH 5.5 water for 30 minutes, or pre-wet peat plugs Take or receive the cutting — ensure a clean 45-degree cut at the base Remove lower leaves — strip leaves from the bottom 1-2 inches of the stem Dip in rooting hormone — coat the bottom inch of the stem Insert into medium — push gently into the rockwool hole or peat plug Place under dome — maintain 70-80% humidity Mist daily — keep leaves damp but not soaking wet Vent the dome — crack it open slightly after day 3-4 to prevent mold Check for roots — after 7-10 days, gently tug to feel resistance Remove dome — once roots are visible (day 10-14), harden off gradually
Common Mistakes
Too much light — clones need low light during rooting (100-200 PPFD) Too wet — soggy medium causes stem rot. Moist, not wet. Contaminated tools — always sterilize to prevent HLVD and other pathogens Wrong pH — 5.5-6.0 for rockwool, 6.0-6.5 for peat Not enough humidity — roots can't uptake water yet, so leaves must absorb moisture from air Want to skip the rooting process? Order pre-rooted clones from Prime Cuts Nursery — they arrive with established roots, ready to transplant. Or choose teens to skip weeks of veg time too.
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