How to Build a Plant Cloner
Cloning plants is a way to get many new plants that are identical to the parent, or mother, plant. This is a common method of reproducing many different types of plants, though not every plant will clone successfully. A plant cloner is a device that assists you in cloning plants and makes the process easier. One of the best ways to clone plants is with a simple hydroponic setup that uses aeroponics -- a heavy mist on the plants' roots -- to get the plants off to a good start. The system is simple and affordable to build. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic bin with lid
- Marking pen
- Air pump, such as the type used for aquariums
- Air line
- "T" connector for air line
- 2 air stones, 6- to 8-inches long, aquarium type
- Drill with 2 ½-inch keyhole saw attachment
- Two 1/2-inch net pots
- Clay pellets
- Plant cuttings with lower leaves removed
- Timer
Instructions
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1
Arrange the net pots on the lid and draw around each one, leaving at least a couple of inches between each pot. Use this as your guide for cutting the holes and cut 2-inch holes in the lid of the plastic bin to hold the pots.
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2
Place a net pot in one of the holes and fit the lid on the bin. Measure 1 inch below the bottom of the pot and make a mark on the inside of the bin. This will be your water line. Remove the lid from the bin.
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3
Attach each air stone to a length of air hose, and connect both hoses to the "T" connector. Attach the single side of the connector to the air pump, using an additional piece of air line. This will provide the bubbles that are the basis of this system. Place the air stones in the bottom of the bin, as far apart as practical, to provide as much coverage of the bin areas as possible.
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4
Fill the bin to the line with water. Put the lid on the bin.
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Put a cutting in one of the net pots. Let ½ inch of the cutting protrude through the bottom of the pot and fill the space around the cutting with clay pellets. Set each filled pot in one of the holes in the lid. Repeat until all of the holes are filled.
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6
Set the timer to turn on for 15 minutes and then off for 45 minutes. It must repeat this 24 hours a day. Plug the pump into the timer and the timer into an outlet. Make sure the water level stays up to the fill line. It will take about two weeks for the clones to develop roots.
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Tips & Warnings
Net pots are readily and inexpensively available from any hydroponics supplier. A vitamin B-1 supplement added to the water can help your plants to root better. You can also dip each stem in rooting hormone before placing it in a pot, if you desire.
Don't let the water level in your aeroponic cloning system get too low or it won't provide enough moisture for your plants, and they will die. Don't let the plants hang into the water or they will become water-logged and die. Stems should be about ½ inch above the water line at all times.
References
- Photo Credit Polka Dot RF/Polka Dot/Getty Images
