How To Clone A Plant Using Hydroponics

Have you ever wished you could replicate that one perfect plant in your garden? You actually can by learning how to clone a plant.  A plant clone is a shoot that is cut off a plant that is then used to grow a new plant. The cloned plant grows with the exact same characteristics as the mother plant, so you know exactly what you’re going to get.

One year I wanted to make some extra money to help with gardening expenses and know that nice-looking mums can go between $5 to $20. After doing some research I found that starting mums from seeds wasn’t the easiest. It was recommended that I start new plants using plant clones. It just so happened I had an excellent mum plant decorating our home so it was a good time to learn. Here is how to clone a plant using hydroponics.

Items Needed To Clone A Plant Using Hydroponics

To clone a plant you’ll first need to gather a few supplies:

• A healthy plant with shoots
• A sterile cutting tool (clean razor blades or a clean pair of scissors)
• A clone box (here’s how to build a simple one)
• Rooting gel (optional)

Using this hydroponic method is probably the easiest way to clone a plant. I’m using a clone box that I made with some spare stuff I had and some leftover net pots. There are many ways to clone a plant and several ways to clone a plant hydroponically. Using this method, the plants will be suspended in oxygen-rich water to promote quick rooting.

Steps To Using Hydroponics To Clone A Plant

From your mother plant, cut away the number of shoots equal to the number of clones you’ll be taking. For this mum plant, I’ll be taking shoots at least 5 inches long. Some branches may have multiple shoots you can take for clones.

If you’re using a branch,  cut off the shoots, then trim the leaves up about 5 inches from the bottom. Angle your cut to expose more of the inner stem.

To prevent contamination do not dip the cutting stem directly into your root gel container. I like to use a spoon and dip out some rooting gel to use off the end. Dip the cutting into the rooting gel, twisting it around to cover as much of the stem as possible, and then place it into your clone box.

How Long Does It Take To Clone A Plant?

Within a couple of weeks, the plant clones should have started to show signs of root growth. When roots finally start to show, the process of root formation moves pretty quickly. When a good root system forms, it’s time to transplant them into some dirt and put them up for sale. With this method, I’m able to see the roots forming, whereas with other methods you have to wait for the root system to show through the grow medium.

Conclusion

Hydroponic cloning is a great way to expand the number of plants you’re growing. Cloning is easier than growing from seed and you’ll know exactly what your plant will grow into. With this method of hydroponic cloning, I typically have a 100% success rate. Let me know how this cloning method has worked for you down in the comments!