Before we start, let's review the key elements needed to root a cutting. They are: heat, high humidity level, low light level, sterile environment. I will guide you through my cloning method. I have used it for a long time with 100% success rate. Do it properly and you'll never lose a cutting again. Here we go!

STUFF NEEDED:

1. Your favorite plant to clone
2. Jiffy-7 peat pellets (or similar)
3. Rooting hormone (gel or powder)
3. Sterile (and sharp) scissors or scalpel
4. Humidity dome or tent
5. Heating pad (Jiffy makes one) -> optional. Disregard step 8A if you don't own one.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Buy Jiffy 7 peat pellets at your local gardening or hardware store.


2. Put the peat pellets in a bowl and soak them with warm water.


3.Let them soak for 15-20 minutes or until they have fully expanded. Take the pellets out of the water and squeeze them a tiny bit to let out the excess water. I also like to tear apart the mesh on the top of the pellet (side with the hole).


4. Buy some rooting hormone (Rootech, Clonex, etc.) from your local hydroponics store. I prefer it in the form of gel but it is available in powder too if you are on a tight budget. A 1 oz. bottle will make hundreds of cuttings. ALWAYS make sure to take only what you need out of the bottle and never dip the cutting directly in the main container. This is in order to avoid contamination.


5. Cut off the tip of a branch so that you have 2 sets of fan leaves. It sounds weird but cut off the tips of the fan leaves as pictured below in order to promote root growth. You need to reduce the leaf size by about 1/3.



6. Dip the lower inch or the stem in the rooting hormone.


7. Place the cutting in the pellet by pushing the lower tip down the pre-drilled hole almost until the tip nearly reaches the bottom part of the pellet. Squeeze the upper part of the pellet gently to stabilize the cutting. The cutting's stem should not move from side to side when you handle the pellet.


8. Place the cuttings in a humidity dome. The dome should be exposed to low light levels (no darkness or direct HID lighting).
8A. Place the humidity dome on a heating pad  (optional).


9. Open the humidity dome every day for 15 minutes to let some fresh air enter the dome. Forgeting this will yield mold on your cuttings. Mist plain water on the cuttings every 1-2 days. Make sure the pellets never come dry but only water if needed. (tricky statement but done easily)

10. The cuttings should root within 6-9 days depending on the strain that was cloned and on the environmental conditions. You'll find transplanting a joke with peat pellets since you just need to bury the pellet in your soil mix. 

IT'S OVER!! You made it...