Key Takeaways –
- Clones are created by taking cuttings from a cannabis plant
- Clones can be planted in soil that is specifically for planting clones, or you can use soil that you have at home
- Make sure to transplant your clones into soil that is nutrient-rich and well-draining
- Clone plants will take root better if they are transplanted during the vegetative stage
Imagine you’re a cannabis grower who wants to INCREASE your yield. By planting clones, you can produce new plants that are genetically identical to the plants you started with. This will help you to increase your yield and get the most out of your garden.
But what are clones? And how do you go about planting them?
Clones are cuttings that are taken from a mother plant. These cuttings can be used to create new plants that are genetically identical to the mother plant. This is important for growers who want to ensure that their plants are high-quality and uniform.
When you take a clone from a mother plant, you’re essentially taking a piece of that plant and using it to create a new one. The process of planting clones is relatively simple, but there are a few things you need to know before you get started.
This article takes you through everything you need to know about planting clones. Whether you want to know more about how the process works or what soil you should use, all of your answers are right here.
Planting Clones: How to Plant Clones
Planting clones is a process of REPLICATING a cannabis plant through cuttings. Clones are an inexpensive and easy way to grow cannabis outdoors instead of planting cannabis seeds.
One of the best parts about using cloning for cannabis growth is that you can guarantee you only have female clones, which means the future guarantees solely cloning feminized plants.
Transition into Planting Clones
When planting clones, you will want to use soil that is good for growing cannabis. You can either use soil that you have at home, or you can purchase soil specifically for planting clones.
Pro Tip: Make sure to transplant your clones into nutrient-rich and well-draining soil.
You will also need a rooting hormone, which you can purchase at most gardening stores. This hormone will help your clones to root QUICKLY and EFFICIENTLY.
Wait, but why rooting hormones?
Rooting hormones are how you achieve successful cloning. Fill a planting tray with your potting mix and dampen it with water. You want the mix to be moist but not soaked.
Pro Tip: Use a sharp knife or razor blade to take a cutting from the mother plant.
The cutting should be about 4-6 inches long and taken from a non-branching part of the plant.
Remove the bottom leaves from the cutting and dip the end into the rooting hormone. Be sure to tap off any excess hormone before planting the cutting into the planting tray.
Once all of your cuttings have been planted, cover the tray with a humidity dome or plastic wrap. This will create a humid environment for your clones to root in.
Place the tray in an area that receives indirect sunlight and keep the soil moist but not soaked. After a few weeks, your clones should have rooted and be ready to transplant into larger pots.
Growing Clones vs Seeds
One of the key benefits of plant cloning is that you can ensure that the plant is female. Clones are taken from a mother plant, which means that they will be clones of that particular strain. This is in contrast to planting seeds, which can lead to both male and female plants.
How to Take Care of Clones After Planting Them
Once you have transplanted your clones into the soil, you will want to water them regularly. Make sure to keep an eye on the clone’s leaves – if they start to turn yellow, this is an indication that they are not getting enough water.
Pro Tip: Clones also need to be fed regularly with a nutrient solution specifically designed for cannabis plants.
Growing Clones from Dispensaries
If you have purchased clones from a dispensary, it is important to remember that these clones have already been started and are typically ready to be transplanted into soil.
When to Plant Clones
The best time to plant clones is in the spring, AFTER the last frost has passed. This will ensure that your plants have the best chance to thrive.
How to Tell if Clones are Rooting?
One way to tell if your clones have rooted is to gently tug on the clone. If it resists or does not budge, this means that it has successfully rooted.
Another way to tell if clones have rooted is to look for new growth. Clones that have not rooted will not show any new growth.
Caring for Rooted Clones
Once your clones have rooted, you will need to continue to water and feed them regularly. You should also start to introduce them to sunlight gradually so that they can get used to the change in light exposure.
Bought a Clone; Now What?
If you have purchased a clone from a dispensary, you first need to transplant it into the soil. Make sure to use soil that is nutrient-rich and well-draining.
Once the clone is in the soil, water it regularly and feed it with a nutrient solution designed for cannabis plants.
Pro Tip: You should also start to introduce the clone to sunlight gradually so that it can get used to the change in light exposure.
How to Clean and Quarantine Your Marijuana Clone
If you have bought your weed clone from a store, you will need to clean and quarantine it. This is to ensure that any pests or diseases are not transferred to your other plants.
To clean your clone, you will need to remove any dead leaves or stems. You can do this by trimming the clone with a sharp pair of scissors.
Pro Tip: Once you have trimmed the clone, you will need to disinfect your scissors. This is to prevent the transfer of any diseases or pests.
You can then place the clone in a quarantine tank. This is to ensure that any pests or diseases are not transferred to your other plants.
Make sure to regularly water the clone and feed it with a nutrient solution for cannabis plants.
What is the Best Soil for Weed Clones?
If you want to know what soil to use for cloning, you’re in the right place.
The best soil for cloning into soil is one that is nutrient-rich and well-draining. You can either use soil that you have at home, or you can purchase soil specifically for planting clones.
When transplanting clones, ensure you use some of the original soil alongside the new soil so that the plants can get used to their new environment and have a better chance to THRIVE and prevent transplant shock.
Why Clone Cannabis Plants?
Cloning cannabis plants has many BENEFITS, including the ability to ensure you only have female clones. This is in contrast to planting seeds, which can lead to both male and female plants.
Clones are also easier to care for than seeds because they have already been started and typically only need to be transplanted into soil.
What is a Cannabis Mother Plant?
A cannabis mother plant is a female cannabis plant that is used to create clones. The clones will be replicas of the mother plant, meaning they will be clones of that particular strain.
Cannabis mother plants, or the parent plant, can be purchased from dispensaries, or you can grow your own from seeds.
Once you have a cannabis mother plant, you will need to take cuttings from it so that you can create clones.
Pro Tip: To take a cutting, you will need to cut a branch with at least two leaves on it.
Once you have taken the cutting, you will need to place it in a glass of water and wait for it to develop roots. When the cutting has rooted, you can then transplant it into the soil.
What to Look for in a Cannabis Mother Plant?
When choosing a cannabis mother plant, there are several things you should look for, including:
- A healthy plant that is free of pests and diseases
- A plant that has sturdy and vibrant growth
- A plant that is of the desired strain
- A plant that is in the vegetative stage
- A plant that has fantastic aromas and flavours
- A plant that produces big yields
- A plant that has dense trichomes
Once you have found a cannabis mother plant that meets these criteria, you can then take cuttings from it to create clones.
How Much Do Clones Yield?
The yield of a cannabis clone will depend on several factors, including the strain of the plant, the size of the plant, and the growing conditions.
In general, however, clones typically yield the same amount as the mother plant. This means that the clones should yield the same amount if you have a cannabis mother plant that yields a certain amount of buds.
Training the plant can also increase the yield of a cannabis plant. This is a process where the plant is shaped so that it has more space to grow, which can lead to larger buds.
When training a cannabis plant, you can use a variety of methods, including topping, FIMing, and LSTing.
- Topping involves cutting the plant’s main stem so that it branches out.
- FIMing involves cutting a branch in half so that it branches out.
- LSTing involves tying down the branches of the plant so that they grow horizontally.
All these methods can be used to increase the yield of a cannabis plant and can also be used on clones.
Clones are an excellent way to ensure you only have female plants, and they can also be easier to care for than seeds. When choosing a cannabis mother plant, look for one that is healthy, has strong growth, and is of the desired strain.
To Conclude
Cloning cannabis plants has many benefits, including the ability to ensure you only have female clones. This is in contrast to planting seeds, which can lead to both male and female plants.
Clones are also easier to care for than seeds because they have already been started and typically only need to be transplanted into soil.
When planting clones, you will want to use soil that is good for growing cannabis. You can either use soil that you have at home, or you can purchase soil specifically for planting clones. Make sure to transplant your clones into soil that is nutrient-rich and well-draining.
Clones typically yield the same amount as the mother plant, so if you have a cannabis mother plant that yields a certain amount of buds, the clones should yield the same amount.
We hope this guide has been able to help you begin your grower’s journey to cloning plants and creating a truly bountiful marijuana harvest.
Sources:
https://www.leafly.com/learn/growing/how-to-clone-cannabis
https://www.growweedeasy.com/cloning-marijuana-guide