What is the best way to clone a cannabis plant?

Preserving the exact genetic traits of the parent strains is very important when it comes to cannabis plants. Not only for the purpose of hybridization to create new cannabis strains, but also for the purpose of cloning such cannabis plants.

Many have believed that cloning is a complex technique that requires a high level of expertise to implement. Well, we’re happy to tell you that’s not the whole truth. With the right knowledge and equipment, you can easily start cloning your cannabis strains. Luckily we are here to provide you with all the information you need. Read on as we explain the best way to clone your cannabis plants.

Simply put, clones are cuttings taken from a vegetating plant. When it comes to cannabis plants, a cannabis clone is a cutting taken from either the mother plants, which are usually in a vegetative state, or from young vegetative plants. These cuttings are then allowed to develop roots and grow into new plants with the same genetics as their parents.

A seed differs from a clone because it contains the genetics of both the father and mother species. This means that the plants that emerge from these seeds will have different phenotypes and can exhibit different differences. This is similar to how siblings can come from the same parents but look and act completely different as well. However, cloning preserves the taste, smell, yield and all other important characteristics of the mother cannabis plant. Because of this, many growers are more interested in cannabis clones than seeds.

Different strains of cannabis have different special characteristics, but there is a science to choosing the best plant for cloning. When choosing an ideal mother plant, her growth pattern, smell, yield and taste must be considered. Other important traits include resistance to mold and pests, high potency and resin production, and height and robust growth.

Some growers love to take clones from different mother plants and keep the healthiest clones as they grow. While this is not a wrong practice, it is still possible to take cones only from plants that possess the desired traits. The only problem that might be difficult to overcome is how to determine and establish the potency of these strains early on.

Clean your tools

The first thing to make sure before taking a cannabis clone is that you have all the equipment you need. These include a razor or scalpel, starter cubes, clone gel or powder, mild flashes, and alcohol to disinfect tools. It is important to ensure that any tools intended to be used in cloning are properly cleaned. This is because the presence of bacteria puts both the mother plant and the clone at risk of developing infections. Therefore, tools that can be cleaned should be cleaned and those that need to be sterilized should also be sterilized.

Choose and prepare your rooting medium

Choosing the right rooting medium is important if you want the clone to develop healthy roots. Rockwool cubes are highly recommended as they provide good ventilation and retain moisture properly. A plastic tray is needed to hold the cubes, as well as a greenhouse to hold moisture. Once the pruning is done, it is important to immediately transfer the clone to the rooting medium. Therefore, it is best to prepare the rooting medium before cutting. It’s also best to slightly dampen the medium before you start cloning. This is because clones grow better in slightly damp media with high humidity.

Select a section

As mentioned, you can take your cutting from either a vegetative or flowering cannabis plant, however, each has distinct advantages over the other. Cuttings from a flowering cannabis plant tend to grow slower and also take longer to root. For this reason, most growers choose to take their cuttings from the vegetative plant. The part of the plant used for pruning is another important aspect that needs to be given due consideration. It’s best to cut from the lower branches of the plant as they tend to receive less light. Also, they tend to produce smaller buds that support their growth and allow them to take root faster.

Make the cut

It’s important that you make sure you make the right cut after choosing where to make the cut. A quality cut for cloning is made at a 45 degree angle below the last cut node. The reason it is done this way is to increase the root surface area and allow the roots to grow quickly. After the cut is made, dip it in the rooting gel before sticking it in the rooting medium. Once the clone is firmly seated in the rooting medium, remove the lower leaves of the clone and clip off the fingertips. This allows the plant to properly photosynthesize and absorb water when needed.

Move the clone into the dome and monitor him

After the clone is properly fixed and trimmed, move the clone into the dome to maintain humidity. The dome allows you to maintain a high level of humidity, and the necessary lighting can be placed to help clones grow. Be sure to monitor the clones regularly during this phase to check their health status. Within 10 to 14 days, the clones will begin to root and be ready for transplantation.

Transplant the clone

Use gloves to gently remove the clones from the medium before transferring them to soil. Make sure you work in a sterile environment during this process and use moist soil to prepare the pots.

bottom line

Cloning cannabis plants can be easy once you know the right steps. Many experienced cannabis growers easily make multiple clones at once, and it’s easy to see why. The more you practice cloning, the better you become at it.

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CANNABIS SEEDS OR CLONING – WHAT’S THE BEST WAY?