Have you ever wondered how to clone marijuana plants? If not, don’t worry! It’s easier than it seems, and besides, it’s a really cost-effective way to expand your cannabis farm. Here is how it is done — explained by our friends over at GreenBudGuru.
Cloning weed plants is something that many cannabis growers are interested in, but they don’t know where to start. Cloning weed plants can seem daunting, but it can be a great way to get more plants and increase your yield. In this blog post, we will discuss how to clone a weed plant, the benefits of doing it, and provide tips on how to do it successfully.
What is a Weed Clone?
A weed clone is a cutting from a mature cannabis plant that can be rooted and grown into a new plant, essentially creating a genetic copy of the original. This cloning technique allows growers to reproduce plants with desirable traits, such as potency or yield, without starting from seeds.
The term clone is used because the whole process results in a copy of the original plant. It has a number of considerable benefits, making it incredibly popular among cannabis growers.
- It’s easy. In fact, it is one of the easiest ways to grow marijuana plants. Firstly, it does not require many materials. Secondly, a total beginner can do it.
- Cloning is cost-effective. It protects you from having to get your hands on fresh seeds. You just need to keep cloning the plants you’ve already bought!
- It’s efficient. Once you start cloning your plants, the number of marijuana plants you own will skyrocket, which is great news! The more plants you have, the more buds you will get by the season’s end.
- Cloning cannabis is less time-consuming. It is safe to say that cloning significantly shortens a cannabis plant’s growth process.
- It’s satisfying. Cloning allows you to grow weed with the exact height and flavor you are used to. Nothing is left up to chance!
How to Clone Marijuana Plants
To clone a marijuana plant, you will need sharp garden shears, rubber gloves, potting soil, a pot, foam cups, rooting hormones, and a transparent plastic cover for the pot. Other than that, get your hands on a cutting that is at least two inches long. Ideally, it should be a leafy and healthy branch cut during the plant’s flowering phase.
Cloning Weed Plants: A Step-By-Step
Select a Healthy Mother Plant
Choose a healthy and strong female cannabis plant, ideally 4-6 months old, for cloning. Ensure it’s a female by checking for nodes with hair-like structures and avoid fertilizing before cloning to promote root growth over vegetation.
Cut a Branch
Sterilize cutting tools with alcohol or bleach, then cut a lower branch at a 45-degree angle, 4-16 inches long, to increase root growth potential. Remove large leaves to enhance rooting.
Apply Rooting Hormone
Immediately dip the cutting’s end in rooting hormone to prevent embolism and promote root development. Use a pH-balanced water (pH 5-6) if no hormone is available.
Insert into Growth Medium
Place the hormone-treated cutting into a growth medium like rockwool, soil, or water without adding fertilizer to prevent “burning” the clone.
Water and Light
Keep the growth medium moist (not soggy) and provide 16-24 hours of LED light daily to support growth, avoiding natural sunlight to prevent overheating.
Maintain Humidity and Temperature
Start with 95-100% humidity, then reduce to 80-85%. Keep the rooting medium at 75-80°F (24-27°C), slightly warmer than the surrounding air.
Transplant the Clones
Once clones develop thick, white roots (about three weeks), transplant them into soil or soilless mix, add mild liquid fertilizer, and ensure adequate lighting to encourage growth.
What is the Best Temperature for Cloning?
In a cloning environment, maintaining temperatures between 70-78°F and relative humidity levels of 75-90% is crucial for optimal clone development. While clones can be taken at any stage of a plant’s growth, including during flowering (a technique known as Monster Cropping), it is ideal to take clones during the vegetative growth stage for best results.
How Long Does it Take for a Marijuana Clone to Mature?
After 6-8 weeks, clones mature into adult marijuana plants and can be transplanted into larger pots once their roots reach the pot’s bottom. They require the same care as other full-grown plants, including consistent light, fertilizer, air circulation, and watering, to ensure they continue to mature and eventually flower.
The Benefits of Cloning Your Weed Plant
When it comes to cloning your weed plant, there are several advantages you may not have considered. For starters, cloning allows you to preserve your favorite plant’s genetics so you can enjoy its fruits (or buds) for years to come. If you have a hard time finding a particular strain of weed, cloning can help you maintain a consistent supply.
Cloning also allows you to create “mother plants” from which you can take cuttings whenever you need them, ensuring a steady supply of clones for your garden. Finally, clones tend to be more resilient and adaptable than seedlings, meaning they are less likely to succumb to pests or diseases.
To conclude, cloning a marijuana plant is a great and cost-effective way to get a marijuana plant that will produce the kind of weed you like best. Fortunately, it is not that difficult to learn. It might force you to experiment with different methods and tools, but in the end, it is definitely worth the hassle!
Stay Informed With Elevate Holistics
When growing marijuana, make sure you double-check with your state laws to ensure you’re doing it lawfully. Every state has different regulations surrounding cannabis cultivation — and we have all the resources to help you understand what’s allowed where you live and what’s not. From the number of plants you can grow to whether at-home cultivation is legal at all, Elevate Holistics has you covered.
