Cloning is a common practice in the horticultural world. The process involves:

• Identifying a thriving plant.
• Taking a cutting from it.
• Using this cutting to grow another identical one.

Cloning removes the pitfalls of growing plants from seeds and cuts down on time. It is such an effective way of reproducing that some flora, like the spider plant, create clones of themselves. 

Most plants, however, require human intervention for cloning, and this includes cannabis. In the 1980s, growing plants from seeds gave way to cloning from a mother plant in the cannabis industry. Breeders unlocked a way of increasing weed more efficiently with a higher quality. 

Here, we look at cannabis cloning in more detail, how to clone cannabis successfully, and highlight why it is an excellent practice for at-home and professional growers alike. 

What is a Cannabis Clone?

Clones are genetic copies of a cannabis plant. Created by taking a cutting from a mother plant and growing the cutting in high-quality soil, cloning takes away the time suck and pitfalls that arise during the cultivation of cannabis from seed. 

Cannabis clones share the same genetic identity as the mother plant, which allows growers to guarantee the quality of the final product. People no longer have to rely on everything going right to produce the ideal smoothness, flavor, and strength for their specific requirements. Instead, they can recreate it by taking a cutting from their favorite plant. 

While it sounds as simple as snipping a branch off, growing a cannabis clone requires dedication to ensuring optimal growing conditions throughout the process.  

Why Cloning is Useful

Cloning cannabis can save time, money, and effort. Here are the main reasons why it’s one of the go-to ways of growing cannabis for commercial and at-home growers. 

Uniformity

Cloning cannabis allows growers to predict better the type of plant they are growing. While growing from seed is a viable route to successful cannabis cultivation, there’s no guarantee the plant growing from the seed will be as good as the plant it comes from. 

On the other hand, cannabis clones inherit the same genetic profile as the plant that they come from. Commercial cannabis breeders can use market data to reproduce plants that are popular among consumers and not rely on a seed sharing the quality of the plant that produced it. 

Space Saving

For at-home growers, saving space is a necessity. One of the best things about cloning a cannabis plant is that it can require a lot less space than growing from a seed. There’s no need to worry about creating a space for the germination period, which is necessary when growing a plant from seed.

Also, you can select a mother plant that takes up less space. As the clone will share the same genetic profile, it should also be a similar size. 

Guaranteed Female

One of the pitfalls of growing a cannabis plant from a seed is that you can go through the entire process of growing a plant only to find out that the plant is a hermaphrodite or male plant.

The issue with this is that female cannabis plants are the only ones that produce smokable buds that get a consumer high. Cloning a plant eliminates the risk of producing a male plant because it is an exact genetic copy of the mother plant it comes from. 

Hybrids

In modern “high times,” the cannabis industry focuses on producing hybrid plants. Cloning cannabis allows growers to produce more consistent hybrid plants and select the best from a batch to clone again. 

How to Clone

Okay, so now we move on to the main event. Cloning cannabis sounds simple, but here’s the scoop on everything you’ll need to clone cannabis successfully: 

Choose the perfect mother

Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, growers must select the perfect mother plant for taking a clone. The mother plant is the genetic source for the clone you are about to grow, so you must ensure it has the ideal cannabinoid profile, strength, bud yield, and immunity against pests and diseases before you snip off a limb.

Take a good cutting

There’s no point in taking a fallen leaf from the ground, sticking it in some soil, and hoping the plant of your dreams will sprout. Select a strong and sturdy branch for cutting around 4-6 inches in length. Be precise with your cutting and cut at a 45° angle with a clean pair of plant scissors. This angle should encourage growth when you place it in the soil.

Prepare the clone

Place your cutting in water to promote a speedier rooting process, then use rooting hormones to give it the best chance of turning into an epic cannabis plant. Rooting hormones are available in powder, liquid or gel. Follow the specific guidelines of your chosen root hormone, which will involve dipping the end of the cutting in the hormone. 

Plant it

It’s finally time to put your clone in a growing medium. The soil or growing medium you use shouldn’t be packed too tightly, as this will allow more airflow and drainage and won’t suffocate the plant. The best soil to use is potting soil that drains well, such as Coco Coir. Once you’ve placed your clone in the ground, gently press around the cutting to ensure it stays upright during the growing process. 

Provide optimum conditions

Like a houseplant, cannabis requires water and light to thrive. Unlike most houseplants, these must be consistent at all times to ensure they grow according to plan. Take your cutting in its soil and immediately place it under a grow light set to low or medium, which should be in a humid space that is consistently around 70-80% to encourage strong roots.

The recommended amount of water your cannabis clone will need is one every 2-3 days, but it’s essential to keep an eye on the soil to ensure it is not getting too dry or too moist, as this can lead to rot.

Transplant

Once your plant has an established root system, it’s time to transplant it into its new home. The cloned cannabis plant should take between one to two weeks to form healthy enough roots to replant in a larger pot. Y

ou don’t want to leave it too long before transplanting, as this can lead to overcrowding and lessen the plant’s potential to produce a significant yield later on. When the time is right, carefully remove the plant and roots from its pot and replant in the larger pot. 

Conclusion

Cannabis clones are genetic copies of a cannabis plant. The process of cloning cannabis became popular among breeders in the 1980s and has continued to grow into one of the go-to methods of cannabis cultivation today.

Created by taking a cutting from a mother plant and growing the cutting in high-quality soil, cloning takes away the time suck and pitfalls that arise during the cultivation of cannabis from seed.

Cloning cannabis can save growers time, money, and effort associated with growing cannabis from seed by removing the chance of variations. 

FAQs

Can my clone be a mother plant?

Yes, a clone can be a mother plant, as long as it is grown well. 

How long does it take to clone a plant?

Snipping off a branch, applying rooting gel, and planting it in the soil won't take long. However, depending on the strain and size of the plant, the process of becoming a fully fledged cannabis plant will vary, ranging from 3 to 6 months.

Can I buy a clone?

Yes, in weed-legal states, many dispensaries sell cannabis clones that come from reputable growers. If you’re buying from a dispensary, you can likely sample the strain before you grow your own at home.