Taking cuttings from a robust mother plant allows you to preserve exactly the genetic traits of that strain. Cloning a cannabis plant is not as complicated as it seems. It’s a simple process, as long as the right techniques and materials are used. Here’s everything you need to know!

WHAT ARE MARIJUANA CUTTINGS?

When you buy cannabis seeds from a reputable seed bank, each one contains the genetics of its mother and father. But when you germinate seeds from the same packet, the resulting individual marijuana plants (or phenotypes) may be somewhat different. This is because they may express the genetics passed down from their parents differently, just as you may look very different from your siblings.

So, if you find a plant whose characteristics you love (smell, taste, yield, size, etc.), taking cuttings will allow you to preserve those genetics, and harvest after harvest.

Choosing the right mother plant for cuttings

When you make cuttings, what you are doing is reproducing the characteristics of a particular strain. You must have in mind that cloning a marijuana plant will be to make a genetically identical plant. Therefore, you need to be very selective when choosing cuttings from a mother plant!

Ideally, choose an original plant that you like. If you germinate a packet of seeds, pay attention to spot the plant that outperforms its sisters; the one that grows faster looks more robust, smells better, or produces more buds. That’s the plant you’ll want to choose as the parent plant to make cannabis clones 😉

When selecting a mother plant, these are some of the traits growers often look for:

• Exotic or intense aromas
• Sweet, smooth, and appealing flavors
• High potency and resin production
• Manageable height and robust growth
• Fast flowering phase
• Resistance to pests
• Large
• Yields

Some people, when growing from seed, choose to make a clean stem cutting of all their plants during the vegetative phase. Then, once the plants are harvested and dried, they keep only the healthiest cuttings from the plant they like best.

But it’s also possible to cut them only from those plants in the vegetative phase that stands out in the aspects mentioned above. Unfortunately, at this early stage of cultivation, it can be difficult to determine the aroma, flavor, and potency of a strain, so it’s recommended to cut cuttings from all plants and remove the unwanted ones after harvest.

What is needed to make Marijuana cloning?

• A healthy plant as a mother, in a vegetative state.
• A clean knife, sharp scissors, or a scalpel
• Rooting cubes
• Rooting gel or hormones
• Soft” lights for cuttings
• High-strength alcohol for disinfecting tools

HOW TO MAKE CUTTINGS IN ROCKWOOL

1. Soak the rock wool cubes in slightly acidic water (we recommend a pH of 5.5) for 2-3 hours.
2. Make small holes in the center of the cubes with sterile scissors.
3. Cut the cuttings.
4. Dip its base in the rooting agent and insert it into the hole in a bucket of moist rock wool.
5. Place the cuttings in the propagator and spray lightly with a little water to keep the humidity high.

HOW TO MAKE CANNABIS CUTTINGS IN SOIL

1. Prepare the soil and pots. We recommend using a light nutrient soil mix with perlite. Do not use compost soil mixes, as it will burn the cuttings.
2. Soak the soil lightly and let it drain.
3. Take your cutting, dip the base in a rooting agent, and insert it directly into the soil.
4. Gently press the soil around the stem to hold it securely in place.
5. Place the cutting in the propagator and add a little water to increase the humidity.

HOW TO MAKE CANNABIS CUTTINGS IN WATER

If you don’t have soil or rock wool, you can make cuttings directly in water!

1. Fill a container with non-chlorinated water (with a pH between 5.8 and 6).
2. Dip the base of the cutting in the rooting gel and place it in the container of water. If you don’t want to use gel or don’t have any, you can cut off some of the lower leaves and make sure they stay underwater.
3. Change the water every 2-3 days to avoid bacteria formation.

🍃Do you already know everything you can do with marijuana leaves?

HOW TO CARE FOR CANNABIS CUTTINGS

Cannabis cuttings are fragile and need proper care to survive. For them to perform well, they mainly need the right temperature and humidity levels!

Create the perfect environment for your cannabis cuttings

Cuttings do best with temperatures of 23-25 °C and relative humidity between 75-85%, regardless of the growing medium you use. There are several ways to maintain heat and humidity so that your pot cuttings can develop healthy roots as quickly as possible:

• Use a heating mat under the propagator to maintain the optimum temperature in cooler conditions.
• Put perlite in the base of the tray to maintain humidity.
• After making the cuttings, spray their leaves and the inside of the propagator with water to increase humidity.
• Use a thermometer and hygrometer to measure the temperature and humidity level in the tray.
• Check them every 24 hours to make sure the environment is in perfect condition.
• Remove dead cuttings from the tray immediately. Decaying plant matter attracts bugs, and can also create a breeding ground for fungi and other nasty pathogens that could quickly kill the remaining stems.

Growing cannabis clones can seem like an intimidating process, especially if you have little experience growing. But it doesn’t have to be; with a sturdy mother plant, a good cutting process, and clean material, you can reproduce the same plants, and the same buds, over and over again!

Keep this post handy whenever you’re cutting cuttings to simplify the process 😉