Why marijuana plant clones are a better investment than seeds
Now that growing marijuana seeds and cloning weed is legal, more people are pondering the specifics surrounding cultivating for personal consumption. Most beginner growers start out with a couple of seeds and the most basic tools, which doesn’t always turn out with the best results. If you have been trying to grow marijuana seeds with little to no luck or seeking some direction on where to start with growing, then you are going to want to stick around. Here we will reveal 5 reasons to choose marijuana clones over seeds and finish off with some helpful advice on where to buy and how to root clones.
1. Save time
Clones offer a major benefit because they have already had the chance to develop leaves and grow, putting them well past the point risk that occurs during the most fragile stage right after germination. It takes anywhere from 3 to 5 days to germinate marijuana seeds, and clones will take just as long to root, but once established you have a thick, healthy and hardy little plant in half the time it would take if you started from seed.
2. Takes less space
Cloning weed is most often done to reduce the needed space for the plants to grow as they mature, most inexperienced growers don’t realize how much this can benefit them or how it works. When marijuana seeds are planted, they sprout a seeding that shoots upwards reaching for nutrient-rich light, which results in alot of energy being directed towards the growth and size of the stem, and a much taller and wider plant, that likely produces the same amount of bud as marijuana clones. The main difference is that it requires alot more room to grow.
Marijuana clones, on the other hand, are initially just a branch from a mother plant, so once the energy is no longer so pertinent to developing a healthy root system, it immediately goes towards fattening up leaves and buds. That is the reason why clones are always shorter, bushier and fuller than marijuana seedlings, and also why so many growers use this technique to replenish a crop.
3. Grow stronger, more robust plants
We mentioned that marijuana clones take up less space, but the reduction in size does incredible things for the hardiness of the plant no matter what kind of strain it originates from. A shorter and bushier plant holds up much better to harsh conditions like cold, wind, hail or pests, and that for many are enough to go the extra mile and start out with clones rather than marijuana seeds.
4. Maintain the option to clone
Did you know that you can clone a clone? That’s right, while it is not a good idea to attempt cloning weed from either kind of plant in the beginning, clones can be taken from a well-established mother that was originally little more than a cutting from a female cannabis plant. In fact, this technique is utilized by master growers who seek exact replicas of a prized strain, to keep the genetic line strong and pure.
5. Get an exact replica of your choice plant genetics
One of the things about marijuana legalization is that consumers can now share their love of cannabis and show off their prized results to their friends, and as luck would have it, that can benefit you as a new grower. If you know someone who has marijuana strains that have worked for you in the past, you don’t even have to spend the money on getting started, as seeds are often one of the most expensive investments you will make to begin this journey. You can save some money and enjoy the aromas and effects of plants and strains that you know you love, which makes all the hard work you are about to put in, feel worthwhile.
Where to buy clones
Buying clones, adds the extra bonus of the plant already having a healthy and well-established root system by the time it arrives, but finding a legitimate place to buy them, can prove difficult. Below you will find a list of the first ever legal clone suppliers, and they are all located in Canada.
- Weed MD
- Delta 9 Biotech
- Peace Naturals Project
- Canna Farms
- Whistler Medical Marijuana Corp
- THC Biomed
- Aurora Cannabis
- Maricann
- Tweed Inc
How to get marijuana clones to root quickly
If you are cloning weed yourself, then some handy tips and tricks can go a long way. Here, you will find some of the latest and greatest advice that all growers should know about rooting clones.
- Always use rooting compound
- Keep moist soil
- Maintain warmer temperatures
- Add nutrients
- Provide sufficient lighting
