How to Clone Cannabis

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

What are cannabis clones? Clones are just cuttings from established cannabis plants, which are called “mother plants." For beginners and experienced growers alike, growing from clones offers a variety of benefits. You have total control over the plant genetics you pick, and you don’t have to deal with the delicate seedling stage. In other words, it’s easier, faster, and more precise. Roll up your sleeves and let’s get started by taking your cuttings, rooting them, and finally transplanting your cannabis clones.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Taking Cuttings

PDF download Download Article
  1. Since your clones will have the same genetics as the mother plant, you want your initial cuttings to come from hardy stock. Try to choose plants that you know produce a lot of buds and grow to your desired size and height. [1]
  2. from a plant in the vegetative stage. The vegetative stage begins when the plant is 3-4 weeks old, and the stage lasts for up to 16 weeks before the plant starts blooming. While you can technically take a cutting from any plant, plants in the flowering stage take weeks or even months longer to clone!
    • Ideally, pick a mother plant that’s at least 5 weeks old from seedling and has multiple side shoots. [4]
    • If you pick a plant that’s too young, the cutting will have hollow inner walls, and it’ll quickly wilt.
    Advertisement
  3. [5] Straight branches will be easier to grow in trays, and they won’t block light from other cuttings. For better rooting success, take your cuttings from the bottom of the plant (where the plant concentrates rooting hormones).
    • To identify nodes, look for the areas where new growth (leaves and buds) shoot off from the plant. [6]
    • Pick cuttings that are about 6–10 inches (15–25 cm) long.
  4. Make your cut just below the 3rd node of the branch you want to take. Remove any leaves growing near the node closest to the bottom of your cutting. Getting rid of these leaves lets your plant retain more water. [7]
    • Knives or razors create a cleaner cut that does less damage to the stem than scissors.
  5. Place your cuttings into a jar of clean water to keep them hydrated. Water also prevents air bubbles from forming inside the stem. You can keep them in the jar for several hours if you need to harvest other cuttings.
    • If you don’t immediately have water available, you can set the cuttings down on a clean glass or ceramic plate. It’s important to use clean materials to prevent fungus from attacking your delicate cuttings. [8]
    Jorge Cervantes, Bestselling Marijuana Author

    When cloning cannabis, use a sharp, clean razor blade or snips to remove a stem cutting just below a node. Place it into a cloning solution immediately to prevent air bubbles. Let it soak up water for at least an hour before inserting into your chosen rooting medium like rockwool or soilless mix. Maintain high humidity levels around the clones.

    6. Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Rooting Your Plants

PDF download Download Article
  1. Dip the cut ends in rooting hormone as soon as possible. Apply rooting hormone to the open ends of the plant just before you set them into their rooting medium. Rooting hormone encourages the plant to start producing root cells instead of regular green plant cells. You can use either a gel or powder rooting hormone. [9]
    • Don’t get the rooting hormone on the foliage or it can damage the leaves.
  2. [10] Use a rockwool rooting cube for a popular medium that locks in moisture. Lightly spray the rockwool with water so it’s moist all the way through. Dig a small hole into the rooting medium just deep enough so the branch will stand up straight and just wide enough for the plant stem’s thickness. Place your cutting into the hole, and lightly push the soil around the plant stem to hold it in place.
    • If you don’t have rockwool , use potting soil or even water (for a hydroponic growth process).
    • To keep your plants easy to transport and care for simultaneously, root them in growing trays rather than individual small pots.
  3. Lightly mist the plants with a spray bottle once they’re in their rooting medium. Then, put the plants under a plastic humidity dome to reduce the risk of your plants drying out.
  4. Use T8 or T12 bulbs, since excessive light can cause your plants to “stretch” or (grow way too quickly between nodes). To keep your cuttings happy, put the lights about 30 inches (76 cm) away from the plants.
    • Leave the cuttings in their rooting cubes until white hairs start to sprout up from the cubes. Then, it’ll be time to transplant. [11]
    5. Advertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Transplanting

PDF download Download Article
  1. Choose a soilless peat- or sphagnum-based mixture, because soil is rarely sold sterilized and can contain pests and fungus. [12] Break apart the chunks of your potting medium. Water the medium so that it’s moist all the way through.
    • Fill the pots up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the lip.
    • Then, gently press the soil down so it’s 1.5–2 inches (3.8–5.1 cm) from the lip. The space prevents you from overflowing the pot.
  2. Ideally, the soil level in your pot will sit flush with the top of your rooting cube. This prevents the cutting’s roots from drying out, while preventing excess moisture from getting to the cutting's stem.
    • If the rooting cube becomes totally exposed when you water the plant, just add a little more soil.
  3. Plant 1 clone in each pot. Squeeze the rockwool rooting cube out of your tray. Place the cube into the hole you dug. Backfill any empty space or gaps with soil. Make sure the entire bottom of the cube is in contact with the soil medium around it.
    • Thoroughly water the plant to get rid of air bubbles.
    • Your clones are now ready to keep growing and thriving!
  4. for the first week after transplanting. Make sure the original rockwool cube is moist all the way through. Every time you water, you should see 20% of the water coming out as runoff. [13]
    • Keep your water under 70 °F (21 °C).
    • For more tips on caring for your plants as they grow, check out this article .
    5. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Cleanse Your Body of Cocaine
      How to
      Make Cannabis Oil for Vape Pens
      How to
      Roll a Marijuana Joint
      7 Reasons Why Your New Vape Cart Is Not Hitting & How to Fix It
      DIY Cannabis-Infused Coconut Oil (The Ultimate Recipe)
      How to
      Get Drugs Out of Your System
      9 Easy Ways to Remove a Cannabis Smell from Your Car
      How to
      Grind Weed Without a Grinder Using Common Household Items
      How to
      Stop Being High: 10 Tips for Coming Down Faster
      How to
      Tell the Difference Between Indica and Sativa
      How to
      Dry and Cure Cannabis
      What is Kief and How Do You Use It?
      How to
      Pack and Smoke a Bowl of Marijuana
      How to
      Make a DIY Vaporizer at Home: Heat Gun, Box & Lightbulb
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ ​​ https://thehighestcrop.com/how-to-clone-cannabis/
      2. ↑ Jamie Corroon, ND, MPH. Medical Director of the Center for Medical Cannabis Education. Expert Interview. 10 March 2020.
      3. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5576603/
      4. ↑ https://hightimes.com/grow/frequently-asked-questions-about-cloning-cannabis/
      5. ↑ https://thehighestcrop.com/how-to-clone-cannabis/
      6. ↑ ​​ https://extension.oregonstate.edu/node/115961/
      7. ↑ https://thehighestcrop.com/how-to-clone-cannabis/
      8. ↑ https://thehighestcrop.com/how-to-clone-cannabis/
      9. ↑ https://thehighestcrop.com/how-to-clone-cannabis/
      1. ↑ https://thehighestcrop.com/how-to-clone-cannabis/
      2. ↑ https://thehighestcrop.com/how-to-clone-cannabis/
      3. ↑ https://hightimes.com/grow/grow-medium-guide-indoor-growers/
      4. ↑ https://test-dark-heart-nursery.pantheonsite.io/cultivation-resources/watering/

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 285,926 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Anonymous

        Aug 29, 2023

        "I love the illustrations. It is clear and easy to understand."
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement