Do you have a favorite marijuana strain or strains? Is there a particular strain that suits your wants and needs perfectly? Whether you're a medical marijuana consumer or recreational user, we all have our favorite go-to strains that work best for us.
If you have a favorite strain and you want to try your hand at growing it yourself, you can easily duplicate it through a process called cloning.
If you're going to plant marijuana, or have in the past, you may be familiar with this process. But if you're new to growing or consuming marijuana, don't worry ? this article will introduce you to the cloning process. This includes what to look for in marijuana clones, necessary supplies to plant marijuana and clone it at home, and the benefits of doing this.
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Details about Marijuana Clones
Cloning is the process of snipping off sections of a healthy marijuana plant and allowing them to take root as completely new marijuana plants. The clone itself is either a cutting or severed part of a plant that grows roots, which will eventually turn into a genetic duplicate of its original donor. Ultimately, all plants, including marijuana, contain essential information to reconstruct the entire plant (a.k.a. create a genetic replica using the original "blueprints").
In general, any type of leaf, stem, branch, or flower of any size has the potential to generate an infinite amount of genetic replications under the proper conditions. This means that cloning allows growers to turn one marijuana plant into a series of new baby marijuana plants. Once you take a clipping from one marijuana plant and replicate it through cloning, both of those marijuana plants will have the exact same DNA.
Once you find your ideal marijuana strain, all you have to do is clone it. This is the only way to guarantee that you're growing an exact replica of the plant you want. If you want to plant marijuana clones on your own or start your own home grow, let's take a look at what tools and supplies you'll need.
Supplies Needed to Plant Marijuana Clones at Home
Although cloning may seem like an intricate and complicated process, it's simpler than you may think. For example, all you need are some basic tools, certain horticultural products, and patience. These supplies include:
- Grow tent of your choice, depending on where you plant your clones
- Growing medium of your choice (examples: rockwool cubes, coconut fiber, oasis cubes)
- Lights, if the clones won't be placed in a well-lit vegetation room (fluorescent works)
- Female marijuana plant of your liking
- New razor blade to do the clipping/cutting
- Scalpels (disposable, if possible)
- Small cup or container, around the size of a shot glass
- Tray of some sort with a humidity dome (available for purchase, but can be home-made)
- One-gallon container
- Baking dish and pH meter
- Spray bottle, distilled water, and rubbing alcohol
- Bleach wipes, paper towels, and sterile gloves (basic sanitizer products)
- 16-ounce red cups and 16-ounce clear cups
- Duct tape and permanent market for labeling
- Grow notebook/journal to take notes and draw helpful diagrams
What to Know & What You Want from Marijuana Clones Before Buying
Whether you visit a marijuana dispensary or marijuana collective, you should make sure that the strains are reliable, potent, and high-quality. It's also important to know that the clones contain absolutely zero pests, diseases, viruses, and bacteria. Additionally, the marijuana clones should have clearly visible developed root systems, otherwise they're not worth buying.
The marijuana clones should also be priced reasonably, especially if you're a state-registered medical marijuana patient. They should also come with a money-back guarantee, in case any issues arise. Whether you're a medical patient, caregiver, or recreational user, it's important to go through a secure and safe in-person pickup. Lastly, the marijuana dispensary or collective should offer significant diversity regarding clone prices, sizes, and genetics.
Sometimes, customers want to purchase marijuana clones that are referred to as "rare cuts," which are considered higher quality and more unique than traditional clones. If you're interested in this, ask the seller for proof of authenticity before purchasing. This can be in the form of lab testing, genetic testing, clear photographs of the clones, and/or photographs of the original mother plants.
Marijuana Clone Sizes & Average Prices
Commercially, marijuana clones are sold in three main sizes: babies, teens, and adults. Baby marijuana clones are usually 7-8 inches tall with a few roots and leaf sets. Teen marijuana clones are usually 8-15 inches with multiple leaf sets and a relatively thick root mass. And adult marijuana clones are normally fully developed plants that are already planted in their own individual pot.
For mainstream marijuana clone strains like Blue Dream, Gorilla Glue, and Girl Scout Cookies, prices range anywhere from $25-50 for adults, $15-25 for teens, and $10 for babies, according to Big Buds Magazine. If you're an experienced grower looking for "rare cuts," be prepared to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for these clones. Make sure to do careful research beforehand to avoid being scammed.
Where to Purchase Marijuana Clones
If you want to plant marijuana clones at home, it's important to purchase clones from a reputable seller or licensed establishment. One of the most reliable places to buy marijuana clones is a medical or recreational marijuana dispensary. U.S. states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use, like California, Colorado, Washington, and Oregon, have select dispensaries that sell various marijuana clones. Make sure to call in advance to find out their availability and strain selection.
Nowadays, various marijuana collectives sell clones as well, but you should research which collectives do so and what kinds of marijuana clones they sell. Although many marijuana dispensaries and collectives sell clones, not all of them do. If you live in Colorado, some clone retailers include: Denver Clone Store, La Conte's Clone Bar & Dispensary, Kind Love, and Medicine Man, to name a few.
If you live in an area like California and Colorado, where you're legally allowed to grow your own recreational marijuana, chances are you can easily find marijuana clones at a state-registered dispensary or collective. But before you make a purchase, make sure you're getting what you want.
Top Benefits of Using Marijuana Clones Over Seeds
Additionally, when you use marijuana clones, you can skip the seed germination phase entirely. When growing marijuana from seeds, this stage is inevitable. But if you're using a clone, you get to jump right into the root-growing stage.
Once the marijuana clones fully develop their root systems, they can move into the growing, budding, and flowering stages. One main benefit of using marijuana clones over seeds is that cloned plants flower faster than plants grown from seeds. This means that additional harvests can be squeezed in each year.
Marijuana clones are also more cost-efficient than seeds. High-quality marijuana seeds can be expensive, especially if you want to grow several different strains. But obtaining a clone and then cloning that clone can help growers save money.
Whether you're a medical marijuana consumer, caregiver, recreational user, or marijuana enthusiast that wants to grow marijuana at home, you should consider the benefits of cloning marijuana. Although cloning isn't possible for everyone due to the varying legality of marijuana in different states and countries, if you have the opportunity and you can legally do it where you live, you now know how to get started!
