Cloning cannabis is as much an art as it is a science…
And the best way to perfect your craft is to go behind the scenes with master growers.
In our Grower POV Series, our experts reveal a practical roadmap for taking cuttings from cannabis mother plants and preparing clones for success.
Read on to discover exclusive insights from our Advanced Nutrients cultivators, and watch the accompanying videos to nail down this invaluable aspect of your grow!
How To Get the Best Cuttings From Cannabis
Before we get started taking cuttings from cannabis, we always want to make sure that we’re taking plants of a uniform size.
And the reason for this is simple…
The more consistent in size they are, the better the results you can expect, and the more even your canopy will be during the bloom phase.
When you find a plant worth cutting, take it down to the next nodal space, so that more clones can pop up from the mother plant.
Next, clean your plant off and place it in the same solution you’re using to fill up your tray. This way, your clones can acclimate to their new environment, minimizing the shock they experience when first leaving the mother plant.
You can even soak your clones for up to 24 hours to help ease their transition.
Repeat the process to get as many cuttings as you need to fill up your tray.
Watch this video to see how to get cannabis cuttings from mother plants.
Then read this article for more useful tips on choosing the right plant to get cuttings.
Mixing Nutrients For Clones
To mix the perfect nutrient solution for our clones, we start by calibrating our pH meter, and then add just a little bit of Advanced Nutrients’ pH Down.
In the below video, you can see we’re using two 5 gallon buckets of RO water, as well as the Sensi Professional Series, Advanced Nutrients’ groundbreaking four-part powder.
You’ll also notice that at first, we’re using the bloom solution for our clones.
There’s a good reason for this…
It’s important to avoid overwhelming your clones with too much nitrogen during their initial growth stages. And your bloom phase solution has been formulated with a lower concentration of this macronutrient.
Once they develop roots, you can step up their nitrogen levels.
We add in 8 grams of base and 8 grams of bloom, which takes the solution to 1 EC and 6.6 pH. To finalize our solution, we add just a little bit more pH Down to achieve a well-balanced 5.6 pH level.
Our master grower shows you the full mixing routine in this video.
Saturating Trays For Clones
Now it’s time to saturate your tray with the nutrient solution.
But first, a tip…
Purchasing a tray with drainage holes will make it way easier to water your plants later on in their lives, once they’ve rooted.
Plus, it ensures you get runoff every time, preventing too much EC from building up and keeping the root system clean.
The last thing you want is stagnant water jeopardizing the integrity of your medium — and your roots.
When you’re ready, wash the solution through the tray.
Then dump out the remaining water and ensure the remaining solution soaks evenly throughout the tray before moving onto the next step.
Watch this video to see the full process.
Planting into Clone Starter Plugs
Once your tray is fully saturated, it’s time to start planting!
First things first, make sure you’re always working with scissors, scalpels, and tools that have been soaked in a 20% bleach solution to prevent the spread of potential diseases.
When you’re ready to begin, clean up each plant and clip the tips, stressing your plant just enough to trigger a hormonal response that will help it root faster.
Next, scrape the bottom of the stalk so the roots can easily penetrate into the cube and develop a sturdy, robust structure. (You definitely DON’T want your roots to shoot straight down if you’re aiming for thick stalks and vigorous vegetation.)
Then dip the plant into your cloning gel, and drop the plant ½ inch into the clone starter plug.
A good rule of thumb…
Make sure each plant is about as long as your scalpel. This way, they won’t touch the top of the dome, and you can prevent mold from developing.
And remember, don’t rush! The healthier your clones, the more rewarding your harvest.
Watch this video for an up close look at how our master cultivators plant their clones.
Soaking the Blocks
In this next Grower POV installment, our experts start by soaking the blocks with just pH Perfect® Sensi Grow A+B, with pH Perfect® technology allowing for a larger pH range for optimal nutrient uptake.
Keep in mind, because rockwool runs a bit on the alkaline end of the spectrum, so long as you get your pH levels to 5.8-6.2, your blocks will be reset.
After the initial soak, we prepare an additional reservoir with Advanced Nutrients’ inoculants and enzymes for comprehensive clone support.
Watch this video for more pro tips on how to successfully soak your blocks.
The Best Nutrients For Cannabis Clones
So what should you feed your plants to give your clones the best shot at a sturdy structure and optimal vegetation?
As soon as our clones start rooting, we begin feeding them our three inoculants — Voodoo Juice®, Piranha®, and Tarantula®, or our Voodoo Juice® Plus tablets, which is a combination of all three.
With these inoculants at your disposal, you’ll help your new plants to…
- expand root mass
- penetrate root membranes for maximum nutrient absorption
- extend roots to solubilize locked-up nutrients
- and increase essential oil concentrations for a high-value crop.
Our master growers also incorporate the enzymes found in Sensizym® to keep the roots vibrant and healthy, promoting a solid foundation for vigorous growth.
And in addition to our base nutrients, we add B-52® to help our clones combat transplant shock and remain resilient throughout their beginning development.
Transplanting Your Clones
This is the most exciting step in your cloning journey, as it marks the very beginning of vegetation.
Try your best to remove the clone from the tray as soon as it’s rooted (about 7-10 days after planting).
Otherwise it will believe it’s rootbound and stop growing.
If they do happen to stay in the tray for longer than the recommended time, don’t worry!
Just keep Sensizym on hand, a key product to keep your roots glowing white and healthy.
Once your cubes are fully soaked with the right nutrients for cannabis clones, you’re ready to start transplanting!
Now, our experts choose to transplant from rockwool clone starter plugs to a rockwool medium to simplify the transition, starting by transplanting the biggest clones and then moving on to the smaller ones.
Watch this video to dig deeper into the practice of transplanting your clones.
Get More Growing Tips From Grower POV
Keep the videos in this article in your back pocket, and you’ll be well prepared to achieve healthy, robust clones that set the stage for a vigorous crop cycle.
And stay tuned for more articles and Grower POV Episodes, where our master growers take you through an immersive exploration of all things cannabis growing.
