The first and probably most important decision first time cannabis growers have to make is deciding whether to grow their plants from seeds or clones. These are the two methods that cannabis growers use to grow their plants, so before you start on your new journey you’ll need to choose one of these two options.
Both options have their own benefits and downsides, which is why it’s important to take the time to get to know how both methods work, so you can have the right tools to decide which method is more suitable for you.
Pros and Cons of Growing from Clones
Although growing cannabis from a tiny little seed may seem a bit overwhelming for a first time grower, the truth is actually the opposite. For a newbie, growing from clones can actually be a bit harder.
Growing Marijuana plants from clones means growing from a mature plant, by using a cutting from it and replanting it. Although it may seem like a pretty simple process, it does require very close attention and a lot of care so that it can grow and mature properly.
Before we go over the main steps and requirements for growing cannabis plants from clones, let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of this method.
Pros
Although many cannabis growers, particularly first timers, prefer to grow their plants from seeds, the method of growing from clones has a few benefits of its own as well.
Growing from clones is:
- Quicker
- More effective in growing identical buds
- An easier way to recreate an existing cannabis garden
- More cost effective
- A way to insure that you’ll have a female plant
Cons
- Although cloning is not a really difficult process, it is a bit tedious and requires some basic knowledge of the technique.
- It requires a mature, at least 2 months old plant for the cloning process.
- There’s an initial period after you clone and replant the clone, where it is extremely sensitive and more susceptible to diseases.
- It requires a lot of care, and specific amounts of nutrients, water and light.
- It can carry diseases or pests with it.
How to Grow Your Marijuana Plants from Clones
Before you decide on your preferred method, it’s important to get familiar with the right way to do each of these methods so that you can have the skills that are needed to execute each of them properly.
As we mentioned before, cloning isn’t a very difficult process and it takes less time than growing from seeds. To start the cloning process, all you’ll need to have is a mature cannabis plant to take cuttings from, a razor, some water, a clean surface on which to work, a rooting medium and a rooting hormone.
Make sure to use a healthy, mature mother to take cuttings from.
Before you begin the process, you’ll need to make sure you have the right environment in which the plants can grow, including ventilation, a light source, the right growing medium and all the other necessities.
Take 8-10 inch cuttings from the lower, sturdier branches, and dip them into water.
After you get a few cuttings in water, take them out one by one, trim the unnecessary leaves around half way down the stem, dip your cuttings in a rooting hormone and transfer them to a rooting medium.
As your rooting medium, you can either use:
- Rockwood cubes
- Soil, or
- Water
Once you see vegetative growth on your cuttings you can start transplanting them into their own separate pots, but until that time comes, your clones will need a lot of care, including a specific amount of light, water, humidity and ventilation.
Pros and Cons of Growing from Seeds
Let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons of growing your marijuana plants from seeds.
Pros
This method of growing cannabis plants is:
- Great for beginners and inexperienced growers
- Less complicated and poses less challenges
- More natural for the cannabis plant and insures that the plant will have a taproot, which is the straight root that grows vertically down from the base of the plant and keeps it sturdier and stronger
- Because you won’t need to worry about transferring pests or diseases.
- There are numerous seed banks out there that offer a variety of different seeds from a variety of strains
Cons
Growing cannabis plants from seeds:
- Takes more time
- Germinating seeds is a delicate process and requires at least some basic knowledge
- Requires a lot of care and nurturing
- Means having to possess specific grow lights and the optimal conditions for them to germinate
- Can be easy to get it wrong. You’ll need to follow each step to the point, including watering, planting, getting the environment and the lighting right and so on.
How to Grow Your Marijuana Plants from Seeds
Although there are many benefits to growing your cannabis plants from seeds, it’s still is a long and delicate process and requires a specific amount of care and skills.
Here are a few tips that will help you get started:
- Choose the right seeds that you want to grow. There is a huge array of options available so you’ll have a lot of strains to choose from.
- Make sure you have the right environment your seeds need to grow in. Focus on lighting, water, air, ventilation, temperature, your growing medium and the right nutrients your plant needs in each stage.
- Use light for indoor cannabis growing and closely monitor and control the temperature, light source and air ventilation inside.
- Choose your germination method. You can use soil, water, paper towels and so on.
- Control and set the temperature and lighting according to each stage your plant is in, and always look out for signs that signal the arrival of a new phase.
For a more complete guide from seed to harvest, continue to our Marijuana growth cycle article.
