Options I have With Clones/Mother Plants

Here is my situation...

A few months ago I took clippings from flowering plants (let's call these cuttings "Mommy 1" or M1 plants), and after 3 weeks, they rooted and a month later...I had huge bushy mother plants...I've been taking many clones (we will call these "Baby 1s" or B1 plants) and they have rooted and are under 24hr of vegetative lighting with the mommy plants (M1).

I believe when the second generation clones (B1) are big enough, I flower them, correct? Or do I keep a few clones (B1) and make those into future mommy plants...or are the original mommy plants (M1) what I keep for future stock?

Also, room is running short...can I flower the original mommy plants/bushes (M1) to make space.

IMO I would flower the mother plant and keep some of the clones as new mothers. You will not loose genetics from taking a clone from a clone. They should all grow the same as the previous plants. By flowering the mother plant you should be able to make the room needed for your new crop.

Bump. Anyone else?

I've been taking as many clones as I possible from some of the mommys...stripping them and allowing them to grow back. Whatever I am doing, it seems my cloning technique isnt good as it can take 3 weeks for them to root...but so far I've only lost a few...they just take forever.

I put one of the mommy plants into flowering...I have a bad feeling that was a mistake and it is going to turn into a huge unruly bush..the strain has a lot of sativa in it and continues to grow and grow.

Anyone again want to tell me what they do...do you keep the first cutting for a mommy plant, or take a clone of the first clipping and turn that into a mommy plant? Which is better because I'm happy to keep the mommys I have as they are quite productive. Do they 'run out' of steam after a while?

You really oughtn’t to clone a flowering plant. I’ve read elsewhere that you the new plant could be a heshe which isn’t doesn’t have any beneficial effects.

morninggloryseed said:

Bump. Anyone else?

I've been taking as many clones as I possible from some of the mommys...stripping them and allowing them to grow back. Whatever I am doing, it seems my cloning technique isnt good as it can take 3 weeks for them to root...but so far I've only lost a few...they just take forever.

I put one of the mommy plants into flowering...I have a bad feeling that was a mistake and it is going to turn into a huge unruly bush..the strain has a lot of sativa in it and continues to grow and grow.

Anyone again want to tell me what they do...do you keep the first cutting for a mommy plant, or take a clone of the first clipping and turn that into a mommy plant? Which is better because I'm happy to keep the mommys I have as they are quite productive. Do they 'run out' of steam after a while?

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the reson it takes so long for your clones to root is becuase moms in flower. It takes a month to convert back to veg. Its ok though.

I would just flower the moms and replace the moms with another clone. Just take enough clones that you won't need some more right away.

You can always keep moms going forever too. It's possible to even trim the roots on moms to help keep them under control. I've watched a grower do it very easily in a DWC system. But by flowering her, if she's healthy, you have a more mature plant giving you a larger yield in your garden.

cassyantell said:

You really oughtn’t to clone a flowering plant. I’ve read elsewhere that you the new plant could be a heshe which isn’t doesn’t have any beneficial effects.

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I'm definitely aware of that, but I didn't have any choice....I needed clones and I only had flowering plants. This was way back in November...the original clippings that were flowering have long since reverted to vegetative growth...they are small bushes now and grow fast enough for me to take a few clones every week.

the reson it takes so long for your clones to root is becuase moms in flower. It takes a month to convert back to veg. Its ok though.

Click to expand...

No, again that was way back when...the original cuttings have long since gone into vege growth. That's why I'm stumped why my clones take so long to root. I'm using several different medium (rockwool, some kind of plugs made from some woody root, and others) and no matter what...they take forever to root.

But the ones that have rooted are doing great and I put a bunch into 12/12 just a few days ago.\

I would just flower the moms and replace the moms with another clone. Just take enough clones that you won't need some more right away.

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I actually decided to take the one momma bush out of the flower room, as I know it will turn into a monster, and I just don't have the room as I'm sticking with a SOG type setup. Actually want to try the ScrOG method.

It seems you can keep a momma plant indefinitely based on the posts here, and in other threads so I'm going to keep the best three, and maybe make a new momma plant from one of the better clones.

Grateful for the insight folks! Hopefully I can figure out what I'm doing wrong with regards to getting my clones to root. It isn't because the momma plants are still flowering...they aren't....they are growing all kinds of crazy fast for the past two months. They love the full spectrum flo bulbs I have them under.

This is how I clone and I have a pretty good success rate. I find the branch that I want to cut off. I look for a branch that has a grow tip and two nodes. I cut the stem about 1/2" down from the second node. Starting from the grow tip it would go tip, node 1, node 2, cut. Place the cutting in a cup of water and then cut the stem again at a 45 Degree angle between the first cut and the node, (cut the stems while they are under water). This keeps the stem from forming an air bubble. Also cut of the leaves at the node just above the cut. Keep the clones in the cup of water in a warm dark place for 24-48 hours. I use 24 hours, but I hear 48 hours also works. After 24 hours I pull the clone out of the water and dip it in shultz rooting hormone, (it's a powder).Make sure to cover the stems that you cut the leaves from, (this is where the roots will come from). Then I plant it in a cup with Fox Farms Ocean Forest and Perlite. I keep it in a humidity dome in my veg room and I am getting roots in 5 - 7 days. I am just letting you know how I do it. Everyone has thier own little secrets or ways of doing things. This is just what works for me. Happy Growing

Good success using FFOF. That is suppossed to be a slightly hot soil, nice to see you can manage to clone in it.

Yeah I have heard that as well but I have not had any problems with it yet. Knock On Wood. LOL

I do use alot of perlite with it for my clones.

Makes sense.

And letting it sit in water for 24 hours before going to your soil mix probably helps alot.

I am cloning some right now. If I run into problems I will keep ya posted.

I'll try the soaking for 24hr, and also making sure to cut off bottom leaves for roots to form. Great advice.

I learned alot on this website. I am just glad to help pass it along. I have only done this a few times so I am fairly new as well. I like to try out different methods of doing things. It keeps things new and interesting.

I think they just didn't have enough heat...I added an extra heat pad and this weekend, I noted roots after only 5 days on some of the new clones I took.

Yeah I have noticed the sprout faster when it is warmer.

I noticed that some strains like cloning more than others. I have a sativa that grows roots like that's what it was bred to do. Then I have indica's that take forever to grow roots. I find that anywhere between 5 days to 12 days maximum. I once pulled out an early finishing indica at 12 days and it had a decent amount of roots growing.