Maximum Yield Cannabis USA April/May 2018 | Page 17

“ ONE OF the most important aspects
of cloning is selecting an appropriate
mother plant. It is imperative to select
a mother that is in good health.”
Cloning provides a way for cannabis growers to
select the strongest and most productive plant
varieties for replication while ensuring the crop is
made up of all female plants. As with other aspects of
indoor cannabis gardening, consistent atmospheric
conditions are the foundation for cloning success.
Along with consistent atmospheric conditions, there
are a few techniques a grower can implement to
increase his or her cloning success.
Selecting the Mother Plant
One of the most important aspects of cloning is select-
ing an appropriate mother plant. It is imperative to se-
lect a mother that is in good health. If the mother plant
has diseases, pest insects, or other pathogens, chances
are good any clones taken from that plant will have
those same problems. Once an appropriate mother is
chosen, it can be prepared for cloning. One technique
that can help increase a gardener’s cloning success
is to limit the mother plant’s exposure to intense light
for 24 hours prior to taking clones. This can be done by
placing it in the outskirts of the garden or in a shaded
location the day before taking cuttings.
Making the Cut
After selecting, inspecting, and preparing the mother
plant, the grower may begin taking cuttings. Gener-
ally, it is best to make a 45-degree angle cut just above
a node site (the place where a leaf or branch attaches
to the main stem). If the grower wishes to use a rooting
hormone or cloning gel, the freshly cut end should be
dipped into the hormone immediately after it has been
cut from the mother.
Auxins
Auxin is a plant hormone that aids in the creation of
initial root growth. Specifically, indole acetic acid (IAA)
is the natural auxin found in plants that is responsible
for natural root stimulation. Most rooting products
do not contain IAA, but rather a synthetic form of
indolebutyric acid (IBA) and/or napthaleneacetic acid
(NAA). These rooting hormone products can come in
different forms, including powder, liquid, or gel.
Organic Root Stimulator — Willow Extract
There are many organic cannabis growers who
struggle with the cloning stage because they don’t
want to use synthetic hormones. Willow extract is
probably the best natural, organic rooting stimulator
available. The reason willow is so effective is
because it contains two auxin hormones: salicylic
acid (SA) and IBA.
myhydrolife.com
grow. heal. learn. enjoy.
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