MAINTAINING A MOTHER PLANT
A third option, and one of the most common methods
of vegetative propagation used in horticulture, is cloning,
or the taking of cuttings. During this process, a mother
plant—the plant whose genes you want to preserve—has
small branches removed. The cuttings are treated with a
mixture of hormones via cloning gels or powders to promote root growth and then they are planted in a suitable
growing media, where they take root and become genetic
copies of the mother plant. Mother plants are raised solely
to provide cuttings. Since cuttings take time to develop
roots, the clones must use stored carbohydrates and water to
provide the nutrition necessary to grow a new root system.
Consequently, the health of the mother plant is critical in
ensuring the most healthy and vigorous clones. The following tips will help you provide top-of-the-line mother plant
care for amazing clones.
Customize the Feeding Schedule
To ensure your mother plant provides vigorous cuttings,
you must customize the fertilization schedule. Many growers feed mother plants a standard vegetative fertilizer, which
is not ideal for a donor plant. Mother plants should be on
a nutrient program that minimizes the use of nitrogen,
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Maximum Yield USA | December 2015
“Many growers feed mother
plants a standard vegetative
fertilizer, which is not ideal
for a donor plant.”
especially nitrates. This will increase the carbon-to-nitrogen
ratio, allowing for greater storage of carbohydrates and a
healthier rooted cutting. If a mother plant is fed excessive
nitrogen, then it will grow quickly, but the growths will be
soft and leggy with little carbohydrates, leading to cuttings with soft stems and a greater susceptibility to diseases.
Choose a fertilizer with a 1:1 ratio of nitrogen to potassium,
as unnecessary potassium tends to exacerbate the problems associated with nitrate imbalances. It is better to feed
a mother plant minimal nitrate nitrogen, and then if you
notice a general yellowing of the leaves, feed the plant a
little nitrogen boost fertilizer.