Professional Marijuana Grower November-December 2018 Issue | Page 43

FEATUREARTICLE
by Dustin Fraser
Peat moss starter plugs are a great option that offers excellent water and oxygen holding capabilities. Seeds should be started in horticultural
treys with drain holes.
Outdoor Cannabis
Garden Propagation
A
successful high-performance outdoor can-
nabis garden that delivers impressive yields
from healthy plants begins on the day the
first roots sprout. Cannabis plant propaga-
tion can be done one of two ways. The first way is by
starting brand new plants from seed. The second is
through the rooting of cuttings taken from a donor plant
called a “mother,” a process of asexual plant reproduc-
tion which is commonly referred to as “cloning”. Both
methods are reliable avenues to take when starting and
each one has its own benefits. Considerable care and
attention is required throughout the early propagation
period since even the smallest mistake or miscalculation
can cause unwanted stress on the young plants. When
plants experience stressful situations at an early stage
of development, growth rates will usually be reduced.
Small mistakes can lead to several undesirable results
such as plants that mature too early in the season,
plants that mature too late in the season, or plants that
are highly underdeveloped. By creating and maintain-
ing the ideal environment and situation throughout the
early propagation and plant development stages, a
November/December 2018
grower will be able to ensure their crop will be healthy
with high yields.
Seed Propagation
Starting cannabis plants from a reliable seed source is
the best way to ensure the young plant, or seedling, will
be pure with regard to the intended genetic makeup
of the plant. The advantage of seed propagation over
cloning is that propagation limits the chance of predis-
position to potential problems a clone plant may inherit
from the mother plant. When starting straight from
seed, a grower can be confident that the plants they
are growing will have greater genetic diversity and
possibly be more productive.
The most important aspect of starting plants in this
manner is the source of the seeds. Inferior seeds will
lead to inferior plants and yields. If, as a grower, you
do not breed your own seeds, then you must be sure
to purchase them from the most reliable and respected
source available. Seeds from the most respected local
sources are always recommended and buying local is
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