Home Growers Corner
How To Clone
The Old School Way
Tried and True Methods to Grow Big Plants .
Part 1 by Jay Richardson , contributing writer
Some of you might have already tried cannabis gardening during the one year that adult use and home cultivation became legal in Missouri . I assume other readers have thought about starting a home garden but didn ’ t know how to get started . I thought it might be useful if I took you through a few steps in real-time .
Additionally , you will need to label each plant and understand that some strains take longer to flower . I recommend that a novice marijuana gardener pick one kind of cannabis and stick with it . If you have read my previous articles , you know that I prefer the K . I . S . S . method — keep it simple stoner .
I will go into a lot of detail when it comes to lighting . There are many efficient ways to illuminate an indoor garden . Traditionally , high-intensity discharge lamps have been the chosen lighting by commercial growers and home gardeners looking for the highest yield and the highest quality flower possible . However , in recent years , technological advances have made LED ( light emitting diodes ) lights a good choice for some people . LED lights are more expensive , but they put off less heat and use a fraction of the electricity .
I am an old guy , so I use old-school techniques and equipment . I still use high-intensity discharge bulbs . During the flower cycle , the preferred choice is the high-pressure sodium variety . When we simulate the summer months during the vegetation cycle , metal halide lights will give us excellent results , as you can see from the photos of my mother plant . For every situation , you need a different solution . What works for me may not be the best for you . I recommend visiting the grow stores in your area and developing a relationship with the owners and employees . They can offer more detailed advice and tips that reading articles can ’ t always provide . You will be going to grow stores for supplies , so you might as well get to know the people who work there .
Regardless of the techniques , growing mediums ( soil , hydroponics , etc .), fertilizers , or lights you use to grow marijuana , the most important choice you make is the type of marijuana you choose to grow . You can grow good cannabis with poor methods and still end up with buds that are useable . If you start with bad genetics , it doesn ’ t matter what you do ; you will still have dirt weed .
Over the years , I have had many strains that have served my needs . If you are a halfway decent gardener , you will end up with an ample amount of finished product and easily stay within Missouri ’ s legal limits . Each adult is allowed to grow up to 18 plants . You can have six plants each in one of the three stages of development ( six clones or seedlings , six vegetating and over 14 inches tall , and six flowering ). Since it takes the same amount of time to grow six crappy plants as it does to grow six good ones , I think that the obvious choice is six good ones .
Selecting a strain is up to you . You can always grow several strains simultaneously , but it ’ s a lot more hassle . Different types of cannabis require individualized care with varying amounts of water and food .
The big bushy plant ( on left ) is my MMXX mother plant . The smaller plant with buds is her twin sister . They were cloned at the same time .
I am a highly experienced marijuana user who requires a very potent flower to give me the effects that I desire , so I am always on the hunt for the strongest buds that I can find . I also want to be rewarded for my time and efforts when growing . That means I want something with an average to above-average yield . I do the background work needed , and I ’ m very happy with the strain I am currently growing . The plants in the photo above are MMXX from a breeder in California called Mendocino 2020 . MMXX is a very sticky , very fragrant , highly potent flower that is as good as anything I have seen in 40 years . I would put it up against any dispensary flower out there .
Now that I have what I want , I can take stem cuttings and create clones that are genetic duplicates of my original MMXX plant . I have been smoking the same flower for over a year , and so long as I grow it properly , it always turns out the same , which means it is totally kick ass . All I need to do is make sure that I always have a plant in the
36 March 2024