How to Clone Cannabis Plants

Why clone

Seeds from the same pack vary — clones are genetically identical to the mother. Found a keeper? Clone it before flip and run the same plant again without hunting new seeds.

Cloning also skips seedling time on the next cycle if you keep a mother plant under 18/6 indefinitely.

What you need

Minimal clone station:

• Sharp, clean razor or scalpel — not dull scissors that crush stems
• Rooting hormone gel or powder (optional but helps consistency)
• Rockwool cubes, rapid rooters, or coco plugs
• Humidity dome with vent holes
• Soft fluorescent or low-intensity LED — no hot HID
• Heat mat (optional) if ambient temp is below 72°F

Taking cuttings

Choose a healthy mother in veg — at least 2 months old with vigorous growth. Take 4–6 inch cuttings from lower branches with 2–3 node pairs. Cut at 45° just below a node.

Strip leaves off the bottom inch, trim large fan leaves in half to reduce transpiration, dip stem in rooting gel, and insert into saturated medium.

Clone dome environment

High humidity is everything first 7–10 days: 80–90% RH inside the dome, 75–78°F. Open vents slightly after day 3 to harden off. Mist if leaves wilt — wilting under a sealed dome means heat, not always dryness.

Light 18/6 on a dim setting. Too much light burns tender cuts before roots form.

• Day 1–7: dome closed mostly, check for standing water on leaves
• Day 7–14: roots visible at cube bottom → open vents more
• Day 14+: gentle tug test — resistance means rooted
• Transplant when roots are white and 1–2 inches long

Keeping a mother plant

Run mothers under 18/6 forever in a small tent or corner of the veg space. Take clones every 2–4 weeks from fresh growth — old woody branches root poorly.

Mothers need regular feeding and occasional defoliation. They're a long-term commitment — plan space and pest isolation so mothers don't become mite reservoirs.

Why clones fail

Most clone death is humidity or contamination:

• Dome too dry — leaves crisp before roots form
• Dome too wet and sealed — stem rot at the base
• Dirty blade transferring disease between plants
• Mother in early flower — cuttings revert slowly or poorly
• HID too close — cooked cuts under a "warm" dome