Can You Clone Autoflowering Cannabis Plants?

When it comes to fast harvests and good yields, nothing can surpass cloning autoflower cannabis plants. These plants are genetically designed to grow in just three weeks of being planted and to give you the best yield at the best times. But not everything about an autoflowering cannabis plant or “auto” is all fine and well. This plant is unable to grow from clones which mean every time you grow one you have to start from growing seeds.

Cloning autoflower is often the best choice for growers because it is the most economically efficient way to grow weed. However, it is quite the opposite of autos. You cannot grow it from clones and therefore you are back to square one. Cloning is taking a cutting from a “mother” plant and this cutting is used to create an entirely new and independent plant. And because this new plant is a clone, it will share the same characteristics as its mother plant.

Cloning Autoflower Preserves Genetic Traits

Cloning autoflower is preserving the genetic traits that growers love in a strain. The clone will have the same original characteristics from its unique taste and the great high that it provides users. And of course, cloning makes it more economical to create more and more plants especially when you are growing plants for medicinal purposes. This will save you from buying costly seeds every time you need to grow more weed.

How Cloning Autoflower is Done

In a regular setting, cloning autoflower is simply transplanting any part of a mother plant to a soil medium to create new plants. You can use any part of the mother plant, from its small stems to its large branches however, it’s best to choose a healthy, green and thriving part of the plant.

1. Get a fresh cutting from the mother plant. It is recommended to get a large branch. Inspect this branch for any wilting or discolored leaves or any pests. Discard should you find any.
2. Reduce your leaf surface. This is simply removing smaller leaves that are attached to the cutting. This is to help your clone recover faster and to take root faster since it does not have to waste energy trying to sustain more parts. Usually, only a few nodes are left.
3. Apply cloning gel on the clone’s tip. Cloning gel is a rooting hormone that is designed to help cloned plants to successfully create roots by manufacturing root cells. This gel is made of compounds that can be available in almost all kinds of applications but for cannabis cloning, the gel kind is used. Depending on the brand of cloning gel, these may contain vitamins, minerals, anti-fungal agents and hormones that are all needed to make healthy cloned plants. Let this gel dry for about 2 to 3 minutes or depending on the product instructions.
4. Place soil medium inside a pot. The pot you chose should be able to hold your clone until it reaches its mature age to prevent transplantation stress. Take note of the actual mature size of the plant and estimate the ideal size of the pot that will work for your plant’s needs.
5. Make a hole in the middle of the soil medium and water this. Water should run off the hole at the bottom of the plant. Let this soil dry a bit
6. When the soil is dry, place the clone in the middle and fill the hole with soil. Water this plant and then leave it in its new stable area.
7. Just like any plant, bathe this one with light and simply leave it alone so it can recuperate and start making roots.

So Can You Clone Autoflowering Cannabis?

There are actually reports from many growers that autoflowering cannabis can actually be cloned however the results are not as potent and not as efficient. There is also a possibility that the autoflowering capabilities of this new plant will also be lost considering that autoflowering is a recessive trait. Therefore the answer to the question would be yes, autoflowering cannabis can be cloned, according to some growers. However, it will not be as a good strain to cultivate and possibly to sell for profit.