How to mother plant?

Guys i have a few harvests under my belt but i never messed with clones or having a mother plant. I do have a 2x4 and a 4x4 and thinking how much more convenient would it be to have a mom or two and just flower cuts instead of buying seeds, hoping they germ (just had 10 in house duds super bummed about) seedling stage, veg, then flower. If i could go right to veg then flower that would be more convenient i would think. Is there a post already with tips and tricks to maintain a mom? Any advice would be great

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How are your hands at cloning? Mothering is not too complicated. Cloning is not either but it can be tricky.

It’s not my typical MO but when I do I tend to take a clone of a clone of a clone rather than maintain mothers.

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I sadly do the same. It’s not the best practice in the world. But it’s easier than keeping a mom in my opinion.

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I’m sure there are super detailed guides on here, but for a mother keep the light low, feed light, trim the roots when needed (or just use fabric pots), and just keep pruning them to keep them the size you’d like.

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I have never cloned before. Just seed to harvest a few times.

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Why is this not the best? So you guys are saying you clone off of whatever is in veg or flower (assuming they are clones)

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They’re saying instead of keeping the seed plant mother or cut they receive as a mother they just take a clone before they throw the plants into flower, veg that plant out, take a clone before flower, flower it out, and on and on.

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Now I’ve been told and have read things that say the genetics fall apart or the potency goes down doing the clone of a clone of a clone style. I have only done this my entire growing career and have never seen either of the previous mentioned negatives happen. My longest run was a Purple Afghan Kush. 35 times I cloned a clone. Zero issues. The one caveat is your clone will be only as healthy as the clone you take it from. Keep ā€˜em healthy and no problems.

Grundle

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Sweet thanks now i just need to look into how to clone

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It’s not very hard. There are different ways to accomplish it. I prefer a aeroponics cloner, but others like the grow plugs. Personal preference plays into it. I tried plugs first and failed then bought an ez-cloner and never looked back. I now have a 16 site one and a thirty two site. Use the shit outta them.

Grundle

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Yeah many ways to do it it’s just trying to find what jives best with your style.

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The reason it’s not the best is that each time you take a clone you run the risk of it not rooting or making it out of seeding stage before your ā€œmotherā€ plant is flipped into flower. You can setup runs so that you don’t flip till the clone has rooted but it usually take 10-20 days to root depending on your setup and it’s harder to manage the longer vegging times etc etc. You can also take a cut of a flowering plant, reveg the ā€œmomā€ or take many cuts before flower to help with these situations. There really are a lot of options.

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The clones look awesome but they are not cheap, you think they are worth it?

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If you have money for an aero cloner get one. They make it really easy. If not, other ways aren’t hard either. Take extra clones always. Easier to toss or give away extras than reveg or lose it.

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Good advice. I’m not a cloning expert by any means but I’m working on improving.

Here’s two moms that were clones, alongside a near full 24 site cloner that I need 6 plants from. 4 for next run, 2 for new moms. These moms will go outside to flower once I see nice rooted clones.

Once i get the timing right i can take cuts, root and veg for average 5 weeks, then place into flower. Repeat… in two tents and harvest every 5 weeks or so. That’s my plan anyway…

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I used to do like the others in this thread. Just take a clone before you flower, generally want to make sure it roots before you flip but can always take a cutting from a flowering plant if it doesn’t root.
I did this for many,many years with no I’ll effect. Like stated above, if you plants are healthy when clones, your clones will be just as good.

There’s a thread on bonsai mothers at icmag that is very informative on mothers and keeping them long term.

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Watch Multiplicity with Michael Keaton. :joy: I mean he’s in it. You don’t have to invite him over.

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Befor takin cuts load the mum up with bloom feed ( higher p and k in ratio ) for a week beforehand

Do this also for any plant that has been in veg feed for a while

The plant leafs can’t store p and k as easily as n ( these are the two defs that show in cuts first )
So when cuts are trying to root they don’t quickly run out of p and k
Too much n in cuts also extends rooting time
: )

In veg p is for roots and k is for plant health

And recut ends after applying clonex
As if the cut end is blocked with gell the the cuts will struggle to keep their turgor

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This is a legendary write up on how to keep a Mother by a legend of a man Oldtimer1,RIP.Go To the search bar and type in Bonsai Mums by Oldtimer1.All you need to know about keeping a mom in an 8inch by 8inch space and producing shit tons of cuttings right in there.

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This is the best Mom tutorial I’ve read. There are other versions around, maybe even on OG?

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