Yo, what’s good fam? Cloning cannabis plants is a dope process that involves taking a cutting from an already established “mother” plant and using it to grow a totally new and independent plant with the same genetics. This is a great way for growers to preserve the genetics of their favorite strains and save money by avoiding buying new seeds.
But, there’s one caveat. Autoflowering cannabis strains are harder to clone than other strains. This may be surprising since they have some major benefits, like being small in size and growing rapidly. However, it is a common myth that autoflowering strains cannot be cloned at all. They can, but it might not be worth the effort.
So what’s the deal? In order to understand why cloning autoflowering strains is more challenging, we need to know what sets them apart from other strains. Autoflowering strains flower automatically based on time, rather than on environmental factors like photoperiodic strains. Photoperiodic plants require a change in the amount of light they receive each day in order to go from the vegetative phase into the flowering stage.
This difference is largely due to evolutionary differences. Autoflowering strains evolved in northern regions of the world where there is much less sunlight throughout the year. This led them to develop the ability to flower automatically over certain periods of time.
When you clone a plant, you’re essentially creating an exact replica of it, including its genetic timeline. The cutting will follow the same genetic timeline as the mother and will continue approaching the flowering stage, regardless of its size and development. In the case of autoflowering strains, this usually results in small and underdeveloped specimens with minimal yields to offer.
Photoperiodic varieties are far superior when it comes to cloning. If you take a cutting during the vegetative phase and keep the light cycle consistent, it will have the chance to grow and flourish within that phase before moving into flowering.
Now, some growers claim to have successfully cloned autoflowering varieties, but if you’re looking to boost your yield, you’re better off sticking with photoperiodic strains for cloning purposes.
So there you have it, fam. Cloning autoflowering cannabis strains is possible, but it’s not worth it if you want to see good results. Stick to photoperiodic strains for successful cloning and dank buds. Peace out!
