SELECTING THE PERFECT CLONE MOTHER
Choosing the best mother plant to produce cannabis cuttings requires finding the right phenotype from your batch of seeds.
Sun, May 18, 2008 11:38 pm
phe•no•type, n. Genetics. 1. the observable constitution of a living species. 2. the appearance of an organism, resulting from the interaction of the genotype and the environment.
Let’s start off with an example. When you buy a pack of seeds or are gifted by a friend with even just a few little hopefuls, you want the best of what the strain has too offer. And in your group of seeds, depending on how the strain was bred and how stable it is, there will be multiple phenotypes that possess different traits depending on the strain’s genetic background. With most strains out there these days, you can plant a whole pack of seeds for a particular strain and find either a hidden gem or a pheno with less desirable traits.
The trick is to find that hidden gem and use it as a clone mother so that you can stabilize, protect, and reuse those same genetics over and over in future projects. The question is: How do you find the hidden gem?
There are certain qualities and traits that one looks for when choosing a good clone mother, and these depend wholly on the grower’s specific desires. A person might look for a phenotype that is higher-yielding than the rest in order to boost overall harvest weight. Or a person might look for a phenotype that offers serious trichome production and thus higher potency, or maybe a pheno with a lighter aroma, in order to keep the grow op unnoticeable. In an experiment conducted for this article, our interest was in choosing a phenotype from each of two strains with high potency as well as a strong taste and aroma.
The two strains chosen for the project were Super Skunk and Shishkaberry, and the goal was to find a couple of impressive phenotypes that would then be used as clone mothers. Usually, someone such as a cannabis breeder would do this on a much bigger scale, using hundreds—if not thousands—of seeds. But the point of this project was simply to find two nice, stable, potent phenotypes that might make suitable mother plants for a home marijuana garden of clones.
The Trials
The vegetation cycle began with a total of 14 plants. Seven seeds from each strain were planted into 1-gallon pots and placed under a T-5 HO fluorescent light fixture containing four bulbs. The soil mix used consisted of 50% Fox Farm Organic Potting mix, 40% Fox Farm Light Warrior soilless mix and 10% perlite. Nutrients were added every other watering using Fox Farm’s Grow Big liquid fertilizer.
At around 25 to 30 days, the plants started to pre-flower, and a couple of female plants were already noticeable in the group. The light cycle was changed to 12/12 to induce flowering, and within 12 to 14 days, all of the males were weeded out. Sadly, this left only six females out of the original 14 seeds planted: three Super Skunk and three Shishkaberry. A 400-watt high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamp was added the same day that the veg cycle was flipped to 12/12. This was also when the plants began their nutrient feeding program, which included Fox Farm’s Tiger Bloom and Green Fuse Bloom Stimulant. Notes were diligently kept for later reference in order to gauge a particular strain’s response to environment, nutrients and time.
Generally, somewhere around 40 to 50 days, you’ll begin to witness firsthand the characteristics that define your phenotypes. That’s the time to start choosing, because only the best will make the cut. At the end of flowering—around 55 to 65 days, depending on the strain—you’ll be able to observe exactly how your phenotypes are turning out. Now is the time to solidify your list of desired traits and really think about what you’re looking for in your strains. What are your goals down the road? Is there a breeding program in your future? Are you growing for quantity, quality or both?
In the end, however, there is only one true way to judge the success of your phenos, and that takes place after they have been chopped down and fully dried and cured. Yes, you guessed it—you have to actually smoke the finished result. Only now will you be able to check the potency, test the high and look further into the trichome production of your flowers. Be sure to judge the taste and aroma of the buds, as these may also be desired traits when considering your selection.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN THE JULY 2008 ISSUE










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treehugger
Jul 4 2009, 6:59 am
But, with the Florida sun, I wouldn't bother (maybe just 1 pinch). Inside, with height restrictions, yes.
treehugger
Jul 4 2009, 6:53 am
2face
Jun 19 2009, 12:09 pm
not me
May 16 2009, 12:29 am
kushy
Apr 18 2009, 3:12 am
Skips_a_lot
Apr 7 2009, 10:18 pm
like to create more of it by cuttings or cloneing, but this
is where my no_knowledge comes into play. Can someone explane in non_tech easy to understand lingo what I need to do. The buds are growing already, it's a lone plant and has never been fed anything but water out of the tap. The shade leaves have produced a awsome flavor as well as lasting high with no cotton mouth or munchies effect. It would be great to have more seeing as the season is so young. It has been outdoors and is only 2 months old +/- a week. Thanks to all who can help me.
G. Howie Phartz
Apr 6 2009, 8:03 pm
deagle510
Mar 31 2009, 1:07 am
lifted
Feb 28 2009, 8:15 pm
Gator bait
Jan 26 2009, 5:33 pm
"Almost there"
stvst
Jan 19 2009, 8:27 am
weed420
Jan 13 2009, 1:52 am
Top Cat
Jan 6 2009, 6:26 am
JonnyK
Dec 24 2008, 4:20 am
Grow from seed. veg all plants until Pre-flowers appear, and/or take a cutting very early and hope that it sexes under 12/12 before your moms pre flowers show. Get ride of males, take clones from females. Label all clones accordingly, and put them directly under 12/12. As they flower, keep your moms healthy.Once the clones are picked and smoked, decide which one was your favorite.Then you can decide what you want to do.grow all of them and just keep that one pheno as a had stash and get rid of the rest, or, just grow that one, and kill the other two mothers, but why waste...At this point you can just take new clones and make new mothers every time you take all the mothers branches.
big hairy bud
Dec 15 2008, 6:20 pm
okk
Dec 8 2008, 9:08 pm
thecannabiskid
Dec 8 2008, 4:27 pm
jay Are F...
Nov 1 2008, 7:57 pm
killamillafilla
Oct 1 2008, 2:56 am
captian crunch 420
Sep 4 2008, 2:54 am
cannabisking
Jun 30 2008, 4:04 pm
wizard of oz
Jun 22 2008, 7:51 am
Tom Norris
Jun 18 2008, 10:59 am
indicadan
Jun 18 2008, 12:29 am
bad nuggs
Jun 13 2008, 3:06 pm
PapaDank
Jun 7 2008, 2:15 am
Nice catch. You are 100% right.
bongabong
May 29 2008, 8:24 pm
You are one of those fuckheads who gives smokers a bad name. Your site is full of stupid SHIT- obviously the range of your fukn intelligence. People, Don't bother looking at his stupid link - you'll probably get phished anyway or you'll end up with a demon on your computer that steals all your personal info. It's idiotic sites like yours that are jamming up the www.
jasonberlin.com
May 28 2008, 3:29 pm
http://web.mac.com/jason.berlin/Site/Blogscht
/Entries/2008/5/27_What_To_Do_When_A_Cop_Pulls_You_Over.html
You're welcome!
Also check out Hippie Doctor:
http://web.mac.com/jason.berlin/Site/Jason_Berlins_Sketch_Comedy_
Podcast%21/Entries/2008/2/28_Hippie_Doctor%2C_M.D..html
kones
May 28 2008, 2:35 am
Stoned to the Bone
May 21 2008, 11:22 pm
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