Ah, the beauty of cloning cannabis!
This is, by far, the most efficient, cheap and easy way to increase your crops and get multiple marijuana plants from a single mother plant.
It is sure no surprise why weed growers of all levels of experience are adopting the cloning techniques as part of their growing journey.
Okay, but what about autoflowering varieties?
Can you clone autoflowering strains?
Well, of course you can!
However, it would be much more appropriate if we twist the question like this – Can you clone your auroflowering marijuana plants successfully?
Now, here the answer will be much different.
Even though cloning autos is not impossible, it is rarely successful.
Sounds a bit perplexing, right?
But there’s a solid scientific explanation behind the unusual characteristics of autoflowering varieties.
Keep reading and you will be astonished to find out why, how, and when can or can’t you clone autoflower cannabis like a pro!
#1 – How Does Cloning Work with Autoflower Cannabis?
In order to understand how cloning works with autoflowering cannabis varieties, we must first look into the very basics of cloning.
Okay, so your marijuana clones are simply parts of your mother marijuana plant which you cut and then root as to produce multiple green beauties.
You just cut a healthy stem at about 8-10 inches on an average, using sterilized tools, and you let it root, right?
Subsequently, depending on the number of suitable stems you have user by your Mother Plant, you can grow more than 5 new cannabeauties without spending a cent on ordering seeds.
So what’s the big deal with cloning autos then?
Well, it is all hidden in the genetics.
Autoflowering cannabis varieties are very well-known as the fastest flowering weed species.
While some marijuana growers will have to wait about 6 months to harvest their crops, autoflowering cannabis cultivators can be ready to indulge in those delicious buds within as little as 8 weeks.
And if that doesn’t deserve a big WOW!
Thus, autoflowering marijuana varieties have quickly become one of the top favorite choices of cannabis connoisseurs of all levels of experience with the herb.
Why?
Apart from the fast pace of reaching maturation, autos lack one of the most crucial demands of all the rest of marijuana varieties – the need for a specific photoperiod to trigger flowering.
The photoperiod is the extremely important 12-12 light-darkness schedule which marijuana creatures require in order to switch from vegetation to flowering.
However, as auto-flowering strains carry the one-of-a-kind, utterly amazing genetics of Cannabis Ruderalis, they exhibit a whole new growth timeline, compared to Indica, hybrid and Sativa varieties.
Cannabis Ruderalis species have learned how to grow and evolve despite the unfavorable climate conditions they face, typical for the northern regions, such as Russia.
And it is exactly because of the specifics of that sturdy genetics which shapes the way autoflowering strains can or cannot be cloned.
#2 – Can you Clone Autoflowering Strains? – Revealing Little-Known Facts
Seems that so far, there is no light at the end of the tunnel as to answer straightforwardly whether you can clone your autoflowering cannabis, is that what you think?
Well, all of what we discussed above so far is actually hiding the key to understanding the (im)possible cloning of autos.
The truth is hiding in the quickly growing and the lack of a specific photoperiod to trigger the flowering of autos.
With cloning, you need to cut a suitable stem which is then left in water or placed directly in the growing medium to…grow roots.
Roots can appear within about a week on an average.
Afterward, your rootings will require at least another week as to become strong and well-rooted. Lots of rooty stuff right?
But here’s the secret: your autos don’t have the time to root well.
As they are entering flowering automatically, you are very, very limited in terms of time.
And with marijuana flowers, timing is everything.
Just imagine the following scenario.
You are growing a regular marijuana strain (anything but an auto!).
You are keen on cloning.
So you wait at least until your green babies enter the 3rd week of vegetation.
Then you cut the clones and wait for an average of 2 more weeks until they are well-rooted and ready to be put under the 12-12 darkness-light cycle which will trigger flowering.
Now let’s look at the very same scenario once again.
This time, we want to clone an auto-flowering marijuana variety.
So we wait until the 3rd week of vegetation (otherwise the plant will be too behind in developing and cutting clones can be extremely damaging).
Then once the 3rd week is ON we cut the desired clones.
But now, due to the lack of a particular photoperiod, your clones will enter the stage of flowering all on their own and you can’t do anything about it.
Clones develop absolutely identically to mother plants.
And when your auto clone enters flowering, being still cloning, it is doomed to then develop much less potent and less in number, buds.
Thus, one tiny, literally tiny mistake with proper timing when it comes to cloning autos will simply ruin your plans.
That’s exactly why if you ask a professional marijuana grower – can you clone auto-flowering strains, you will be advised to avoid cloning autos as to avoid disappointment.
However, that doesn’t mean cloning autos is 100% impossible.
If you enjoy experimenting – feel free to try!
But if you are not keen on the huge probability of facing failure – then chill out and simply focus on growing your beautiful autoflower cannabis without any attempts of cloning!
No time to clone your own autoflower strains? Then go to the marijuana seeds center’s autoflowering product page.