Have you ever wondered if it’s better to grow marijuana with seeds or clones? This is one of the first decisions growers must make. In this post, I’ll guide you through the advantages and disadvantages of each method so you can make the best decision for your grow.

Get ready to clear your doubts and give your plants the best possible start!

Key conclusions

Marijuana seeds allow you to experiment and create your own strains, but some won’t germinate and you need to know how to care for them.
Marijuana clones are copies of a mother plant and grow faster, but they can be hard to find and bring pests.
Choosing between seeds and clones depends on your goals; seeds to try different plants and clones for known results.

What are marijuana seeds and clones?

A photo of a marijuana seedling being carefully planted in a pot.

Marijuana seeds are like the start of a new plant. Imagine they’re like the eggs from which chicks are born, but instead of chicks, cannabis plants come out.

When you plant a seed, you don’t know if it will be male or female. Females are the ones everyone wants because they’re the ones that give flowers. Now, there’s something called feminized seeds. These are special because they almost always give female plants.

Speaking of clones, it’s like copying an exact plant. You take a little piece of a mother plant that you already know is female and very good. You put that little piece in soil and a new plant starts to grow.

That plant will be an identical copy of the mom; it will have the same characteristics and give the same flowers. So, with clones you always know what you’re going to get and you don’t have surprises with male plants or anything like that.

Advantages of growing marijuana from seeds

Oh, let’s dive into a world of infinite possibilities with marijuana seeds.. Imagine, creating your own universe of personalized strains, almost like a botanical wizard! And of course, we can’t forget that unique feeling of seeing how your little seeds transform into spectacular flowers that make you feel an almost paternal pride.

Accessibility

You can easily find cannabis seeds, and that’s great. Many stores and seed banks offer a huge variety to choose from. This means that, if you want to try different types of marijuana, starting with seeds is a good idea.

Plus, if you love experimenting and creating new things, you can mix different seeds to make your own strains. Imagine having a plant that’s unique in the world! That said, having more options also makes it more fun to choose what you’re going to grow.

Buying seeds is often less complicated than looking for clones. You can order them online or buy them at a local store. Also, you’ll always know you’re starting with a new, healthy plant.

This gives you the confidence that there are no bugs or diseases from the start. And you know what else? If you choose feminized seeds, you’ll be almost certain to get female plants, which are the ones that produce the buds everyone wants.

Create your own strains

After talking about how seeds are easy to get, it’s worth thinking about how you can make your own varieties. By using seeds, you have the possibility to combine different plants and see what happens.

This is exciting because you can create something unique. Imagine having a plant that no one else has, it would be like having a treasure just for you! Also, selecting the best and strongest gives you the chance to improve your harvest more and more.

And don’t forget, when you create a strain you love, you can save those special seeds and share with others. It’s a great way to leave your mark on the world of marijuana cultivation!

High quality flowers

Now, imagine you manage to create your own strain. Great, right? But there’s more. By using seeds, you can also obtain high quality flowers. Think about this: seeds give you plants with strong roots.

And plants with strong roots are like high-performance athletes; they absorb nutrients better, get big and give incredible flowers. Also, when you grow from seeds, you can choose from seed banks that offer stabilized varieties.

This means that your plants will have good, reliable characteristics, and of course, that leads to better flowers.

Using seeds can be like opening a box of surprises. Sometimes, you get something new and exciting. Feminized seeds can help ensure that you only have female plants.

These are the ones that give those flavor and potency-packed flowers everyone wants. And don’t worry about the pollen sacs from male plants; with feminized seeds, those aren’t a problem.

So think about it, starting with a good seed could mean ending up with the most enviable flower in the garden.

Disadvantages of growing marijuana from seeds

Despite the wonders they hold, growing marijuana from seeds has its pitfalls and challenges; from the uncertainty of germination to the dance with plant cycles, let’s delve into the garden of hidden truths..

Keep reading to discover why even the greenest gardener should think twice before burying that seed!

Irregular germination

Growing marijuana from seeds can be surprising, you never know what to expect. Sometimes, some seeds don’t sprout and that means not all plants will grow. This can happen even with seeds from the best banks.

If you have few seeds, it could be a problem if they don’t germinate well. Also, each seed is unique. This means that each plant can grow differently. It can be big or small, or have more or less strength to fight diseases.

That’s why you need to be careful and keep the plants happy so they grow well from the start.

Need for more growing experience

While it’s true that seeds can have irregular germination, this isn’t the only challenge. To be successful growing marijuana from seeds, you need to know quite a bit.

It’s not just putting the seed in the soil and hoping for the best. You have to understand soil, light and water. Also, the care of young plants is key. That’s why those who are just starting to grow sometimes run into problems.

With seeds, each plant is unique. This sounds great, but it takes time to learn to know them and give them exactly what they need. For example, if you want to create your own strain or if you’re looking for high quality flowers, you must have patience and practice a lot.

Genetics also plays an important role. It’s like playing a bit of a scientist in your garden. Growing experts say that seeds are for those who take gardening seriously and want to go further.

Effects of Environmental Stresses on Cannabis Plants

Cannabis plants are like us – the climate and the place where they live affect how they grow. If it’s too hot, cold or there’s too much or too little water, the plants can suffer.

Even strong wind or air with a lot of chemicals can harm them. Imagine you need a jacket when it’s cold, plants also need protection against bad weather.

Environmental stresses can make plants weak and not grow well. It’s important to take care of them and give them what they need to be strong and healthy.

It’s like taking care of a pet. You need to give it love and what it needs to be happy. The same happens with cannabis plants when you clone them. Let’s see what happens when you use clones instead of seeds.

Advantages of growing marijuana from clones

Ah, clones, that marvel of cannabis horticulture that allows us to continue enjoying those stellar plants again and again.. If you want predictable results and you love the idea of “copy and paste” the best of your garden, then clones are your best friends.

Imagine, it’s like hitting the ‘save game’ button with your favorite varieties!

Saves time

With clones you don’t have to wait for the seed to germinate. This is great because the plant already comes with roots and is ready to grow. Using cuttings from a mother plant means you skip a few weeks of work.

It’s like having a superpower to fast forward time in your garden! Cloned plants are also already female, so you won’t waste time looking for and removing males. Of course, this is a huge help, especially if you don’t want surprises with male plants that might appear.

Avoids male plants

Cloning marijuana also has another big advantage: no boys at the party. This is key because male plants can cause problems in your grow. If you have a male plant nearby, it can pollinate the females.

That would make them produce seeds instead of fat, juicy flowers. So, with clones, you’re sure that all your plants will be female. Only girls means more and better harvest for you.

Clones come from a “mother” that is 100% female, so you forget about the drama of male surprises. Without male plants, there’s no risk of finding those annoying pollen sacs.

Also, by cutting those clones, you make sure the genetics stay the same. Each plant will be an exact copy of its mother – like identical twins in a family.

Reproduce exactly the plants you want

In addition to avoiding the surprises of male plants, clones have another big advantage. You can make a perfect copy of your favorite plant. Imagine you have a mother that gives you incredible buds, with the flavor and effect you like the most.

Well, with clones you can have more identical plants! Each clone is a genetic copy of the mother plant. This means that you’ll have the same quality in all your plants.

Clones are great if you’ve already found that special strain you love. You don’t have to play the lottery with seeds hoping to find a similar one. You take a cutting from that fabulous mother and bam!, you know that each harvest will be just as good.

With clones, your plants will be like identical twins, sharing all the good things from the original plant.

Disadvantages of growing marijuana from clones

Sure, growing marijuana clones sounds great, but hey, did you know that not everything is rosy in that garden? Sometimes, clones can be more capricious than a rock star on tour..

Difficult to find

Getting cannabis clones is no easy task. Often, you have to search a lot to find a good quality mother plant. This makes starting your marijuana garden with clones a challenge.

And here’s another thing (psst!), not every place has clones ready to take home. So, if you decide on this option, you may have to take a good trip to get them.

What complicates the picture is that laws vary a lot. In some places, getting clones can be like trying to win the lottery without having a ticket. But well, if you’re lucky and find those dreamed clones, get ready to care for them like gold! Now, let’s talk about how these delicate little greens need a perfect home to grow strong and healthy.

Need for a carefully adapted environment

While it can be a challenge to find good quality clones, once you have them, the work doesn’t end there. For marijuana clones to grow strong and healthy, you need to create a perfect house for them.

This means controlling light, water and temperature very closely. Clones are like little kids; they need a lot of care and attention. If you don’t give them what they need, they can get sick or not grow well.

And watch out, here comes something important. Clones can bring surprises to your garden, like pests or diseases. These “uninvited travelers” come from the mother plant and can make your efforts go to waste.

So make sure you have everything ready to protect your plants and keep them happy. Seriously, it’s worth the effort!

Acquiring undesirable traits

Cloning marijuana can be a bit like copying and pasting on the computer. But watch out, not everything is so perfect. Sometimes, clones bring surprises, and not the good kind. Imagine your favorite plant has a problem and boom! That problem gets passed to all the clones.

Pests, diseases and weaknesses are also copied. So if you choose to clone, you have to be very attentive to who the mother plant is.

It’s like when you pick up something nice from someone else, but without wanting to, you also grab their bad habits. That’s why, when getting clones, you have to be careful. Look for healthy, strong clones so you don’t end up with a harvest full of problems.

Talk to someone who knows, or better yet, look for clones in trustworthy places to avoid unpleasant surprises later.

Conclusion

In the end, choosing between seeds and clones depends on what you’re looking for. If you want to experiment and don’t mind waiting, seeds are your best friend. Now, do you want something safe and fast? Go for clones.

Remember that your garden is unique, so you decide!

To dive deeper into how environmental stresses can affect your crops, visit our article about the effects of environmental conditions on cannabis plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What’s better to start growing marijuana, seeds or clones?

Well, it depends. If you want a plant that’s completely yours, with seeds –especially if they’re feminized– you’re on the right track. But if you’re looking for something faster and safer, a clone, which is a genetic copy of a mother plant, could be your best option.

2. Can I get more genetic variety with seeds?

Yes! Seeds, even from seed banks, come with genetic surprises that can give unique plants. On the other hand, clones are an exact replica… so you know what you’ll get.

3. Do clones have any benefit over seeds?

Of course. Clones already have a root system and are copies of a known mother plant –that is, you know they’re female–. This saves you the drama of finding out if you have a male plant, the kind that make pollen bags instead of buds.

4. Is it difficult to grow marijuana from seed?

Well… it depends on your gardening skills. Seeds may need more care at the beginning, but if you have a stable strain, it shouldn’t be that complicated. Although of course, some unstable strains can make you sweat a little.

5. Why would someone choose seeds instead of clones?

Hey! It’s a matter of taste and goals. Some home growers prefer the adventure and the possibility of discovering a new genetic variant in their plants… while others play it safe with clones, especially if they want consistent results.