Should I start my cannabis plant with seeds or clones?

Should you start growing your cannabis plant with seeds or clones? Each method has pros and cons, so check out the comparison below to find out what's right for you!

Starting With Seeds

Pros:

• If you buy your seeds from an established seed bank, than you can pretty much guarantee what your plant will be like in terms of looks, yield, quality, and flowering time.
• You can purchase feminized seeds from a seed bank which means you will get 100% females and don't have to worry about male marijuana plants
• You can now easily make your own feminized (all-female) seeds at home by crossing two female marijuana plants which will also allow you to create your own strains without having to worry about male plants. Why are male marijuana plants bad?
• Hybrid vigor: there is evidence that the first generation of hybrid plants will grow about 25% faster and have higher yields than plants from clones. This is especially pronounced when the cross is between two different strains. You can purchase F1 (first generation) hybrid cross seeds from seed banks, which will give you plants with pronounced hybrid vigor.
• Seeds give you the best chance of a 'clean slate' which means you plants won't come with any sort of disease or pests

Cons:

• Not all seeds will germinate
• If using non-feminized seeds, than 50% of the plants will be male. Why are male marijuana plants bad?
• Seedsoften  take more time than clones to grow and be ready for harvest, which means they will take more time, electricity, nutrients, etc.
• Costs can add up if purchasing seeds for every grow
• Creating your own seeds will save you monetary cost, but there is a cost in both time (your effort) and a cost in buds because  you don't get any usable buds off the two plants you use to create seeds.

Seeds are a good way for many people to start growing because they can be easily purchased off the internet. Where can I safely purchase cannabis seeds?

Sometimes you will find good seeds in marijuana that you have purchased which can definitely be used to start growing. The downside of using seeds that you find is about half will be male, half will be female, and you won't be able to tell which is which initially. You will need to find out the gender your plants as they are growing to prevent any males from pollinating your females.

Healthy seeds should be dark brown or light grey. If you find seeds which are small and white, than they are immature and won't germinate properly. Healthy seeds can be stored in your fridge until you're ready to use them(don't freeze them). Seeds which are kept in a cool, dark place remain viable for years, though after a few years you will notice that they take a bit longer to germinate and you may get a few more duds than with fresh seeds.

Get Started with Germinating Your Seeds!

Starting With Clones

Pros: 

• Clones start out much further developed than a seed. Compared to seeds, clones will have an overall shorter grow period and therefore will be ready to harvest more quickly.
• Can be quickly grown into a 'mom' and be recloned, for a constant source of new plants
• Since clones are genetically identical to their mother plant, you know exactly what you're getting
• Rooted clones can be coaxed to flower immediately if time or space is an issue

Cons:

• Clones can be harder to find compared to seeds due to the availability of online seed banks
• If the original grower had any problems with the plant (pests, fungus, root rot, etc) then it's likely that the new grower (you) will inherit the same problems from the clone
• Unhealthy clones may die or remain in shock for a long time after being transplanted
• Shipped clones may take weeks of extra care in order to recover
• Newly transplanted clones are more light and nutrient-sensitive compared to seeds

In order to get clones, you will need to know someone who already has marijuana plants, or you may be able to buy some from your local medical marijuana dispensary if you're in a suitable location and have a recommendation for marijuana from your doctor. Starting with a clone can save you a couple of weeks to a month compared to starting with seeds because they have a head-start on growth. Using clones also guarantees the gender of your plant because the clones have the exact same genetics as their parent plant including gender. If you have all-female plants, you can just clone them to make more plants without ever having to worry about sexing your plants or creating seeds.  

If you're starting out with a clone, you want to treat it gently for the first day or two that you have it. If your clone hasn't established roots yet, then you want to make sure that it stays moist and gets gentle light (like from florescent tubes) until it develops some roots.

If your clone has already established its roots, then put it in its new home with your lights a bit further away than normal. Only give your clone just a little bit of water at first with either no nutrients or a highly diluted nutrient solution. It's tempting to want to put your lights close to the new baby and give it nutrients because you want to do everything you can to make sure it does okay. However, in the very beginning, less is more for your clone. Your clone is more sensitive to heat and light than an established plant, and you're putting it in a completely new environment. It's important to check on your clone frequently during it's first 24 hours to make sure there isn't any unforeseen problems such as it tipping over. Once the clone has started really growing (usually after a couple of days) then you can put your lights closer and start feeding it with full-strength nutrients.

Get Started with Making and Caring for Your Clones!