Where is the best place to get cannabis seeds? We recommend these cannabis seed source as of late January 2026…

• ILGM (I Love Growing Marijuana) – California, United States
• MSNL (Marijuana Seeds Netherlands) – Amsterdam seed bank now ships from US, Canada & UK
• North Atlantic Seed Co. – Maine, United States
• Seed Supreme – Florida, United States
• Seedsman – Ships from US & Europe
• Other – Did we miss anyone you like? Let us know.

Check out my recent grow journal featuring seeds from Seedsman, NASC & Seed Supreme.

Seeds of different strains grow different buds.

Are you looking for yields (like Blue Dream) or beauty (like Candy Games #38)?

Maybe density & potency are most important. Then go with a strain like Purple Ghost Candy.

Note: Purple Ghost Candy is an oversized stretchy plant that always makes potent, dense buds, but not always purple. See the full strain review.

Or perhaps the key to your heart is a pungent, memorable smell (like Mandarin Cookies V2).

Check out the new cannabis strain library for reviews of strains GrowWeedEasy.com recommends for home growers.

Note: Here’s how to store your seeds so they last for years.

Where to get cannabis seeds? Here’s our note to marijuana growers looking for good seeds going into a turbulent 2026…

Updates on the 2026 Farm Bill

“How will the new Farm bill for 2026 affect home growers? Is there a specific deadline for growers? I have seen many opinions, but have yet to find a straightforward answer to this question.” ~ Bob

Laws and regulations seem to be evolving every day. The reason no one can give you a straight answer is because no one knows for sure what will happen.

If you want my personal opinion, I suspect it will have a small effect in the short term, and a long-term dampening effect.

Seed companies may try to work with lawmakers to find ways to ship seeds in compliance with the law. But unless the law is changed, fewer small breeders will participate. Some people are concerned that only the biggest companies with deep pockets for a legal team might be able to easily sell seeds and take payments.

That’s why home growers need to value cannabis genetics.

In other words, don’t panic. However, do take on a general preparedness mindset.

Learn more about the new U.S. cannabis seed law that goes into effect November 12, 2026.

Nebula Haze
GrowWeedEasy.com

Hey growers,

Looking for good cannabis genetics? We got you! We have run our recommended cannabis seed source page on GrowWeedEasy.com since we started the website in 2010.

GrowWeedEasy.com’s trusted seed sources list has helped home growers find seeds since 2010.

If you don’t have cannabis seeds in hand, it can feel like it’s going to be hard to get them. Luckily, these days, you can get viable seeds of good strains sent to you almost anywhere. Today, we want to hear about your experiences ordering seeds online.

Marijuana seeds are so tiny…

But within each seed is a tiny living thing, longing to be released…

Did you know? A cannabis seedling embryo is already fully-formed inside each seed, just waiting to germinate and grow weed for you!

Germination lets the seedling inside escape its shell prison!

Never touch newly germinated seedlings like this, I only did it for the picture!

Leaves are yellow inside the shell, and turn green once the leaves start getting exposed to light.

Less than a day after being planted into a Rapid Rooter, the seedling is green and already growing new leaves!

Learn how to germinate seeds here.

Back in 2010 when we started GWE, we’d only had good experiences with a single seedbank so far (the others had been mediocre-to-bad). So back then, the seed source list had only one option…

Bonus: Check out the October 2010 version of the seeds page on the Wayback Machine! You can even click around to see the original version of the site 🙂

Our seeds page is not meant to be a comprehensive list of seed sources. Sirius and I are just a two-person team and can’t try every seed company. There are many, many outstanding cannabis seed sources not listed on our seeds page.

But what the page is, is the list of the seed banks we actually use ourselves to grow weed at home and document on the website.

Check out our recent autoflowering grow journal! The OG Kush Auto produced smooth, potent buds.

When we stop using a seed company ourselves, for whatever reason, we take it off the seed source page. Usually, they haven’t done anything wrong, just simply no longer carry strains we’re looking to grow with.

We believe it’s crucial to ensure every seed bank on the list is legit, and only stay if we continue to use it for our home grows.

Our seed bank testing is led by you: If we hear about a really great new company that everyone loves, we will test it out ourselves. Our goal isn’t just to grow great weed (though we do a lot of that too!), but also help home growers find exactly what they’re looking for.

GrowWeedEasy.com testing process for seed banks

• Community feedback – If we keep hearing good things about a particular seed source, we know it’s time to give it a try.
• Order seeds anonymously – We never tell them it’s us. I always order the seeds myself as if I were a regular customer. I feel like that’s way more likely to give the “authentic” experience.
• Grow the seeds – Next, we actually grow the seeds from germination to harvest in a home grow environment.
• Document the results – We take pictures and notes about each plant, including where we got the seeds, and share that information on GrowWeedEasy.com and through our newsletter.
• Lab testing – When funding is available, we get the buds lab-tested, especially for side-by-side grow experiments with clones (like testing super soil vs coco or plant training methods like defoliation vs natural)

We also love, love, LOVE when you send us grow pictures, or tell about your experience with seed banks and their strains/seeds.

Our current cannabis seed source recommendations, as of January 2026.

• ILGM (I Love Growing Marijuana) – California, United States
• MSNL (Marijuana Seeds Netherlands) – Amsterdam seed bank with shipping centers in the US, Canada, and UK.
• North Atlantic Seed Co. – Maine, United States
• Seed Supreme – Florida, United States
• Seedsman – Ships from US & Europe
• Other – Did we miss anyone you like?

We encourage you to write us any time with specific cannabis seed bank feedback, including anecdotes, or just your overall thoughts or experiences buying cannabis seeds online where you live.

We’ll be considering everyone’s feedback as we go through 2026. And make sure to sign up to our newsletter to ensure you get insider information and updates about seed sources that we can’t post on the website. You can email GrowWeedEasy.com directly by responding to our weekly newsletter.

Harvest great smelling, dense, potent buds with proven home harvest techniques. By Nebula Haze & Sirius Fourside, authors of GrowWeedEasy.com.

Get total guidance next harvest.

Find the Best Marijuana Seeds for You

Every cannabis strain listed here is personally recommended by GrowWeedEasy.com for home growers. Check out our notes and the pictures to see why we chose each strain. Our goal is to make it easier for you to find the perfect cannabis seeds for you. More strains added every week!

The post The Seed Banks WE Use to Grow Weed (2026 Update) appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Cannabis plants can be male or female, but only female cannabis plants make buds. Female cannabis flowers are buds, and male cannabis flowers are pollen sacs, which contain low THC and are poor to smoke. Male pollen sacs eventually open and release pollen, which pollinates the female cannabis plants, and causes buds to grow seeds, which also results in smaller buds with lower THC levels.

These days, most home cannabis growers start with feminized cannabis seeds because they grow only female plants, which means every plant will make buds. Other growers watch their cannabis plants as flowers start developing, then identify and remove male cannabis plants.

Feminized cannabis seeds are the best way to ensure that every plant is female. This way you don’t need to worry about identifying the sex of plants!

But if you can’t buy cannabis seeds online, and must start with another source of seeds, there is a strong chance that about half the plants will be male and half will be female.

With standard, non-feminized cannabis seeds, plants grow 50/50 male vs female plants. That means half of the plants won’t make buds and, even worse, cause the buds you do have to make seeds.

If you’re worried some of your plants may be male, here is the easiest way to determine the sex of your cannabis plants while they’re still in the vegetative stagae.

How to Identify the Sex of a Cannabis Plant

Here’s how to identify the sex of your cannabis plants even if they’re still in the vegetative stage.

1.) Take a cutting (clone) from the unverified cannabis plant and put it in a glass of water.

I take stems off the plant and put them in a cup of water. You don’t need your cuttings to make roots before identifying the sex. As long as you give light and make sure the cup always has water, the cutting should stay alive long enough to identify the sex.

If you have extra stems, you can take multiple cuttings and put them in the same cup. Some cuttings will show their sex sooner than others, so taking multiple cuttings may speed up the process by a few days in some cases.

2.) Label both the clone and the mother plant with the name of the strain so you know which clone came from which corresponding mother plant.

I use disposable cups and write the name on the cup. You could also put a piece of tape on a cup and write the name on that. You should do this step if you’re identifying the sex of more than one marijuana plant at a time. If you don’t label your clones, then all your effort will be for naught because you won’t know which clone is which!

3.) Give clones a light schedule with 12+ hours of darkness every day to initiate flowering and get the cuttings to reveal their sex.

Again, you don’t need to wait for the clones to establish roots before changing the light schedule. You can start this immediately after you take the cutting. The cuttings will start flowering even if their roots haven’t formed yet. However, you should make sure they get at least some direct light during their “day” to keep them healthy long enough to reveal their sex.

4.) Clones will reveal their sex in 1-3 weeks.

Look to the joints where leaves meet the stem. Males develop balls and females develop white hairs. Click here for more information and pictures about how to sex a cannabis plant.

Female cannabis plant – The first flowers of a female cannabis plant looks like this. You will see white hairs coming where leaves meet the stem.

Notice the white wispy hairs at the “joints” where the leaves meet the stem. You can see from my fingers at the top, for scale.

This is what female cannabis flowers look like at the top of the plant. You will notice white hairs emerging from the leaves.

Male cannabis plant – The first flowers of a male cannabis plant look like this. You will see little balls, like grapes, that appear in the same place as female plants. Male pollen sacs often also appear at the top of the cutting.

Male pollen sacs are tiny and hard to see at first, but pollen sacs quickly start growing in bunches that are easy to identify. Look how tiny this pollen sac is compared to my finger.

Here are male pollen sacs after they start growing in bunches. You know for sure this is a male plant when you see bunches of balls without any white hairs.

5.) Remove male cannabis plants. 

Once you have determined the sex of your clones, you should make sure you throw away any corresponding male plants. Or at least move them to somewhere safe so their pollen can’t get to the buds of your female cannabis plants by accident.

Now you can grow your known-female cannabis plants with confidence. Once they start flowering, they will make the same type of flowers as the cuttings you took. Continue to care for your female cannabis plants with a ton of light, no nutrient deficiencies, and consistent 12-hour dark periods, and don’t let them get hot during the last 2-3 weeks before harvest.

Mission Complete: You know the sex of your cannabis plants and have only bud-making plants left.

It’s bud time!

Click here for a list of recommended beginner cannabis strains (all-female seeds unless otherwise indicated)

The post How to Use a Cup of Water to Identify Cannabis Sex in the Vegetative Stage appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Cloning with an aerocloner is a way to quickly create a bunch of “free” cannabis plants.

We used the TurboKlone Aero Cloner for this cloning tutorial, but the same instructions should work for just about all aerocloners (like the HORTIPOTS Aeroponic Cloner Machine 24 Site)

The aerocloner makes cannabis clones. A “clone” is when a piece of a plant grows its own roots. The new plant is a small but otherwise identical copy of the parent plant.

Once you have roots, plant in a container and start growing. Clones tend to grow faster than a seedling of similar size.

The main idea behind cloning is to cut off a piece of a specific plant then force that piece or “cutting” to grow roots. At that point, you have a new cannabis plant that’s essentially an identical copy of the “mother” plant. That means that clones will have similar growth patterns, bud appearance, yield potential, THC levels, etc. at the plant they were cut from. If you’ve got a great plant or outstanding genetics, take clones to capture that magic for your next grow.

The simplest way to create cannabis clones is to cut off the end of a branch about 7″ long and stick the cutting in a glass of water until it grows roots. The downside to this method is that clones take up to 6 weeks before they grow roots (each cutting is different).

So what’s the fastest way to make a bunch of clones that are all ready at the same time? In many cases, the answer may be an aeroponic cloner.

Cannabis cuttings in a hydroponic system known as an aeroponic cloner (“aero cloner” or “aerocloner”) typically create roots within 14 days

Here’s a look under the hood. An aero cloner sprays mist around the bottom stem of cuttings. This stimulates roots to grow faster than the cup cloning method.

If you don’t move plants to their own containers, the roots can go crazy in a system like this.

Ready to get started? Today’s tutorial will show you how to get roots quickly in an aero cloner!

How to Make Cannabis Clones in an Aero Cloner

Supplies Needed

• Mother plant with stems at least 7″ long
• Scissors
• Aero Cloner (either pre-made or DIY)
• Cup of water (to hold cuttings before being put in the cloner)
• (Optional) Cloning Powder and/or Cloning Gel

Mother plant with at least 7″ long stems, scissors, and a cup of water

TurboKlone Aero Cloner (this is the one used in this tutorial, but most aero cloners are used similarly)

Step 1: Set up the aero cloner 

Follow the instructions that come with the cloner. Typically this involves filling all the holes with inserts, putting the pump/mister inside as directed, and filling with water.

Make sure to add water all the way to the indicated waterline. I’ve found that clones are more likely to wilt if the water gets low.

Step 2: Cut off 7-9″ long pieces of stem and immediately put in a cup of water

Each of these pieces will become a new plant. If stems are too short, give plant some time for stems to lengthen. Too-short cuttings take much longer to root and are more likely to wilt.

This stem is 7″ long. Perfect!

Example of a suitable cutting. Clean the bottom of the stem so it has no leaves, but make sure to leave a few at the top.

Immediately put each cutting in a cup of water to reduce the chance of a clone wilting. If you were doing the clone-in-a-cup method, you could actually stop right here!

Clones are more likely to wilt like this if you don’t put the cutting in water for a few minutes before adding to the cloner

Why? If oxygen gets into the base of the stem, the cutting wilts due to an oxygen embolism. However, after spending a few minutes in the water the plant produces a protective layer that stops air from entering the plant. At that point, it is much less likely to wilt after being put in the cloner.

Step 3: Add cuttings to aero cloner

This step is surprisingly easy. Just put the included plugs or inserts to wrap around the base of each cutting. Make sure to leave several inches of stem below the bottom of the insert. This will help prevent any clones from drying out and tends to make them root faster than shorter stems.

If you are going to use the optional cloning powder or cloning gel (this method works great without either, but these products may help plants develop roots quicker), now is the time. Dip the end of your stem right before putting it into the cloner. If you are going to use both kinds, dip in gel first then powder so it sticks on better.

Note: The clones pictured in this tutorial did not receive cloning powder or cloning gel. They only got plain water 🙂

Put each cutting in an included insert and then place it into one of the empty ports. Make sure to trim off all leaves below the bottom of the insert. You only want bare stems in the mist.

This is what it will look like once they’re all in there. Don’t forget to add labels if you’re cloning more than one strain at a time! I’ve found cuttings seem to root faster with relatively longer stems inside (at least a few inches long), but it still works when they’re shorter.

Soon you’ll have rows of cuttings

I recommend not to use the cover included with many aero cloners. I find that these cause clones to droop more, not less. I’ve heard that they do help in extremely low humidity, but I have humidity around 35% RH, which is pretty low, and I definitely get better and faster rooting when I leave cuttings exposed to the air.

Step 4: Refill water as cuttings drink it

Letting the water level too low can stress cuttings and make them take longer to start rooting. Make sure to refill the reservoir every few days.

If the water starts getting low, refill with more plain water. Don’t forget to turn the misters back on!

Once you put the cover back and turn on the misters, take a second to make sure the lid is fully on. There have been multiple times I left the cover slightly ajar and ended up spraying water all over my tent 🙂

Step 5: Once you see roots, it’s time to plant your rooted clones

Roots usually appear in 10-14 days. This is my favorite part 🙂

Yay, success! Within 10 days, many of the stems already have the beginning of roots. You can plant them now, or wait for the roots to develop further.

A week later

How long before roots? All cuttings usually have roots within about 2 weeks. However, each cutting is a little different so it’s difficult to give an exact timeline. Some cuttings may take 3 weeks before they’re ready to plant. If you’re cloning multiple strains at the same time, you may notice that some strains make roots quicker than others. Genetics plays a surprisingly big role in how well a particular plant reacts to cloning.

The next section shows you how to plant your newly rooted clones in soil or coco, then I’ll show you how to add your clones to a hydroponic tub or setup.

Keep reading to learn how to plant your newly rooted clone

Note: As long as your cutting has at least a few roots, you’re good to plant it. You don’t necessarily need to wait until you have long roots like the one above.

How to Plant Your Rooted Clones in Soil or Coco

1.) Fill your cup half full (or make a 4-5″ deep hole wherever you plan to plant your clone)

2.) Add a little water to the grow medium until it is wet but not soaking, then press down slightly to make a small divet or hole for your roots to fit inside.

3.) Gently place your root into the indent you created. If the root is long, you may need to wrap it around in a circle. Avoid using any force, but the roots are pretty flexible.

Having an indent will help keep your roots from touching the sides by giving you an outside “edge” to wrap your roots inside.

If the root is very long, you may need to wrap the root a lot or get creative. Just try to do your best! Once they already have a lot of roots, clones are surprisingly resilient.

If you’re worried about breaking the root, add extra water to the grow medium to make it softer.

4.) Fill the rest of the cup with soil and give a thorough watering.

Try to keep the clone in the middle and upright, but if it’s a little crooked it’s okay. Once the plant is a bit bigger you likely won’t be able to notice.

Try to hold the stem steady in the middle as you fill the cup with soil or coco

Fill to almost the top of the cup with potting mix and then add more water until moist all the way through

5.) Make sure extra water can drain out (plants love good drainage!)

Don’t forget to cut holes out of the bottom so any extra water can drain out. Roots like it wet but not soaking.

I used scissors to cut slits around the edges of the bottom of this cup in order to let any excess water drain out

6.) Give gentle light at first. I leave them in the filtered light of a west-facing window. If you put them under direct light immediately, they can droop or wilt. Once they’ve acclimated to their new home for a day  or two and still look happy and healthy, you should be able to start giving them direct light. Within a week it should be growing fast and happy.

7.) Enjoy your new plants!

How to Plant Your Rooted Clones in Hydroponics

Placing these rooted clones in hydroponics is simple and quick. You could plant your clone directly in the clay pebbles, but the following system makes it a bit easier. You probably already have seedling plugs in your grow room if you’re growing with hydroponics.

1.) Get a seedling plug such as Rapid Rooters (or whatever plugs you typically use with your system).

This will be used to hold your clone and keep it anchored where you want.

Any seedling plugs will work to install your clone, but I personally like Rapid Rooters for hydroponic setups

2.) Cut the plug open lengthwise

Take your seedling plug and cut it open lengthwise.

3.) Wrap the plug around the stem of your rooted clone.

Wrap the plug around the stem. This supports the stem so it’s stable and easier to install into a hydroponic system

4.) Install the plug into your hydroponic system just like you normally would. Thread the roots through the bottom holes of your net pot  (or cut a hole in your net pot for the roots if they’re too big) and fill in the rest of the way with hydroton to hold seedling in place.

Make sure there is at least an inch of air underneath the very bottom of the stem. You don’t want the water level coming up to the actual stem or it tends to get mushy and hurt the plant (same with seed-grown plants). Whenever growing cannabis in hydro, always give roots some air to breathe before they touch the water. Oxygen makes the plants grow faster and helps prevent root problems.  As long as you have lots of bubbles in your reservoir, you should have enough water splashing up on the roots that they stay moist even though they’re above the water line. The roots will grow longer until they’re actually dangling in the water, and that’s when clones really take off!

Learn more about growing in hydroponics

Once the roots hit the reservoir your plants will take off!

I love the aeroponic method for cloning cannabis. An aero cloner gives you roots so quick it’s faster than growing from seed (though I do love the variety of growing from seeds).

Clones in the middle with mom plants (what remains of them after taking clones) on the right and left

The post How to Make Cannabis Clones with an Aero Cloner appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Did you know you can clone cannabis plants in a cup of water? (Where to get seeds safely online)

1. Cut off a longer stem.
2. Immediately put in water.
3. Roots form in a few weeks.

Who doesn’t want a bunch of free cannabis plants when it’s this easy?

Leave your cup in a warm sunny spot with filtered light, and wait several weeks for roots to form. Some clones take as little as 2 weeks, most have roots by 4 weeks. I once had a clone that took 6+ weeks. Aeroponic cloning is faster, but this is easier.

Roots form in 2-4 weeks (stubborn strains may take longer)

I personally have had great luck with clear cups, but opaque cups can help keep light away from the roots, so they’re recommended if available.

Put a rooted clone in soil, coco, or hydro, and you’ve got a new free cannabis plant!

Each of these cuttings is an exact copy of the “mother” plant. As a result, you know that all these clones will grow pretty much the same as each other (and their mum). Cloning is also a great way to produce a lot of plants at once for basically free.

I always use clones for my side-by-side grow experiments.

If buying seeds is too expensive (and creating your own seeds isn’t feasible), then cloning can make growing cannabis a lot more affordable. Cloning via the “cup method” is easy and doesn’t take much space, effort, or equipment.

This tutorial will teach you how to make rooted clones like this, in a cup of water.

Note: Other cloning methods (particularly aeroponics) make clones grow roots faster. But they’re not as easy.

Learn about buying cannabis clones online if you’re in a real hurry.

Genetic Variation: Some plants are easier and harder to clone than others. It’s not just your skills as a cloner but also genetics and individual variation. Even in professional setups, some strains are slow or hard to clone. So don’t take it personally if a particular strain doesn’t make roots quickly.

How to Clone Marijuana with the Cup Method

This section will take you through the process of cloning step by step. First, you will need a few supplies…

Supplies list

• A cannabis plant with 7″ (18 cm) long branches (these stems become your clones)
• Sharp scissors
• Fresh clean water (spring water is great, but any human-drinkable water will work)
• A cup or container to put your clones in immediately after cutting

Supplies needed for this cloning tutorial (cannabis plant, scissors, water, and a cup)

Optional but not necessary

• Cloning powder and/or cloning gel

The little plants in this picture used to be branches on the plants behind them. Each is a genetic copy of their “mother” cannabis plant.

Will using clear cups hurt the roots? I’ve tried cloning in clear and not-clear cups. As far as I can tell, it didn’t seem to make a difference in rooting rates. I wouldn’t let direct light shine on the roots and make the water hot, but a little ambient light doesn’t seem to bother them.

That being said, if you’re worried the water might get a lot of extra light, then use opaque cups.

I’ve cloned in clear cups and opaque cups like this. Both seem to work the same.

You can clone cannabis in basically any cup or container. This clone made roots in a glass beaker after being left on the kitchen counter. However, small clones take MUCH longer to make roots than bigger ones.

And any clone that takes a long time to root usually isn’t the most vibrant plant. This plant took 30 days to make roots, and then took another 3 weeks to really “get going” as a seedling.

If you want cannabis plants as fast as possible, it’s usually faster to plant a seed than make a clone.

Step-By-Step Cloning Instructions

If this is your first time taking cannabis clones, I recommend only taking cuttings from a vegetative plant that hasn’t started flowering yet.

A vegetative plant is only growing stems and leaves, but no pistils or buds yet. Plants in the vegetative phase tend to root more quickly and easily.

On the other hand, clones taken during the flowering stage may take longer to make roots, and sometimes display odd growth patterns for the first few weeks after rooting. Some people take flowering clones on purpose to take advantage of those growth patterns. This is known as monstercropping but is considered an advanced growing technique.

The goal is to have a rooted clone by the end of the tutorial. Then I’ll show you how to plant your clone in soil, coco, or hydro.

Can you clone autoflower cannabis plants? Not recommended. It’s advised not to take clones from autoflower plants because they often start flowering before they make roots.

Set Up – Prepare for cloning

Get all your cloning supplies ready before you get started. Get your cannabis plant, your glass of water, your scissors, and put them all in the same place so you can smoothly cut clones and stick them immediately in water.

Prepare your space with your plant, scissors, water, and cups. Don’t forget to label your cup with the strain name!

What about cloning gel or cloning powder? You can dip the ends of stems into cloning gel and/or cloning powder, which may help them root more quickly. Many growers find they help plants root faster, but when it comes to this method, I’ve never really noticed much difference between clones that get dipped vs not dipped. However, it definitely can’t hurt and may help you in your individual environment.

What’s the best water to use?  Spring water is my favorite water for cloning (or growing) weed. It doesn’t have all the minerals removed like filtered water or distilled water, and often has a lot less extra random “stuff” than tap water.

Cannabis clones typically respond well to spring water. That being said, I don’t have the option to use spring water all the time so I use tap water. Our local tap water is not great, with high PH and PPM. Yet it works great for growing and cloning weed. Based on my experience talking to other growers, it seems like nearly all human-drinkable water sources work for weed clones to take root.

If your tap water is good enough to drink, it’s good enough for cup cloning (as long as you correct the pH!)

Should I use nutrients in the water clones drink?

I have cloned cannabis in straight spring water as well as with seedling strength nutrients. I have heard the conventional grower wisdom is to use no nutrients and just plain water, because that encourages faster rooting. I have never run dedicated side-by-side experiments, but I didn’t know the convention before I started using this method, and in my experience both seemed to work equally well.

That being said, I don’t include nutrients when cloning cannabis, because nutrients can encourage other stuff to grow in the water (algae, bacteria, etc.).

Any way to prepare the mother plant to make faster clones?

One difference I have noticed is clones seem to root a little faster if the mother plant is a bit pale/low on nutrients, and also if the mother plant is growing fast. I think the clone desperately grows roots to find nutrients and keep up with the growth.

Whereas if the leaves are dark green and full of nutrients, or the mom plant is slow-growing, the clone seems more like to just “live off” the nutrients in the leaf without necessarily being in a hurry to grow roots or get bigger.

So it’s good to pick a fast-growing mother and then not give nutrients for a week before cloning if possible. Get those branches growing fast and craving nutrients so they grow roots as fast as possible.

Step 1 – Identify which branches are at least 7″ (18cm) long on your vegetative plant

For first-time cloners, I recommend cutting clones that are around 7″ (18 cm) tall. That means you need to identify which branches on your plant are at least that long or longer. This size will fit in a typical drinking glass with the leaves able to reach over the top of the glass and “spread their wings” to the light.

Your clones should be big enough to reach over the top of your cup

You can cut a clone that’s shorter than 7″ (18 cm). I’ve successfully cloned a stem as little as 3″ tall). However, shorter clones typically take longer to root and aren’t as vibrant plants on average.

I had one 4″ cutting that didn’t make roots after several weeks. Out of curiosity, I just let it keep going and refilling the cup as the water level got low. I was amazed when it finally sprouted roots 2 months later. If your stems aren’t long enough yet, follow the tips below to get them to quickly grow longer.

How do I make my plant produce longer stems for clones?

• If the stems on your plant are too short (or there aren’t many suitable clone sites or offshoots), you need to encourage the plant to branch out and give the stems time to lengthen
• If you haven’t yet topped the plant, do it now (cut off the top tip of the main stem). This will cause the plant to naturally bush out and develop more side branches.
• A stem on the plant won’t develop without light. Try to gently open up the plant via bending and tie the tallest branches down so all the small shoots get light and start growing.
• Give strong light to your plant so all the newly-exposed shoots grow quickly
• But not too much light. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how far to keep your grow light from plants. Keeping a grow light too close to the plant can slow down plant growth to a crawl. It also tends to keep branches shorter. Learn how too much light can cause light stress.
• Make sure to deal with problems quickly so your plant grows as fast as possible

If you follow these instructions, it should only be a week or two before you have several suitable clone sites.

This stem is 7″ (18 cm) long. Perfect!

What about bigger/taller clones than 7″ (18 cm)? You can definitely take big clones. I’ve seen some growers take 12″ (30 cm) clones or even bigger, especially when using an aerocloner.

Big clones can root in the right environment and one advantage is the plants are already well developed. If you’ve got long branches and want a bunch of tall plants right away, you can often turn those branches into big clones. However, bigger clones can be more likely to wilt immediately because they have a difficult time getting water to their tallest leaves and branches. The other issue with big clones is they already have a set stem structure. With smaller clones, you have the ability to shape the size and shape of the clone via plant training, which can dramatically increase your overall yields indoors under a grow light.

Step 2 – Trim the branches until there are only the top two pairs of leaves

You’re cleaning up the stems so you don’t have leaves sitting underwater in the glass. It’s easier to clean the sides of the stem now than after the clones have already been cut.

Trim the branches in preparation so they’re mostly smooth

I typically leave the top 2-4 fully formed leaves, but each clone is a little different. Make sure there are at least 2 leaves left!

Step 3 – Cut off your clone and immediately put in water

It’s go time! You are about to cut your clones!

Don’t forget to label your cups with the name of the strain because it’s easy to forget which is which.

Try to cut at a 45-degree angle, and make your cut near a node/set of leaves if possible (this may help clones root faster)

Immediately place your new cuttings in water. Don’t wait or the clone may die!

The longer you wait after cutting before putting the stem in the water, the more likely air will get in the stem. Air in the stem causes the clone to immediately droop and start dying. That’s why the new cutting must be put in water immediately (just like when cutting flowers or roses for a vase).

Note: If using cloning gel or powdery, quickly dip the end of the stem first then place in water. Some growers dip in gel first, then powder, then into the water.

Some growers trim the edges of their leaves, especially big leaves. This is because the cutting has trouble getting enough water to the leaves without any roots. That’s why it’s also a good idea to trim leaves if it’s very dry where you live (the leaves evaporate water quickly in dry air, and the plant can’t keep up). It can also help to raise the humidity or use a dome to keep more moisture in the air around clones.

Trim the ends of leaves if they’re big, or if the air is dry (under 30% RH) where you live. Otherwise, feel free to leave them alone.

Step 3 – Place new cuttings in a warm bright spot to make roots

WARNING: Make sure cuttings get at least 16+ hours of light per day or they will start flowering (making buds). Even a small lightbulb is good, but it should be kept very close to the clones.

I have a sunny window that gets really warm, and that’s where I like to put the new cuttings. For the first two days, I leave the blinds mostly closed so they’re getting filtered light. After two days I’ll open the blinds and the window so they’re getting direct sunlight for part of the day.

• Keep clones warm and humid. Roots form much slower if the air is cool or dry.
• Give filtered light for 2 days at first so they have time to adjust
• Then move cuttings to a bright spot with direct-but-not-intense light (for example in a sunny window or under a fluorescent grow light)
• Maintain water levels. If you notice the water level getting low, gently top off with plain water by pouring water down the sides of the inside of the cup.
• Give plants artificial light (like a light bulb kept very close) after the sun goes down too, for a total of 16+ hours of light a day (to prevent plants from flowering)

Should I change the water or just leave it alone? Some growers change the water every day when cloning in a cup to help oxygenate the water, but I personally don’t do that and I’ve never had a problem getting roots to form.

This sunny window is my favorite spot for cup cloning. I angled the blinds so these newly-cut clones get filtered light for a few days before getting full sun. Make sure plants get 16+ hours of light a day to prevent plants from flowering (a light bulb kept close is usually enough after the sun goes out).

Step 4 – Roots typically form within 2-4 weeks

If you’ve followed all the directions here, your cuttings should stay upright and healthy-looking the whole time. After about 2 weeks you may start seeing roots on some plants.

Plant roots look like little nubs at first

They soon develop into more recognizable roots

It’s normal if you notice the bottom of your stems turn brown. That’s just part of the process.

Different cannabis strains/plants root faster than others.

I had an Ocean Fruit plant where every single cutting rooted within 10-12 days. That plant apparently loves being cloned via this method. However, certain plants/strains are just harder to clone than others. I had a Durban Poison plant that took 4 weeks before its cuttings started making roots. All the other plants had rooted all their clones before the first Durban Poison clone made roots. So if your clones are taking a long time to root, it may have nothing to do with you.

Usually some clones have roots within 2-3 weeks. However, it’s normal for some cuttings to take longer than others even from the same plant. You may have some cuttings show roots at week 2, while others from the same plant show their first roots in week 4. It’s a matter of patience. I personally like taking many more clones than needed so I can keep the ones that root first. Those tend to be the fastest-growing plants anyway.

Pay attention to your clones! I completely forgot about these and when I checked on them the roots were grown together and almost all the water was gone!

If your roots grow together, they often can be untangled. Treat them as if you’re gently untangling a knot in someone’s hair. Tug softly and slowly on first one strand, then the others, giving the strands time to unravel and separate from each other. Don’t pull hard or they’ll break!

Now that you have rooted clones, it’s time to install them into their next home.

Not sure whether to put your newly rooted clones in soil, coco, or hydro?

These clones can be used with any grow medium including hydroponics. Once the cuttings have made roots, you install them in your grow medium or hydro reservoir and start treating them like small plants. If you’re looking for a suggestion on the best grow medium for beginners, I’ve had consistently great results with both Coco Loco (soil-based) and Mother Earth Coco + Perlite mix (soilless).

How to Plant Your Rooted Clones in Soil or Coco

1.) Fill your cup half full (or make a 4-5″ deep hole wherever you plan to plant your clone)

2.) Add a little water to the grow medium until it is wet but not soaking, then press down slightly to make a small divet or hole for your roots to fit inside.

When planting your newly rooted clone into a grow medium, you basically want to wet the potting mix first and press down to make a slide indent for your roots.

3.) Gently place your root into the indent you created. If the root is long, you may need to wrap it around in a circle. Avoid using any force, but the roots are pretty flexible.

Having an indent will help keep your roots from touching the sides by giving you an outside “edge” to wrap your roots inside.

If the root is very long, you may need to wrap the root a lot or get creative. Just try to do your best! Once they already have a lot of roots, clones are surprisingly resilient.

If you’re worried about breaking the root, add extra water to the grow medium to make it softer.

4.) Fill the rest of the cup with soil and give a thorough watering.

Try to keep the clone in the middle and upright, but if it’s a little crooked it’s okay. Once the plant is a bit bigger you likely won’t be able to notice.

Try to hold the stem steady in the middle as you fill the cup with soil or coco

Fill to almost the top of the cup with potting mix and then add more water until moist all the way through

5.) Make sure extra water can drain out (plants love good drainage!)

Don’t forget to cut holes out of the bottom so any extra water can drain out. Roots like it wet but not soaking.

I used scissors to cut slits around the edges of the bottom of this cup in order to let any excess water drain out

6.) Give gentle light at first. I leave them in the filtered light of a west-facing window. If you put them under direct light immediately, they can droop or wilt. Once they’ve acclimated to their new home for a day  or two and still look happy and healthy, you should be able to start giving them direct light. Within a week it should be growing fast and happy.

7.) Enjoy your new plants!

How to Plant Your Rooted Clones in Hydroponics

Placing these rooted clones in hydroponics is simple and quick. You could plant your clone directly in the clay pebbles, but the following system makes it a bit easier. You probably already have seedling plugs in your grow room if you’re growing with hydroponics.

1.) Get a seedling plug such as Rapid Rooters (or whatever plugs you typically use with your system).

This will be used to hold your clone and keep it anchored where you want.

Any seedling plugs will work to install your clone, but I personally like Rapid Rooters for hydroponic setups

2.) Cut the plug open lengthwise

Take your seedling plug and cut it open lengthwise.

3.) Wrap the plug around the stem of your rooted clone.

Wrap the plug around the stem. This supports the stem so it’s stable and easier to install into a hydroponic system

4.) Install the plug into your hydroponic system just like you normally would. Thread the roots through the bottom holes of your net pot  (or cut a hole in your net pot for the roots if they’re too big) and fill in the rest of the way with hydroton to hold seedling in place.

Make sure there is at least an inch of air underneath the very bottom of the stem. You don’t want the water level coming up to the actual stem or it tends to get mushy and hurt the plant (same with seed-grown plants).

Whenever growing cannabis in hydro, always give roots some air to breathe before they touch the water. Oxygen makes the plants grow faster and helps prevent root problems.

As long as you have lots of bubbles in your reservoir, you should have enough water splashing up on the roots that they stay moist even though they’re above the water line. The roots will grow longer until they’re actually dangling in the water, and that’s when clones really take off!

Learn more about growing in hydroponics

Once the roots hit the reservoir your plants will take off!

Hydro tip: Don’t disturb the roots because you enjoy checking on them.

Young cannabis roots find their “spot” in the water and are susceptible to root rot if you move them too much (like the above picture).

If possible, try to always check the roots through a port so you don’t disturb them. If you do disturb the roots, pay close attention to make sure the roots don’t get twisted or tangles by the bubbles. Baby roots want to be left alone so they can roam free and find their personal spot.

One plant roots are a bit thicker, they can’t get twisted anymore. At that point, your thickened cannabis plant roots are remarkably tough.

Established cannabis roots in hydro are tough.

From then on, hydro may be the easiest cannabis grow style.

Learn how to grow cannabis in hydro.

Easy-to-Clone Cannabis Strains

These cannabis strains tend to clone easier than average, though every plant is different.

Medium Potency Strains

These strains make about 15-20% THC. That’s a lot stronger than weed from 20 years ago, but if you’re getting high-potency strains at a dispensary in California, these will feel about medium strength. I like medium potency buds in joints or a long smoking session with friends.

• Blue Dream – Most of the true “classic” photoperiod strains are great at cloning. It’s clone-friendly genetics that tend to proliferate so widely. I like this Seed Supreme version of Blue Dream. When I grew it, the Blue Dream was the highest yielding plant in the tent. Plants tend to grow fast and get big. Buds smell sweet and nice. Buzz is classic and long-lasting.
• Panama – A great choice that produces well outdoors and smells great. Easy to clone, easy to grow, thrives in the heat, loves lots of sun. Plants need a longer grow season, so not the best choice if it gets cold or rainy early in the autumn where you live.
• Northern Lights – A low-odor strain that is ready to harvest faster than most other strains, indoors or out. Big buds, easy to grow, tends to stay short. If you want a quick, stealthy harvest that doesn’t take a lot of work or care, Northern Lights is made for that. Performs well outdoors in cooler climates.

Northern Lights – Easy to clone, low smell, big buds.

High Potency Strains

These strains make up to 30%% THC. The buds effects feel strong to most cannabis enthusiasts. Great for edibles, tinctures, and canna caps that work all day.

• Godfather OG – This strain can be overwhelming unless you’re experienced with high potency strains. Easy to grow. Loves lots of light. Give it an extra week or two before harvesting if you want to hit maximum THC potency and yields.
• Black Cat Kush – This strain tends to thrive indoors and out, with delicious smell, beautiful bud structure, and strong effects. Some of the plants grow green buds, while others grow dark purple buds that can look almost black after drying.
• Hash Burger – A trendy new strain that has it all: high THC, easy to grow, unique smell, above average yields. And easy to clone.

A closeup of Godfather OG buds by Harold

A Godfather OG harvest by Dane.

If you’re in a hurry to get clones right away, learn how to buy cannabis clones directly online.

About Nebula Haze & GrowWeedEasy.com

GrowWeedEasy.com was created in 2010 by Nebula Haze and Sirius Fourside to help people around the world learn how to grow great weed at home. Through our free resources, books, and courses, we help growers get better results with simple, step-by-step cannabis growing tutorials. Always real grows and real pictures based on actual home grow experience.

You might like this other “cup based” cannabis content:

• Solo cup challenge: big yields in a tiny cup
• Portable cup bong review (my favorite stealthy smoking method)

Other cool tutorials about cannabis clones and cloning:

• Can I buy cannabis clones online?
• Aeroponics: The fastest way to clone weed
• How to make a bonsai mother for unlimited clones

The post How to Clone Weed in a Cup of Water appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

This tutorial is a condensed version of the classic “How to Keep a Bonsai Mum” article written by the legendary Oldtimer1. Although the original article was published in 2000, this bonsai training method recently resurfaced and has become popular for hobbyist cannabis growers without a lot of space. With so many people growing at home these days, this technique is more useful now than ever.

Free Clones Forever! (How do I make clones?) These 8-month-old marijuana bonsai mother plants are based on this tutorial. In addition to the sunny window, a bright lightbulb shines nearby for 14+ hours a day to keep them in the vegetative stage. An easy and fun way to hold onto genetics! ~Nebula Haze

This tutorial will teach you how to turn a cannabis plant into a bonsai mother (giving you access to unlimited free clones!)

But what is a mother plant? A “mother” is a plant you keep alive so you can take clones whenever you want (the clones are the “children” which is where the term “mother” comes from). Learn how to clone cannabis plants in a cup of water (easiest but slow), with seedling plugs (almost as easy but faster), or in an aerocloner (fastest). One common reason growers keep mothers is to save money by producing new cannabis plants for free (or at least basically free). The other is to hold onto good genetics. If you have a plant that grows beautifully and produces good yields of high-quality bud, you may want to save the genetics so you can grow the plant again in a future grow. A clone will grow the same as the mother plant.

Instead of having to pay for each seed from a seed bank, a mother plant can be used to create almost unlimited new clones of itself. In addition to not costing anything, new clones are more predictable than seeds from random crosses. Seeds carry a mix of traits from both parent plants, some of which may be recessive attributes, while each clone consistently grows just like the mother.

Taking clones can save a ton of money versus buying seeds because each new plant is simply cut off the mother and grown into a full plant

Cloning can be a big money saver over buying individual seeds, but frugality isn’t the only reason to keep mother plants. Sometimes it’s about saving great genetics. Certain cannabis plants are so special they beg to be cloned so more people can enjoy them. If you ever identify a particularly great plant, you can actually take clones of it and turn them into mother plants. You can even take clones in the flowering stage if you just can’t let a certain plant go. 

Clones are made by cutting off the ends of branches and planting those pieces so they grow roots. These “cuttings” grow into full plants that are a genetic clone of the mother. When you grow and harvest them, the characteristics will be basically identical to the mother plant.

Why would you want a bonsai mother?

Unlike a commercial grower, most home growers don’t have a lot of grow space to dedicate purely to housing mother plants. Keeping each mother small, like a bonsai tree, lets you maintain a huge selection of genetics in a small grow space without very much electricity. 

The bonsai mother technique has become a staple for indoor growers who want to keep a huge variety of genetics in a small cannabis garden. This version of the tutorial cuts out extra discussion and leaves just the instructions with pictures. This way you can get straight to bonsai-ing. But if you ever have a little extra time for some fun and interesting discussion, I highly recommend reading the original article in its entirety by Oldtimer1.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create and maintain many small mother plants in a tiny grow space. Each mother plant can produce hundreds of new clones over time, so you basically gain the power to produce unlimited new plants for free! 

Example of a bonsai plant by Don de Marco

Part 1: How to Create a Bonsai Mother Plant

This tutorial will show you how to create a fully established bonsai mother plant.

This bonsai mother, if well-fed, will be able to produce 10 to 30 good cuttings every 14 days under an HID grow light, or every 20 days under a fluorescent grow light. This means a 4 ft x 2 ft shop light with 18 mother plants could produce an output of over 9500 cuttings a year.

Typical Bonsai Mum

That’s not intensive production, but it allows the connoisseur to keep a good selection of strain varieties in a relatively small space.

1.) Put Chosen Mother in a Square Pot

Let’s start by turning a rooted cutting into a mother plant. This is simple. With every batch of clones, there are always a few that stand out because they generally appear sturdier and better looking overall. Pick one or two of these to make your mother plant. Remember this mother plant will provide you with cuttings 4 to 18 times a year for the next 3 to 15 years, so only the best will do.

Note: I find square pots are much easier to deal with when it comes to root pruning, as you will see later.

Pick a fully rooted through cutting and put it in a 2.5-inch square pot.

2.) Cut the plant short so it only has 3-4 growing tips left

Once you’ve chosen your cutting, trim its top back to leave 3 or 4 side shoots.
Top view

3.) Manipulate the plant into an “open cup” shape (open up the middle as the plant grows)

The little branches you left from before will become the main framework of your mother plant. The goal is to try to get them to form an open cup shape as they grow. The top 2 branches usually grow the fastest unless you take steps to even everything out. The following sequence helps you create a more symmetrical plant.

• “Top” the two tallest branches when they get to about 5 inches long (pinch or snip off the growing tip just above a leaf node).
• Once the remaining branches catch up to the same height as the ones you just topped, top/pinch the growing tips off them as well.
• This process of topping multiple branches will encourage side shoots to form.
• Remove any branches that grow into the central cup shape.

4.) Take first set of clones

After completing the last step, you should have 6 to 8 leading branches coming up. When they reach 4 to 6 inches long, they can be taken as your first set of clones.

• Cut them back to just above the first leaf node of the new growth

Note: Check out Part 3 of this tutorial (below) for more details and pictures of taking clones

After the cuttings have been taken, the mum is only a tiny bit larger than the last time she was cut back but the main branches will be starting to get thicker.

5.) Move mother plant to bigger pot

After you’ve taken the first set of cuttings, it’s time to move up to the next pot size. A 3-inch sq pot is ideal.

6.) You’ve got a bonsai mother!

You should now have 12 to 16 leading shoots, as well as others coming up from lower nodes. In total, there may be 30 potential clones or more. Any really thin ones or any growing into the center, either cut back to one node or remove altogether instead of taking cuttings.

Here are bonsai mothers at different stages

In the picture:

1. The trimmed cutting from above.
2. Has had 2 sets of cuttings taken off and is more than ready to move to a 3-inch pot. As you can see it is a little short of Nitrogen, which is why it’s better to transplant to fresh soil after the first set of cuttings.
3. This mother plant is in a 3-inch pot. 12 cuttings have been taken with 2 left on to show where to cut back to.
4. This is a five-year-old Mum that has just had 32 cuttings taken off and could do with some more small twiggy bits removed. She is in a 1-liter pot and has been since she was 3 months old.

Note how all have an open center; this allows light to both the center and the outside. It will fill in between taking cuttings but if pruned back to this form, makes better and more even growth giving more good cuttings each time.

General Care and Maintenance

The mother plants need just enough nutrients to keep them healthy. Feed nutrients at half-strength twice a month. This keeps them in good general health but doesn’t overfeed them. If you want faster production at any point change to a full-strength feed once or twice. Every 2 to 4 weeks a new batch of cuttings are taken even if they are not needed and just put in the worm bin. You can think of it as being like having to mow the lawn and keeps the mum the same size and form for years. Because so much is taken away they can get short of macronutrients so every month or so give them a foliar spray or light dose of nutrients. Judge this by how the plants are looking not by a timetable.

One of the main things that all growers need to learn is regular close observation to know when they are healthy and notice the first signs of deficiencies appearing.

Part 2: Root Pruning (Renovation and Maintenance)

Bonsai mother plants will need root pruning once or twice a year to stay healthy. The frequency depends on how intensively they are fed and how good your water quality is.

Note: The root pruning method stays the same whether it’s being used for routine maintenance or renovation of a sick plant.

Here we are dealing with a 7-year-old mother plant that hasn’t been root trimmed for nearly a year and was deliberately neglected for the last 10 weeks so you could see the recovery.
First, trim back nearly all the top growth back to the main framework of branches. Leave one or two tiny shoots at the tip of each branch to draw sap and keep the branch alive.

Don’t remove all the shoots and buds because this often causes “die back”. Once that starts the whole plant usually dies within a month or two. But you’re good as long as you leave a few small shoots, even if they’re yellow from lacking Nitrogen. They will soon start to grow and green up as the new roots start forming!

Next, the rootball should have 3/4 of an inch cut off each side and an inch off the bottom.

This reduces the 4.5 x 4.5 x 4.5 inch rootball to 3 x 3 x 3.5 inches high after the loose soil is scraped from the top.

This means that two-thirds of the soil is being replaced. A good full strength organic compost is used when repotting and it only takes a day or two for the roots to really start growing into the new compost.  It is very important to make sure there are no voids or air gaps left when packing the sides, use a pencil or small dibber, fill slowly and firm lightly.

Set the bottom of the rootball on about 3/4 of an inch of compost then pack out the sides and finally cover the top with a 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch. This means the mother is planted 1/4 inch deeper every time root pruning is done about 1/2 an inch a year. In a couple of years from now I will cut down vertically and split the plant in two as the side branch will have a root system of its own. Using this method the roots are constantly being replaced and as well the main trunk replaced slowly. This seems to keep the bonsai mother plants healthy for many years.

The last picture is 12 days under an HPS light after the root and top pruning. It tells its own story! Already there are enough nice leaders to make 10 good cuttings.

The second mother of our selected “ES” line lasted for just over 15 years using this method. I have also kept prized males for breeding (bonsai father plants) in this pot size and some are over 5 years old.

That’s it. You should have all the info you need to make and root cuttings in compost and make and maintain bonsai mother plants. It’s easy, give it a go!

Part 3: How to Take Clones from Bonsai Mother Plants

This section covers my cloning system in detail, along with a brief outline about our mother plants. Every grower can get the same results by imitating this easy organic system.

Mother plants are kept so their roots are restricted using standard bonsai methodology and techniques. It is an excellent method for keeping mother plants long-term and has proved a very reliable system since we developed this method 24 years ago (editor: from the year 2000, so around 1976). The longest I’ve kept a mother like this without having to be replaced is just over 15 years.

On average….

• Replace pure indicas every 3 years
• Replace hybrids every 4 to 5 years
• Replace pure sativas every 6 to 7 years.

Of course, it depends on the care they are given, and every strain is different. These days most plants are hybrids and you don’t find much “pure” anything, but this can be a helpful guide. Male plants can be kept in the same way and in fact will stand more abuse than mother plants.

My Clone, Mother and Father box

It’s a double deck with two 4ft x 2 ft lights each with 4 x 40w cool white fluorescent lights.

Clone, Mother and Father box

270 rooted cuttings, in plugs ready to go into pots. Close-up of top tray right

One of the big advantages of using bonsai mother plants is that each only needs a maximum of 8 x 8 inches. So a 2 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft high box with a 4-tube fluorescent shop light can hold 9 mothers. We call the plants we keep Mums and Dads; not to be confused with chrysanthemums 🙂

I once read a quote in High Times that said you get genetic degeneration by keeping mother plants long term – this is total rubbish!

Degeneration can certainly occur if a mother plant gets infected with a reversion virus, but the buds produced today from our mother plants is just as potent and good-smelling as when it was first grown out from seed many years ago. In fact, it is better now. We have better lighting and superior growing techniques, allowing the clones to express their potential more fully.

This is our largest mother plant in a 1-liter pot (the largest size used). With all the top growth pictured she is about 13 inches tall and ready to take cuttings. Inset is a cutting being clipped out see below.

I use fine-point scissors for trimming the plants, they are fast and easy to use. Quick enough to do 2 to 3 cuttings a minute. Forget the stories that they bruise the stem and cause rot, it’s rubbish! They do need to be sharp, so buy a new pair and keep them just for this task. As far as hygiene is concerned, providing all your mother plants are free of virus, simply put them through the dishwasher after every session to get rid of the sap build up. This keeps them free and easy to use.

How to prepare the cuttings (refer to picture below)

1. This tip is ready to get prepared for rooting
2. Snip off the side shoot and leaf the node you want to root.
3. Cut just below the node you want to root.
4. Dip the trimmed node in rooting hormone.

How to Insert the Cuttings

1. Use a 3.5-inch square pot to root in
2. Fill with half perlite and half universal compost or rich potting soil
3. The mix is pre-soaked with water dosed with 1 ml of 35% or 2ml per litre of 17.5% H2O2 and 5 ml of Maxicrop Liquid Seaweed
4. Then the cuttings are dibbed into the compost, 9 to 12 per pot
5. The dibbed cuttings are then watered in using a fine rose same mix as above to settle them in.
6. Cover with a plastic bag and put under constant 24-hour lighting
7. Preferably cool-white fluorescent lighting at 20 w per sq foot and a temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Inserting cuttings and covering with bag

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“There are a number of reasons for not rooting directly into plug trays.”

Let’s look at what we need from a rooted cutting… We want one that is suited to growing in a confined space i.e. a pot. They are as closely matched as possible. To get good yields from a grow, uniformity is the rule. It is no good having one plant that produces 50 grams when its 2 neighbors only produce 15 grams each. They are identical stock but this is what is often seen in grow after grow. It is much better to try and get all the plants averaging 35 grams well within the capacity of the stock line of a plant that can make 50 grams.

Remember we are talking about growing in soil-based or soilless compost mixes. The root type that the cutting produces is very important, lots of fine feeder roots are the ideal, anchor and tap roots are totally unwanted when growing in a pot. Remember the amount feeder root mass directly effects the potential crop weight

The 3.5-inch pots are 4 inches high; the rooting mix is very open with low nutrient content. This encourages early taproot development. Not all the cuttings will have rooted at the same time, so when they are transferred to the plug trays the root balls are trimmed to the same size and the tap root is removed, this goes a long way towards equalizing the clones. Once they are transferred as below they tend to stay pretty even and grow on rapidly. To show what we are looking for some equalized clones grown on and just put into flower. There are several varieties in this grow and there is not more than an inch or so between plants in each variety. They are placed by variety to make a stadium effect and make maximum use of light.

Around ten days later the cuttings will have rooted through. The rootball is gently broken up, each cutting has its roots trimmed back to equalize the cuttings and make them fit the plug tray! Full-strength peat or coir compost using organic base fertilizers are used for this.

Then they are put back in the Clone/Mother box for about 5/6 more days until thoroughly rooted through, this is very important at all stages of repotting! Fully rooted plants just jump ahead when moved on– we have found that plants moved into bigger pots too early typically produce 25% to 30% less final crop weight!

Moving the rooted cuttings to plug trays.

Cuttings in plug trays a few days later ready to move on to their first pots.

Showing a cutting out of the plug tray, fully rooted out and ready to go.

Cuttings like this can be taken from any plants in the vegetative stage.

That’s it… you are ready to grow!

(by Oldtimer1. Foreward and adaptation by Nebula Haze of GrowWeedEasy.com)

The post How to Create a Bonsai Mother for Unlimited Clones appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

GrowWeedEasy.com teaches you the secrets of cannabis home grow.

• Start Here: How to grow weed
• Get Seeds: Safe seed sources
• Sick Plants? See the plant doctor
• When to Harvest? Harvest guide

Get cannabis seeds at Seed Supreme or see our full list of our favorite cannabis seed banks.

Growing weed is easy when you know what to do, but most “how to grow marijuana” tutorials leave you feeling like you need a degree in horticulture.

GrowWeedEasy.com only contains useful cannabis grow tips, tactics, and lessons from actual home growers with years of growing experience.

Even a total beginner can consistently produce top-shelf weed by following our step-by-step home grow tutorials. 100% written by humans who care.

Who Made GrowWeedEasy.com?

Grow Weed Easy.com was started in 2010 by home growers Nebula Haze and Sirius Fourside. Together, we built a free online “encyclopedia of cannabis home grow” with 650+ expert home cannabis cultivation tutorials about every aspect of growing weed.

GrowWeedEasy.com is now the biggest and most comprehensive source of free home grow information in the world.  We show you how easy it is to grow your own marijuana at home.

The GrowWeedEasy.com Ethos

Our Goal: You grow as much top-shelf weed as possible, with as little time and effort needed to grow your desired yields and cannabis bud quality.

Whether you’re a total beginner who wants to start growing cannabis indoors for the first time, or an experienced grower who wants to upgrade your skills to Pro level, this website was built for you.

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If you want dense, beautiful, great-smelling weed, our new digital book gives you our complete harvest system. Follow the straightforward instructions and massively upgrade your next harvest. A few small changes can make a huge difference to your results.

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🌟 $200 Off Special Offer: Enroll today in Home Grow Masterclass!

If you’re reading this right now, you want to grow great cannabis at home.

Cannabis plants isn’t a regular house plant, but learning how to grow isn’t as complicated growers make it seem. We’ve spent the last 16 years breaking down the home grow process so anyone can learn it.

The key to consistent harvest results is simple: follow a proven system developed for home growers.

You could waste an entire grow learning through trial and error…

Or take the shortcut and harvest a sea of fat, dense, beautiful buds that smell great. At home!

Follow our 5-week course and get walked through each part step-by-step. Build by experienced home growers and honed with hundreds of students since 2019, we ensure you achieve great results on your very next harvest.

Learn How To Grow Top-Shelf Weed at Home!

Start Your First Class TODAY!

You may be asking yourself these common growing questions:

“How do I grow marijuana indoors?”

Read this guide on how to grow marijuana indoors. Or check out this article to learn what materials you need to get started growing your own marijuana!

Luckily, it’s really easy to get a cannabis seed to sprout!

“How much money will it cost to get started?”

If you’re considering growing weed, it costs as little as $300 to get started growing or a bit more for a semi-automatic, high-yielding bubbleponics grow system. See examples of yields to expect, electricity use & startup costs for different setups. Read this article to see even more growing styles with different price ranges.

“Where can I get marijuana seeds?”

Check out our How to Buy Marijuana Seeds Online Guide (with delivery to every state of the USA) to safely get your hands on good genetics. Starting with good seeds lets you choose the looks, smell, and effects of your buds!

Learn where it’s safe to buy cannabis seeds online (2026 update).

What do good cannabis seeds look like?

Learn about the best marijuana beginner strains and how to research and find the right strain.

Cannabis buds are generally green, but can also be pink or purple with certain strains.

“How much will electricity cost each month?”

If you’re just growing a few marijuana plants for personal use, it will cost you $20-$100+/month for electricity, depending on what grow lights (electricity) and nutrients you use. On average, I’d say a hobby-size grower might pay about $50/month to grow, but it depends greatly on your setup and local electricity costs! How much will electricity cost each month?

“How can I increase my marijuana yields?”

We have quite a few techniques to choose from or combine! See some of our most popular pages:

• Super Cropping – A simple technique to bigger yields
• Simplest Guide to Growing Short & Bushy Marijuana Plants
• LST (Low Stress Training) – Training your plants can easily double your harvest!
• Or check out our page on the controversial defoliation technique

Even More Ways to Increase Cannabis Yields

1. Increase Light Intensity (plus choose right light for desired yields & possibly add CO2)
2. Manipulate How Plants Grow (a free way to yield more bud indoors)
3. Provide Right Nutrients (low Nitrogen in the flowering stage, and remember sometimes less is more!)
4. Control Growing Environment (let the growing environment work for you)
5. Harvest Plants Properly (most importantly, don’t harvest early!)
6. Lastly, it’s important to remember that the strain has a major effect on yields!

Two small cannabis plants can yield several ounces of premium weed!

“How can I grow weed privately?”

Read guide on growing weed indoors without anyone knowing. But remember the most important factors to stealth growing: “No tell, no smell, no sell.” Never tell anyone, not even your best friend, that you’re growing. Be on top of preventing smells, and never ever sell cannabis. Breaking one of those 3 principles is how 99% of growers get found out!

“What if my plants get sick?”

The most common issue a grower runs into is a pH imbalance. Barring that, your marijuana plants likely either have a nutrient deficiency, heat or light stress, or are being attacked by some sort of marijuana mold, pest or bug. Whether you call it weed, cannabis, sinsemilla, skunk, pot, marijuana, or something else, the plant known as Cannabis Sativa is a hardy weed in the wild and can actually be easy to grow indoors at home when you know what to do.

Growing Medical Marijuana

“Medical marijuana” has become a household name. The body of evidence for medical marijuana in the treatment of cancer and other illnesses is growing every day. And for those who need medical marijuana, growing weed indoors is the perfect way to ensure a safe, regular supply of buds, for cheap.

In fact, when you grow weed indoors for personal use, you often end up with way too much. If you catch the growing bug like I did, and if you start enjoying the process of tending your cannabis garden just for the sake of gardening, you’re going to have to find a way to press, cook, freeze, and concentrate all your extra buds. 🙂

As you probably know, both medical marijuana and recreational cannabis have been decriminalized or legalized in many places around the world and weed is becoming legal in more places every day! Yet there still aren’t many simple indoor “how to grow weed” guides for beginners (even for those who legally grow, such as medical marijuana users and those who live in places where marijuana is legalized for personal use).

If so, I know how you feel. It can be hard to weed out all the bad information on the internet and find well-researched, free tips or instructions on how to grow your own cannabis. That’s why Grow Weed Easy.com aims to be a simple online resource that explains from start to finish what you need to do when growing cannabis so you can learn how to grow cannabis with great yields and potent buds, even if you only have a small grow space like a closet or even a computer case.

We’ve grown cannabis out of closets and have gotten ounces of buds and you can too. Grow Weed Easy.com covers many popular cannabis cultivation topics, including:

• A comparison between different cannabis grow lights including experience-based information about LED grow lights
• A page that teaches you the basics of how to grow weed
• Detailed how-to weed growing tutorials
• How to start growing weed tomorrow  (simplest cannabis growing guide!)
• Grow 4 oz with a 100W LED <– An Easy Way to Start Growing!
• Our famous grow guide that teaches you how to grow weed using bubbleponics (hydro).

Start Growing Weed Today!

Grow Weed Easy is run by a panel of experienced cannabis growers, including the founders Nebula Haze and Sirius Fourside, who originally teamed together to bring you GrowWeedEasy.com. Due to the demand for more marijuana growing information, we’ve also started an inbox magazine all about how to grow weed, with additional tutorials, tips, and tactics sent to you each week. Simply sign up to start getting free expert growing articles delivered to you! All the information available at GrowWeedEasy.com is completely free and we regularly update the site and make new additions.

Looking for a growing book?

If you are interested in doing a bit of reading or would like to know more about the science behind marijuana hydroponics or horticulture, I strongly recommend viewing our page of Marijuana Grow Book Reviews. Read reviews of marijuana grow books. We would love to hear about your experiences with growing cannabis. Whether you are a pro grower already or are just starting your first plant, we have learned so much from our readers both beginners and masters! If you have any suggestions, comments, concerns, or just want to ask some questions about your marijuana grow, please contact us!

Happy Growing!
Nebula Haze & Sirius Fourside

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The post Grow Weed Easy – Learn How to Grow Cannabis Tutorials appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Many beginner cannabis growers struggle because they pick the wrong marijuana strain. After 16 years of teaching home growers, I recommend beginner-friendly cannabis strains like Blue Dream, Mandarin Cookies, or Purple Ghost Candy for reliable germination, healthier growth, better bud quality and bigger yields. Learn where to safely buy cannabis seeds online.

Blue Dream naturally grows long and fat buds, even for beginners.

Recommended beginner strain #1: Blue Dream

This is my #1 beginner cannabis strain. This particular version of Blue Dream (the Seed Supreme version) took over 5 years of dedicated breeding, and has developed into a masterpiece that checks all the boxes.

The good:

• Easy to grow – Reliable seed germination, and the resulting seedlings grow fast. Not picky about nutrients. Plants respond well to topping and bending. Can handle stronger light and higher temps than other strains.
• Crazy yields – Even if left alone without any training, plants naturally make lots of branchy bud sites with enormous buds.
• Lovely smell – Classic sweet “Blue Dream” odor (no funk or skunk). Could be a good “stealth” strain because it has an overall lighter smell.
• Special potency – Smooth and lovely smoke that won’t put you to sleep, but you feel it. Get long-lasting and relaxing effects without being weighed down. Blue Dream is a legend for a reason.

Blue Dream – Fast, easy to grow, gets big. Huge yields. Indoors and Outdoors.

Watch out for:

• Plants grow big & FAST – Plants grow faster than most other strains, so it can quickly overtake other plants in the grow space. Outdoor plants can overgrow a greenhouse or get taller than the fence. It can help to keep the plant in a 7-gallon pot (or smaller) to limit height.
• Flowering Stretch – Plants grow 2-3x in size after you initiate 12/12, so make sure to initiate when plant is half the final height, and bend over any tall branches for the first 3-4 weeks after 12/12. You will be rewarded with a sea of colas.
• Big bud problems – Buds get bigger and bigger for a surprisingly long time. After a while they can become susceptible to bud rot. Indoors, add a gentle oscillating fan blowing on buds if they get wider than two fingers.
• May Need to Harvest Earlier – Watch out for bananas after 10 weeks or so. They may pop up via the “rhodelization” mechanism, which for this strain, is a sign the plant is done and buds are ready to harvest. Even if buds have lots of white hairs left, you may be surprised to find buds are solid underneath.

Some of those Blue Dream buds after drying (See the Blue Dream grow journal)

Recommended beginner strain #2: Purple Ghost Candy 

I love this strain, which was developed by Seedsman over several years.

I have grown it multiple times, and every plant produced big, sparkly, dense buds. Plants and leaves usually turn purple, but buds only sometimes turn purple.

Very tall, forgiving plants, but they get HUGE quickly, so give them room just like the Blue Dream. In fact, this strain pairs really well with the Blue Dream because they can keep up with each other. Branchy  plants with lots of bud sites.

Note: Purple Ghost Candy produces VERY potent buds. Not for the first-time smoker. Lovely sweet smell, though much stronger than the Blue Dream.

 Purple Ghost Candy is forgiving to mistakes (See our full home grow review)

Purple Ghost Candy buds are STRONG. Don’t plan to do something else that day.

Recommended beginner strain #3: Mandarin Cookies

Another personal favorite strain. It is one of the most popular Ethos Genetics strains since it first came out. Pungent sweet diesel smell, with strong hints of citrus and cookies. Buds are literally encrusted with sticky trichomes. Even the leaves close to buds are good enough to smoke. Extremely potent yet anti-anxiety, “chill” and happy effect. Perfect for relaxing after a hard day, enhancing creative pursuits, or just making a funny show funnier. Plants are easy to grow and produce great bud quality even if you make some mistakes.

Those Mandarin Cookies buds after being dried and cured. HAPPY RELAXATION EFFECT.

When I first started growing cannabis, I was so excited to finally pick my own strains, but I was also very confused about marijuana strains.

Hopefully, learning about 3 different beginner-friendly strains has started to give you an idea of what makes each marijuana strain different.

These 5 different strains made wildly different buds. See the grow journal.

But you probably still have so many questions… What’s the difference between strains? Which strains are most potent, and what about yields? What other strains are great for beginner growers? Let me break it down.

Does strain actually matter? YES!

Cannabis strain effects:

• Seed germination rates
• How plants grow
• How buds develop
• Smell, potency, taste
• And more!

Years of non-stop experimentation and breeding for positive traits has resulted in a superabundance of available strains. The sheer number of choices can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, it’s pretty fun to shop for cannabis strains when you start with a little bit of information. Choosing the best strain for you is rewarding.

Based on personal experience, I’ve put together a list of popular cannabis strains with exceptional genetics which makes them…well, just plain better to grow.

I’ll explain why I picked each strain so you can use the knowledge to further your own research and help you pick the ultimate strain for your next cannabis harvest!

Click for a strain that is…

• Quick – Fastest Time to Harvest
• Easy – Most Forgiving and Easy to Grow
• Big Yields – Produce As Much Bud as Possible
• Special Potency – Specific Effects, Legendary Strains, Cup Winners, etc.

Plus some bonus info about…

• Strains that Thrive in Small Spaces
• Medical Marijuana Strains
• Further Strain Research

​Want to grow more than one strain at the same time?
Learn about growing multiple strains together!

This is Amnesia by Greenhouse Seeds (manifold technique used to maximize bud size)

Super Skunk can be a great strain for medical marijuana patients, but is it the best cannabis strain for all growers? Unfortunately, there is no “best” of anything, including cannabis strains. The good news is there’s tons of amazing strain choices no matter what you’re looking for. This article will help you find the best strain for you. Here are a few quick favorites, then on to the main article!

Dos Si Dos 33 by Barney’s Farm (grown by Max)

Platinum Cookies by Seed Supreme

Quick – Fastest Time to Harvest

For when the most important thing is getting to your next cannabis harvest as fast as possible!

When it comes to trying to get to harvest as quickly as possible, your best choice is often to grow an auto-flowering strain of cannabis. With an auto-flowering strain, you’ll have the option to harvest your plant 2-3 months from seed germination, and it’s typical to harvest 1-3 ounces off each plant. Under powerful grow lights with a big pot and with some room to grow, auto-flowering plants can produce 5-6 ounces per plant or even more.

Auto-flowering strains tend to stay small and grow fast, while still producing excellent yields and bud quality

Although there are quick-flowering or “fast” photoperiod strains, they are rarely ready to harvest in less than 3 months from seed. That means you can usually get an even quicker harvest with auto-flowering seeds.

Auto-flowering seeds grow plants with some unique qualities:

• Ready to harvest 2-3 months from seed – quickest time to harvest of any strain of cannabis (though there are some auto-flowering strains that have been bred to take longer and get bigger, most are ready to harvest in 3 months or less)
• Autos don’t need special light periods – “Regular” (photoperiod) plants need 12 hours of darkness each day in order to make buds, while autos will make buds and be ready to harvest no matter what light schedule they receive. This can be helpful if you can’t avoid light leaks, or if you want to keep your lights on all the time (for example if you need your lights on to keep plants warm)
• Relaxing effects from higher CBD – Many auto-flowering strains (though not all) have 1% CBD levels or higher from their Ruderalis ancestry. This can make buds more relaxing with more of an anti-anxiety effect, also reducing some of the inner “racing” mental effects some people get from cannabis. This means that auto-flowering strains can be a good choice for medical marijuana patients, or those who’d like to get extra relaxed from their buds. However, these days there are also some very high THC, low CBD auto-flowering strains which provide more of a psychedelic “in your head” experience, especially those that have been hybridized with Sativa and Haze strains.
• Need your full attention first few weeks – Auto-flowering strains are generally pretty easy to grow, but you’re on a strict time schedule. During the first several weeks, it’s incredibly important you pay close attention to your plants and react quickly to any problems. If an auto-flowering plant runs into major problems during the first part of its life, you may end up with tiny plants and tiny yields because an auto-flowering plant stops growing bigger after about 6 weeks. However, when nurtured through the first few weeks, these strains can produce surprisingly high yields in a crazy short amount of time.
• Crucial to pick a good auto-flowering breeder – the ancestor of all auto-flowering strains was a type of wild hemp with low levels of THC. As a result, the original auto-flowering strains were generally poor yielding and far less potent than photoperiod plants. Luckily, we now have dedicated breeders who put a lot of focus on breeding auto-flowering strains (Mephisto Genetics, Sweet Seeds, Nirvana, Seed Supreme & Dutch Passion are some famous auto-flowering breeders that cater to home growers, though many new breeders are appearing on the scene). As a result, modern auto strains have been carefully bred for many generations to be just as potent as their photoperiod counterparts. When you choose a good autoflowering strain, you’ll be very happy with your bud quality. Yet because there are poor genes out there, it’s important to avoid unscrupulous breeders and choose a trustworthy breeder to ensure you grow excellent genetics.

Here are 5 recommended auto-flowering strains for beginners (and connoisseurs!)

• Quickest Time to Harvest – Green Crack Auto by Fast Buds – The breeder Fast Buds is known for producing stabilized autoflowering strains with extremely fast harvests. One thing I like about Fast Buds is you always get exactly what they tell you to expect in the strain details. Their Green Crack Auto strain is the result of generations of careful breeding. The resulting buds have a creative, energetic effect that also comes with a body “buzz” and is ready to harvest as soon as 2 months from seed germination. However, giving the plant an extra week or two before harvesting can dramatically increase your yields and bud potency. This strain produces dense chunky buds that look beautiful and have a lovely fruity skunky scent.

Green Crack Auto buds are covered in trichomes (grown by Crazyhorse)

• Most Forgiving Auto-Flowering Strains – Happy Valley Genetics produces extremely forgiving auto-flowering strains, especially Shortcut Auto and Easy Button Auto. These are the definition of easy-to-grow autoflowering strains. Shortcut stays short and small, while Easy Button grows to a medium size. But if you’re looking for a really fruity yet forgiving autoflowering strain, the crowd favorite is Pineapple Daddy Auto. All three strains are ready to harvest in under 70 days from germination, yet produce surprisingly big yields with bud potency above 20% THC.

Pineapple Daddy Auto makes green buds with a sweet fruity smell (by Dan)

• Ultra-Potent Auto-Flowering Strain – MSNL produces some extremely high-THC auto-flowering strains, including their famous Kushberry Moonrocks Auto, which tests around 25% THC. However, MSNL’s most potent autoflowering strain is Permanent Marker Auto, with buds that shockingly test above 30% THC. I haven’t grown Permanent Marker Auto yet myself, but our readers have RAVED about it so I feel confident recommending it here. Ready to harvest at 70 days from germination, though an extra week or two maximizes yields and potency.

This Permanent Marker plant by MSNL was grown by Marky Mark in Australia!

• Medical Strain (Very Relaxing) – Black Jack Auto. This strain had some of the most chill effects of all the auto-flowering strains I’ve grown so far. I grew two Black Jack Autos at the same time. One was 7.5/10 in relaxation, but the other left me feeling on Cloud 9. Both had an immediate nose-tingling head effect, and then longer lasting pleasant mental and body effects. Great for relaxation, but didn’t weigh me down. The smell was pungent and skunky yet had sweet notes. This strain seemed to do better with somewhat lower levels of light, so it would be perfect to tuck one of these plants in the back or to the side of your main grow.

An example of a Black Jack Auto I grew, just before harvest at 75 days old.

The buds grew fat with relaxing and interesting effects

Easy – Forgiving and Easy to Grow

In order to get the best results with growing cannabis, you need to pay regular attention to your plants. However, that’s a lot easier said than done. Maybe you don’t have a lot of time, and you just want to do the “bare minimum” and still get to harvest. Although I highly encourage you to take great care of your plants, if this sounds like you, you may get the best results by choosing a hardy cannabis strain that’s been specifically bred to be easy to grow and can roll with the punches.

Although they’re generally hardy, in some ways, auto-flowering strains can be tough for a beginner because they don’t leave a lot of time for mistakes. If you mess up in the first 3-6 weeks, you can sometimes end up with a tiny plant and small yields at harvest and unfortunately there’s really nothing you can do about it at that point.

On the flip side, a photoperiod plant gives you as much time as you need to dial in your grow and make mistakes because it won’t start making buds until you “tell” it to. That gives you time to conduct experiments and/or really see what a plant can do.

They don’t say it grows like a weed for nothing! With a photoperiod cannabis plant, you can bring it to the brink of death and back, then continue on with your grow without much consequence.

For that reason, I highly recommend sticking with photoperiod (“standard”) strains if you’re specifically looking for a strain that’s particularly easy to grow and can bounce back from problems.

• Low Odor – Northern Light is a hardy, potent strain that tends to have less of a smell than other strains, which can be helpful for stealth reasons. This strain is a classic that has won many awards for its effects. Northern Light plants tend to stay short, bounce back easily from problems, and are relatively quick to harvest. It’s one of the first strains I ever grew, and lived through a lot (heat, overwatering, dropping a light on it….). Despite all that mistreatment, the plant produced amazing results and yields.

Northern Light buds aren’t as smelly as many other strains of cannabis, and plants tend to be very forgiving and easy to grow.

• Quick-to-Harvest – Sour Lime Haze plants are a breeze to grow. Buds are ready to harvest 8 weeks after you initiate the flowering stage. That means with a 4 week vegetative stage you could have buds in hand under than 3 months from germination. Although a short-flowering photoperiod strain like Sour Lime Haze is not quite as fast as the fastest auto-flowering strain, it’s close and more forgiving if you mess up at the beginning!

Sour Lime Haze responds very well to stressful conditions.

• Good for LEDs and Can Handle Tight Spaces – Pineapple Chunk plants respond well to LEDs by producing extra potent, extra sticky buds. This strain is also very hardy & resistant to many common plant problems (over watering, underwatering, stress…). It’s important to get a strain that can resist mold and diseases if you’re growing in the high humidity of a small grow space, which may not have enough air circulation for proper growth. This strain is overall just easy to grow and high yielding, and because of its effects, I always choose it if I see it available at a dispensary!

Pineapple Chunk is easy to train and produces well in tight spaces, like in this tiny 3′ (1 meter) tall grow tent.

Closeup of a Pineapple Chunk bud not long before harvest. Sparkly!

High Yields 

Sometimes the most important thing is producing as much bud as possible!

• Legendary Effects – Blue Dream by Seed Supreme – Incredible strain that makes huge, dense buds with a legendary dreamy effect and yields that can’t be beat.

Each Blue Dream plant can yield multiple ounces of weed. Some plants may turn purple.

• Insane Potency – Purple Ghost Candy – This strain produces buds with 27%+ THC and higher with low levels of CBD, for a truly vivid, “in-your-head” Sativa-style trip. Plants can grow tall and lanky, producing very well both indoors and outdoors. Plants respond well to training and are easy to grow. You just need to be careful because these plants can get really big overnight and crowd out your grow space!

A ​Purple Ghost Candy bud from Sirius’ last harvest, grown indoors.

This Purple Ghost Candy plant took over the tent and made incredible yields of epic quality buds.

• Perfect for Social – Green Crack – Massive yields and the buds produce a “friendly” and relaxing effect that is ideal for social settings. A popular strain for a gathering with friends.

Green Crack (aka Cush) is a huge yielder, with buds that make people feel happy and at ease.

Special Potency, Famous Strains, & Cup Winners

Some of the most potent strains available today have won quite a few awards! Cup winners have an air of credibility around them that makes them really attractive and some strains are just straight-up legendary now.

I wanted to share two types of strains with you – Cannabis Cup Winners & Top Dispensary Strains!

3 Cannabis Cup Winners

Sometimes you want to grow something that has won dozens of awards around the world! These strains have become famous for a reason!

• Easy-to-Grow Legend – Dos Si Dos 33 by Barney’s Farm – A strain with legendary bud quality. Plants stay short and can handle a few mistakes, yet still produce big, beautiful buds.

Dos Si Dos 33 by Barney’s Farm (grown by Max)

• Pungent – Sour Diesel – This plant is very stretchy which means it needs to be topped and trained to reward you with the highest yields. It has a Sativa background and you should expect it to double in size or more after the switch to the flowering stage unless you make sure to take time to continue bending and securing stems down so all the branches stay short. It comes from a warm climate and can handle very high temperatures and tends to grow slower in cooler temps. When well taken care of, it produces huge, long and thick colas. Its trichomes do not turn amber when the plant is mature, so this strain should be harvested when all the trichomes are milky white, as this is when the buds will have the highest levels of THC.

Sour Diesel makes long, spear-like buds.

• Weirdly good – Jack Herer by Seedsman – Sometimes called the “champagne of strains”, Jack Herer is a world famous strain with buds that blend some of the best tropical Sativa genes for an “up” effect, combined with strong Indica genes to give it a heavy body effect. The best of both worlds. It has amazing resin production that extends from the buds to the leaves, producing valuable trim. It has only average yields and can be a little tough to grow, so it’s meant more for the connoisseur who just wants the best as opposed to growers who care about getting the highest yields possible.

Jack Herer offers unique and smooth mind/body effects.

Bonus: Coffee Shop Weed – White Widow is the gift that keeps on giving. A true “legendary” strain, it continues to win Cannabis Cups and show up in coffee shops and dispensaries around the world, in part because of its ability to make you feel uplifted and happy. It’s known as White Widow because its buds become so covered in trichomes/glitter that buds can actually look white.

​

3 Top Dispensary Strains

I live in Southern California (San Diego) and when I go to dispensaries there are certain strains that show up over and over again. On the top shelf, consistently selling out. Because of that, I know from personal experience that these strains are proven to produce incredible buds no matter who grows them.I wanted to share my own personal “insider” list with you. Most of these strains are on the pricey side, though I believe they’re worth the cost.

• Platinum Cookies – Years ago, a strain called “Girl Scout Cookies” appeared on the California market and exploded with popularity. The clone-only strain went on to receive several cannabis cup awards, and one of those cuts was developed into Platinum Cookies. Now it regularly appears on the top shelf of dispensaries, only to quickly sell out. Platinum Cookies seeds grow into huge yielding plants that take a few extra weeks for buds to mature. Your reward is outstandingly high potency (our last harvest of Platinum Cookies buds tested at 26% THC).

These two Platinum Cookies produced huge amounts of weed under a SF-2000 LED grow light

• Gorilla Zkittlez – Gorilla Zkittlez is remarkable for several reasons. It gives the best of Gorilla Glue #4 and Zkittlez. It’s popular is this strain produces buds with particularly powerful effects that are often described as “couchlock,” “stoney” and ultra-relaxing. When I see this strain on the menu, I get it every time!

Gorilla Zkittlez buds produce outstanding effects

• Jelly Donutz – A unique taste/smell is part of what make this particular strain so memorable alongside its spectacular effects, which have been described as “enormous”, “mind-blowing” and “energetic”. As a result, this strain and has won many awards including cannabis cups. It’s one of those strains where if I see it on a menu I know it will always be good, no matter who grew it.

More Popular Dispensary Strains in 2025 in San Diego, Ca (where I live)

• Cereal strains like Fruity Pebbles
• Candy strains like Candy Games #38
• Cherry strains like Cherry Gar-See-Ya R1
• Permanent Marker (weirdly popular right now)
• Wedding strains like Wedding Cake and White Wedding

Strains for Growing with LEDs

When it comes to growing cannabis with LED grow lights, photoperiod or auto-flowering strains are both suitable for growing with LEDs. You can make LEDs work with any strain. Just make sure to take good care of your plants and watch upper leaves for signs of light stress.

Train plants to grow flat with many buds sites to get the best yields from LED grow lights

Good for Short Spaces, Mini Tents, and Grow Boxes

In a grow box it’s important to grow a cannabis strain that…

• Naturally stays small/short – helpful when you don’t have a lot of extra space. Indica-hybrid strains are recommended because they tend to stay on the smaller side.
• Resistant to heat – some strains are more resistant to high heat and lack of good air circulation. Ideal for a small space.
• Resistant to mold – mold can happen from high humidity in a small grow space. Especially if it doesn’t provide enough fresh air and circulation for proper growth. “Cheese” strains and strains with Hawaiian ancestry tend to be more mold-resistant in general, but it’s also a strain-by-strain thing.
• Can stand high levels of light – this helps because plants are normally kept very close to grow lights in a short space. Many Sativa and Haze strains tend to be more light loving, while Indica strains are more likely to suffer from light burn. However, Indica strains tend to grow short, which is helpful, so if possible you want to find a hybrid that has both traits.

Example of good strains for grow boxes

• Peyote Critical – This strain can be a great candidate for a small space. It stays a manageable size, is ready to harvest quickly, and produces mold-resistant buds. It also has a relatively light smell that’s a little sweet and spicy, with less of a “cannabis” smell than many other strains. It produces a “couchlock” stone that’s heavy on body effects.

Peyote Critical is an easy-to-grow plant that stays relatively small.

• Aurora Indica – Another strain that’s well-suited to micro grows in small spaces. Buds produce an initial mind effect that develops into a deeper “body stone.”

This is an Aurora Indica plant I grew. It stayed very short but buds were thick and dense.

Medical Marijuana Strains

When it comes to growing medical marijuana, the goal is usually to grow strains that are either very high in THC (psychoactive effects), high in CBD (relaxing effect), or high in both.

Learn more:

• Medical vs Non-Medical Strains
• How to Increase THC
• How to Increase CBD

Further Strain Research

If you’re still looking for the exact right strain, check out our tutorial with tips on how to research strains so you find the right one! Learn about some resources you might not know about to get more information about each potential strain!

How to Research and Find Strains to Grow

Jump to…

Growing Cannabis with different grow lights

Top-Fed DWC (Bubbleponics) Tutorial

How do I produce top-shelf buds every time?

Where can I get seeds?

The post Best Marijuana Strains for Beginner Growers appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

What are the best strains of cannabis, the ones labeled Indica or Sativa or Auto-flowering? Which strains produce this or that effect? Which marijuana strains are “medical” and which are “recreational”? The sheer number of cannabis strains available today can be overwhelming, and it can be tough to cut through the marketing speak and find the information you’re really looking for.

Get the answer to those questions and more right here!

Indica vs Sativa vs Ruderalis

The three main “types” of cannabis strains are Indica, Sativa and Ruderalis (auto-flowering). However, every Ruderalis strain is actually a hybrid with Indica and Sativa characteristics.

In the scientific community, all types of marijuana (including hemp) are referred to as Cannabis sativa, whether you’re talking about Indica, Sativa or Ruderalis strains!

Scientifically, there are not different “strains” of marijuana as much as they are “varieties” of the plant Cannabis sativa. Genetically, the various strains cannabis we know and love are actually very closely related to each other and hard to tease apart.

When it comes to the cannabis growing scene though, growers universally refer to various varieties as strains.

Different strains grow different (even in the same conditions).

This can be confusing because there is a lot of overlap between strains, and many strain names are made up on the spot by the grower. It’s also common for some growers to misrepresent their buds by saying they are more popular or famous strains. Strain names should be taken with a grain of salt! If you are interested in strain lineages, you may be interested in this site which lets you track the lineage of strains from the most popular breeders.

And there is a lot you can learn about a plant from its genetics! Ultimately, we have differentiated the various varieties or “strains” of marijuana because each one grows differently, produces different cannabinoid profiles, and has different effects on different people. Although we don’t have this down to a perfect science, we are learning more every day!

Learn more about medical vs non-medical strains of cannabis

That being said, there are a few common “types” of cannabis that tend to have specific traits. The most common types of cannabis you may hear about are indica, sativa and ruderalis (auto-flowering).

Picture below: Two Aurora Indica plants on left (very small, fast-flowering Indica) & Two Wonder Woman plants on right (a hybrid with some Sativa characteristics). These were grown together from seed in the same environment yet you can clearly see the stark difference in growth characteristics between the strains!

Very few growers have access to the genetics of “pure” Indica, Sativa or Ruderalis plants. These generally low-yielding ancestors of today’s popular strains are often far less pretty, medical and potent than strains which have been bred specifically for bud quality and yields.

Example of “pure” Sativa buds – with older Sativa strains the buds are often loose and airy (though they can sometimes have unusual or unexpected effects!). Most modern strains actually hyrbids of many different strains that have been bred to produce higher yields, more compact buds, and be easier to grow indoors than what grows naturally outdoors!

For the purposes of medical marijuana or adult-use cannabis, you may want to choose a strain that has been bred to produce the effects you want, whether it has Indica or Sativa in its history!

Indica Strains

The Indica varieties of marijuana originated in colder climates with relative short summers. Indica strains tend to grow short and bushy, with wide/fat leaves.

The buds produced by Indica plants often have a more heavy and relaxing effect, known as a “body high”, and can cause people to feel “couchlocked.”

Indica plants tend to be well-suited to growing indoors because of their shape, smaller size and quick time-to-harvest.

When it comes to medical marijuana, Indica-leaning buds are often better suited to relieving insomnia, muscle tension, nausea, lack of appetite, anxiety, body pain, and depression.

Sativa Strains

The Sativa variety of marijuana tends to grow tall and lanky, with thin, fingerlike leaves. Sativas also generally have a longer flowering period and grow buds that are more airy and less dense than from an Indica.

The buds from a Sativa plant cause more of an “in your head” high, sometimes psychedelic, sparking creativity, uplifting your mood, and even can be energizing for some people.

Sativa varieties of marijuana are often better suited to growing outdoors as some plants can grow to 20 feet or more in height! While an indoor cannabis grower can use growth control methods to control the height and shape of the plant, a Sativa strain that hasn’t been bred to grow shorter can be tough for an indoor grower with limited space to control.

Therefore, many indoor growers who love the Sativa bud effects will opt for a hybrid that carries the same bud properties, but has been bred to be easier to care for indoors.

Well-loved by artists, Sativas are especially suited to relieve depression, migraines and certain types of pain, while being more “day-friendly” and energizing than many Indica-leaning strains.

The Haze variety of marijuana is often considered a type of Sativa, or at least Sativa-dominant, yet Hazes have a few unique properties all their own. The genetics of these strains are a combination of Sativas originally from Mexico, Colombia, Thailand and India.

Hazes tend to have psychedelic and uplifting effects, and Haze plants have contributed genetics to many famous strains such as Super Lemon Haze, Northern Light, and Jack Herer. Hazes tend to have very long flowering periods, though stay shorter and are easier to grow indoors than a pure Sativa.

Auto-Flowering Strains

The Ruderalis or “Auto-Flowering” variety of marijuana originates from the northern parts of Russia and Sibera. In the wild, a pure Ruderalis plant contains next to no THC and produces no psychoactive effects on its own. However these strains have been mixed with other strains because of one unique property… Unlike most strains of marijuana, Ruderalis or Auto-Flowering strains will naturally go into flowering (start making buds) on their own, without the need for the 12-12 light change to let the plant “know” it’s time to start flowering. They also produce buds sooner than pretty much any other strain of cannabis, and are usually ready for harvest in under 3 months from seed.

Learn more about auto-flowering vs photoperiod plants

Basically, a Ruderalis or auto-flowering cannabis plant will go through its whole lifecycle in about 3 months, regardless of what you do as a grower. This can be bad if you’d like to produce huge plants, but can be convenient since Ruderalis plants produce a lot of buds for their size even though they tend to stay very short. They are well-suited to small, indoor spaces and for growers who want to grow smaller plants outdoors.

A Note About Ruderalis/Auto-Flowering Plants, Potency and CBD

When I first started learning about them in 2010, Ruderalis strains were less “potent” (with THC) compared to other strains of marijuana, since the ancestor Ruderalis plants had basically zero THC. In the time since then, many strains have been developed which have comparable THC levels to other strains, while maintaining the auto-flowering characteristics of Ruderalis.

Another unique property of Ruderalis strains is that, like hemp, these strains naturally tend to have higher levels of CBD which have many implications for medical uses such as anti-anxiety. That being said, these days there are also lots of low-CBD options for growers who prefer a more fast-paced experience.

Auto-flowering strains usually contain higher levels of CBD than most high-THC, adult-use strains

Learn more about CBD and other cannabinoids here

99.9% of Cannabis Strains Are Actually Hybrids!

A hybrid is any combination of the cannabis varieties listed above. Hybrids make up the majority of strains you will encounter or be able to buy today. Although some strains tend to be more “Indica-leaning” or “Sativa-leaning” ultimately they contain aspects of all!

Jump to…

Where to Get Access to Good Strains

How to Increase Marijuana Yields

How to Increase Overall Bud Appeal

How long does it take to grow and harvest weed?

10 Steps to Start Growing Cannabis Today!

The post What’s the Difference Between “Indica” and “Sativa” Strains? appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

In addition to the search bar, this link guide helps you navigate through the Grow Weed Easy website. Learn about growing topics you won’t find anywhere else! This is a shortened list of all our cannabis growing tutorials, as the website has over 500 articles and tutorials!

Full List of EVERYTHING on GWE  ← Over 500 Articles & Growing Tutorials!

Start Here – Beginner Grow Guides

• Complete Beginner’s Guide
• How do I start growing my own weed indoors? (get help choosing your setup)
• How to Grow Weed in 10 Steps
• Simplest Cannabis Grow Guide Ever!
• How Long Does It Take to Grow Weed? (Marijuana Growth Timeline)
• 3 Steps from Beginner to Legendary Grower
• Complete New Grower’s Shopping List

Cannabis Life Stages

• Germination
• Vegetative Stage (Getting Bigger)
• Flowering Stage (Making Buds)
• Harvest

Choosing…

• Best Type of Nutrients
• Choosing the Best Grow Light
• Soil vs Hydro
• How Many Plants Should I Grow?
• What Part of the House Should I Grow In?
• What Setup Should I Get?
• Best Strains for Beginners
• Where to Get Seeds (including the U.S.)

Common New Grower Topics

• How Much Will Electricity Cost?
• Stealth Growing: How NOT to Get Caught Growing Weed
• What Equipment Do I Need?
• Germinate Your Seeds
• 7 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I First Started Growing Weed
• How to Save Money When Growing Weed
• How to Store Weed Properly (so it never loses smell or potency!)
• Ask Questions & Get Answers From Real Growers! (In Our Free Growing Community)
• Cannabis Grower’s Glossary

Problems & Symptoms

• Cannabis Problems Guide
  • How to Help Yellow Seedlings
  • How to Fix Yellow Cannabis Leaves
  • How to Fix Curling and Clawing Cannabis Leaves
  • What Causes Dry or Crispy Leaves?
  • What Causes Brown Spots on Cannabis Leaves?
  • What Causes Bananas (“Nanners”) on Cannabis Buds?
  • Is This Nutrient Burn on My Marijuana Plant?
  • What causes red stems in cannabis plants?
• Diagnose Your Sick Plant
• Bugs & Other Cannabis Pests
• How to Prevent Nutrient Deficiencies
  • Which Nutrient Deficiencies are Caused by pH? (picture guide)
  • How to Stop Flowering Stage Nutrient Deficiencies
• 7 Reasons Why Cannabis Plants Grow Slow
• 5-Step Remedy That Fixes 99% of Grow Problems
• All-Natural Pesticides – Safe Up to Harvest!

Plant Training (Indoor Tricks for Bigger Yields)

• Simplest Plant Training Guide Ever!
• How to Control Height of Indoor Cannabis Plants
• Complete Plant Training Guide
• Breakdown of Techniques​
  • Low Stress Training (LST) Tutorial
  • Topping vs FIMing Tutorial
  • LBH’s Famous ScrOG Tutorial
  • Supercropping: Magic Technique to Control Cannabis Plant Height
  • Sea of Green (SoG) Tutorial
  • 12-12 from Seed – Flowering Plants Early
  • Nebula’s Manifold Tutorial
  • How to Manifold Clones
  • Nebula’s Bud-Based Defoliation Tutorial
  • Alternate Defoliation Tutorial ​
  • What is Re-Vegging / Monstercropping?
• How Can I Train an Auto-Flowering Plant?
• 7 Unfortunate Plant Training Mistakes

Grow Mediums

• What’s the Best Growing Medium?
• Soil vs Coco vs Hydro
• Basic Soil Guide
• Organic Soil Compost Guide (Super Soil) – Just Add Water!
• Coco Coir Guide
  • Coco Coir: The Most Flexible Cannabis Grow Medium
• Hydro/DWC/Bubbleponics Guide
• “True” Organic Growing vs Just Using Organic Nutrients
• Can You Use Miracle-Gro?

Nutrients

• Which Nutrients Are Best For Growing Cannabis?
• Soil Nutrients
• Coco Coir Nutrients
• Hydroponic Nutrients

Grow Lights

• 5 Best LED Grow Lights 2025 (Yields, Speed, & Bud Quality)
• Compare Types of Cannabis Grow Lights
  • Fluorescents (T5s) – Good for Seedlings Only (not powerful enough to produce potent buds or big yields)
  • CFLs (Spiral Bulbs) – Not Recommended (LEDs are much better)
  • LED Grow Lights – Recommended for Most Home Growers
  • MH/HPS Grow Lights – Good Alternative to LEDs, But Run Much Hotter
  • CMH / LEC Grow Lights – Good Alternative to LEDs, But Run Much Hotter
  • Plasma / Magnetic Induction Grow Lights – Not Recommended (poor cannabis growth)
• How Does Light Spectrum Affect Marijuana Plants?
• How Far Away Do I Keep My Grow Lights?
• You Can Actually Give Plants Too Much Light?!
• Grow Light Upgrade Guide: Yields & Potency Explained
• Cannabis Grow Lights: What’s the Best Size?

Best LED Grow Light Articles

• 5 Best LED Grow Lights 2025 (Yields, Speed, & Bud Quality)
• LED Grow Lights: Too Much or Not Enough Light?
• LED Grow Journal: Mars Hydro TSL-2000W vs Spider Farmer SF-2000
• LEC vs LED Grow Lights: Side-by-Side Cannabis Grow Journal
• Nebula’s Auto-Flowering Grow Journal (Topping vs Natural) – cannabis plants are grown under LED grow lights

Environment

• Create the Perfect Growing Environment
  • Temperature Tutorial
  • 5 Secrets to Heat Control
  • Control Humidity for Better Buds
  • How to Use Reflective Walls to Increase Yields Indoors
  • How to Make Plants Grow Faster with CO2
• Where’s the Best Place in the House to Grow Your Plants?
• How to Control Odors
• How to Set Up an Exhaust
• How to Set Up a Grow Tent for Better Yields (and Stealth)

Plant Care Tutorials

• Cloning
  • How to clone weed in a cup of water (easy!)
  • How to make cannabis clones with an aero cloner
• Intro to Plant Training for Bigger Yields Indoors
• How Often to Water Plants
  • The Easiest Way to Water Plants & Remove Runoff
• How (and When) to Transplant Cannabis
• Male vs Female Plants
• When to Harvest?
• Drying & Curing

How to Improve…

• Yields
• Bud Quality
  • 7 Environment Effects on Bud Quality
  • The Secret to Excellent Bud Quality
• THC Levels
• CBD Levels
• Smell/Taste
• Density
• Bud Color (How to Grow Pink or Purple Buds)
• Glitter (Make Buds Sparkle with More Trichomes)
• Bonus: What Determines Yields?

Buying Seeds

• Where to Get Seeds
• How to Find the Right Strain
• What are “Feminized” Seeds?
• Which Breeders to Trust?
• Photoperiod vs Auto-Flowering Cannabis Strains
• Bag Seed vs Hype Seed: Is it worth it to buy cannabis seeds?

Recommended Strains

• Best Autoflowering Cannabis Strains for Yields & Potency
• List of Sugar-Dusted Strains (Heavy Trichome Genetics)
• 10 Cold-Resistant Cannabis Strains
• 14 Heat-Resistant Cannabis Strains
• Which cannabis strains stay short? (Best strains for small spaces)

Auto-Flowering Strains

• Nebula’s Guide to Cannabis Auto-Flowering Strains (Photoperiod vs Auto-Flowering)
• Should I “Top” or Train an Auto-Flowering Plant?
• What’s the best light schedule for auto-flowering strains?
• Nebula’s Auto-Flowering Grow Journal (Topping vs Natural)

Edibles

• Decarboxylation: How to Decarb Your Weed (crucial step for just about every edible recipe)
• Best Weed Butter Recipe
  • How to Make Great Brownies with Weed Butter
• Canna Caps
• How to Make Cannabis Gummies (Weed Gummy Bears)
• How to Make Cannabis Tinctures
• How to Make Hash Oil (aka Cannabis Extract Oil, Rick Simpson Oil, or RSO)

Extracts (No Solvents Used in Any Recipe)

• Solventless Extraction Showdown – Bubble Hash vs. Dry-Ice Hash!
• Dry Ice Hash (Made with Dry Ice)
• How to Make Bubble Hash (Made with Ice Water)
• How To Make Your Own Homemade Rosin (dabs)

And Lots More!

• How Long Does it Take to Grow Weed?
• Vegetative vs Flowering Stage (Long Days vs Long Nights)
• Germination & Seedling Mistakes
• Simple Guide to Plant Training
• What’s the Best Pot / Container?
• Perpetual Harvest
• What Determines Yields?
• 5 Time-Savers for Busy Growers
• Breeding Techniques
• 7 Gift Ideas for Cannabis Growers
• Grow Journals
• How long can I store nutrient water?
• What is High-Frequency Fertigation?
• Where is it legal to grow weed in the USA?
• See EVERYTHING on the Site!

Safety & Preparation

• Fire Protection in the Grow Room
• Electrical Safety Tips & Tricks
• Prepare Yourself for Growing Emergencies
• Stealth Growing Indoors: How to NOT get Caught Growing Weed

Just for Fun

• Weird or What? Cannabis Mutations & More!
• Creatures on Cannabis (Cute Photo Gallery)
• 10 Gift Ideas for Cannabis Growers

Submit Pics

• Submit Trophy Pictures of your Plants!
• How to Take Better Plant Pics
• How to Fix Yellow HPS Pics

Want More?

• Complete List of EVERYTHING on GWE  ← Full List (Over 500 articles & growing!)

Thanks for visiting! We hope our website helps you find the growing tutorials you were looking for. We’ve written hundreds of growing marijuana articles and unfortunately we can’t fit them all on this page, so we encourage you to use the search bar on the right side (or top of the page for mobile users) to search for articles you don’t see here.

Happy growing!
Nebula & Sirius

Use this “Navigation” page to find the pot growing topic you’re interested in, or click here to see every single page on the website!

The post Link Guide to Growing Cannabis Tutorials appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.

Have you seen fabric pots (also known as “Smart Pots”) or plastic pots with holes in the sides (“Air Pots”)? You may see these in a local gardening store or online in cannabis growing pictures. Are you wondering if smart pots and air pots are good for growing marijuana?

Smart pots and air pots provide extra oxygen to the roots, which is a good thing. In fact, the act of increasing oxygen levels at the roots is a big part of what makes hydro so effective at increasing cannabis growth rates (hydro systems constantly pump air into the water so it’s ultra-oxygenated). Smart pots and air pots capture some of that power. Essentially, growing cannabis in smart pots or air pots gives you some of the advantages of growing hydro while allowing you to still hand-water your plants in soil or coco coir.

Smart Pots & Air Pots Make Cannabis Grow Faster!

Smart Pots
(Fabric Pots)

Air Pots
(plastic containers with holes on the sides like Swiss cheese)

However, there’s no one size fits all when it comes to growing weed. All types of containers have their strengths and weaknesses for growing weed, which I’ll outline for you quickly:

Quick Review: Regular Containers vs Smart Pots & Air Pots

• Cannabis plants grow faster in smart pots or air pots (especially in the vegetative stage), in part because plant roots get plenty of access to oxygen
• Cannabis plants in smart pots or air pots can’t really become root-bound, which is when roots wrap around the edges of the container and “choke” the plant. In a smart pot or air pot, it’s very difficult for the plant to get rootbound since it’s always receiving air from the sides which “air prunes” away any roots trying to wrap around the edges.
• Cannabis plants are protected from becoming overwatered in air pots or smart pots. The air from the side helps make sure your plant always has plenty of oxygen so your plants don’t get “wet feet.”
• However, in air pots or smart pots, plants need to be watered about twice as often as regular containers since the grow medium is constantly drying out from the sides.

Complete Cannabis Container Breakdown

Regular Pots vs Smart Pots vs Air Pots

Regular Pots for Growing Cannabis

This is a container with a hole at the bottom for drainage, plus a saucer to catch the water.

• Tried and true method

• Easy to find at any gardening store

• Saucer captures runoff water for easy disposal

• Helps keep growing medium from drying out too fast

• Usually made out of ceramic or plastic

Smart Pots for Growing Cannabis 

• A smart pot is a plant container that has been made completely out of a stiff fabric

• The shape is usually wider/more squat than a regular container, so it may be possible to grow plants in a slightly shorter space, especially compared to an air pot which is tall/thin. However, they take up more width than any of the other containers, so you may be able to fit less containers in a particular space.

• Indoors, you need an extra large saucer or a tray to capture runoff water since smart pots don’t come with a saucer or tray and they seep out water from the sides. So in addition to the container taking up extra room, so will the saucer.

• The wide base of a smart pot makes them well suited to growing really large plants, which is why smart pots come in huge sizes in addition to standard plant container sizes. Even giant plants won’t tip over in a smart pot. Many outdoor cannabis growers plant their cannabis in big (600+ gallon) smart pots since they help outdoor plants grow faster than just putting them straight in the ground.

• More oxygen is delivered to the roots than a regular pot

• Smart pots help prevent your cannabis from becoming root-bound and needing to be transplanted to a new container. This is accomplished by “air-pruning” roots from the sides, which stops your roots from wrapping around the edges of your container and “choking” your plant.

• Smart pots make it difficult to over-water your plants, but that also means you will end up watering more often

• Because smart pots dry out faster than regular cannabis containers, you should get double the size as you normally would, and it’s recommended your final size should be at least a 5-gallon container (anything smaller than that dries out in just a day or two!). So if you would normally get a 2-gallon container for your plants, you’d want to get at least a 5-gallon smart pot to make sure you’re not having to water your plants all the time.

If you’re going to go big, go with smart pots – your plants won’t by tippy

Air Pots for Growing Cannabis

• An air pot is a plastic container with holes on the sides

• The shape is taller and thinner than a regular container, so it may be possible to put more plants in a smaller space as long as you have the height

• The narrow base means plants tend to be less stable on the ground in an air pot, especially if they’re tall, which means large plants can be easy to tip over.

• Although water seeps out the sides when watering, air pots are tall and thin so you can use a regular sized saucer for each container (if it’s a 5-gallon container, you can use a regular 5-gallon saucer).

• More oxygen is delivered to the roots than a regular pot, though about the same as a smart pot

• Air pots help prevent plants from becoming root-bound and needing to be transplanted. This is accomplished by “air-pruning” roots from the sides, which prevents your roots from wrapping around the edges of your container and “choking” your plant.

• Air pots make it more difficult to over-water your cannabis plants, but that also means you will end up watering more often

• Because air pots dry out faster than regular cannabis containers, you should get double the size as you normally would, and it’s recommended your final size should be at least a 5-gallon container (anything smaller than that dries out in just a day or two!). So if you would normally get a 2-gallon container for your plants, you’d want to get at least a 5-gallon air pot to make sure you’re not having to water your plants all the time.

The Blue Velvet cannabis plant on the left reacted beautifully to growing in an air pot! On the right is what your cannabis roots look like after growing up in an air pot – all of the roots are reaching to get oxygen from the sides, and absolutely no signs of wrapping like with a rootbound plant!

cannabis root pic by coco coir expert roll_it_large

Which one is the best for growing cannabis? Is it Smart Pots, Air Pots, or regular plant pots?

The truth is these containers are each good in different ways. Some are better suited to some grow setups than others. So let me share my personal opinion…

A Regular Plant Pot is Tried and True

As a general rule a regular plant pot tends to take slightly less maintenance than the others because the growing medium dries out more slowly. Since you can use smaller pots for the same effect, you may be able to fit more plants in a small space.

At the same time, it’s a lot easier to overwater your plant in a regular pot, and you may find your plants quickly become rootbound if you keep them in a too-small container. When a plant is suffering nutrient deficiencies and droopiness from being rootbound, there’s not much you can do to fix it besides transplanting the plant to a bigger container and that can be tough, especially if your plant is already in the flowering stage. I like that you never have to worry about plants becoming rootbound with smart pots or air pots.

Air Pots & Smart Pots Make Cannabis Grow Faster

I’ve tried them both and air pots and smart pots both work amazingly well at increasing cannabis plant growth. A few years ago I even did a side-by-side grow with a regular pot for comparison. From my experience, I don’t think either air pots or smart pots are inherently better than the other. They are both very effective at increasing the vegetative growth rates of your cannabis plants, and they work by doing essentially the same thing – bringing in air from the sides.

As far as I can tell, the major differences between the two is mostly physical. Air pots are taller/thinner and made of plastic, while smart pots are wider/shorter and are made of fabric.

If you’re trying to stuff a bunch of plants in a small space, you might want an air pot since they’re thinner, however plants become tippy if they get tall.

If you have a shorter space, you may opt for a smart pot to save a few extra inches of height, and a smart pot is less tippy so it’s more suited to growing outdoors, or any time you’re growing a big plant.

Personally, I like smart pots better, but mostly just because I prefer fabric over plastic. (Check out my last grow journal using smart pots)

Full disclosure: I currently have switched to hydro (you just can’t beat those cannabis yields!) but if I was going to do another hand-watered cannabis grow, I would never use a regular pot again! At least for me, the increased cannabis growth from a smart pot or air pot makes it worth a little extra watering! It’s like capturing a little bit of that hydro power, while keeping the hand-watered experience.

Jump to…

Learn more about containers for growing cannabis!

How (and when) to transplant a cannabis plant

Learn how to increase your cannabis yields

Discover secrets to improving overall bud quality

The post Smart Pots vs Air Pots vs Regular Pots appeared first on Grow Weed Easy.