Cloning marijuana is simple: cut a healthy 4 to 6 inch branch from a mother plant, trim the lower leaves, dip the cut end in rooting gel, and place it in a moist starter plug under high humidity. Keep it warm and lightly lit, and you will see roots in 7 to 14 days.
That is the whole process in one paragraph. Every clone we ship at Clones Up starts exactly this way, from a verified mother plant. Here is the step by step version.
What you need
- A healthy plant in vegetative growth (not flowering)
- A sterile razor blade or sharp scissors
- Rooting gel
- Starter plugs (rockwool, root riot, or peat)
- A humidity dome and tray
- A gentle light on an 18 hour schedule
How to clone marijuana, step by step
- Water the plant the day before so cuttings are fully hydrated.
- Pick a branch with 2 or 3 nodes, about 4 to 6 inches long, from the lower half of the plant.
- Cut just below a node at a 45 degree angle with a sterile blade.
- Strip the lowest set of leaves and trim large fan leaves in half to cut water loss.
- Dip the bottom inch of the stem in rooting gel right away.
- Push the stem into a pre soaked starter plug, snug but not crushed.
- Set the plugs in a tray under a humidity dome at roughly 75 to 85 percent humidity.
- Keep temperatures between 72 and 79 F and light gentle. Strong light stresses unrooted cuttings.
- Crack the dome vents a little more each day after day 4 so the clone adapts.
- Check for white roots poking from the plug around day 7 to 14, then transplant.
The same technique works on nearly any soft stemmed plant, and university horticulture programs teach it the same way. NC State Extension has a good general primer on propagating stem cuttings if you want the botany behind it.
Why clones beat seeds for consistency
A clone is a genetic copy. The cutting keeps the exact THC potential, flavor, and growth pattern of its mother, while seeds from the same batch can vary wildly. That is why commercial growers run clones almost exclusively. If a cutting stalls on you, our guide on clones that will not root covers the usual fixes.
Skip the cutting board. Start with roots.
Freshly rooted, HLVd tested, female guaranteed. $89 flat, shipped to your door.
Shop Freshly Rooted ClonesFAQ
How long does it take to clone marijuana?
Taking the cutting takes 5 minutes. Roots show in 7 to 14 days, and the clone is transplant ready shortly after.
Can you clone a flowering plant?
You can, but it has to revert to veg first (called monster cropping). Expect slow, twisted early growth. Veg cuttings are far easier.
Do clones need rooting gel?
Not strictly, but gel raises success rates and speeds rooting noticeably. It is the cheapest insurance in the process.