by Natascha Pearson
February 1, 2021
When deciding to grow your cannabis by seed or clone, it depends on what your end goals are. Either option is a great option while growing marijuana but let's go over the differences so that you can decide what the best option is best for you.
Growing by seed will take longer than by clone because the clone is mature, and you have skipped the "reaching maturity" stage. Although by growing by seed you produce a stronger, healthier plant with the ability to send down its tap root deep into the ground. The best part about clones is that you can pick the top cuts from the mother plant, choosing the strongest, healthiest branches. While growing by seed is less consistent, the roots and structure of the plant is stronger and promises a more durable plant that can withstand rough winds and will require less support than a plant that began as a clone.
The most visual distinction between a cannabis plant grown by seed and one grown by clone is that the plant grown by seed has branches that are symmetrical, hence they grow across from one another. While the plant grown by clone will have unsymmetrical branches that are scattered. Since plants that are grown by clone are extracted from the same mother, they will be more consistent in height and nug density. This is not the same for seeds that are taken from the same plant or that are the same strain.
When breeding a strain and collecting seeds you have a choice on what plants you use to pollenate. If there is a female that has exceptional buds and an abundance of pistols toward the base, the majority of the plant can be harvested leaving a few branches at the bottom. By collecting the pollen from a desirable male plant, the pollen can be dusted on the flowers of the female plant where hopefully, the pre ripened calyxes remain. Once the seeds hits maturity they will show the first signs of the plant's sex. Plants will show pistols if it is female or rain-drop flower heads if they are male. If they are hermaphrodites, they will show both parts. These plants should be removed to avoid seeding your grow with unwanted genetics.
Clones offer more quality control because you know the mother's strand and you have already witnessed its results. You can purchase feminized seeds from a dispensary and avoid the headache of waiting to find out their sex. Feminized seeds are sometimes created under controlled environments and is a forced, rare, natural occurrence. They can be trusted when purchased from a quality seed company.
In the end which is preferred depends on what your goals are. If you are looking for a quick turnaround, with consistency and genetics that resemble a mother plant, going with a clone will be your best choice. If you are trying to crossbreed or create a strand to take to the cannabis cup by growing by seed, you will have an overall stronger and more fruitful plant with unique qualities.