Contributed by:
snoofer
Submitted: 11-10-2003
Introduction:
Growers face the decision to start a grow from either seeds or
rooted clones. The decision is not obvious, as both growing options
have their respective advantages and disadvantages. Growers may have to
weigh growing space, crop risk and turn around time.
Clones
Advantages:
>Clones are much faster to veg up and flower than starting from
seed, resulting in a quick harvest and a much shorter turnaround time.
>Clones can be quickly grown into moms and re-cloned, for an instant vegetative and flowering crop
>Clones are genetically identical, but some differences will
still be evident in the phenotype. In general, clones will exhibit even
growth and growing characteristics.
>Rooted clones can be flowered immediately if space or time is a problem.
>Clones can quickly provide the grower with a strain’s
characteristics (smell, vigor, branching pattern, sativa/indica
dominance, rooting quality, etc).
Disadvantages:
>Clones can be difficult to find, as opposed to available seed
banks. Clones from unknown sources are of suspect quality and genetics.
>Growers run a high risk of inheriting problems from the last
grower: Root rot, spider mites, powdery mildew, etc. If these problems
are not identified and treated, they can quickly spread to an entire
crop.
>Unhealthy clones may die or remain in shock for an extended period
>Shipped clones may be in shock and take weeks of TLC to
recover. There are many stories of medical clones shipped without any
protection and arrived flat!
>Clones are more light-sensitive than seeds. Clones take time to
become established, and are easily burned by excessive light (and
nutrients)
>As clones are almost always female, breeding options are limited. Hermies are possible with unstable clone crosses.
Seeds:
Advantages
>Seeds obtained from reputable seed banks are of known lineage
and genetics. You should have a reasonable idea of what the strain will
do in terms of yield, quality and flowering time.
>Breeding and crossing options are possible with male seeds.
(Feminized seeds produce a higher % of female seeds, but 100% female is
never guaranteed).
>Hybrid vigor. Females grown from seed are often higher yielding
than clones. Strains can lose their vigor over time; growers may want
to 'rejuvinate' their grow with the same successful strain
>Your seeds should produce healthy plants, free of disease and pests.
Disadvantages:
>Cost. Seeds can be expensive, not only per seed pack, but in the time they take to produce a flowered crop.
>Problems with ripoffs, shipping/customs seizing seed bank deliveries, switched seeds.
>Unstable hybrid strains (See faqs on
strain breeding )
>Not all seeds will be viable (germinate) and only 50% of the
unfeminized seeds will be female (feminized seeds may produce up to 90%
females). Only female seeds will produce female mothers, from which
productive clones can be taken and flowered.
>It may take many seed packs to discover an excellent mother.
>Seeds take a long time (and there is more labor, money and time involved) before a harvest can occur.
The seeds need to be:
-germinated
-grown into mothers
-clones taken from each mother, labeled, then sexed to tell which mother is female or male
-the best mothers are selected (males may be optionally discarded).
-mothers are mass cloned
-clones are vegetatively grown and then flowered
