How to identify a quality clone?

Did you know that growing from so‑called clones is significantly more common in indoor cultivation of plants than growing from seeds? Is that your case too? Today we'll go over the traits every healthy clone destined for a great yield should display.

Assessing the quality of a young plant is much easier in the case of a clone, and compared to growing from seed you also save time and the usual hassles with germination. Clones only need to be planted. That makes their quality all the more important. How can you estimate the genetic potential?

• ROOTS: the root system of a clone is perhaps the most telling indicator — similar to more mature plants, by observing the roots you can determine vitality. You should look for fine root hairs and the brightest possible white color. If you notice yellow tips, edges browned, or stringy-type roots, these signs indicate a clone of poor quality and more intensive care will likely bring little reward. On the other hand, if the clone is not overtly bad, less vital young plants can be effectively stimulated at transplant. For this purpose a good root booster and other nutritional supplements for plants, for example highly concentrated enzymatic products or organic soil improvers will help. These products complement each other and it is up to you how comprehensively you want to care for your clones.
• SIZE: clones from the same batch should also show very similar size. It doesn't have to be to the millimeter, but you should be able to clearly recognize their common origin.
• COLOR: meaning the shades of green by which different varieties can differ. Plants of the same variety should be identical, with the same color. Again there is a parallel with humans — a “healthy color” that simply looks fresh, you will recognize it. Put simply, the clone should have strong, white roots.
• NODES: a clone ready for further development should not have only one or two nodes. Consider three as the minimum, but ideally a clone destined for a successful harvest will have more nodes. New shoots arise at the point where leaves join the stem of the young plant. Each shoot counts as one node. You have surely noticed, at home or in nature, the phenomenon of two leaves emerging from the same spot on opposite sides — these are mirrored shoots, and in that case we count two shoots as a single node.
• LEAVES: watch whether the attachment to the stem is noticeably weak — that would be a bad sign. A good sign for any clone is a strong, healthy leaf that holds firmly. Such leaves should be distributed practically evenly along the plant's length. Regarding leaves, the best thing you can do for the health of a clone is a spray as prevention against mold and rot. You can prepare it even in BIO form. Everything for protecting your clones can be found here.

We recommend these products:

• ROOT!T cloning spray 100 ml - increases cloning success rate
• Cloning systems
• Clone protection against pests and diseases
• BioNova fertilizer kits - comprehensive nutrition for the entire cultivation cycle from the popular Dutch brand. Support planted clones right from the start and look forward to a fabulous yield.
• BioNova Veganics - everything needed for the vegetative and flowering phases if you want your harvest to be 100% BIO.
• HERCULES - modern plastic pots will make your path from planting clones to beautiful flowers and fruits easier.
• LED sets – a tuned growbox kit with everything included, representing a fully equipped growing space for your clones.

In growing practice the quality of clones is often underestimated, especially at the beginning due to lack of experience. Therefore we believe that after reading this article it will no longer be your case, and if you are still curious about anything related to clones, do not hesitate to contact us at the known address info@higarden.cz.

What to read next:

• How to support rooting and root growth of plants?
• Cloning / cuttings
• How to choose a flowerpot?