Is it really better to take clones from top shoots?

[Greeco]

Hi, I have found a very reputable source that suggests taking clones from the lower nodes of plants because the cambium layer is more developed then the young top growth. I however have always taken clones from the tops of plants because they come out looking like healthier clones. Also I thought the tops of plants have more energy then lower branches since they are absorbing more energy from the lights/sun. I would love to do some testing but I don't have the vegetative resources to do so. Also I know cannabis is mostly a soft wood plant so the question is does it matter for soft wood plants? I will be doing some more research to see, but if you know anything about this please chime in. It would be interesting to see some testing.

Source- G.low "Integral Hydroponics"

 

[yortbogey]

in my past....tops have always been lazy clones....
middle is branchy...woody stems ...often
and bottom/lowers has gotta come off anyway...so why not use....
myself i don't use tops....there for flowering

 

[yortbogey]

dbl~pst

 

[medmaker420]

I don't usually take top cuts unless I already topped them, hope that makes sense LOL.

Pretty much if I had a from seed grown plant I will trim the top so it branches first ( toss the top cut in my compost worm bin ) and then once the new two tops have formed well I then cut that as a clone.

I don't like single cola clones personally

 

[medicalmj]

Good question to ponder. Come to think, those pliable and small ones at the bottom seem to root better and faster. But which one is the better plant, since we're only talking about a couple days? For me it depends on if I'm topping the plant or not. Just hate to see that top get thrown out. I going to go back to bending and training on next set instead of topping to see which is more productive. Shout out to DrFever for reminding me of what I used to do, never toppin always trainin...

 

[medmaker420]

medicalmj, I agree on not wanting to let cuts get tossed BUT at some point you have to start looking at it as simply trimming your plants and only keep the BEST as clones.

I find it harder to root clones and then choose the best because at that point I am actually killin plants which to me is much harder than tossing cuts in the compost

 

[VerdantGreen]

lower branches tend to have more carbohydrate in them and lower nitrogen. both of these help cuttings to root more quickly.

you can test carbohydrate content of cuttings with iodine - the darker they go, the more carbohydrate.

VG

 

[Greeco]

I agree with you guys. I lollypop my plants a little bit and don't have room for mothers so I think on my next run Ill take clones from the lower nodes. I have done this before and noticed my clones rooted a lot quicker. A lot of production growers however suggest taking clones from tops only. But it seems like science is backing lower nod clones. Very interesting. I love a more scientific approach of learning to grow. G.low is amazing for this. His writing is very easy to comprehend and he explains things scientifically. Integral Hydroponics is a MUST HAVE if your serious about learning.

VG- I love your iodine post. I did not know this, very interesting. Thanks for sharing

 

[Cali MedPatient]

Good info. I use moms, so I always take tops. They don't root super fast but always turn out great plants, and I just plan on a couple weeks till transplant. There's only so much lower stuff you can take off a mom. But if you're cloning off plants that you're gonna flower, bottoms can work great.

 

[TribalSeeds]

Going back to Stinkbuds posts:
"the lower branches contain more of the hormones that it takes to start roots"
I dont know how accurate that is, but Stinkbud always had dank.
I wouldnt remove any of the top shoots because thats where the good buds are. I dont want anything but top shoots. Im sick of leaving the rest of the crap!

 

[Guest 315072]

i agree.. i lollipop my plants before flower.. using the bottoms for clones.. then pick the healthier ones and toss the rest.. but ive found that if ur SOG small plants.. its best to leave the tops for the bigger better buds!

 

[GetUpStandUp]

Love the thread topic, very helpful tips so far, wanted to know if anyone knows the best time of day to clone? Morning, noon or night. Figured Afternoon, but can be wrong.

 

[187020]

Hiya greeko, try tops and bottoms... That'll keep your ass busy holmes!!

 

[Moppel]

The bottem clones do root faster (2-3 days), but the fat clones with a thick stem from the tops yield way more , and also root better as soon as they are in pots. I have tested it various times.

 

[stonedwarrior]

The bottem clones do root faster (2-3 days), but the fat clones with a thick stem from the tops yield way more , and also root better as soon as they are in pots. I have tested it various times.

Do you sog them or?

If you give the bottom clones time to veg, I assume they would act the same as if you had used top clones.

After all, it IS the exact same genetic material.

 

[redneck shogun]

If I have a branch that has stretched past the others to such a degree that if I cut it and I think the others will not grow past it while it recovers, then I will take a top cut from that one. The rest of the cuts usually come from lower nodes that I know will never reach canopy level. If that lower node is not long enough to take a cut off of in veg then I wait to cut it until it has stretched in 12/12 enough. If it hasn't stretched enough in that first week to save then I will cut it anyway and try to root it, even though it is short, or just toss it so it doesn't waste energy growing a branch below canopy level. So for me it isn't a matter of which cuts root the best but how I want the plant to grow that I am cutting from. This may be a poor system for someone that must keep to certain plant numbers. I just try to fill my flower room as full as I can and I have extra plants I can always just toss them. Haven't yet had the problem of a flower room too full though.

 

[Moppel]

yup. sog with 1 week veg , more or less

 

[skoobie dew]

Clones from the bottom of the plant tend to root easier unless woody. This is usually due to using the wrong/to much/too little ferts. Clones from the top of the plant, after rooting, are thicker and grow faster

I clone for several n. Ca clubs. I only, take cuts from the top of the plants. Imho it makes a better clone.

Skoob- super kuts

 

[hempyftw]

I have wondered this aswell.

I have wondered this aswell.

In the bonsai mom thread it says that top shoots have the potential to grow at a quicker rate then lower woodier branches.

There wasn't much of a reasoning behind it, but have you seen the damn thread? The guy really knows what the F he is doing.

He has moms that are like 10+ years old that are still like 3-4 feet tall. This take master gardener abilities and years of experience!

I can say this from experience! Trying to keep a 2 year old mom that I have under a light in a 8' room is a fucking problem!

I also think that no matter where it comes from generally thicker stems root faster then thinner stems. Only makes sense because there is more surface are on a big stem. I have had issue with really thick woody stems though. So there is a limit to how thick and old a clone you want.

Love the discussion going on guys. Only makes us all better.


Sorry about the quality of the pic. My attempt to keep a mom under control after 2 years. (I hack 30+ 5-7 node clones from these weekly to bi weekly)

 

[Mate Dave]

Worn out tired ugly depressed lower branches suck, if ever there was a way to ruin your genetics this would be it.

Why clone a runt when you can clone some perfect new shoot it don't make sense when your a trained professional.

I like my clones to stay short and stocky and have cell expansion right from the base not some tired piece of Sclerenchyma with a dead nucleus dictatiung how the plant will grow.