Selection some question from an amateur

This isnt really a breeders question but it is about selection, so I thought this was probably the best place to post it.

Im pretty much a new grower with three grows under my belt. Ive been away travelling for nearly a year, so hav'nt been growing.
My plan when i go home is this. I was growing with a friend - so whoever has the largest space when i get my new place will flower - the othe will veg.

Starting off without about 40 seeds (all one strain) - lets say im lucky and get 15 females - ill veg for about 6-7 weeks, take three cuttings from each plant and then put the most vigourous clone from each plant into flower, and keep the 15 mothers (???) and the next strongest clone.

After the plants have flowered, we'll pick our favourite and fill the flower room with clones from the best mother.

Sorry to go on - here are my questions any help with any would be much appreciated.

Does that sound about right?

Is such small scale selection likely to find really good plants?

Will we find much variation (in a fairly stable strain like NL#5 for example)?

Is variation in yiled potency or both?

Is it neccassary to flower a clone from all 15 potential mothers inorder to find a keeper, or is it the case that the healthiest plants in veg, produce the best flowerers?

Lastly - should a mother be a grown from seed female - or do clones make good mothers ?

Clones make great mothers!

it is such a delight to have a special mother that you can grow constantly for a few harvests.

I grew out NL#5 and found only 2 variations out of 12 females. I grows thick dense buds and the other seemed alot more sativa-like not as dense, but the buds did pack quite a punch

I would reconsider having a grow partner, because in the land of the blind, the one eye'd man is king.

(unless of course your in a country where security is not issue.)

Fingers

"should a mother be a grown from seed female - or do clones make good mothers?"

If I were you, I'd crack your seeds, let em grow, take clones of each one like you planned, but keep the clones in veg and flower the plants right from seed. Make sure you label each clone. Clones make much better mother's compared to seeds, in my opinion anyways.

"Is such small scale selection likely to find really good plants?"

I've found kick-ass plants out of packs of 10 seeds on many different ocasions. With 40 seeds, I'd say you should find a couple kepers for sure.

"Will we find much variation (in a fairly stable strain like NL#5 for example)?"

It all depends on the strain, and who you get it from. If they are F1 seeds, there will be a lot less variation than if the seeds are F2. Most of the NL#5 available should be pretty stable though.

"Is variation in yiled potency or both?"

Usually both. Again, it all depends on the stability of the strain. A stable F1 will still give you a couple pheno's sometimes, and F2's will give you 10 different pheno's sometimes. I've had F1's gove me 2 or 3 different phenos, but all were very close in the way they grew and smoked, and other times I'll get 2 or 3 different phenos that grow and smoke completely different from one and other. One will be sativa dominant and another will be indica dom. and both will have totally diferent yields, taste, smell and high. So, it's hard to say how your seeds will grow.

"Is it neccassary to flower a clone from all 15 potential mothers inorder to find a keeper, or is it the case that the healthiest plants in veg, produce the best flowerers?"

Yes, basically for the same reason I just gave in the question above. The healthiest plant in your garden could be the weakest in potency. There's no way to know which you like the best unless you smoke them all. I know it's a tough job having to smoke all that weed, but you gotta do it man

Well, I hoped that helped some. Good luck with your grow, and let us know how it turns out.

-Teddy

Thanks

Thanks

Cheers Teddy thats a cleared a few things up for me - thanks again for taking the time

No problem at all man. I'm just glad i could help you out some.