Which is the quickest?

[Creeperpark]

If I was using the same genetics or the same strain, which will make it to the end the quickest? Seed or a clone of the same strain?

 

[Swamp Thang]

My guess is that a clone would mature quicker since it is possible to create massive clones with entire branches off the parent plant using air layering. That head start would make a huge difference in favor of clones finishing first.

 

[Creeperpark]

My guess is that a clone would mature quicker since it is possible to create massive clones with entire branches off the parent plant using air layering. That head start would make a huge difference in favor of clones finishing first.

Thanks, Swamp thing but no guessing only for-sures. Looking for anyone that has experience with both.

 

[el mani]

Buddy, when you put a seed, it takes a little time to be ready to flower, this is what makes putting a clone ahead a little more flowering...
If you put a seed outdoors in May, you take three cuttings and plant them in the same field, they should mature as if it were the same plant, although sometimes other elements, availability of resources and diseases also influence.
If you refer to a clone of a variety and a seed of the same variety, you would have as much difference as between two seeds, but the clone has already made its way...

 

[Creeperpark]

Buddy, when you put a seed, it takes a little time to be ready to flower, this is what makes putting a clone ahead a little more flowering...
If you put a seed outdoors in May, you take three cuttings and plant them in the same field, they should mature as if it were the same plant, although sometimes other elements, availability of resources and diseases also influence.
If you refer to a clone of a variety and a seed of the same variety, you would have as much difference as between two seeds, but the clone has already made its way...

A clone has to come from a mother and be cloned or rooted before it can go outside. How long does it take to grow a Mother plant? How long does it take to root a clone?

Mothers really should be in the veg stage for a while for healthy clones.
Most plants will root in 7 – 10 days, but some could take up to 2 weeks or longer.

I would expect I could start taking clones off a Mother plant as early as 30 days but that should be longer for good clones. Root the cuttings in 14 days making 44 or 50 days to get the clones.

 

[El Unico Frijol]

A lot will depend on a genetic, a heavily inbred line like a deep chunk will take longer than a heavily inbred thin leaf.

 

[GMT]

A seed is ready to go, if you're talking about a clone that's ready to go, then a clone can be harvested quicker. But you need a clone tent for that. Seeds don't count to your total numbers but clones do.
So let's say you're talking about a plant that you are about to take clones from, v a plant you are taking seeds from buds.
The seeds can bring in a harvest quicker than the clones will.
I work with both constantly, I keep clones, but I prefer seeds for so many reasons. I'd never let my clones go though.
Both have their place.

 

[Creeperpark]

I'm talking about the timing of a clone vs a seed on the "same time scale" from the beginning and end. For example, say I give you two 5 packs of the same seed strain. How long will it take to make clones vs growing seeds starting on the same day?

Another example is, say I give you 120 days to grow a 5-pack of seeds and a120 days to clone the same strain, both starting on the same day, and ending, which is quicker?

 

[GMT]

What's the end point?

Let's look at the time each step takes, and then we can decide how far to walk down this path.

1. Plant seeds. Takes about 10 seconds.
2. Wait for seeds to sprout. Between 3 days and let's say a couple of weeks, not that they can't take longer, but not many people will wait longer.
3. Veg seeds. 21 days is the quickest I've personally seen from sprout to pistil, but most of the time, most will give it 6 weeks before starting flower, just to get a decent crop from it.
4. Take clones. This is always done in veg, given the choice, so let's say you allow the seed plant to veg for 4 weeks before you take a clone.
5. Prepare your clone and plant it, a little longer than planting a seed, let's say a full minute.
6. Root clone. Here I'm stuck on time scale, everyone will take a different amount of time here, personally, I'd say around 2 weeks to see roots at the bottom of the pot.
7. Veg clone, again this is personal choice as to time scale. Some flip once roots are present for a SOG grow, or a lot longer for larger plants. Once clones are rooted, I put them into slow grow mode. Low light, small pot, until needed.
8. Flower plant. Strain dependent and not seed/clone battle dependent.

I'm really not sure what's being asked anymore, but the answer lies somewhere above, I think.

 

[mean mr.mustard]

Seed plants take longer to mature but generally harvest more.

If you are trying to gauge a seed plant flowering time from 12/12 I would stress that you make sure that you have a mature seed plant... but I've noticed that times vary for clones vs. the mother that they came from (always taking longer as mothers) but after that the clones have very specific flowering times.

 

[HalfArsedFarmer]

As has been said by other members here.

If you have a clone ready to go it's faster than seed. But there are draw backs.

I mainly run seed these days as I really can't be bothered running two rooms to keep mom's n clones unless it's something I can't get anymore or it's exceptional.

This is a pain when looking to breed.

 

[therevverend]

A clone that roots in 2 weeks will always be bigger with many more leaves and more branching than a two week old seedling. This is one of the reasons indoor commercial growers only use clones. You can root, veg, and flower clones indoors much faster than seedlings. You can roll over clones in 3-4 months while seedlings often take 4-6 months. That's veg and flowering combined. These are average dirt times, not getting into hydro/super systems or dialed in strains that can go very fast.

However seedlings are usually more vigorous than clones, they will overtake them if given enough time. This is why there's an advantage to growing seedlings outdoors. The other advantage is that you can sprout seedlings in February-April and get a 1-3 month start on clones that will start to flower and need to be revegged if started outdoors before May.