Hey DGC! Im looking to cut a couple clones and run them with a couple seed plants. My question is, when is the best time to cut and germinate so they will be relatively close to the same size at flower? I realize strains are different and all that. Im just looking for a general answer. Im looking at cutting clones the same day I germ the seed. They should establish roots about the same time the seedling gets going. If I remember correctly, seeds grow faster and will out perform the clones eventually. Would it be better to cut the clones maybe a week prior to seed germ? I’ve never grown seeds and clones together so any advise would be helpful! Thanks DGC!
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I think you’ve nailed it. I may do the seeds a few days before the clones, here is my math.
Seeds take 4-5 days to get a tiny tail in most cases, I then put it in the soil and 4-5 days later it breaks through. Usually takes another 4-5 days to start putting out growth. So in all 12-15 days for seeds to be on their way.
Clones usually root for me using a cloner in 8-10 days. Then after moving them to soil, 3-4 more days to get solid roots and start with new growth. 11-14 days in total. The clones might start the upward growth a day or two earlier, but the seed usually will have more vigor, as you mentioned.
oh and to have the same height at flower will be a matter of training, you already know about the genetic effect / differences.
It’s SO strain dependent that it’s hard to give you good rule but I think if you put some rooted clones into soil a week before you pop some seeds you’ll get close. At least close enough that some creative training )LST and topping) will make it easy to match your plant height. The main key to mixing things up (i.e. multiple strains or clones & seeds) is your training technique(s). If you master the ability to manipulate plant growth, your timing won’t be as much of a concern. Right now I’m flowering 4 different strains and my canopy looks like I’m growing a mono-crop – all due to training methods.
By scoring seeds and then soaking them in tap water with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide, followed by putting them into very moist paper towel inside a baggie, I usually have 3/4″-1″ tails in 3 days – 4 days at most. I put them into my own light soil mix with mycorrhizae and Azos, with the seed hull about 1/4′ below the soil surface, and they usually emerge within 24-36 hours. 2 days, tops. I put a clear plastic cup over the seed and leave it there until the seedling produces its first true leaves. By day 20 I expect to have 5-6 nodes on a plant that’s roughly 7″-8″ tall when I use a 4 build T5 fixture about 4′-5″ above them. That’s pretty standard for me, whether I’m growing Photos or Autos, regs or fems regardless of strain. Hopefully that’ll give you an idea of how to cut clones for height to match.
Since I count so much on training, I usually just start my clones and plant them. Once I get to about the 2nd to 3rd new node, I’ll be looking to start my seeds. But, in all reality, I could wait until I get to the 4th node or even the fifth and then go heavy on some topping and trimming off ALL the big fan leaves at the top of the plant – ways of slowing growth at the top as well as encouraging the lower branches to shoot up – leaving time for the seedling to catch up.
Hope this helps. It’s a balancing act no matter what you do. Don’t sweat it, just do it! The only way to figure it out is to get the hands-on experience to learn what to do depending on what each plant is doing. There is NO way to just rely on timing to achieve what you want to do.