Starting with cannabis clones is a fast track to get your outdoor garden up and thriving. Clones are genetic copies of a mother plant, offering consistent traits and faster maturity compared to growing from seed. But succeeding with outdoor clones requires some specific techniques.
In this post, we’ll look at sourcing healthy clones, transplanting them outside, and caring for them in open-air conditions. Follow these cloning tips, and your outdoor plants will flourish.
Finding Quality Clones
Obtain clones only from reputable providers like licensed dispensaries or nurseries. Inspect plants closely before purchase for:
Perky, green foliage without leaf curling, spots, or yellowing
Firm, healthy white roots with no slime or decay
A sturdy stem that stands upright, not limp or drooping over
No visible signs of pests like webs, eggs, or larvae
The clone’s mother plant should ideally be a strain bred for outdoor resilience in your local climate.
Ask the source when the clone was cut. Newly snipped clones just starting to root are best. Avoid any showing signs of flowering or stress.
Care After Transport
Keep clones hydrated en route by lightly misting foliage and packing root zones with damp soil or coco coir. Use insulated containers to maintain temperature.
Upon arriving home, unpack clones gently to minimize transplant shock. Remove any yellowed leaves and clear dead root matter with sterile scissors.
Trim any roots longer than 4 inches to encourage branching after transplant.
Water sparingly with pH adjusted water. Let clones rest in a shady spot for a few days to recover before going outside. Avoid direct sun immediately after transport.
Transplanting Outdoors
When ready to move outside, take these steps:
Choose a sheltered site with amended soil and partial sun. Dig holes slightly wider and deeper than the clone’s roots.
Water holes well before transplant and allow excess moisture to drain. Pop clones from containers, keeping root balls intact.
Place each clone in its hole with the top of the root ball just above ground level. Fill holes with soil, gently firming around stems.
Water newly planted clones thoroughly until the surrounding soil is moist. Top with an organic mulch layer to retain moisture. Stake any unstable plants.
Use shade cloth, gradually allowing more sun exposure over a week as plants establish roots. Guard against wind and frost.
Outdoor Care Tips
Caring for clones outdoors requires close attention:
Monitor soil moisture daily. Clones require even, frequent irrigation to root well.
Install drip irrigation if manually watering daily isn’t feasible. Slow deep watering encourages downward rooting.
Spray leaves with compost tea or fish fertilizer weekly to provide organic nutrients. Go easy on nitrogen to avoid excess stretch.
Weed regularly around clones by hand or using mulch and landscape fabric to inhibit competing growth.
Check for pests like spider mites under leaves. Treat promptly with organic insecticidal soap if found.
Use row covers at night if frost is expected until plants mature and get hardy.
Transition to Flowering
After 2-3 months of vegetative growth, clones will be well-established and ready to flower.
Pinch or trim back the growing tips to encourage bushy growth. Stop using nitrogen fertilizers.
Move any indoor-only strains into a greenhouse or under lights at night to finish flowering. More hardy strains can remain outdoors.
Finish flowering clones by mid-October before cold weather sets in. Stagger planting dates to distribute harvest times.
With proper care following transplant, clones give cannabis gardens a robust head start. Just remember to meet their high water and nutrient demands under open skies. Follow these tips, and your clones will thrive outdoors all summer long.
For practical tips and advice on homegrown Cannabis, check out our posts on How Long Does It Take To Fully Grow A Cannabis Plant?, Advantages of Growing Cannabis Clones Vs Seeds, and How Much Cannabis Can I legally Carry In The Canada.
