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Perpetual Cloning Question

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Perpetual Cloning Question

Enforcer 40 Replies 6,315 Views
Page 1 of 3 · Replies 1–20 of 41
Enforcer

Enforcer

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#1
I have been asked this several times and I really can’t find an answer. I’m sure it’s been discussed here, I just can’t find it. So I apologize in advance if this is redundant.

I’m going to take cuttings before I flip to start my next run. Root the clones and veg them a little under T5’s. Then move to the tent when the last run is done drying. Then do it all again. My question is, how many times can you take a clone of a clone without adverse genetic issues pop up? Will anything bad happen at all, or can I just clone on like that into eternity? lol. Thanks.
 
#2
I too have heard conflicting info on this, but here’s what I got from my amazing grower buddy in Humboldt. Yes, some strains will loose quality through cloning over time, some faster than others. In the early 2000s, he had the original OG and people offered $10k for a clone, he turned it down. It was the best strain still, and current OG is crap in comparison. He had his Mom for years afraid to kill the quality.

He explained to me he has seen quality drop in strains after a few generations of cloning, but if the genetics are really strong, it can be more than a dozen generations of cloning.

Hoping someone can prove that wrong, so I can adapt my process and not need to keep massive Moms.
 
#3
Thanks MrPanda. Yeah, I have heard the quality will go down claim as well. Some even give a number, like 7 times, but any more and the quality goes to crap. Very interested to see if anyone has any experience with this.
 
#4
The original clone only gorilla glue 4, has been clones more times by thousands of growers over the past 5 or so years. I've never kept a mom of my gg4 cut, only a clone after a clone and repeat for the x amount of years I've had her in my stable. She is ever as strong and the 1st time I got her.
 
#5
DemonTrich said:
The original clone only gorilla glue 4, has been clones more times by thousands of growers over the past 5 or so years. I've never kept a mom of my gg4 cut, only a clone after a clone and repeat for the x amount of years I've had her in my stable. She is ever as strong and the 1st time I got her.
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Thank you, I appreciate your experience. Do you think starting with a femanized seed would effect the outcome at all?
 
#6
Idk i think it all breaks down to the donors health . ive been cloning clones of bruce banner 3 for over 4 years with no ill effects . i used to have a mass super skunk that was atleast 15 years old and the same thing only reason i say used to have is because i forgot to clone her
 
#7
gravekat303 said:
Idk i think it all breaks down to the donors health . ive been cloning clones of bruce banner 3 for over 4 years with no ill effects . i used to have a mass super skunk that was atleast 15 years old and the same thing only reason i say used to have is because i forgot to clone her
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Thanks man. The Super Skunk, did you keep a mother that you took cuttings off of for 15 years, or did you clone and grow out each clone, rinse & repeat?
 
#8
Enforcer said:
Thanks man. The Super Skunk, did you keep a mother that you took cuttings off of for 15 years, or did you clone and grow out each clone, rinse & repeat?
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I only had the mss for 3 years it was a clone of a clone that my buddy kept i know he doesnt keep moms ever
 
#11
I have heard the genetic drift argument...it just doesn't make sense. Genetics are what they are, cutting a piece of plant off will give you something genetically identical, it's not like one branch has different genes than another. Genetic drift has to do with offspring, clones are not that. I think the "genetic drift" is more an issue of people looking for an explanation why the awesome clone they picked up doesn't perform as well in their grow environment compared to what they see in others.

You can wind up with a crappy growing clone if it was taken poorly, but the genetic potential should not be changed.
 
#12
I rarely keep mothers, I've kept clones of clone of some strains over 10 years. In the early days there were no seed banks to purchase seeds, all we had were seeds found in the bags we bought. So if something became a keeper out of those seeds we cloned the heck out of it.
 
#14
I did recently lose a plant I like, but that was due to human error. If you plan to clone from clones, make sure you actually took the cuts you thought you did and that they root. Also a good idea to make some seeds as backup. Keeping a dedicated mom is a safer option if you are prone to doing stupid things.
 
#15
Enforcer said:
Thank you both for responding. This has been bothering me for awhile and I couldn't find an answer. I'm growing some White Widow from seed and I want to just keep them going. It's reassuring to hear 10+ years without issues.
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Not all strains you find will be able to clone for that long, without a loss of production or quality. Just as an example ,I have a HSO Blue Dream that crapped out in less than a year. I had the original Grimm Bro's c-99 that lasted about 6 years before it crapped out. Not all plants are created equal.
 
#16
Enforcer said:
I have been asked this several times and I really can’t find an answer. I’m sure it’s been discussed here, I just can’t find it. So I apologize in advance if this is redundant.

I’m going to take cuttings before I flip to start my next run. Root the clones and veg them a little under T5’s. Then move to the tent when the last run is done drying. Then do it all again. My question is, how many times can you take a clone of a clone without adverse genetic issues pop up? Will anything bad happen at all, or can I just clone on like that into eternity? lol. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I had a White Widow mom for at least 8 years this side of eternity. She finally got squirley and successive clones had same trait, so we gave her up, so the answer is no. But you can have quite a few good years with your sweetheart strain on just one seed (but do plant em all and get the best one). The last clone is as old as the first, so keeping the first one forever isn't necessary and doesn't work. Mothers should be cut back hard, don't try to save every punny shoot and get so strechy. But I don't use mothers any more- I now use perpetual cloning. I triple top in Veg. I clone on the third topping for the next crop because there are 4 of similar size and same age.
 
#17
Enforcer said:
I have been asked this several times and I really can’t find an answer. I’m sure it’s been discussed here, I just can’t find it. So I apologize in advance if this is redundant.

I’m going to take cuttings before I flip to start my next run. Root the clones and veg them a little under T5’s. Then move to the tent when the last run is done drying. Then do it all again. My question is, how many times can you take a clone of a clone without adverse genetic issues pop up? Will anything bad happen at all, or can I just clone on like that into eternity? lol. Thanks.
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Genetic drift is stoner myth!! Ive had my g13 for 15 yrs and god knows how old it was when i got it. I've been cloning clones the entire time. If anything ive done better and better with it and that just 1 example.
I have other clones that have been passed around all over the world.
 
#18
G gnome said:
Genetic drift is stoner myth!! Ive had my g13 for 15 yrs and god knows how old it was when i got it. I've been cloning clones the entire time. If anything ive done better and better with it and that just 1 example.
I have other clones that have been passed around all over the world.
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Haha, it was an old stoner that told me! When I told him how I planned to take cuttings each time. Went something like “Hey man, you know you can only do that like...six times” (a number I believe pulled out of thin air). When I asked him why, he couldn’t really offer a logical answer. Thanks for posting your experience. It gives me hope for the future.
 
#19
Enforcer said:
Haha, it was an old stoner that told me! When I told him how I planned to take cuttings each time. Went something like “Hey man, you know you can only do that like...six times” (a number I believe pulled out of thin air). When I asked him why, he couldn’t really offer a logical answer. Thanks for posting your experience. It gives me hope for the future.
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Well i mean look at sfv, Chemdog D, Chemdog 91, ....how long have these cuts been around?
I suspect goin on 30 yrs. They still do great for me.....
 
#20
Enforcer said:
I have been asked this several times and I really can’t find an answer. I’m sure it’s been discussed here, I just can’t find it. So I apologize in advance if this is redundant.

I’m going to take cuttings before I flip to start my next run. Root the clones and veg them a little under T5’s. Then move to the tent when the last run is done drying. Then do it all again. My question is, how many times can you take a clone of a clone without adverse genetic issues pop up? Will anything bad happen at all, or can I just clone on like that into eternity? lol. Thanks.
Click to expand...
You can do it a billion times... Probably a trillion times
 
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