Whether you have decided to cultivate a Herbs crop at home for profit or personal use, there are some important choices you have to make: If you’ll be growing in soil or hydroponically; indoors or outdoors, and, perhaps most importantly, whether you’ll be starting your crop from seeds or clones. When choosing between seeds and clones, ultimately it comes down to what’s going to work best for your budget, timeframe, and motivation for growing.

The Motivation Factor

Your reason for cultivating your own Herbs crop is an important factor in deciding how you’ll start. When growing for profit, you may want to opt for clones for a faster growth cycle and guaranteed female plants to start generating income. When growing for personal use, seeds may be a good choice if you may have the luxury of a longer growth cycle or want to experiment with your own crossbreeds.

 

The Advantages (and Disadvantages) of Clones

Before you opt for starting from clones, there are some things you should know. Growing from clones has some distinct advantages, but also has some drawbacks.

 

Advantages:

• Simpler start — clones are already germinated and rooted in a planting medium.
• Clones can be recloned over and over again.
• Clones are sexed already, so you know whether or not you’re getting a female.
• Genetic identical to the parent plant, so you know what breed you’re getting.

 

Disadvantages:

• It’s difficult to evaluate the root system because the plants are already in their medium.
• Clones may have compromised root systems since the roots aren’t typically as strong as those started from seeds.
• Parental vulnerabilities — whatever the parent plant was vulnerable to, the clone will be vulnerable to as well.
• Transplant shock when the clone is detached from the parent.

Bear in mind that many of the disadvantages of growing from clones can be overcome by choosing to work with a reputable and trusted distributor.

 

The Advantages (and Disadvantages) of Seeds

Growing from seeds is the more “traditional” method for growing Herbs, but, like clones, seed growing has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

• Cultivation from seeds has proved to provide higher yields with more flowers.
• Plants cultivated from seeds typically have stronger root systems. Healthy roots mean a healthy plant.
• Seed cultivation has come a long way. You can purchase feminized seeds which can essentially guarantee that you will produce female plants (though they do carry a risk of producing hermaphrodites).
• More choice. There are practically endless options to choose from when growing from seeds.

 

Disadvantages:

• Longer growth cycle — typically several weeks.
• Unknown sex — with un-feminized seeds, you have a 50/50 shot of getting a male or hermaphrodite plant.
• Seed cultivation and growing can be complicated and takes a lot of time.

Seeds or clones, Hippie Grow Shop has the accessories, kits, and nutrients to get your garden growing and thriving. Check out our selection of industry tested and approved grow tents, lights, and nutrient kits. Not sure what you need? Give Hippie Grow Shop a call at 905-435-5845 today. We’re happy to help!