In a previous tutorial we discussed A-Grade Super-Cropping techniques, the many benefits to cropping, and how your plants can benefit from doing it.
Following on from that, I want to talk about the benefits of 'Monster Cropping' plants.
First off, what is a Monster Crop?
Monster Cropping is a clonal propagation technique, and a very easy one.
For a cutting to be considered a monster crop it must be removed from the very top of the plant/ main stem approximately 7-14 days after flowering has been initiated (The best day in my opinion is day 9. If I the cutting is taken before flowering has initiated, it is not a monster crop, it is considered a large vegetative clone.
- If the cutting is taken in a plant's vegetative phase - it’s a clone.
- If the cutting is taken in a plant's flowering phase - it's a Monster Crop.
Technically all cuttings are clones. The term Monster Crop was coined to describe taking a cutting from a early flowering plant, having to revert their current flowering state back to a vegetative one. This process happens with longer daylight hours and can take up to 6 weeks to fully transition back to a vegetative manner as witnessed by observing the leaves of the plant.
The cutting is then carefully looked after in another growing space setup with a photoperiod for vegetation it will now slowly revert from flower to vegetation, which in most scenarios take about 4- 6 weeks to revert.
The leaves will mutate (This is where the name Monster was incorporated) and transform from single flowering mono leaflets (alternate) back to the normal leaf expression (decussate)
Why would I need to do this?
There can be many reasons why a lot of growers employ this technique, but the main one is time management, providing shorter flowering periods for the successive generation and increased flowering sites.
Cuttings that are reverting from a flowering state will slow down growth rates dramatically so this can save you a ton of time as you finish off one room giving you time to transplant the next set of plants whilst any current crops are drying.
Supplies needed to Monster Crop:
- Scalpel / sharp scissors
- Grow cubes or Coco coir pot
- Cloning gel or rooting tonics
- Jug of water
Pre-soak any growing cubes in a solution made with your chosen rooting tonic (we use CYCO Ryzofuel) 1L of water will need 1ml of Ryzofuel. Submerge the cubes until fully saturated, then give the soaked cube a quick pinch before laying them out on propagation tray. Your cubes are now ready to start sticking the cuttings in the pre-piloted holes.
If it’s a coco coir pot you are using, fill a small pot with coco fairly loosely, then make up 1L of water with the 1ml of Ryzofuel added, flood the coco in the pot, allowing the solution drain out, only then can the cutting can be inserted and left.
If you choose to add a cloning gel, this should always be done after the final 45 degree cut, which is ALWAYS performed underwater. A quick recap on that, removed chosen stems from stock plant and place them in a glass or jug of water, whilst the stem is submerged make a 45 degree cutting, then remove it from the water, dip it into chosen gel and then into chosen substrate.
For those who want to setup a perpetual growing program, Monster Cropping is a great way to streamline your vegetive to flowering cycles within different growing rooms / environments.
