Clone Care Guide
A Note on Timing
Clones ship UPS Next Day Air, so once a plant leaves us it is at your door the next day. What varies is when it ships. In-stock clones typically ship within 2-5 days. If a strain is on backorder, we wait for healthy, rooted stock rather than send you something marginal, which can take 2-3 weeks. Your tracking number goes out the moment it ships.
Your Clones Have Arrived: Start Here
Your clones shipped UPS Next Day Air and have been in a dark box for about 24 hours. They are alive and healthy, but they have just been through a stressful ride. The first 48 hours matter more than anything else you will do.
1. Unbox right away
Open the box the day it lands. Lift each plant out by the pot, never by the stem. Some drooping and a few yellowed lower leaves are normal after transit. That is not damage, and it recovers.
2. Check them over
Look at the leaves, top and underside, and inspect the stem. If anything looks wrong (crushed stems, heavy leaf loss, pests, mold), photograph it from a few angles right then and email us with your order number. Same-day photos make a replacement straightforward.
3. Water only if the soil is dry
Feel the top of the soil. If it is dry, water lightly until it is damp, not soaked. If it is still moist, leave it alone. More clones die from overwatering in week one than from anything else.
4. Do not feed them yet
No nutrients for the first several days. The root system is small and cannot use them, and fertilizer on a stressed clone burns it. Plain pH-balanced water only (6.0–7.0 in soil).
5. Give them two quiet days
Put them somewhere bright but out of direct light: indirect daylight, or a lamp well off to the side. Hold roughly 70–80°F and 65–75% humidity. A humidity dome or a clear cup over the plant helps if your room is dry. Let them sit for one to two days and simply recover.
6. Introduce light gradually
After the rest period, move them toward your grow light over several days. Start further away or at lower intensity and close the gap. Clones taken from a dark box straight under a full-power light will bleach and stall.
7. Wait a week before transplanting
Your clones arrive in 3.5″ pots. Ordered rooted peat pellets or unrooted cuttings instead? Plant peat pellets straight into soil, coco or hydro without removing the pellet. Unrooted cuttings need to root first: keep them under a humidity dome in bright, indirect light until roots show, then pot them up and follow the steps above. Leave them there at least 7 days. Transplant once you see roots at the drainage holes and new growth up top. That is the plant telling you it is ready. Water lightly after potting up and skip nutrients for another few days. Not sure which format fits your setup? Read rooted vs unrooted clones.
Quick Reference
| Arrives in | 3.5″ pot (plant 4–10″ tall), rooted peat pellet or unrooted cutting, depending on what you ordered |
| First 1–2 days | Bright indirect light, no nutrients |
| Temperature | 70–80°F |
| Humidity | 65–75% |
| Water | Only when the topsoil is dry |
| Full light | Introduce gradually after day 2 |
| Transplant | After 7+ days, once roots show |
| Problem on arrival | Photograph and email us the same day |
Clone Care FAQ
What should I do when my clones arrive?
Unbox them the day they land, lift each plant by the pot, check leaves and stems, and water only if the soil is dry. Give them one to two days in bright, indirect light with no nutrients before moving them under a grow light.
Is drooping normal after shipping?
Yes. Some drooping and a few yellowed lower leaves are normal after a day in a dark box. That is not damage, and it recovers.
Should I feed my clones right away?
No. Skip nutrients for the first several days. The root system is small and cannot use them yet, and fertilizer burns a stressed clone. Use plain pH-balanced water (6.0 to 7.0 in soil).
When can I transplant my clones?
Wait at least 7 days. Transplant once you see roots at the drainage holes and new growth up top, water lightly after potting up and skip nutrients for a few more days.
What if a clone arrives damaged?
Photograph it from a few angles the same day and email us with your order number. Same-day photos make a replacement straightforward.
I ordered peat pellets or unrooted cuttings. Does this guide apply?
Yes, with one change. Plant peat pellets straight into your medium without removing the pellet. Unrooted cuttings need to root under a humidity dome first, then follow the same steps.