Quick answer
Check four things before you pay: the seller's license, pathogen test results, the root system, and the leaf surface. A healthy clone has white roots 2 to 4 inches long, green leaves with no spots or webbing, and paperwork that names the mother plant and the cut date. Skip any clone sold without test data.
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1. License and paperwork
In the US, clones move between licensed nurseries and licensed cultivators. Retail sales to home growers exist in states such as California, Colorado, Michigan, and Maine. Ask for the license number and the state agency that issued it. A seller who cannot name the agency is a seller to avoid.
Ask when the clone was cut. A cutting taken 14 to 21 days ago and rooted for 10 to 14 days is ready to transplant. Older stock sits in the same tray as sick plants.
2. Pathogen test results
Hop latent viroid (HLVd) is the main risk. It spreads through cuttings, contaminated blades, and dirty trays. Reports put yield loss at up to 30% in some cultivars, and infected plants show no symptoms for weeks. Ask for a PCR test result from the last 30 days. The same panel should cover powdery mildew, Fusarium, and Pythium.
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Tissue culture clones cost 2 to 3 times the price of a cut clone and carry cleaner pathogen records.
3. Roots
Pull the cube or plug from the tray. Roots should be white or cream, 2 to 4 inches long, and spread through the medium. Brown tips, slime, or a sour smell point to root rot. Roots circling the bottom of the plug mean the clone sat too long.
4. Leaves and stems
- Leaf color: even green. Yellow lower leaves mean the clone ran short on nitrogen or light.
- Leaf surface: no white powder, no black spots, no stippling. Stippling is mite damage.
- Undersides: check with a 10x loupe for eggs, webbing, and russet mites.
- Stems: firm, no dark lesions, no soft patches at the base.
- Nodes: 3 to 5 sets of true leaves is the standard for a rooted clone.
5. Genetics and labels
The label should list the cultivar name, the mother plant or batch ID, the cut date, and the light cycle used for rooting. Clones root under 18 hours of light. Moving a clone to 12/12 too soon stalls growth.
6. Price and minimums
Single clones run $10 to $30 in most US markets. Packs of 6 to 10 run $60 to $250. Nursery wholesale minimums start at 50 to 100 units. Tissue culture lines and verified HLVd-free stock sit at the top of that range.
7. After you buy
Quarantine new clones 7 to 14 days away from other plants. Inspect on day 1, day 4, and day 10. Treat for mites before you move them into the flower room. A clone that shows symptoms in quarantine costs you one plant. A clone that shows symptoms in the flower room costs you the crop.
Fast summary
- License number, agency name, cut date.
- PCR panel from the last 30 days, HLVd included.
- White roots, 2 to 4 inches, no slime.
- Green leaves, clean undersides, firm stems.
- Quarantine 7 to 14 days.