Monster cropping is the practice of taking cuttings from a cannabis plant that is already in the flowering stage, then rooting those cuttings and reverting them back to vegetative growth. The re-vegging process causes the clones to develop an unusually dense, multi-branched structure with far more nodes and potential bud sites than a standard vegetative clone — hence the name. The result is a naturally bushy plant that requires minimal topping and produces an even canopy with many colas.

This technique works because cannabis plants re-entering vegetative light from a flowering state produce a burst of new growth that is distinctly different from normal vegetative branching. The plant’s hormonal reset drives explosive lateral branching that experienced growers have learned to exploit for larger harvests and free genetics perpetuation.

Key Takeaways

• Monster cropping involves cutting clones from a cannabis plant in weeks 2–3 of flower — early enough that the cutting will root and re-veg successfully before it’s too deep into floral development.
• Re-vegging a flowering clone takes longer than rooting a vegetative clone — expect 2–4 weeks for rooting plus another 2–3 weeks of odd, single-fingered leaf growth before normal vegetative growth resumes.
• Monster cropped plants develop significantly more lateral branches than standard vegetative clones, often requiring little or no topping to achieve a multi-cola canopy.
• The technique lets you take clones from a plant you don’t want to keep as a mother plant — useful for preserving genetics from a harvest run without dedicating a perpetual mother.
• Monster cropped clones combine well with LST (low-stress training) and ScrOG (screen of green) training methods, which take advantage of their naturally wide, branching structure.
• Autoflowering strains cannot be monster cropped — the technique only works on photoperiod plants.

What Is Monster Cropping?

Monster cropping (also called floral cloning or flowering cloning) exploits a fundamental property of photoperiod cannabis: the ability to revert from flowering back to vegetative growth when light schedule changes. When you take a cutting from a plant that’s been flowering for 2–3 weeks and root it under 18 hours of light, that cutting — instead of completing its flower development — re-enters vegetative growth.

The re-veg process is not a simple reset. The cutting’s meristematic tissue (the growing tips) has been expressing floral genes for weeks. When forced back into vegetative mode, the plant’s growth pattern is disrupted in a way that produces hyperactive lateral branching. Instead of a single apical dominant main stem, the re-vegged cutting develops multiple competing shoots simultaneously. The early leaves that emerge during re-veg are noticeably different — round, single-fingered “mutation leaves” that look nothing like normal cannabis foliage. This is normal and temporary.

After 2–3 weeks of this odd recovery growth, the plant begins producing normal multi-fingered vegetative leaves and growth patterns — but with far more branching sites already established than a standard clone would have. The end product, after a full veg period, is a plant that looks like it’s been heavily topped and trained even without those interventions.

Why Growers Use Monster Cropping

More Colas, Less Work

The primary appeal of monster cropping is the naturally multi-branched structure that develops during re-veg. A standard clone in veg grows with one main apical stem — to get multiple colas, you need to top or FIM the plant to break apical dominance and force lateral branching. A monster cropped clone essentially does this itself during re-veg. By the time normal growth resumes, you already have 6–10+ lateral branches competing for dominance, giving you the foundation for a wide, even canopy with minimal manipulation.

Perpetuating Genetics Without a Mother Plant

Maintaining a dedicated mother plant requires space, light, and resources year-round. Many home growers don’t have that luxury. Monster cropping lets you run a plant to harvest and take your clones from the same plant during the flowering run — you get to evaluate the genetics in flower (phenotype selection in real time) before you even decide to keep them.

If a plant performs exceptionally in flower, you’ve already cloned it. If it underperforms, you can harvest it and discard the clones without having invested in a separate mother plant setup. This is a fundamentally more efficient approach to genetics preservation for small-scale growers. Our guide to mother plants 101 covers when dedicated mothers make more sense versus this more opportunistic approach.

Free Clones from Your Current Run

Monster cropping produces clones from plants you’re already running — no additional source stock needed. If you have a great plant in early flower and want 4 copies of it, take 4 cuttings, root them under 18/6, and you have 4 monster crop clones working through re-veg while the mother finishes her flower cycle. By the time harvest is done, your next generation of clones is well into re-veg and approaching normal veg growth.

Combining with Training Techniques

Monster cropped plants are excellent candidates for ScrOG (screen of green) setups because their naturally wide, multi-branched architecture fills a screen rapidly and evenly. Combined with LST (low-stress training) to tuck and spread branches horizontally during re-veg and early veg, monster crop plants can pack extraordinary amounts of productive canopy into a limited footprint. For a full rundown on how these training methods interact, see our guide to topping and LST for cannabis clones.

How to Monster Crop Cannabis: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Choose the Right Plant and Timing

Monster cropping works best when cuts are taken during weeks 2–3 of flower. This is the optimal window for several reasons:

• The plant has fully committed to flowering — stretch is happening, floral sites are forming — so the re-veg response will be strong when light is extended back to 18 hours
• The cutting hasn’t gone so deep into flower development that it becomes difficult to root or extremely slow to re-veg
• Cuttings taken in week 4+ of flower will root and re-veg, but the process is slower and the recovery growth is more chaotic — the deeper into flower, the harder the re-veg

Take cuttings from lower or mid-canopy branches on the source plant. These branches receive less light than the top colas and are less valuable to the flowering plant — removing them actually improves airflow and light penetration to the buds you want to develop. Avoid the main top or best bud sites.

Choose branches that are 3–5 inches long (7–12 cm) with at least 2 nodes visible and some floral development at the tip. The small, just-forming flower clusters are fine — they don’t need to be cut off before cloning.

Step 2: Take the Cutting

Use a clean, sharp blade — a scalpel or clean razor blade works better than scissors, which can crush the stem. Cut at a 45-degree angle just below a node. Take the cutting directly from the mother plant — have your rooting medium ready so you can get the stem end into moisture immediately.

Optionally: re-cut the stem end underwater (submerge the bottom inch in a cup of water and make a second cut) to prevent air embolism in the stem before placing in rooting medium.

Remove any flower buds or large fan leaves at the top of the cutting, keeping 2–3 small leaves. You’re reducing the transpiration load on the cutting while it’s developing roots. Remove the lowest set of leaves to expose clean stem for rooting medium contact.

Step 3: Apply Rooting Hormone and Place in Medium

Dip the stem end (about 1 inch / 2.5 cm) in cloning gel or powder rooting hormone — products like Clonex gel, Olivia’s Cloning Solution, or Hormex are all effective. Coat evenly and tap off excess powder if using powder form.

Place the cutting in your chosen rooting medium. Good options for monster crop clones:

• Rapid Rooter or Rockwool cubes — consistent moisture retention, good air-to-water ratio, easy transplant
• Solo cup with perlite/coco mix — good drainage, easy to check root development
• Aero cloner / cloning machine — highest success rate, fastest rooting, worth the investment if you clone regularly

Monster crop cuttings from flowering plants sometimes take longer to root than standard vegetative cuttings — expect 10–18 days rather than the 7–12 days typical for veg cuttings. This is normal; the cutting’s metabolism is still partly in flowering mode when it enters the cloner. Patience matters here.

Step 4: Set Light Schedule to 18/6

This is the critical step that drives re-veg: the clone must receive 18 hours of light (or more) per day. Some growers use 20/4 or even 24/0 to accelerate re-veg. The extended light period signals the clone that it should stop flowering and return to vegetative growth.

Do not put monster crop clones under a 12/12 schedule — they will attempt to continue flowering, root development will be impaired, and the whole point of the technique is lost. If you’re cloning mid-run from a 12/12 flowering room, these cuttings need their own space under an 18-hour schedule — even a T5 or small LED in a propagation tent is enough.

Light intensity during rooting and early re-veg should be low — 100–200 PPFD. The clone can’t photosynthesize efficiently without a root system, and high light during propagation increases transpiration stress. Raise intensity gradually as roots develop and re-veg progresses.

Step 5: The Re-Veg Period — What to Expect

Once rooted and under 18/6, the clone begins re-vegging. This phase has a distinctive and sometimes alarming appearance that first-time monster croppers often mistake for problems:

• Single-fingered “mutation” leaves emerge first — round, whole-edged, with none of the serrated multi-finger structure of normal cannabis leaves. This is completely normal and is one of the visual signatures of a re-vegging plant.
• Multiple growth tips emerge simultaneously from each node — where a vegetative clone would produce one new shoot per node, a re-vegging clone can produce 2–4 simultaneously. This is the hormonal reset driving the branching advantage.
• Growth looks chaotic for 2–3 weeks — different nodes growing at different rates, odd leaf shapes mixed with early normal leaves
• By weeks 3–4 of re-veg, normal multi-fingered leaves are dominant and the plant’s growth becomes more organized, revealing the dense multi-branch architecture underneath

Feed lightly during re-veg — nitrogen-forward vegetative nutrients at 50–70% of normal dose. The plant is re-calibrating its physiology and doesn’t need heavy feeding. Light, frequent watering works better than heavy drenches during this phase.

Step 6: Transition to Full Vegetative Growth and Training

After 4–6 weeks from cutting (rooting + re-veg), your monster crop clone should be showing all normal vegetative growth characteristics with a noticeably wider, denser structure than a standard clone of the same age. Now is the time to:

• Up-pot to a larger container if needed
• Begin LST by tying down any dominant branches that are stretching above the rest — the goal is an even canopy across all the lateral branches
• Optionally add a ScrOG net above the plant to spread and support the naturally branchy structure
• Begin ramping feeding to full vegetative strength

Continue vegetating under 18/6 until the plant has the canopy size and structure you want, then flip to 12/12 to initiate flowering. Our guide on transitioning cannabis clones from veg to flower covers what to expect and how to manage the flip from a well-developed monster crop plant.

Monster Cropping Timing and Timeline

Monster Cropping Pros and Cons

Pros

• Naturally bushy structure: fewer topping sessions needed to achieve a multi-cola plant
• Genetics preservation without a mother plant: clone from your harvest run and evaluate genetics in real flower before committing
• Free clones from existing plants: no additional source stock or separate veg area for mothers required
• Lower-branch cuttings improve flowering plant: removing lower branches improves airflow and light penetration to the buds above
• Excellent ScrOG and LST candidate: natural branching structure fills training systems efficiently
• Perpetual harvest cycles: combine monster cropping with a perpetual grow to always have the next generation cloned from the current run

Cons

• Longer re-veg timeline: add 2–3 weeks to your total growth time compared to vegetative clones
• Lower initial success rate: flowering cuttings are somewhat harder to root than vegetative cuttings, especially if taken too late in flower
• Requires separate space for 18/6: if your grow is entirely 12/12, you need a separate propagation area for re-veg
• Early growth looks alarming: single-fingered leaves and chaotic growth during re-veg is normal but unsettling for first-time practitioners
• Not suitable for autoflowers: autoflowering genetics cannot re-veg because they flower based on age, not light schedule
• Timing constraints: you must take cuttings in the right window (weeks 2–3 of flower) — cutting too early or too late reduces success

Monster Cropping vs. Standard Cloning

Standard vegetative cloning — taking cuttings from a plant in its vegetative stage — is faster, simpler, and has a higher success rate. If you have a dedicated mother plant, vegetative cloning is almost always the right choice. Rooting takes 7–12 days, there’s no re-veg period, and growth after rooting is immediately normal and predictable.

Monster cropping makes the most sense when:

• You don’t have or want to maintain a mother plant
• You want to evaluate a plant’s phenotype in flower before deciding to keep its genetics
• You want the training advantages of the naturally bushy re-veg structure
• You’re running a perpetual cycle where plants rotate continuously and there’s no dedicated veg room with mothers

For a comprehensive look at all cloning approaches and when to use each one, see our guide to cannabis cloning techniques.

Combining Monster Cropping with LST and Topping

Monster cropped plants and low-stress training (LST) are a natural combination. During the re-veg phase, the plant develops multiple shoots simultaneously — at different heights and competing for dominance. LST applied during this period (gently tying shoots outward and downward) channels that explosive branching energy into a wide, flat canopy rather than a tall, vertical structure.

By the time re-veg completes and normal growth resumes, you may have 8–12 established lateral branches spread across the canopy with no topping required at all. This is the monster crop advantage at its clearest — the plant has essentially topped itself multiple times during re-veg.

If you do top a monster crop plant during veg, each topping doubles the number of cola sites that already exist — the compounding effect is more dramatic than topping a standard clone, which typically has fewer branching sites to begin with. A single topping event on a well-established monster crop can produce 16–20 cola sites. Our detailed guide on topping and LST for cannabis clones covers the mechanics of both techniques and how to sequence them for maximum effect.

Monster Cropping and Perpetual Harvests

One of the most effective uses of monster cropping is in a perpetual grow setup — where multiple plants in different growth stages cycle through a grow space continuously, producing harvests every 4–6 weeks.

In a perpetual setup, each plant that’s flipped to flower in weeks 2–3 can donate 2–4 monster crop cuttings. Those cuttings root and re-veg in a propagation area while the mother plant completes her 8–10 week flower cycle. By harvest time, the monster crop clones are fully re-vegged and entering productive veg — ready to take the place of the plant just harvested. The cycle continues without needing a separate dedicated mother plant at all.

This approach requires only two spaces: a flowering area and a propagation/veg area. The genetic line perpetuates automatically through the production cycle. It’s a model that works especially well for experienced growers running 2–4 plants at a time with consistent strain rotation.

Choosing the Right Strains for Monster Cropping

Any photoperiod cannabis strain can be monster cropped, but some respond more vigorously than others. Generally:

• Indica-dominant and indica-hybrid strains tend to re-veg more readily and with more compact, densely branched structure during re-veg
• Sativa-dominant strains can have a longer re-veg period and more chaotic early growth, but still produce excellent multi-branch structure once re-veg completes
• Strains known for vigorous vegetative growth — GMO, Gorilla Glue, Wedding Cake lineages — respond very well to monster cropping
• Autoflowering strains cannot be monster cropped under any circumstances — they flower on a genetic timer, not light schedule, so re-veg is not possible

If you want to explore what strains make the best candidates for advanced growing techniques like monster cropping, browse the clone selection at IWantClones.com. Our clones are selected from proven genetics — exactly the kind of material worth preserving through techniques like monster cropping.

Common Monster Cropping Mistakes

Cutting Too Late in Flower

Taking cuttings after week 3–4 of flower dramatically reduces rooting success and extends re-veg time. The plant’s physiology is deeply committed to floral development by week 5+, and cuttings taken this late may take 4–6 weeks just to root and show signs of re-veg. Stick to weeks 2–3 for reliable results.

Putting Re-Veg Clones Under 12/12

Monster crop cuttings that go under a 12/12 schedule will attempt to continue flowering rather than re-vegging. They’ll root slowly if at all, produce minimal vegetative growth, and miss the entire point of the technique. Re-vegging requires 18+ hours of light per day — no exceptions.

Overfeeding During Re-Veg

The re-vegging clone is under significant physiological stress as it reverses its hormonal state. Heavy feeding during re-veg, especially with high-nitrogen solutions at full strength, burns a plant that’s already struggling. Feed lightly — vegetative nutrients at 50–60% strength — until normal growth resumes, then ramp up gradually.

Panicking at the Odd Leaves

Single-fingered round leaves and generally weird-looking growth during re-veg is expected and normal. It looks like a sick or mutant plant, but it’s actually healthy tissue adapting to a new growth program. If the plant is under 18/6, in appropriate humidity, and not being overfed, let it do its thing. Normal leaves will emerge within 2–3 weeks.

Not Allowing Enough Total Grow Time

Monster cropping adds time to your cycle. A vegetative clone that goes from rooting to flower in 4 weeks will take 7–9 weeks from cutting to the same point via monster cropping (2 weeks rooting + 3 weeks re-veg + 2 weeks normal early veg before it’s ready for the same flip). Plan your grow schedule accounting for this added time, especially in a perpetual setup where timing coordination matters.

Getting Started with Quality Genetics

Monster cropping is most rewarding when you’re working with genetics worth preserving. If a strain barely impresses you in flower, making 6 monster crop clones of it doesn’t improve the genetics — it just perpetuates mediocrity. The technique shines brightest when you’ve found a phenotype that hits everything right: structure, yield, aroma, resin production. That’s the plant you want to monster crop.

At IWantClones.com, we source clones from proven genetics with real-world performance behind them. Our selection is backed by the genetics expertise of SeedsHereNow.com and James Bean’s 15+ years in cannabis breeding and cultivation. Every clone ships overnight with a 3-day guarantee — you’re getting a rooted, inspected plant from stock that’s actually worth running.

Browse the current clone selection to find genetics worth using monster cropping on, or check out our cloning techniques guide for the full range of ways to work with clones from propagation through training.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is monster cropping in cannabis?

Monster cropping is taking cuttings from a cannabis plant that is already in the flowering stage (weeks 2–3 of flower) and rooting those cuttings under 18+ hours of light so they revert to vegetative growth. The re-veg process produces plants with exceptionally dense, multi-branched structure and many more cola sites than a standard vegetative clone would develop naturally.

When should I take monster crop cuttings?

The ideal window is weeks 2–3 of the flowering stage. By this point the plant is actively flowering and the re-veg response will be strong, but it hasn’t gone so deep into flower that rooting becomes difficult. Cuttings taken after week 4 of flower take significantly longer to root and re-veg, with lower success rates. Take cuttings from lower or mid-canopy branches to avoid disrupting the main bud sites.

How long does it take for a monster crop clone to re-veg?

Expect 10–18 days for rooting, then an additional 2–3 weeks of re-veg before normal vegetative growth resumes. Total time from cutting to a plant in full vegetative growth is typically 4–6 weeks. During re-veg, you’ll see unusual single-fingered leaves and chaotic multi-shoot growth — this is normal and resolves as re-veg completes.

Can you monster crop autoflowering strains?

No. Autoflowering cannabis strains flower based on age and genetics, not light schedule. They cannot revert to vegetative growth regardless of how many hours of light they receive. Monster cropping only works on photoperiod strains that respond to 12/12 light to trigger flowering and can return to vegetative growth when given 18+ hours of light.

Do monster cropped plants need topping?

Often not, or only minimally. The re-veg process causes multiple growth tips to emerge simultaneously from each node, creating a naturally multi-branched structure. Many growers who monster crop find their plants arrive at the canopy structure a normal clone would need multiple toppings to achieve. LST during re-veg and early veg is usually more useful than topping for directing that branching energy into an even canopy.

Is monster cropping worth the extra time?

It depends on your goals. If you want to preserve genetics from a plant you’re flowering without maintaining a mother plant, monster cropping is highly efficient — you evaluate the plant in flower and clone simultaneously. If you have a mother plant and just need more clones of a proven strain, standard vegetative cloning is faster and simpler. Monster cropping’s real value is genetics preservation, canopy structure advantages, and integration into perpetual harvest cycles.