Multiple strains on one cannabis plant or mother is theoretically and practically possible: grafting is a plant grafting and propagation technique that has been used for hundreds of years on ornamental and fruit trees to propagate or improve them. There are different techniques.
Grafting in cannabis is one of the relatively unknown and less documented grafting and propagation methods. For grafting or propagation, a clone is joined with a mother plant. The clone and the mother plant usually have different but similar genetics (e.g. a Kandy Kush is grafted onto an 8-ball Kush). The cuttings are inserted into the cut stem of a young mother plant. The aim is that after some time the clone grows together with the mother plant onto which it was grafted. The two different genetic material combine with each other and finally grow as one plant, if everything has worked out.
There can be various reasons for using the method of grafting in plants. With cultivated plants, it is often intended to further improve the quality of a plant and to create certain advantages. In the case of cannabis, grafting has the advantage that it offers the possibility of growing different varieties in a small space on only one (mother) plant. Later, genetically different cuttings can be taken from one mother plant, i.e. different varieties of clones. This method saves space when keeping mother plants. Up to 3 different varieties can be grafted onto each mother plant, thus significantly increasing personal choice. From the point where the clone is grafted on, the plant will only carry the genetics of the clone at that part. For example, if a cannabis plant has been grafted with three different strains and is made to flower, it will produce three different strains of weed.
With cannabis, however, grafting itself is not quite as easy as with many fruit trees. The botanically more similar the two strains that are combined, the higher the probability that the method will be successful.
Cannabis grafting - How to do it:
During this transplanting and growing into the other cannabis plant, a temperature between 24°C and 27°C is ideal. Increased humidity is also very important. The place where the clone is inserted into the mother plant must not be allowed to dry out, as this would prevent the desired connection from occurring. If the cell tissue at the connection point dries out, the grafting will no longer work. There should be sufficient contact area between the clone and the mother plant when the two are joined.
For this purpose, either a strong side shoot or the main shoot of a young mother plant is cut and incised in a V-shape. Use a disinfected Scalpel or very sharp knife. Care should be taken with both the clone and the mother plant to avoid contamination by bacteria or other impurities at the respective cutting points, so clean and disinfect all tools thoroughly beforehand and ensure a clean environment.
A little Clonex can be applied to the cuttings so that the clone grows better. Of course, both the clone and the mother plant should be healthy and strong. Some cannabis varieties are more compatible with each other than other varieties. There is no rule to determine the degree of compatibility between strains. That's why the only way is the try-and-error method, i.e. try and experiment.
The cut is then wrapped with some tape so that it does not dry out and the two parts of the plant have good contact with each other.
Then wrap the clone and the cutting in a (new) freezer bag for 3 days to ensure high humidity. It is best to do this in such a way that no leaf touches the foil. The first leaf or leaves that the rooted clone gets can still be cringy. This is completely normal and has to do with the adaptation of the clone/plant. After some time and when more new leaves are added, this phenomenon usually no longer occurs.
After about 8 days, the clone has taken root on the mother plant and is now growing there. The tape should be left on for a while, as there is no firm connection between the two varieties at first.
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It is up to many individual growers to further develop this still unknown method in cannabis through their own experimentation and to create more knowledge for other growers, so that another possibility of effective and versatile cannabis cultivation or grafting becomes even more perfected and known. As already mentioned, grafting cannabis is not easy and one should have some patience and give it several tries. All the nicer when it finally works out.