Well this has many facets. Myself I don't keep a "mother" per se, but I clone as the plant gets close to being ready to flower. Once I have roots the "mother" can go to the flower room. I have a plant count I have to stay in and this works for me, because I don't have to keep a designated "mother" that sits there and takes up space, time, money, soil, nutes, etc. I have many different species and it is the only way with the plant count that I could even begin to do that.