Quote Originally Posted by Monoxide
Are clones simply branches that are cut off and put in a medium to allow them to grow their own roots, or is there more to it??
That's it, in a nutshell. How you accomplish this will affect your results. Rooting hormone is fantastic, but not completely necessary. Some people can get roots in just tap water (I'm not one of them, lol).
Temperature control is necessary, as is mold control.

Quote Originally Posted by Monoxide
When is the best time to get clones from the mother plant?
She should be totally vegging and you can withhold Nitrogen for a little while before making your cuts. Give her plenty of water a couple hours before you cut branches.