Sexing By Placing an Un-rooted Clone/Cutting in 12/12

[PurplePotion]

I remember reading a few days ago somewhere in this jungle of threads and posts about sexing a plant by taking a cutting, placing it in a bit of water so that the stem stays moist and putting it under 12/12.

Any truth to this? I believe the poster did this due to medical limits on plants, and an unrooted cutting does not count as a plant.

This would be incredibly useful for weeding out males when growing from seed. In my particular case, to find a mother plant for my SOG.

Synopsis: Will an unrooted cutting placed in a bit of water under 12/12 lighting show sex?

 

[Pig-Pen]

Synopsis: Will an unrooted cutting placed in a bit of water under 12/12 lighting show sex?

Theoretically, yes and I know it to have worked in practice, too. You'll want to change the water daily, and it will depend on the genetics somewhat as to how responsive it is to this method.

Another viable and simpler method of sexing early would be start the seeds under 12/12, as soon as sex is shown put them under 18 hrs to veg and then go from there.

 

[Guest]

U shouldn't really need to change the water daily bt make sure its not guna grow algae or anything, shouldn't really need to change it any more often then every 2-3 days (if u bother to change it lol) ... I left a cutting in water for 2 months, just topping it up when the water level got to low and it rooted fine hahaha, it actually grew in the cup of water for bout a month and a half lol

I duno if the 12/12 thing would work well (in theory it would - but never heard of anyone doing this as of yet)

Cheers.

 

[Cabinet boy]

i also agree.Some time ago i forgot about a clone in the back(it was so small),flipped lights and maybe 2 weeks later it had lil hairs,but no roots.

 

[sativo]

I have experience with starting them in 12/12 and then flipping back to veg after sex has shown as pig-pen mentioned but I'm not sure if I would recommend it. First, when you flip, it's best to flip to 24 hours. If not the plant can stay 'somewhat' flowering, and by this I mean growing three fingered leaves for longer than it has to, the plant won't widen alot with 3 fingered leaves so will look tall and skinny. I think the best thing I learned though is that since the plant pretty much flowers for like another week after you flip back to veg you can start in 12/12 for exactly two weeks no longer wether it shows sex or not because it will most likely show during the next week even under 24/0.

 

[Maj.PotHead]

Theoretically, yes and I know it to have worked in practice, too. You'll want to change the water daily, and it will depend on the genetics somewhat as to how responsive it is to this method.

Another viable and simpler method of sexing early would be start the seeds under 12/12, as soon as sex is shown put them under 18 hrs to veg and then go from there.

and if you do this method you'll spend another 4-8wks reverting back to veg state. most plants i say again most plants esp indica dom will show sex 3-6wks from seed under 18/6 lighting.

 

[Storm Crow]

Hi there. Likely one of my posts, since I do this method of sexing. As to when they sex- just depends on the plant. Some go right away at the same speed as a seedling would under 12/12. A few are stubborn and "sulk", but they eventually "show". This method not only identifies the females, but also "easy rooters", a trait I like in my plants.

I just get a light colored ceramic cup (absorbs less heat), fill with water, tape some foil over the top, poke a few holes and place the cuttings in the holes. Permanent markers work on foil, so I know who's who. Then I just put it under 12/12 and wait. I change the water once or twice a week. No bubblers, no fancy stuff, totally primitive, but it works.

Meanwhile, my "mini-moms" are getting nice and bushy in veg. Males get weeded out, plants that look promising are cloned again before going under 12/12.

I have 1 "keeper" strain (unknown genetics, but has hard buds, vigorous growth and clones easily) and a couple of others that "will definitely do" until something better comes along. - Granny

 

[Pig-Pen]

I have experience with starting them in 12/12 and then flipping back to veg after sex has shown as pig-pen mentioned but I'm not sure if I would recommend it. First, when you flip, it's best to flip to 24 hours. If not the plant can stay 'somewhat' flowering, and by this I mean growing three fingered leaves for longer than it has to, the plant won't widen alot with 3 fingered leaves so will look tall and skinny. I think the best thing I learned though is that since the plant pretty much flowers for like another week after you flip back to veg you can start in 12/12 for exactly two weeks no longer wether it shows sex or not because it will most likely show during the next week even under 24/0.

I have experience with starting them in 12/12 and then flipping back to veg after sex has shown as pig-pen mentioned but I'm not sure if I would recommend it. First, when you flip, it's best to flip to 24 hours. If not the plant can stay 'somewhat' flowering, and by this I mean growing three fingered leaves for longer than it has to, the plant won't widen alot with 3 fingered leaves so will look tall and skinny. I think the best thing I learned though is that since the plant pretty much flowers for like another week after you flip back to veg you can start in 12/12 for exactly two weeks no longer wether it shows sex or not because it will most likely show during the next week even under 24/0.

It depends much more on the photo receptivity of the particular genetic set with which you're working than rather it gets 18 or 24 hours of light.

To put it another way, how long it takes for a plant to revert back to veg (or rather or not it reverts completely) is a genetic, rather than a lighting, intricacy.

I've had many plants get stuck in between when trying to reveg, even under 24 hrs of light. When they get stuck they can display any number of characteristics from vegetative and flowering growth simultaneously. Very strange to see.

And IME plants respond better to a more natural photo period for veg having a few dark hours to rest, rejuvenate hormones or whatever it is they do in the dark.

There's no really good way to "rush" sexing, as the plants will usually show naturally when they are sexually mature enough anyway. But these things can work.