Sex Faster

[sex_pistils]

So I have decided to switch to 8/16 because I have to know what sex they are. I think they could show much faster this way. Anyone do this? Any opinions? I am very glad to say that I will no longer veg a plant from seed if it is tall with stout stem.

 

[Haps]

I have always found that taking sex slower produces more pleasure, and better over all results. Hurry is folly.

 

[jjs]

Get a jewellers loupe from ebay bro , or try the paper bag trick.

 

[wavy]

I have always found that taking sex slower produces more pleasure, and better over all results. Hurry is folly.

Haha!

I used to think that you could sex plants by observing how many lobes develop on the first five or six sets of fan leaves. Indica doesn't play that! ODD as hell - when after sexing and forcing back into vegetate mode, darn things can generate SINGLE frond leaves as big as your hand! Weird, weird bushy cush...

 

[wavy]

not familiar with paper bag technique.... how does that work?

 

[Space Case]

I switch my seedlings to 18/6 for sexing, it definitely speeds things up for sex declaration!

 

[Tom Hill]

lol Haps,

Yes SP,

You will determine sex sooner with such a regimen. Sexing usually occurs earliest on the 3rd, 5th, or 7th node (odd, yes?). But while they'll only be throwing primordia under the longer lighting regimens often escaping the growers eye, they are much more likely to chuck hairs under the shorter regimens.-Tom

 

[jjs]

not familiar with paper bag technique.... how does that work?

Get a small paper bag or something similar that is lightproof (a paper bag will not be suitable for strong H.I.D lighting), and a plastic coated twist tie.

Select a plant that you would like to sex and choose a growing tip. Take the paper bag, place it over the top of the selected tip and seal with the twisty tie. Then, to simulate the flowering phase, simply remove the bag after the 12hr dark period, and replace when the 12hr day cycle ends.

After 7-14 days, the growth-tip you covered should start showing signs of its sex.

 

[Baba Ku]

If you wait and watch for pre-flowers, you will have plants that are suitable size and age for flowering out. Why do you need to know now? In a hurry? I mean, you have space for them now...why rush things?
If your setup won't allow for you to sex out vegging plants, perhaps you should look into female seeds. Or try your hand at 12/12 from seed and simply cull the males as they show.

The longer you flower them out for sexing, the longer it will take for them to get back to growing well in veg again. They will stall for sure if put back into veg.
Now, knowing this is your rushed push to sex going to be worth it?
If you and I were to grow the same population, I guarantee I am going to have plants about double in size of yours if I simply watch for preflowers while they are growing and maturing, while you stall yours trying to sex them.


And I am not trying to make your method right, wrong, or indifferent. I am only pointing out what I see. There is no wrong way. But there are ways to see larger yields from healthier plants in shorter periods of time. This is often times plant dependent...and I have done exactly what you are doing before. Some will take right back to veg no problem, some will do the reveg mutant thing and it may be another 30-60 days before it is back to full on veg.

 

[ibjamming]

I don't get it...if grown properly, most plants are mature at 3-4 weeks and 90% of the time sex is easy to determine through preflowers...just keep those "known girls" and be done with it. You're going to waste at least 2 weeks to find out what the other 10% are? Why?

Listen to Baba Ku...

What I do...grow out the seeds, wait for preflowers, keep the girls...get rid of the rest including unknowns...unless I WANT seeds! Take a clone from the known girls and throw the original into flower. This way I get the smoke and I have a clone of each one in case there's a winner in the bunch...if nothing strikes my fancy...the clones go and new seeds are planted.

 

[sex_pistils]

They usually show so fast? I don't know, I think some take a really long time. I figued since I'm going to scrog it doesn't relly matter much if it stretches. I decided to flip the light because my main plant out of two, I am almost postivie is a male, i sort of gave up on it. I just remember reading that more dark = matures faster, so i thought this could be a neat way to sex faster. Thanks all for your lovely replies. Oh wow, I got a reply from Tom Hill? Cool.