[FreezerBoy]

Seems this question can't be asked enough. 3 separate threads on the page as I type. So.....

Check the internodes for pre-flowers. Females (at left, circled in red) show two hairs or, pardon the vulgarity, two spread legs. Males (at right) are hairless and cluster like grapes.



Now, you know

[Blimey]

I would only add....if in doubt....wait a couple more days.....males don't release their pollen the instant the pre-flowers appear.....you've got time to be 100% sure.

[Capt. Anonymous]

Just to reiterate, as Blimey said, you have LOTS of time.
If you're in doubt, wait it out. A male will be unmistakably and irrefutably showing itself as a male long before pollen is released.

The ball clusters will grow in numbers and plump up in size, then start to hang, then eventually open and drop their load.

[0verkil13r]

Excellent making this a sticky! Great job FreezerBoy!

May I suggest a "read this first" thread for new growers? This seems to be the forum with the most need for guidance (as this is where most noobs would come first for info).

[Midnight]

Yep, there will be no mistaking it. This is a Sweet Dream 2 weeks into 12/12.

[habeeb]

Originally Posted by Blimey

I would only add....if in doubt....wait a couple more days.....males don't release their pollen the instant the pre-flowers appear.....you've got time to be 100% sure.

if in doubt you need to up your knowledge / spotting technique


who wants to water and care for a plant longer then they need if there not using it? waste of time, lighting, energy, money, nutrients....


here's a simple trick to know at first sight. females are spear shaped , and skinnier, males are more round, have what appear to be 2 small leaves on the side of the "ball", and closer to the node stem. just look at the plant when it's developing, keep it in your mind the shape, fuzziness and any other characteristic, and when you have male or females, apply that to all your plants..

I'm all for slow and steady, but there is no reason you cannot identify a male before it has clusters, or a female before it throws out hairs..

[FreezerBoy]

Hab, we're dealing with first timers here. First we learn to roll over, then we crawl, then we walk. We don't start out running the 440 in the Olympics.

[dgr]

Originally Posted by habeeb

females are spear shaped , and skinnier, males are more round, have what appear to be 2 small leaves on the side of the "ball", and closer to the node stem. ...there is no reason you cannot identify a male before it has clusters, or a female before it throws out hairs..

Thank you!. While technically "preflowers," the pictures above are weeks past when you can identify sex and likely off of plants under 12/12. It can take right around forever to get hairs on preflowers in veg. Especially if you are vegging under fluorescent lights and/or running long light cycles.

[dgr]

Originally Posted by FreezerBoy

Hab, we're dealing with first timers here. First we learn to roll over, then we crawl, then we walk. We don't start out running the 440 in the Olympics.

FB,
Point well taken. If you have early stage preflower pics so that people can see the transition, can you post them? I think they would really help people get it.

[FreezerBoy]

Those at top are pretty darn early. I was checking every day. I doubt they're more than a couple of days old, if that.