Hermies and what really causes them...

So new growers like myself are scared to death of hermies especially because the internet makes the possibility of a plant herming seem so real if the plant is stressed at all and no one stressing a plant out like a new grower. I have had quite a few days where temp in my tent in summer months reached the 90's even with A.C. other than the high heat and somewhat low humidity there hasn't really been much stress with the exception of one feeding in the life of the plant back when she had about 4 nodes and was newly topped and her soil reached 5.3 ph due to overfeeding. I immediately leached her and no ph issues since. I am concerned about what will become of her now that she is in flower which leads me to ask more experienced growers- How often do plants herm really? Am I afraid for no reason?

I honestly think it's genetic with stress bringing it out more often but I have no clue either. My last 3 runs of clone from clone never threw balls but the last run (4th clone) was outdoors and it threw seeds but only one of the pheno's had like 10 seeds each. I very rarly have a plant throw them and all I grow are femmed and cloned plants.

How often do plants herm really?

For a 'normal' plant to herm is a result of the plant stressing out during its vital times of growth

reduce those STRESS factors, light leaks, heat, cold, etc etc and you reduce the chance of ever seeing a herm

the other:

is poor breeding control, getting more and more popular with knock off breeders

if you have these seeds ....re start is good

good luck

You can stress them loads in veg and not worry about it at all. In flower constant light leaks or really damaging them may cause some to herm. Most herms are probably genetic from folks growing bag seed as a result of a poor grow or a grow that went past its chopping time.

Another reason could be that you're having problems as "feminized seeds" are hermie by design, and show male traits to stress much easier than "regular seeds".

You people always behave as if the weed has aids when you find a few seeds.

I have "weed aids" from injecting marijuanas

I did let her go a little long..I trained her late in the game so I didn't get that nice,circular LST result some get that start early. She just (seemingly overnight) shot up I blame the Co2. Here she is now. She's in flower. She will outgrow the tent then I'll have no option but to move her into a 10x12 shed I'm converting the shed now.

Genetics. Only one man's opinion, but hearty strains that are as close to landrace as possible are my preference. Focussing on improving quality through better growing practices instead of overbreeding.

Then you would like Africa, tonnes of good mids growing wild for ages.
Basically all I grow unless I get the odd gift of a named strain.
You can smoke it day in and out, almost never hit the oh shit now I did it point.

ANC said:

Then you would like Africa, tonnes of good mids growing wild for ages.
Basically all I grow unless I get the odd gift of a named strain.
You can smoke it day in and out, almost never hit the oh shit now I did it point.

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Ummm so kinda like brick weed then. Not sure I'd like that at all lol.

Naah mate, healthy stuff. Yes, there is a bit of variance from plant to plant, but that is the beauty.

TEC09 said:

How often do plants herm really? Am I afraid for no reason?

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In ten years of growing I could count them on my fingers, There are a lot things that get exaggerated on this kind of forum. There are no qualifications to post and sometimes bad info is posted and repeated enough people believe it as fact.

TEC09 said:

I did let her go a little long..I trained her late in the game so I didn't get that nice,circular LST result some get that start early. She just (seemingly overnight) shot up I blame the Co2. Here she is now. She's in flower. She will outgrow the tent then I'll have no option but to move her into a 10x12 shed I'm converting the shed now.

Click to expand...

Super crop the mains to keep it in the tent - no harm from that.

Light leaks are not a major factor to producing "herms".....This is an old "Cervantes" tale. Early day growers had no idea and they blamed that instead of finding out the truth.

Generally it takes several different "stress" points to get herming. Some strains will do it more then others....and KryptoBud ^^ is quite correct....

TEC09 said:

So new growers like myself are scared to death of hermies especially because the internet makes the possibility of a plant herming seem so real if the plant is stressed at all and no one stressing a plant out like a new grower. I have had quite a few days where temp in my tent in summer months reached the 90's even with A.C. other than the high heat and somewhat low humidity there hasn't really been much stress with the exception of one feeding in the life of the plant back when she had about 4 nodes and was newly topped and her soil reached 5.3 ph due to overfeeding. I immediately leached her and no ph issues since. I am concerned about what will become of her now that she is in flower which leads me to ask more experienced growers- How often do plants herm really? Am I afraid for no reason?

Click to expand...

I've only seen sexual confusion of plants created using pollen from sexually confused plants, and recently a Topdawg strain(wtf?), my first since early bag seed days. Admittedly that one pissed me off. I dosed EVERY topdawg strain I run (in veg) with a 9 year old bottle of Reverse, including the confused one I saw in flower. I paint a few fan leaves and the balls dry up, castrated permanently for the rest of the downline clones too ime. Stuff stil works perfectly like the first and only time I used it. I got a quart which is likely to be a lifetime supply for my genetic choices

chemphlegm said:

I've only seen sexual confusion of plants created using pollen from sexually confused plants, and recently a Topdawg strain(wtf?), my first since early bag seed days. Admittedly that one pissed me off. I dosed EVERY topdawg strain I run (in veg) with a 9 year old bottle of Reverse, including the confused one I saw in flower. I paint a few fan leaves and the balls dry up, castrated permanently for the rest of the downline clones too ime. Stuff stil works perfectly like the first and only time I used it. I got a quart which is likely to be a lifetime supply for my genetic choices

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Wait!!! You can dry up pollen sacs?!!!!! *orgasm* *shiver* Seriously if I read that correctly I need that chemical you apply all the way in my life! I was just about to ask worse case scenario if I should see a nanner or a sac can they be cut or taped or...anything so that they don't pollinate? How long do I have to detect them before they open and pollinate?

TEC09 said:

Wait!!! You can dry up pollen sacs?!!!!! *orgasm* *shiver* Seriously if I read that correctly I need that chemical you apply all the way in my life! I was just about to ask worse case scenario if I should see a nanner or a sac can they be cut or taped or...anything so that they don't pollinate? How long do I have to detect them before they open and pollinate?

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the day after you notice balls may be too late

ANC said:

You people always behave as if the weed has aids when you find a few seeds.

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I'm with you. "this bud has 2 seeds?". my god, I'm gonna die!!!!! Give it to me, I'll smoke it.

Dr. Who said:

Super crop the mains to keep it in the tent - no harm from that.

Light leaks are not a major factor to producing "herms".....This is an old "Cervantes" tale. Early day growers had no idea and they blamed that instead of finding out the truth.

Generally it takes several different "stress" points to get herming. Some strains will do it more then others....and KryptoBud ^^ is quite correct....

Click to expand...

Wow...someone who knows WTF they are talking about! Light leaks will only slow bud formation or keep buds from fully forming...they don't cause hermies. CRAP genetics cause hermies.

That's "breeder" speak when they sell you untested, unworked, over-sprayed, purchased clones that they've never grown and have simply rammed through to make seed for sale. It's all your fault. "Grower Error".

Anyone who has been around more than 10-15 years remember that this wasn't an issue in the old days. IF it was...like the "Swerve/Cali-Connection" event that happened about 20 years ago.....he sold tons of packs...then went back and replaced them all. That doesn't seem to be how it works with (most of) the clown base of experts out there now...

JUst don;t overload yer room so you can SEE what is going on...and watch any/all growth next to the stem. Some of this new crap throws balls just after they start to flower...so that's definitely when you should be on your toes the most...

It's never a surity...but buying from folks who have been around years and who have a set line of plants/seeds they sell takes some of the risk away.... moreso than say...buying from the guy who has a few strains HE has crossed and thinks are the grail whose seed descriptions have the word "SHOULD" in it when describing yeilds/terps/etc. "Should" means he doesn't know/didn't take the time to grow em out before he sold em....

Beware.

Going herm is “ crap genetics” from our standpoint because we don’t want seeds. But i think i’ve sort of changed my view of it, as far as it being a weakness or flawed genetics. Seems to me that it may actually indicate a superior plant. Or at least a very strong specimen. The ability to carry on without outside pollination (from another plant) may be an indicator of a strong plant or genes. Kinda like a miniature super power. I know to us seeds are bad but to the plant thats what the goal is. So for a plant to be able to reach its goal by itself is pretty impressive.

Also indoor growing just seems to bring out the herms especially nanners never seems to be as much of an issue outdoors. I believe its got alot to do with fast change conditions. We often go from 18/6 to 12/12 in one day, watering all at once, lights coming on and going off all at once, etc. Things like that happen gradually in nature, and the abruptness of indoor growing is totally against what those genes have become accustom to over thousands of years. But yeah. Sometimes seeds suck lol.