Sex: How To Determine At An Early Stage

DumpsterKeeper

Well-Known Member
It became a little more clear today. What appeared to be early nanners are starting to look more like calyxes, and I managed to spot a few pistils with the magnifying glass, so it looks like I've got a girl


pistil1.jpg
 

DumpsterKeeper

Well-Known Member
Thread was definitely helpful. I was already relieved when I read that calyxes are usually mistaken for nanners anyway. I'll be sure to keep checking for nanners (as usual), but this is my first non-feminized seed so I was really keeping my fingers crossed.

+rep, thanks!
 

aeviaanah

Well-Known Member
Thread was definitely helpful. I was already relieved when I read that calyxes are usually mistaken for nanners anyway. I'll be sure to keep checking for nanners (as usual), but this is my first non-feminized seed so I was really keeping my fingers crossed.

+rep, thanks!
your welcome!
 

smoke n strum

Active Member
Hows it going everyone? It has been about 6 weeks since these plants have sprouted and I thought I would share how I determine sex at an early stage. The first signs we look for when determining plant sex usually emerge between day 35 and 45 from seed sprout. This is an estimate and can change with different variables including strain.


One observation I have noticed is males typically show sex before females. When determining sex I usually look at the second or third node down (from the top) as they are easiest to see without emerging leafs getting in the way. Male staminates look like little balls and at early stages can easily be confused with an emerging female calyx. Staminate flowers are located at the node between the stipule and emerging branch. Here is an image showing an emerging male staminate.

[Early signs of male staminates- As you can see the male organ holds more of a round shape]


Through time the balls will begin to multiply and stack, you will end up with something like this:

[Late signs of male flowers just before they have opened, releasing pollen]


A calyx is the pear-shaped sex organ produced by the female plant and resides at the base of the pistils. Often females will produce calyx's before the pistils emerge, these calyx's can be mistaken for male staminates if not given enough time to develop. It is not until pistils emerge from calyx when we will be able to fully determine that plant is in fact female. Here is an image showing pistils emerging between stipule and an emerging branch.


[Early signs of female pistillate with pear-shaped calyx]


As you can see the females pistils resemble golden/yellow hairs and at times can even be pink. More and more pistils will begin to show and in a few weeks given the proper photo-period will resemble this.


[Female around week 2 of 12/12 showing many pistils.]


I hope this helps a few people determine sex at an early stage. It is always safer to wait another few days to be sure of sex. You will have plenty of time before male flowers open and pollinate your crop. Males will not pollinate until the flowers have opened fully, thus releasing pollen. Please feel free to correct me if there is any wrong information posted. Also, let me know if you feel something important has been left out or has stated vaguely. Take care!
Great pictures ad close ups. Thank you for taking these
 

nugbuckets

Well-Known Member
i like to veg new seedlings four to five nodes, about 18 days from sprout, then switch to 12/12, in seven days i know my boys and girls, then back to 20/4......in my experience, boys almost always show first.
 

aeviaanah

Well-Known Member
Great pictures ad close ups. Thank you for taking these
Your welcome!
i like to veg new seedlings four to five nodes, about 18 days from sprout, then switch to 12/12, in seven days i know my boys and girls, then back to 20/4......in my experience, boys almost always show first.
Hmm sounds like a good idea. Plants respond well to this? Have you compared against doing this? Just curious if the stress (if any) actually slows things down.
 

PakaloloHui

Active Member
What would happen if you cut out the nanners on a hermaphrodite before they release the pollen?
If you check your plantrs daily for those nanners and get to them before the release, you would have some seedless smoke. It can be lots of work depending on how many plants you have and how bushy they are. It can be done though.
 

aeviaanah

Well-Known Member
What would happen if you cut out the nanners on a hermaphrodite before they release the pollen?
Some hermies pollen isnt even viable. Its good to test that as well...then you dont have to worry about that particular strain pollinating anything. Some plants hermie worse than others, so for some plants, this is reasonable others, its not.
 

Captain Ahab

Active Member
I have seen female plants exhibit what's in the first photo once or twice before producing a proper female preflower, with no ill effect. Also, a female plant can exhibit a big, single, sterile male preflower early in flowering, before showing stamina. In my experience, I would highly recommend waiting to see stacking of male "balls" at several nodes before declaring it a male. Males usually show first, so this works out fine, no extra waiting, really.

Good guide though.
 

aeviaanah

Well-Known Member
I have seen female plants exhibit what's in the first photo once or twice before producing a proper female preflower, with no ill effect. Also, a female plant can exhibit a big, single, sterile male preflower early in flowering, before showing stamina. In my experience, I would highly recommend waiting to see stacking of male "balls" at several nodes before declaring it a male. Males usually show first, so this works out fine, no extra waiting, really.

Good guide though.
Yes I agree, I think I mentioned that somewhere in the thread.
 
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