Differentiate between male and female plants, two identification methods for better cultivation
If you are growing marijuana, you should know how to identify female and male marijuana plants. Only females produce the coveted buds needed for medicinal or recreational purposes. Male plants have low activity and very low THC content compared to female plants, they are kept mostly producing seeds. Learn to differentiate between male and female plants, as well as hermaphroditic plants.
Recognize Males
Look at the thicker, sturdier stems with fewer leaves on male plants. A male plant, compared to a female plant of the same strain, usually has a thicker stem. This is because it grows taller than the female plants and needs to be able to support the weight of the buds. They also have fewer leaves than female plants.
Check your plants regularly from July to September
So male plants will drastically reduce the potential cultivation of your female plants. This is because, once fertilized, female plants spend energy producing seeds instead of THC. Indeed this leads to a smaller harvest.
You must check each plant to determine if it is male or female. In general, male plants show their sex 7-10 days (indoor) or 3 weeks (outdoor) before female plants.
Check the intersections of the rod
The small balls that grow on the joints of the stem are the main indicators of male plants. These flowers release the pollen and must be removed for a better harvest.
If you are trying to create new plants or reproduce them, you must leave these bulbs. Female plants will have the same bulbs, but will also have long, translucent hairs on them. If you only see 1-2 on a plant, wait and see the development before cutting them.
The hermaphrodite plants
Be aware that hermaphroditic plants (of both sexes) do exist and should be treated like males. Marijuana plants can cultivate both sex organs at the same time. If you see any of the telltale male buds, you should prune them as you would a normal male plant.
They will still release the pollen that can ruin your crop. The "hermas" are usually undesirable plants.
Discard or remove male plants (unless you specifically want seeds)
Once you determine that a plan is masculine, you need to get rid of it or it will ruin your crop. Do not try to remove the buds by hand.
While most planters simply discard the male plants, a few keep them for breeding purposes. If you do, put them in a room separate from the females. And make sure you don't pass the pollen on to the females. Check your clothes and your hands.
Recognize Females
Marijuana plants, male and female, will be identical within the first 6 weeks of life. It is only after you have started to develop their sex organs that you will be able to tell them apart.
You can buy "feminized" seeds as well, which usually create 100% female plants. However, there are occasional mistakes, and you should always keep a close eye on your plants to make sure there are no males.
Comparative sheets
One of the easiest indicators is how the foliage is formed. Male plants have thicker, sturdier stems and very few leaves. A female of the same strain will be shorter and fuller, with more leaves, especially near the top.
Small translucent hair
Once the plant has matured enough, a female will begin to flower. At the intersection where the branches meet the main stem, you will see small translucent hairs emerging from a small teardrop-shaped bud nestled in the joint. Often there will also be “growing tips”, which are new branches and groups of leaves.
Male plants will have the small buds (pollen sacs), but they will not have these associated "hairs" coming out of them. Plants can grow both pollen sacs and translucent "hairs". If she does, she is hermaphroditic and should be treated like a male.
Separate your females from all males
Only female plants will produce enough THC for use, but they will not create much if they become fertilized. The pistil (translucent hairs) is intended to attract pollen. If she gets it, she will create a seed, and all the energy of the plants, all the nutrients will be spent to make seeds. Which will create a deficit in buds and THC ...
Your female plants are the only ones that will produce a crop, but only if they stay away from the males. For pollination techniques (seed), refer to the brush method by Ed Rosenthal. This will provide you with a minimum number of seeds, and full control over reproduction.
