lookout, newbie on the loose LOL, need advice

[imchucky666]

I have tried growing a couple times before, but have never had much success.
I currently have 3 plants, about 10 weeks old, and almost 2 1/2 feet tall,(I keep adding soil and staking them for support as they get taller because the stalks were so thin). Should I top them? When can I expect to see some indication of sex?
Here are a couple pics, I'm thinking, if I am looking at them right, from what I have been reading, that the tallest one is a male, and the second tallest is a female (hopefully)
I have been leaving them outside, in sun from sunrise to sunset, about 6 am. to 8 pm, only bringing them indoors to avoid heavy rain.
They seem to be happy, but any advice would be appreciated!

[WeayLay]

They're looking good! Not able to tell sex from those out of focus pictures to be honest. If you need to control their height, I'd say top them, maybe even FIM. Good luck!

[Bloomin Idiot]

1 gallon of pot per month you plan to keep said plant. Your pot is too small= stunted growth. so outdoors count on 7 months or at least 7 gallons.(just use 20 and you will be happy.) give em some air space and the stalks will get stronger. The small pot stays so wet it cant get any air on the roots. water, let it dry up, water. just dont let it dry to a point of wilt. you will get the feel for it after a few waterings.

Looks good otherwise. You wont know if you have males till you see the balls form,lol.

[imchucky666]

Thanks, I'm kinda 'shamed about the pics, it is a Nikon s205 camera, but I can never seem to get anything closer than a few feet to come out clear :(
Sorry, but some of the terms are new to me-what is "FIM"?

I just seperated them this afternoon, and put into larger individual containers after reading some things about the males being able to turn the females, and I am using good soil that drains well, but it seems that it dries out so quickly with the heat I have here where I am, that it is necessary to water them almost every day and a half when they start to wilt or the container gets light, I know it's dry for sure

Thanks for the help guys!

[WeayLay]

FIM stands for Fawk I Missed (Except fawk is a different word). Instead of topping where you cut the single stem leading to the top or whatever, in FIM you cut right above that, as if you "missed" the original top point. You cut many formations of nodes, and those cut nodes multiply, giving you more growth and development. if you search it, you'll find it.

[imchucky666]

:) THANKS!

[imchucky666]

285444OK, some better pics. I seperated the plants, and this is the biggest one, almost 2 1/2' tall now, and growing quickly.
Before I lop off the top. I shot these, hoping they might give a little more insight as to gender............285441285442285443

[Michael Oliver]

O.K. Chukky! Got a small peak (photo 2) of Your "container"!! Looks awfully small to me! Bad news it you actually are growing to get BUD! Your Pot/container should be much bigger, allowing soil mix to breathe/ arreate (spelling!) and allowing proper drainage of "Nutrients" (you are feeding these?) Beautiful color you possess, so even with small pot's your "Grow" hasn't died! Do your due diligence Chukky! Go to Youtube and look at the many, many posting's of various Grow's! Keep your H2O filtered it possible!

[Michael Oliver]

Oh, please don't "lop off the top's"!!!

[imchucky666]

disregard the first pics,that was what I had thrown a handful of seeds in from a few buds that I had been collecting. but I have since transplanted them to individual gallon containers for the smaller ones, and a five gallon container for the largest one.Yes, I am feeding them, (Miracle Grow) about every third or fourth water-it seems to really give them a growth spurt when I do.
Will check out youtube, thanks-I just hadn't as of yet, assuming stuff like that probably wouldn't be posted there.

[imchucky666]

OK, I won't!
I just wanted to top them in hopes of making them bushier.
I was kinda concerned about them being 2-3' tall, and not much foliage, mostly height. They are starting to fill in, but still seem kinda scraggly when you look at the stalks.They are about 11 weeks old now, and being the first time I have actually TRIED growing, I guess I'm just getting impatient. I was remembering back in California when I took a handful one time and just haphazardly threw them in some soil in the backyard, and they grew like weeds with just water when I remembered :)

[Michael Oliver]

Good you've moved=em to bigger pots! IF your Soil-mix has ingredients to hold H2O, that could solve the dry situation, however; remember that these "Gal's" (or guy's!) need;
to be FED with Nutrients daily; mine is Indoor; 4X4X 76"; 5 Pot's; 11 weeks old now; Females ALL, two Strains; both very different; Kona and Hula Buddha (SOHUM Seeds);
and they get fed (Nutrients) three times a day! WHY? Heat in The tent averages 84 degrees. They've a 4" Fan and Charcoal Filter; however i've noticed that they do better when damp, and NOT dry soil; i.e. waiting on dry to begin feeding!

[imchucky666]

Great! Thanks for the advice! I was unsure about over-feeding, although, I suppose that would just make them "fat"? (pun intended)

[Michael Oliver]

OVER-watering and/or feeding can also be very detrimental, HOWEVER the more mature, the more forgiving. I'm going to post some pics, once i figure out how (here!) and show you some plants that were dying (overwatered/too small container) and now they are quite vigorus.! OH! I don't "water" i FEED; i.e place measured amount in one gallon pure filtered H2O and then carefully measure allotment; now 3 X day

[Michael Oliver]

So "regarding" SEX! I "believe your plants are "going to" manifest as females! WHY? well at your present "Age" (Plants!) they are NOt yet Male, and the Male "usually" beats female (manifestation) by some few weeks! NO sign these are Male (Yet)

[imchucky666]

Cool, thanks! Yes, that's how I measure the 'food' also, I also have Miracle Gro plant spikes, but have not tried that yet, due to the size of plants/pots. As far as pics, I had to use my 'photobucket' since the system here seemed to not like uploading directly from me.
Great news to hear about the gender issue :dance: :dance: :dance:

Thanks again for the help!
I will keep updating as things progress.
Let me know if I can be of more assistance with the picture issue.........the setup they have here is the same thing that 'The Outdoors Trader' uses, and I post there for other stuff

[imchucky666]

:dance::dance::dance:Michael..... Thankyou for your advice/opinion, you are correct so far! the largest and second largest just today, (WOW! last night late when I looked, they showed nothing) popped up and both have the "white hairs" that everybody talks about.
I guess once you actually see them, it is easy to distinguish them......
Here's some pics I just snapped285542285543

[imchucky666]

:dance::dance::dance:HEY! Michael, you were 100% right! all 3 are ladies! thanks!
Will post more pics soon

[imchucky666]

:clap:OK, still doing well, except for a few strange leaves mid stalk on the largest plant, rust colored spots and the leaves feel dried out/burned. anyway, here's some new pics!