Early sexing

Hey, I' m growing a few plantsand I am trying to find ways of sexing my plants as soon as possible, simple because i'd rather not have to nurture and worry about any plants that i'm going to throw away.

After a bit of research, i ;ve come across two methods of early sexing that i 'm hoping someone may be able to shed a bit of light on for me. The first is taking clones from the plants i plan on flowering, putting the clones under 12/12 conditions and then apparently hey presto, male or female. I was wondering if someone could tell me how long i should wait before taking my first clones, how long i should wait before i put the clones into flower and how long it would usually take before i can differentiate between the sexes of the clones.

The second method i found, involves taking a paper bag and entirely covering one of the leaves on your plant for 12 hours a day, a paper bag or something similar is used apparently so that the leaf can breath but all the while 12/12 conditions are being similated only for that particular leaf so that it begins to flower without affecting the rest of the plant. Is this actually possible? if so how long might it take?

Any help will bemuch appreciated.
thanks

If it were me, I'd be patient and wait until preflowers show you gender.....


GL, :jointsmile: Bree

Ive done both.
Covering up one branch was
a) a hassle
b) seemed to trigger the whole plant into flowering. Though this may be coincidental, the branch did not show flower first, other branches did.

I've tried sexing clones, but a plant grows to sexual maturity in its own time. I dont think going 12/12 before the show gender speeds anything up, just gives them less light during veg and stressful signals.
People mix up flowering already sexually mature clones that you can flower when you want, and seedlings, that need to reach gender first.

Threw my clones away last night, because every plant showed gender before their clones did.

I keep my plants in as small pots as possible, 3 liter pots, until I see gender, then I repot as quickly as possible into bigger pots, as I downsize the amount of keepable plants.

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Originally Posted by faithlessxxx

Ive done both.

Threw my clones away last night, because every plant showed gender before their clones did.

I keep my plants in as small pots as possible, 3 liter pots, until I see gender, then I repot as quickly as possible into bigger pots, as I downsize the amount of keepable plants.

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So you wait until after flowering has started before you get rid of the males?

Some of my plants where showing hairs but I had a variety growing. I took clones and immediately went to 12/12 with them. They showed sex within a week...including one from a mom that still has no hair 3 weeks later (I'm growing monsters! LOL)

- Slow -

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bree1978

If it were me, I'd be patient and wait until preflowers show you gender.....


GL, :jointsmile: Bree

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Yes, I fully agree. Unless you clone for sex you'll be losing yield and/or time by switching the plants back and forth while all you'll be saving is a little space. By the time the lower branches are big enough to clone they should be close to, if not already showing preflowers and a 10x minimum mag glass will help immensely with identification.

Indeed. If you want 5 gals, plant 10 seeds, in smaller pots. As they approach pre-flowering 4-6 weeks, dump males. Hopefully you should be left with roughly 5 gals that can be fitted into big pots. The males CAN be smoked for a weaker, sleepier, quite acceptable buzz.

Try a 14 dark 10 light photoperiod instead of 12/12 to sex cuttings,you will save a few days normally

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Originally Posted by ballastman

Try a 14 dark 10 light photoperiod instead of 12/12 to sex cuttings,you will save a few days normally

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Nice, thats the method i ve opted for, cheers for the tip! should i wait a couple of days for the clones to root first before putting them into flower or can i put them straight into flower and the clones will grow anyway?

Wait for them to root.