Question about PreFlowering

Hi Everyone!

This is my first Post, I have been reading & learning from all of you over the past 2 months ive been growing.

This is my First Grow & I only have room for this one plant (Unknown Strain & sex). I am using a 20 watt Grow Light on top with two 250 watt white fluorescents on each side as side lighting. My plant is 8 weeks old, 13" tall with around 13 nodes. I started my 12/12 Flowering Cycle on my 7th week & am now 8 days into Flowering. I understand Nutrients, PH & the differences between flowering. I know my lighting is low but its all I have to work with & as my plant gets bigger I will have to deal with it.

My question is this: About 4 days ago I noticed these small nubs growing under my branches (very very very tiny)... but what I don't understand is there only on one side (meaning: just one on each node on one side of the plant not both sides). I don't quite know what these are, the only thing I can think of is Preflowering. Yet they haven't developed at all since I first discovered them 4 days ago. Does it take a while for these nubs to get bigger? If so, generally how long?

Also, do buds only grow on one side of the nodes or both sides?

I know I should be patient & just wait & see, but its so hard since this is my First. Hopefully you all out there have seen this before & know what my baby is going through.

Thanks for any Advice! :jointsmile:

At this point you'll just have to wait and see.

The pre-flowers on both my females came out seemingly overnight once they decided to do it. Both showed on the very TOP first.

Then I HAD a third plant that didn't seem to develop for a long time. It was the same age, and assumed genetics, as the other two. It just didn't show sex. Unfortunately it hermi'd.:(

The biggest downfall to bag seed is not knowing what you started for MANY weeks. Hence why many buy feminized seeds, or clone from a known female. Another option is to start a few seeds, then pick the best female of the group, discarding any males.

I wish you luck on your possible girl.

Preflower is a state the plant goes through before it begins to truly flower. The junction where the large fan leaves meet the main stem will begin to develope new sets of branches that will later turn into the clone sites. When you see these new branches starting to form the plant will soon show its sex at the vee formed by this new growth.
If the plant is left in the veg state under a 18/6 light cycle most will begin to show signs of preflowering somewhere around 4 to 8 weeks. If the plant is placed into flower or 12/12 light cycle before it has reached the preflower stage it may take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks for the plant to go into preflower then into true flower.
Think of preflowering this way. A mother plant is a plant that is held in the preflower stage until clones are taken or the plant is placed into flower. This is why you can put a clone directly into flower as soon as it has rooted. It is already in the preflower stage the same as the mother.

Thanks for the Info!

I checked tonight & the little nubs are getting bigger! Still have no idea what sex it is, unfortunately they kinda look like males, but I thought males didn't have fuz on them?

Im still confused as to why they are only growing on one side of the plant & not both sides on each node.

:(..............male........./.....female......:)

Alright, I seriously am clueless in this Stage of Development. Everything before was a breeze.

These little nubs ive been talking about are easier to see now, but they look like New Growth on one side of the node even though theres already a Branch.

Also its been 12 Days since I began 12/12 & I considered changing the Lighting to 11(Light)/13(Dark). I read that High Sativa Strains need longer periods of Dark then Indicas as well as more time to Flower.

Im pretty sure my Strain is a High Sativa as I do not have an Xmas Tree Shape & the leaves are long & skinny (bigger then my hand).


My Questions are:

• Can New Growth (New Branch) start under an Existing Branch or off an already existing branch?

• Is the location between the petiole & the branch strictly for Flowering?

• Am I just being to impatient for a Sativa that's 8 weeks old?

Sorry if im asking Stupid Questions, ive tried to search for answers but im coming up blank.