Help Females w/Buds producing Pollen Pods!?

Hi Everyone,

I've grown MJ plants plenty of times. I am now legal ( I live in Michigan and now have a Medical MJ card). I grow my plants inside under 8 different spectrum fluorescent lights. I germinated on November 12th and planted them on the 14th. I had 4 plants going. They grew (vegetative) for 8 weeks. 1 i left alone, 1 i pruned once and 1 i pruned 3 times so it has 8 Tops growing.

I then went to 12 on 12 off on January 2 2010. Within a week'ish I had identified 1 male and cut it down immediately!! So, these 3 females have been growing Outstanding ever since.

Today has been about 2 1/2 weeks of the Females Budding; and doing it very well I might add! They look like Mountain tops there are so many Trichomes on them!!! I'm completely impressed!!! Smells wonderful. These seeds came from stuff I've collected over the years, I wanted to start as soon as I got my card. I'll purchase some good seeds next time. Anyway...

Today I went down to do the usual (water, check for bugs, trim a little dead leaves here and there) you know... I was SHOCKED to see on all 3 plants a few Pollen Pods, two had even opened up and spilled pollen all over the leaves below them. WTF!?!?!?! I've never, ever seen this before. So I got out the vacuum and turned it on, in hand, while I trimmed off the pods and cleaned the leaves VERY CAREFULLY. What the hell did I do wrong? I've grown Hermaphrodites before, and these are NO Hermies, as you can see by the pictures.

Could someone please HELP ME and tell me what happened? Was it something I did? Will it keep happening? Can I stop it? I just don't understand at all!!!!

Thank you in advance for ANY help you guys can provide!,
Durameter

You must have a light leak which has caused them to become hermies. Cut off the sacks anyway and try to find your light leak or another stressor that would have caused your plant to go hermie.

Good Luck
Charbud

Hmm, I'm quite sure I don't have a light leak, as my 'grow room' is an area I built in the back of my storage room in the basement. The storage room has no windows and when I close the door behind me, complete darkness. The lights are on a timer too.

As for other stress issues...hmm, do you mean like; I missed watering one day and the next day I came down they were a little too dry (plants barely drooping), then I watered and they popped right back up. Stuff like that?

It's odd that all 3 of them would do this at 'exactly' the same time??? And you can see how far they've progressed as healthy females.

I guess I can't really think of anything else. I used Miracle-Gro soil, which states that after 8 weeks or so, you may use Miracle-Gro in a water solution e.g. one scoop per gallon. I used a little bit 2 weeks ago. I give my plants 2 cups of water (not actually a cup, just the cup I have that I'm using, like a tall drinking glass, it's sufficient). 2 weeks ago I put 1/2 of one cup's worth of my Miracle-Gro solution in that day's watering.

Since then, the plants started jamming!! I could see the growth increase.

Could that have caused it?

Thanks again for your input!:thumbsup:
Dura

i find poor quality does have a deep impact! you wont know till you grow them out.
now during the growth cycle the plant gets stressed, wind water temp ect...
if the stress is strong enough it could cause this. if there are not to many site of pollen, be diligent and get rid of em. its tough if they are poped but its not impossible.
great luck to ya

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Originally Posted by Durameter

Hmm, I'm quite sure I don't have a light leak, as my 'grow room' is an area I built in the back of my storage room in the basement. The storage room has no windows and when I close the door behind me, complete darkness. The lights are on a timer too.

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How is your ventilation in this room? there needs to be a constant supply of fresh air and exhaust, without it the plants get stressed.

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Originally Posted by Durameter

Today I went down to do the usual (water, check for bugs, trim a little dead leaves here and there) you know... I was SHOCKED to see on all 3 plants a few Pollen Pods, two had even opened up and spilled pollen all over the leaves below them. WTF!?!?!?!

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Why are you getting dead leaves? Did you trim them using sharp, sterile scissors? This can also cause stress.

Oh yeah, and on the plus side, If you were VERY careful about removing that pollen, you'll only get a few seeds. So you'll have plenty of good smoke with a few beans to get you started on the next batch.

I just thought of another question: how the circulation in there??? I'm surprised the pollen is just sitting on the leaves like that... it suggests there's no wind in there.

Thats about all I can think of. Good luck :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Durameter

Hi Everyone,

I've grown MJ plants plenty of times. I am now legal ( I live in Michigan and now have a Medical MJ card). I grow my plants inside under 8 different spectrum fluorescent lights. I germinated on November 12th and planted them on the 14th. I had 4 plants going. They grew (vegetative) for 8 weeks. 1 i left alone, 1 i pruned once and 1 i pruned 3 times so it has 8 Tops growing.

I then went to 12 on 12 off on January 2 2010. Within a week'ish I had identified 1 male and cut it down immediately!! So, these 3 females have been growing Outstanding ever since.

Today has been about 2 1/2 weeks of the Females Budding; and doing it very well I might add! They look like Mountain tops there are so many Trichomes on them!!! I'm completely impressed!!! Smells wonderful. These seeds came from stuff I've collected over the years, I wanted to start as soon as I got my card. I'll purchase some good seeds next time. Anyway...

Today I went down to do the usual (water, check for bugs, trim a little dead leaves here and there) you know... I was SHOCKED to see on all 3 plants a few Pollen Pods, two had even opened up and spilled pollen all over the leaves below them. WTF!?!?!?! I've never, ever seen this before. So I got out the vacuum and turned it on, in hand, while I trimmed off the pods and cleaned the leaves VERY CAREFULLY. What the hell did I do wrong? I've grown Hermaphrodites before, and these are NO Hermies, as you can see by the pictures.

Could someone please HELP ME and tell me what happened? Was it something I did? Will it keep happening? Can I stop it? I just don't understand at all!!!!

Thank you in advance for ANY help you guys can provide!,
Durameter

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That one with the sack on it is most def. a Herm. The fact that its already opened up and dropped its pollen suggests to me you need to pay more attention to your girls. Check them more often for hermie signs and look your girls up and down. If you have any ventilation in there (which you should) the pollen most likely has already pollinated those buds. If you don't have ventilation I'd still guess some of those buds will be pollinated.

What is the ph of the water your using? Do you check the ph everytime you water? They already mentioned light leaks for a cause but there are many other reasons. Look up Herm's and you might find out why.

It could just be the genetics. Who knows.

Edit time expired.

Also, you said you pruned one to have 8 tops. That's nice, but some strains handle topping/fiming/lsting/anything other than natural growth differently. You might just be growing a strain that dislikes and frowns upon any type of training.

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Originally Posted by Balkey

Edit time expired.

Also, you said you pruned one to have 8 tops. That's nice, but some strains handle topping/fiming/lsting/anything other than natural growth differently. You might just be growing a strain that dislikes and frowns upon any type of training.

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Very true. I also question if the light is adequate. This is also known as intersexual plant. If you can get the pods off it may not grow more.

Buy some decent seeds, the plants have a propensity that is not positive for long term use.

Hello again,

Really sorry for the delay in getting back to everyone (my Dad had some health issues that I had to attend to), as I don't like it when people post then don't reply myself.

Since I posted this I've seen only a couple more pollen pods come out. I was able to carefully cut them away before they opened.

I DO spend plenty of time with my girls, my wife bitches 'cause I spend so much time down there. These just happened to come out very quickly and they were underneath leaves that I couldn't see w/o holding them up. I am now inspecting more closely.

It has to be some kind of stress issue. Obviously these are (oops, were) females. There are Buds-o-plenty.

I do not have proper ventilation, another very good point! Like I said; I just got my medical card and kinda rushed this first batch into production.

Yes, I do most definitely plan on buying some good seeds. I just didn't want anything like this to happen to some plants that are/were good seeds that I spent money on. Kind of a trial run in some ways....

Obviously I need to make some adjustments.

Thank you so much everyone for replying and giving me good information to go on. I will correct these issues and hopefully not have anything like this happen again!
Cheers to all!!!
Dura

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Originally Posted by Durameter

Hmm, I'm quite sure I don't have a light leak, as my 'grow room' is an area I built in the back of my storage room in the basement. The storage room has no windows and when I close the door behind me, complete darkness. The lights are on a timer too.

As for other stress issues...hmm, do you mean like; I missed watering one day and the next day I came down they were a little too dry (plants barely drooping), then I watered and they popped right back up. Stuff like that?

It's odd that all 3 of them would do this at 'exactly' the same time??? And you can see how far they've progressed as healthy females.

I guess I can't really think of anything else. I used Miracle-Gro soil, which states that after 8 weeks or so, you may use Miracle-Gro in a water solution e.g. one scoop per gallon. I used a little bit 2 weeks ago. I give my plants 2 cups of water (not actually a cup, just the cup I have that I'm using, like a tall drinking glass, it's sufficient). 2 weeks ago I put 1/2 of one cup's worth of my Miracle-Gro solution in that day's watering.

Since then, the plants started jamming!! I could see the growth increase.

Could that have caused it?

Thanks again for your input!:thumbsup:
Dura

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nobodys asked so im going to. the miracle-gro you used whats the N P K of it. you didnt happen to give it somthing with the first number higher then the second number?:wtf: that would do it.

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Originally Posted by Durameter

I've grown MJ plants plenty of times. I am now legal ( I live in Michigan and now have a Medical MJ card). I grow my plants inside under 8 different spectrum fluorescent lights.

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Why not just use the correct spectrum(s)? What have you done differently than your last sucessful grow?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Durameter

These seeds came from stuff I've collected over the years, I wanted to start as soon as I got my card. I'll purchase some good seeds next time.

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Failure with bagseed is cheap. Failure with quality genetics is expensive. How old are the seeds you are using, and where did you get 'em? (bagseed, a friend, between the cushions of the sofa...)

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Originally Posted by Durameter

Today I went down to do the usual (water, check for bugs, trim a little dead leaves here and there) you know...

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Do not trim your flowering ladies. Dead leaves fall off on their own, and trimming can stress them into hermaphrodism.

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Originally Posted by Durameter

So I got out the vacuum and turned it on, in hand, while I trimmed off the pods and cleaned the leaves VERY CAREFULLY. What the hell did I do wrong? I've grown Hermaphrodites before, and these are NO Hermies, as you can see by the pictures.

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Nice try with the vacuum, but the pollen likely went right through the filter and bag...and quite possibly pollinated the ladies anyway.

Yes...those are hermies. Whether stress-induced or genetic...they're hermies.
Would definatelly seek fresh genetics of quality, but don't spend a fortune till you've got this 'growing' thing figured-out. Get's expensive.

If stress-induced you can find/eliminate the stress and ride it out, but keep your eyes peeled for more nanners in the same area's on the plant you found the original nanners. If genetic, nanners will continue to form throughout the grow, including inside of the buds.

What MG nutrient are you using on the flowering ladies?

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Originally Posted by Rusty Trichome

Yes...those are hermies. Whether stress-induced or genetic...they're hermies.
Would definatelly seek fresh genetics of quality, but don't spend a fortune till you've got this 'growing' thing figured-out. Get's expensive.

If stress-induced you can find/eliminate the stress and ride it out, but keep your eyes peeled for more nanners in the same area's on the plant you found the original nanners. If genetic, nanners will continue to form throughout the grow, including inside of the buds.

What MG nutrient are you using on the flowering ladies?

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lol a few sacks pot up and people scream hermie. dude i have had a whole branch on a plant go male, this is a stress problem. im thinking the mg is for veging plants and nitrogen stressed the plants.

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Originally Posted by maro69camaro

lol a few sacks pot up and people scream hermie. dude i have had a whole branch on a plant go male, this is a stress problem. im thinking the mg is for veging plants and nitrogen stressed the plants.

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Um, as far as I know, a hermie is a plant that produces male and female reproductive organs. So if you had a plant with one branch.....:wtf: produce male sacs, you had a hermie.

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Originally Posted by Balkey

Um, as far as I know, a hermie is a plant that produces male and female reproductive organs. So if you had a plant with one branch.....:wtf: produce male sacs, you had a hermie.

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thats what im saying. that is for sure hermie but im saying if its do to stress and you get a sack here and a sack there thats not a hermie its stress.

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Originally Posted by maro69camaro

lol a few sacks pot up and people scream hermie. dude i have had a whole branch on a plant go male, this is a stress problem. im thinking the mg is for veging plants and nitrogen stressed the plants.

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sorry i should have stated that better. mine was hermie. this one here is stress related. wether the nutes did it, ph somthing

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Originally Posted by Balkey

Um, as far as I know, a hermie is a plant that produces male and female reproductive organs. So if you had a plant with one branch.....:wtf: produce male sacs, you had a hermie.

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Yup.
The nitrogen issue is the reason for the question regarding which MG product he is using. After all...there's a shitload of versions of MG including a Rose formula which is on the edge of usefulness for container gardening.

This is why the troublshooting form is so useful.
It helps to keep us from making what could be inaccurate assumptions.

Here is the Miracle-Gro product I'm using.
Is this good/bad? I'm not sure.

My girls are doing very well.
Good news is, I've only found 2 more pods since last post. Everything looks good. 100% female from here on out. Eh, kinda anyway I guess...I hope!!

Thanks guys for all the help again!
Please let me know if I'm doing anything wrong.

You are fine. Go light on that blue junk. Pick of the testicles and learn.

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Originally Posted by Durameter

Here is the Miracle-Gro product I'm using.
Is this good/bad? I'm not sure.

My girls are doing very well.
Good news is, I've only found 2 more pods since last post. Everything looks good. 100% female from here on out. Eh, kinda anyway I guess...I hope!!

Thanks guys for all the help again!
Please let me know if I'm doing anything wrong.

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I've never used any MG nutes so I have no advice for ya there. BUT, your last 2 pictures have me worried. At the top of that bud (pretty sure its the same bud in both pics) it looks like you MIGHT have a nanner pod starting to grow. KEEP AN EYE on that nug and other nugs. If it is in fact a little nanner pod ( I call them nanners because they look like small banana's once they open) that is bad news. Usually a top view of the bud will show the biggest color difference and show hermie parts IN buds easier. The nanners are usually yellow and sometimes start out as a hard pod and opens up.

Just keep an eye on it. :rastasmoke:

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Originally Posted by jakester

You are fine. Go light on that blue junk. Pick of the testicles and learn.

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Thanks for the positive feedback!
:D

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Originally Posted by Balkey

I've never used any MG nutes so I have no advice for ya there. BUT, your last 2 pictures have me worried. At the top of that bud (pretty sure its the same bud in both pics) it looks like you MIGHT have a nanner pod starting to grow. KEEP AN EYE on that nug and other nugs. If it is in fact a little nanner pod ( I call them nanners because they look like small banana's once they open) that is bad news. Usually a top view of the bud will show the biggest color difference and show hermie parts IN buds easier. The nanners are usually yellow and sometimes start out as a hard pod and opens up.

Just keep an eye on it. :rastasmoke:

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I took another look at it today and it hasn't changed. I know Exactly what you're talking about, as I had 1 of those during this 'stress out'. I got it out early. So far this pod issue has only seeded three very small buds,, ,the ones that were underneath the pod that opened. Phew! Close call.
I will keep watching very closely. I've been down there everyday with a flashlight looking every inch up and down (15-20mins) per plant. Checking under every little leaf. They seem to hide under the small shoot lower leaves. At least for me here and now.

They're looking good.
BTW: And Yes, I know this is a tough question just by looking at the photos. But the one pictures that shows my 8 top plant...would you have "any" idea and how much cured product I'd get out of what you can see? Just a random guess is all I'm looking for. I'm just starting to get into it and we have a 2.5oz max here in MI, so I want to be sure I'm following the law. I'm not gonna take them all down at once. I'd like to do one with 80% amber hairs, milky trichomes, for more of a head clean high. And one with amber trichomes, the couch potato kind and not sure on the 3rd.

Thanks again a ton folks!!!

Dura

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Originally Posted by Faddenator

How is your ventilation in this room? there needs to be a constant supply of fresh air and exhaust, without it the plants get stressed.



Why are you getting dead leaves? Did you trim them using sharp, sterile scissors? This can also cause stress.

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Ventilation is not the best, I have to admit. My wife is very against me doing this in the house with 2 kids...but I have it in a locked closed storage room in the basement (following the law). So I'm trying to keep the smell down. In this particular case, I think that saved me. I know it may have caused it, but at least it didn't blow it all over!!

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Originally Posted by Durameter

Ventilation is not the best, I have to admit. My wife is very against me doing this in the house with 2 kids...but I have it in a locked closed storage room in the basement (following the law). So I'm trying to keep the smell down. In this particular case, I think that saved me. I know it may have caused it, but at least it didn't blow it all over!!

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I use a fresh clean razor blade when I trim off the yellow leaves. They almost just fall off and I think it's nothing more than nutes going to the buds instead of the leaves. Great tip though, thank you!

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Originally Posted by Rusty Trichome

Why not just use the correct spectrum(s)? What have you done differently than your last sucessful grow?


Failure with bagseed is cheap. Failure with quality genetics is expensive. How old are the seeds you are using, and where did you get 'em? (bagseed, a friend, between the cushions of the sofa...)


Do not trim your flowering ladies. Dead leaves fall off on their own, and trimming can stress them into hermaphrodism.

Nice try with the vacuum, but the pollen likely went right through the filter and bag...and quite possibly pollinated the ladies anyway.

Yes...those are hermies. Whether stress-induced or genetic...they're hermies.
Would definatelly seek fresh genetics of quality, but don't spend a fortune till you've got this 'growing' thing figured-out. Get's expensive.

If stress-induced you can find/eliminate the stress and ride it out, but keep your eyes peeled for more nanners in the same area's on the plant you found the original nanners. If genetic, nanners will continue to form throughout the grow, including inside of the buds.

What MG nutrient are you using on the flowering ladies?

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I used my Dyson vacuum and had the unit far away from the 'room' when I sucked up the pollen. Since I don't have any other seeding, I must have got lucky??:cool:

Man, I'm so fucking worried about getting hermies! I'm doing a couple different strains and I LST'd and FIM'd most of them... they are all very good clone genetics, but I hope I didn't stress them too much.

Can some mild stress in veg cause hermies down the road if the stress was resolved before flowering started?

1.if you want to keep the smell completely under control get a small ozoneator the wife and kids will not smell a thing!

2. get some 1 part nutes like Botanicare pro bloom soil or any organic bloom formula...you'll like your end product better....you will taste the MG at the end!

3. use soil like foxfarm ocean forest or happy frog and you will not need to feed them until you put them into flower!:thumbsup:

everything else you are doing great...keep up the good growin!

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Originally Posted by stra8outtaWeed

1.if you want to keep the smell completely under control get a small ozoneator the wife and kids will not smell a thing!

2. get some 1 part nutes like Botanicare pro bloom soil or any organic bloom formula...you'll like your end product better....you will taste the MG at the end!

3. use soil like foxfarm ocean forest or happy frog and you will not need to feed them until you put them into flower!:thumbsup:

everything else you are doing great...keep up the good growin!

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Hey thanks so much for all of the advice. I really do appreciate it. For the smell I got one of those room deodorizers that mists every 36 minutes and has a motion sensor too. That is in the middle of the basement mounted just next to the cold air return duct. Seems to be working wonderfully. I'm going to look into what you suggested too.

Also looking into the soil you suggested and nutes. Like I said before, this is my real first serious attempt indoors. I'm all about learning and taking advice from people who know what they're talking about. Unfortunately I seem to run into a lot of people who just recite what they've read google'ing too. I can do that myself. You seem to know from experience and for that, I'm appreciative!!

Many thanks. Happy Growing! I'm going to add you to friends' list if you don't mind!?!?:thumbsup:

From the picture I put up of my girl that's topped 8 times, do you have any guess on what kind of yield I'll get? Can you tell from that picture? or is it just too hard to say unless you saw it in person? How much do you typically get from a plant that's, , let's say 36" in height (I really do know that's such a vague and seed/strain/light/soil/nutes dependent question, but from your experience, got any ideas at all?

Thanks buddy!,
Dura

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Originally Posted by lampost

Man, I'm so fucking worried about getting hermies! I'm doing a couple different strains and I LST'd and FIM'd most of them... they are all very good clone genetics, but I hope I didn't stress them too much.

Can some mild stress in veg cause hermies down the road if the stress was resolved before flowering started?

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Apparently so. I didn't think so, as I had 4 plants growing and 1 was for sure male (took it down right away) and the other 3 looked female for 4 weeks until all of a sudden I had these polllen pods pop up. Looks to be under control now but..you never know.

Last summer I had one in the garden that was hermie from the start. I could totally tell there were male and female parts coming in right away. I decided to let it run it's course, figuring any bud is better than none at all. Big MISTAKE, , I had two other females that it seeded the hell out of them. Pretty much a waste.

Do like I've learned and just eyeball those babies everyday, up and down, every single inch and take your time. At least that's what I've learned from this and that's all I can ask for!!!

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by Durameter

Hey thanks so much for all of the advice. I really do appreciate it. For the smell I got one of those room deodorizers that mists every 36 minutes and has a motion sensor too. That is in the middle of the basement mounted just next to the cold air return duct. Seems to be working wonderfully. I'm going to look into what you suggested too.

Also looking into the soil you suggested and nutes. Like I said before, this is my real first serious attempt indoors. I'm all about learning and taking advice from people who know what they're talking about. Unfortunately I seem to run into a lot of people who just recite what they've read google'ing too. I can do that myself. You seem to know from experience and for that, I'm appreciative!!

Many thanks. Happy Growing! I'm going to add you to friends' list if you don't mind!?!?:thumbsup:

From the picture I put up of my girl that's topped 8 times, do you have any guess on what kind of yield I'll get? Can you tell from that picture? or is it just too hard to say unless you saw it in person? How much do you typically get from a plant that's, , let's say 36" in height (I really do know that's such a vague and seed/strain/light/soil/nutes dependent question, but from your experience, got any ideas at all?

Thanks buddy!,
Dura

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you are correct...too many variables to guess yield at this point...did you take cuts so you can run her again?

here to make friends and learn and share my little bit of knowledge :jointsmile:

keep it green bro!

I had that happen to me the other day. A couple of branches on my already female plants sprouted nanners after 2 1/2 weeks of 12/12. I think in my case it came from not waiting enough between watering and stressing the girls out with over watering. Doesn't sound like it was your case but just something for people reading the post looking for answers to keep in mind.

I think the reason for the hermies is you are using bag seed. Not stress or anything, just bag seed genetics.
Just wanted to put my vote out there.

Grow does look good though :jointsmile: