Hermie..help.

[jmhartsoe]

Hello,
I have just recently had 2 crops pollinated from a hermie. One soil, and one hydro, both in the same room. The seed production off of the 5 soil plants I had was so unbelievable and sad that I ditched the crop super early. I left the hydro plants going just to see if they would be ok... I found 3 Big Bang plants with 1 or two very small male flowers on them, and immediately plucked them off with a wet rag. They were so small, I could hardly see them, not like the large batches of banana pods that I am so used to coming across in online pictures. I can see seed production on almost all of the calyxs that are at the base of node. I can't see very many seeds yet in the flowers themselves (they are 4 weeks into flower) yet, only about 1 in every 4 or 5 buds... compared to the last one which had virtually all the calyxs with a seed inside at about 8 weeks in. I have just gone through two sprays with Dutchmasters Reverse on all the plants. I have a few questions...

1) Is it it worth it to keep the hermies that I have spotted, or pull them out for fear of more male flowers? (haven't found any new ones)
2) Do male flowers keep popping up all the way through flowering cycle? or are their life cycles ended earlier than female flowers?
3) Should I spray the plants down with pHd water to saturate any pollen that may be on the leaves?... and would Einsteins help in this way at all?
4) How worried should I be about further contaminating future crops?

I believe that the cause was from stress... light leaks and possible malnutrition from common beginner mistakes. I am almost 100% positive that all the hermies were from 1 strain.

Thank you for your time..

jmhartsoe Reviewed by jmhartsoe on 11-08-2010. Hermie..help. Hello, I have just recently had 2 crops pollinated from a hermie. One soil, and one hydro, both in the same room. The seed production off of the 5 soil plants I had was so unbelievable and sad that I ditched the crop super early. I left the hydro plants going just to see if they would be ok... I found 3 Big Bang plants with 1 or two very small male flowers on them, and immediately plucked them off with a wet rag. They were so small, I could hardly see them, not like the large batches of Rating: 5

[jmhartsoe]

Found male flowers in soil crop that was chopped down. Lots actually. I'm thinking that it may be more than just simple stress combined with a genetic bias towards being a hermaphordite. Temperature fluctuations? When my gas heater comes on, the duct that travels through the room heats it up about 3-4 degrees for a period of approximately 10-15 mins, than it begins cooling back down to about 75 consistently. It only comes on about 6 times a day, so I'm hoping this isn't the cause. I believe I have caught all light leaks into the room. I had no idea that they could cause such a massive response to my plants sex... I have many friends who have nothing but a tarp separating two rooms, plenty of light leak, but not many hermie problems.

If someone could please help, it would be great.
I know many questions can be answered by doing research, and reading forums... believe me I have been. It would just be nice to have some first hand advice on my current situation. I know I should fill out the trouble shooting forum... so that is going to be in the post below.

[rudy2010]

Kill it immediately and don't keep any seeds.

[jmhartsoe]

What is your experience level? First timer

Your Equipment:
.1) Type and wattage of lights. 400w MH (Veg), 1000w HPS on a 6 foot horizontal light mover (Flower)
.2) Distance from tops? 1 foot in Flower
.3) Reflector type? Cool tube on a 6 foot light mover
.4) Is there a consistent fresh air supply? Passive ventilation
.5) Do you have an exhaust fan and a circulation fan? 6 inch HO can fan on a filter, through the 1000w HPS. Circulation is a simple pedestal fan oscillating over the tops of all plants.
.6) What are the bulb wattages, kelvin ratings, and schedule? 1000w HPS.. don't have kelvin rating, schedule 12/12 (flower) 24/0 400w MH(veg)

Your medium:
.7) Specific brand and type of soil, (coco, peat based soiless...) Soiless...Ebb and Flow...rockwool cubes
.8)Size of container 4x4x3 cubes... 30 gal res...3x3 tray
.9) Did you use peat pucks (or similar) to root clones or germinate seedlings?No. 1 inch cubes soaked in Clonex solution.

Your nutrients and water:
10) Source of water? Tap What's it's ph before adjusting? 7.0
11) Method of checking water ph. pH pen
12) Method of adjusting water ph. ph down and up. just switched to pH crystals. (cant remember brand)
13) Specific brand and N-P-K ratio for each bottle. Advanced nutrients SensiGrow/Bloom 2 part formula. General hydro MicroList dosages 3ml per liter=12 per gallon (sensi grow/bloom) and 3/4 strength for GH Micro. and current feeding schedule Measuring ppm daily, adjusting with pH'd water or nutrients up to about 1300 ppm
14) How often are you watering between feedings, and how much per watering? On veg, watering once a week. On flower, reservoir is @ 1300 ppm until final flush
15) Any additives or tea's? (Superthrive, CalMag, molasses, Mother's Earth...) CalMag 3/4 strength
16) Are your ph levels stable, or do they fluctuate? relatively stable. reservoir stays @ approx 5.7-.8
17) What is your ingoing water's ph? ...your runoff ph?5.8... N/A
18) Do you foliar feed? If so, with what, how often, and at what time do you spray? No

Your growroom:
19) Indoors or outdoors? Indoors
20) What size of closet, room or hut? 8x8x7
21) What are the temps and humidity levels while lights are on? ...With lights off? Lights on... 76-80 degrees... Lights off 72-76 degrees with heater off, 74-78 with heater on
22) Have you seen signs of insects in the growroom?Had thrips and fungus gnats... eliminated them

Your strain:
23) What strain are you growing? (Indica dominate or Sativa dom?) Mix of both. Some Hawaiians, some Diesel, some Blueberry, Big Bang. Soil plants were a gift, so they consisted of G-13/Iranian cross, Diesel, and G-Daddy P
24) From seeds or clones? Clones
25) Is this an autoflower strain? No

[rudy2010]

Sorry if that sounded harsh but the fact is if you believe it is hermie and not stressed then it should still be removed ASAP. Do not keep any seeds if there is any chance they could be hermies. Hemaphrodite seeds will always produce low quality hermaphrodite plants and should be destroyed so they don't accidentally get planted.

It sounds like you have access to a great selection of strains - Some Hawaiians, some Diesel, some Blueberry, Big Bang G-13/Iranian cross, Diesel, and G-Daddy P - so stick with good seeds from a reputable seed bank or clones.

[jmhartsoe]

So to update,
The problem came from the previous soil plants that were stressed due to relocation. Opened a box of dried cut down plants and found male flowers on embedded in a few female flowers. Hydro seems to have stopped producing seeds, and the ones that have seeds are mostly at the base of the bud....

[rudy2010]

Sounds like you have it under control. I know outdoor growers who go crazy if they get a hermie. They will not grow in the same location until they "sterlize the soil" and leave it for a year or more. I am not sure what they do to sterlize the soil but it sounds drastic to me. Anyway it shows how badly hermies are accepted.

If I found an occasional seed in my outdoor plants which happens from time to time I would hate to think that it came from some hermie pollen that blew in on the breeze. I hope no one within miles of me has any hermies.:smokin:

[jmhartsoe]

Yeah I can completely understand why. I had my first crop completely ruined from just a few stressed plants. Don't exactly know where the stress came from but like I said, pretty sure that it originated from moving the plants into a different environment and just basic beginner stress. Started spraying the plants with water every other day in order to saturate and neutralize any residual pollen that is in the room or possibly on the plants. Its a great feeling to see actual pretty flowers popping out rather than seeded madness.
Thanks for the input!
Starting a grow post in a few days for my newest crop.

[canniwhatsis]

My GDP was hermie prone, every single plant I grew indoors hermied, some in week 2 popping fully formed male flowers, others in week 7 by pushing out nanners.

However, my outdoor girl cut from the same mother was almost perfectly clean! :wtf: (Found 1 nanner while trimming the buds, no seeds)

I'm trying one of the seeds (from the indoor runs) indoors again,... I expect to start seeing male formations here soon, and have to cull it so as to not risk the rest of my crop.


Good luck suppressing the Hermie's,... If you've figured out the strain, watch it like a hawk and cull it at the first sign.

If it weren't for the GDP's popularity I would drop the strain and look for a more stable phenotype.

[copobo]

so much of the time.... hermies are caused by light stress.

right at lights out time, go in your flower room, sit down, let your eyes adjust, and find the light source...

(meters/led's/power strips/cap controllers/under+around doors or windows)