Fems and Hermies (changed title from 'feminize your own seeds')

[Opie Yutts]

Well I'm going to have to agree with image reaper here. I do believe you could have only ended up with a handful of males during that time. If you buy seeds from a reputable dealer, and do the things you are supposed to, you will automatically get 60-70% female. Happens all the time. So when people buy or make feminized seeds, and they and up with 69% female, they are all happy because feminized seeds are for real. Well so are non feminized seeds and they do the same thing. Just start one or more mothers using regular seeds and pick the best ones. No more wasting time and/or worrying about how to make females. I like how feminized seed sellers guarantee at least 50% females. Wow, they're really going out on a limb there.

I keep hearing people yelling Feminize! I think it works! I got 70% females! Yet it's interesting how they can never offer one shred of scientific proof.

"...But at some point, facts and the ability to learn have to dominate over inuendo and ignorance."

Facts? What facts? Got any? And I don't mean perceived evidence, I mean facts.

OK, let the bashing begin.

[Rusty Trichome]

I hear nobody yelling "FEMINIZE" except those that apparently have not tried, have tried and failed, or just have something up their butts about techniques that differ from their own. If you wish to avoid the technique, fine by me.

Mine is a medical grow, so I breed for my own purposes, and as I see fit. I do not sell offer or give any part of my grow, seeds included, to anyone outside my house. What I have learned from years of following the advise of others with much more knowlege than I has enabled me to avoid many mistakes, and correct years of myths that had surrounded the growing of cannabis as I was growing up. (some of which survive to this day)

The main reason I'm here is I'm trying to help newbies and medical growers with no where else to turn that wish to improve their skills, and broaden their knowlege base, so that they can distinguish between plausibility, and bullshit. Perhaps to learn something myself, in return.

For those that feel that they have enough of a handle on their growing techniques to attempt something like this should at least have the opportunity to learn if they so desire. Finding ways to improve or enhance ones grow has it's advantages. This is, after the Advanced Growing Forum, is it not?

[Opie Yutts]

The main reason I'm here is I'm trying to help newbies and medical growers with no where else to turn that wish to improve their skills, and broaden their knowlege base, so that they can distinguish between plausibility, and bullshit. Perhaps to learn something myself, in return.

Well said. Me too.

[MVP]

While not as experienced as some others on this site, I remain open to many 'contoversial' ideas and look forward to the facts, results, and play-by-play descriptions that my DIY personality appreciates. Look forward to learning..........

[DurbanStone]

Subscribed. I have heard both sides many many times, and am looking forward to the facts.

[stinkyattic]

Fact:
The trait that you wish to avoid passing on is the PROPENSITY to herm under only moderately stressful conditions.

I do not like to force-herm because a) I have mother plants coming out my EARS and all the female clones I will ever need and b) I keep several excellent males for breeding purposes.
I would only force-herm in an instance where I was down to a single remaining female of a line and had no other way to preserve her genetic material in case the unthinkable should happen. In this case, photoperiod is my preferred method. I'm a chemist. I run a chem lab, and I fuck around with toxins, carcinogens, mutagens, endocrine disruptors, and plain ol' irritants on the daily; I've got the safety training and equipment to do it safely (fume hoods and ppe), I can dispose of waste according to EPA regulations, and I STILL don't like the idea of even MYSELF fucking around with that junk at mi casa.

As for weakening the line by breeding with herms:
NEVER breed with a natural herm.
IN EMERGENCIES breed with a herm that popped up in a known-stressed garden.
ALWAYS force-herm a few females and preferentially save the seeds from the female that you found most difficult to force into pollen production.

Your goal is to ensure that under even slightly stressful grow conditions your resultant females will not go herm on ya. So your secondary goal in force-herming a plant is to stress-test it into telling you whether it has a strong propensity to herm.

Fact:
You can use photoperiod, high temps (raise the top of the plant right up into the light so it shows acute heat stress), or over-ripeness to naturally force herms. Nanners should show a couple weeks after the expected harvest date.

[Opie Yutts]

stinky, I so love learning about the things you know. Will it ever end? I mean come on. Mutagens, endocrine disruptors? Get outta here. Man I can imagine how fun it must be to play God. Not sure how God feels about it. Please let me in on that. I want to play too. Although, I think I would be too tempted to play more with endorphin distributors, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclics, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. Knowing silly ol me, I would probably invent something that would make everybody and their plants happy all the time. It would eventually be like another world. There would be chaos, destruction, and bad things... I'd better not.

ppe = personal protective equipment

[Hempious]

A fume hood and goggles for a couple of aspirins? :jumphappy:

[stinkyattic]

Very funny, ha ha.

I was referring to the other shit people regularly ask after- like silver nitrate- just be safe people.

Oh SNAP, hempious... does the username 'cannab!s' ring a bell? He's on a perma, and now you are too. Size 8 okay?

BOOTED! (Hey, it's 11'F outside and ya can't wear stilettos in the snow, m'kay?)

[MasonicChronic]

Does Aspirin have any effect on the plant?

If smoked, can trace amounts of aspirin be found in the smoker's urine? (redundant question, but I'm a nerd with specifics)

I still have trouble understanding that a female would produce all female seeds. I know that feminized seeds exist (as they are available at a number of co-ps) yet I just dont buy the science that every seed will come up female.

However, in this case, I think it is great that you found a dependable way to get females! I will definitely take this exercise into consideration. thanks!