What causes a female to turn into a hermaphrodite ??

bigbuds

Active Member
Hi there. Just signed up.

I am trying to find out the reason why a female can turn into a hermaphrodite.

I have heard different stories. Someone told me its todo with the interuption of darkness.

Please can someone explain why they change so I can try to pervent it happening.

Thanks Bigbuds
 

bigbuds

Active Member
Wow thats a fast reply :)

I grow hydro and soon aero. The roots will not be restricted like they would be in smallish pots. Does anyone get herms using hydro or aero or has anyone ever used soil/pots then went on to growing hydo notice a reduction in the herms they are getting ??

Thanks
Bigbuds
 

northerntights

Well-Known Member
I have done both, although root restriction is less of an issue in hydro, especially aero, if your aero system fails you will stress them enough to cause hermies. Light leaks during dark hours are the most common reason for hermies, but some plants have a natural tendency to go hermie at the drop of a hat. Weed those out.
 

green_nobody

Well-Known Member
in general major stress can cause this, i say CAN not has to, okay. they easiest way for it are some weird organic acids used in the nut industry to mature them on time. fdd was messing around with the stuff a lot a few month ago...
 

green_nobody

Well-Known Member
if it happens it seems to happen at total random. it occurs a bit more often with fem seeds due to the chemical treatment they got. but if you not try to hard to kill your babies you should be fine, and if one hermie shows up, try to isolated its pollen and get some free seeds with it;)


in general, stop worrying our ass off;)
 

daniel9guitar

Active Member
I have a 400watt HPS MH lighting setup. Growing in quality soil with superthrive and blood and bone, but not until they are big enough to take the food. The first time they all went male and now about every plant is turning male. Its a waste of time and power. Is there a reason why my plants always turn male? Most of them only grow under 30 cm and they bud too early. I'm getting a MH with a red spectrum, so I am hoping that will produce better results. And how do you get feminized seeds or have a higher percentage rate that they will be female? Plz Help
 

XTRABRED

Active Member
Yea I had nine females to all go hermi a few weeks before harvest. The dark periods were disturbed a few times and the room did hit 100 degrees a time or two. As soon as I realized I had seeds, I cutem down, dried, and cured wut I had. Not the best , but not bad at all. (suprisingly). This time I'll be more careful with light and temp. Hopefully I dont come to the conclusion that cloning causes hermaphrodites.
 
if it happens it seems to happen at total random. it occurs a bit more often with fem seeds due to the chemical treatment they got. but if you not try to hard to kill your babies you should be fine, and if one hermie shows up, try to isolated its pollen and get some free seeds with it;)


in general, stop worrying our ass off;)
just thought you should know. hermie seeds have a 90% tendency to go hermie too so good try on the freebies but a waste of time.
 

Roberoo

Member
Kept one healthy, big, mother plant in veg state for about 9 mo. took all clones from her exclusivly.
Had great results and started cloning from 2nd generation 3 generation and forth gen. so on
always cloning desirable charistics - - growth rate, size, shape, health ect. (there is variance)
It just kept getting better, note there are NO males present, close or anywhere around and
haven't ever been. One clone took off quick and aggressivly, it looked great but when moved
to flower --->> KABOOM<<<--- a hermi.... I had cut half a dozen colnes and they were also moved to flower around the same time. That generation of clones (all from the same single female MP) were all hermi's. I clone only, no seeds... Now I have changed to another line of clones (still from the same initial MP)
I now wonder if the other clones now in flowering room will all go hermi from exposure to the 3 hermie's ?
It really blew me away that a single mother plant (MP) after 3-4 generations of clones can all be hermi.
Again no males. I believe that there is a genitic wildcard at play here. Now I have to WAIT and wade through other clone lines (same mother plant) to see if they to are hermi. I use humic acid in low dose. I use an organic fert. and Black Gold. (Dirt farmer) I don't know weither to get another bunch of clones from a friends MP's or to go on the
assumption that it was those 1/2 dozen clones which went hermi and other lines of the same plant 3-5 gens down the line will also turn... chewing my nails.. everything was going great till the Fungus Nats which I used bacillis thuringensis on and it worked well, as in 2 weeks the nats were GONE. ...then after 3 weeks this.
would you :
A) kill all clones/plants in veg/ plants in flower start over (that would be a major undertaking)
B) I have killed 3 plants and 3 veg plants, the 3 mature plants were showing (hiding ) seeds, but, should I keep going with other veged clones that are not that line but the same initial mother plant?
C) I use Flora-micro and small, 2 drops to a gal., of humic acid . . .called Karma and small amt of molasses. But sparingly.
D) temp is constant at 78, good circulation, 5 gal buckets, 12 and 12 dark light --have total darkness.
E) I'm totally dazzled. It's one of those moments when you freeze up with indecision as we all know how much work goes into several doz. plants, and then 2 known (mature) and 1 suspicious (imature) plants in flower go Hermi...
I killed those three hermi's... hermicide

Any idea's would be greatly appreciated --with such good circulation, I fear any male pollen will make the rounds unless that pollen is limited to the hermi plant itself. Point being is all these other plants just starting to flower (I stagger flowering)
and they may well all be pollinated. I noticed where on the hermi's on one side of the node they have normal female pistillate while the other is a swollen ball (of hermi pollen??), I assume that is were the pollen is coming from. This is however intermitant and some nodes are all girl. I know what male pollen sacs look like and this is just a single swollen pistillate no sacs, no male flowers. I assume the swollen pistillate is the hermi sexual organ. ????? any help ? Thank you for your time.
Frozen to the clippers.
 

welshsmoker

Well-Known Member
also like to add to the good advice already given, plants sometimes turn hermie because they are not detecting any pollen i.e. no pollen no offspring... bit of evolution i think that might contribute to hermieing.. not positive mind.
 
high P and K in your nutes can cause issues as well as stress and light penitration and it only take a pin whole to do it. Even the red led light on timers and smoke alarms and power strips can cuase issues if they are unrestricted.
 
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