Cloning small plants for sex

T

TimBeeno

Well-Known Member
I recently went to my local hydroponics shop, and he's kinda guiding me through my grow. I do have a question that I can't ask him because of my 'need to know' security.

I have 4 plants, transplanted into the bigger rockwool cubes under 2 100w CFL cool and warm bulbs. I'm using half strength grow nutrients and have a good amount of roots covering the bottom of the cube. The plants are about 5 inches high, and have lots of leaves.

The question I have: He recommends that I start cloning to determine sex, but im afraid that there is not enough plant to clone with. The top of the plant has a bunch of leaves emerging, but the other branches only have 3 leaves coming from them. Can someone post a few pictures, or explain how I work with my small plants?

Please note: In the first picture, the plant looks a little deformed, my guy said it probably doesn't mean anything, but I am still going to post another thread for feedback. Also, he said the green color on the rockwool isn't serious, as long as I keep the light on.
 

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LUDACRIS

LUDACRIS

New Member
TimBeeno said:
I recently went to my local hydroponics shop, and he's kinda guiding me through my grow. I do have a question that I can't ask him because of my 'need to know' security.

I have 4 plants, transplanted into the bigger rockwool cubes under 2 100w CFL cool and warm bulbs. I'm using half strength grow nutrients and have a good amount of roots covering the bottom of the cube. The plants are about 5 inches high, and have lots of leaves.

The question I have: He recommends that I start cloning to determine sex, but im afraid that there is not enough plant to clone with. The top of the plant has a bunch of leaves emerging, but the other branches only have 3 leaves coming from them. Can someone post a few pictures, or explain how I work with my small plants?

Please note: In the first picture, the plant looks a little deformed, my guy said it probably doesn't mean anything, but I am still going to post another thread for feedback. Also, he said the green color on the rockwool isn't serious, as long as I keep the light on.
Click to expand...
they look burned by to much nitrogen(they look too dark green).
and wait untill you have a good few internodes before cloning or wait untill they are sexually mature (6-8 weeks in vegg) and showing signs of sex.
LUDA.
;-)
 
T

TimBeeno

Well-Known Member
LUDACRIS said:
they look burned by to much nitrogen(they look too dark green).
and wait untill you have a good few internodes before cloning or wait untill they are sexually mature (6-8 weeks in vegg) and showing signs of sex.
LUDA.
;-)
Click to expand...
Nitrogen is from the nutrients or the PH? I thought you have to do 12/12 to see signs of sex?
 
LUDACRIS

LUDACRIS

New Member
TimBeeno said:
Nitrogen is from the nutrients or the PH? I thought you have to do 12/12 to see signs of sex?
Click to expand...
nitrogen is from the nutes.(n.p.k = nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium).
The most common method is to force flower a labeled clone to determine the sex, rather than the incorrect method of forcing the seedling and then reverting it to vegetative growth again.
If you are a seedling grower who does not clone, or a grower who has no seperate vegetative and flowering grow spaces, the easiest method is simply to wait for the preflowers (primordia), and sexual maturity to appear while the seedling is still in vegetative growth. In other words, if you wait until they are 6 to 8 weeks old, most plants will show you their gender without any forcing.
Seedling growers who don't clone are really missing out on the full potency potential of their finished crop whenever they force their seedlings before they've become sexually mature.
http://www.greenmanspage.com/guides/plant_abuse.html
LUDA.
;-)
 
T

TimBeeno

Well-Known Member
LUDACRIS said:
nitrogen is from the nutes.(n.p.k = nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium).
The most common method is to force flower a labeled clone to determine the sex, rather than the incorrect method of forcing the seedling and then reverting it to vegetative growth again.
If you are a seedling grower who does not clone, or a grower who has no seperate vegetative and flowering grow spaces, the easiest method is simply to wait for the preflowers (primordia), and sexual maturity to appear while the seedling is still in vegetative growth. In other words, if you wait until they are 6 to 8 weeks old, most plants will show you their gender without any forcing.
Seedling growers who don't clone are really missing out on the full potency potential of their finished crop whenever they force their seedlings before they've become sexually mature.
http://www.greenmanspage.com/guides/plant_abuse.html
LUDA.
;-)
Click to expand...
Understandable. Thank you for your response. Is it a problem that I only have 4 plants though? I really didnt want to waste my time on males if I dont have to.

I was kind of hoping to determine sex and plant the rockwool into soil pots to make them mother plants. But if I have to wait for a few weeks, I guess i'll do that if its the way to go.
 
LUDACRIS

LUDACRIS

New Member
TimBeeno said:
Understandable. Thank you for your response. Is it a problem that I only have 4 plants though? I really didnt want to waste my time on males if I dont have to.

I was kind of hoping to determine sex and plant the rockwool into soil pots to make them mother plants. But if I have to wait for a few weeks, I guess i'll do that if its the way to go.
Click to expand...
thats the best way but there are other methods.
Get a small paper bag or something similar that is lightproof (a paper bag will not be suitable for strong H.I.D lighting), and a plastic coated twist tie. Select a plant that you would like to sex and choose a growing tip. Take the paper bag, place it over the top of the selected tip and seal with the twisty tie. Then, to simulate the flowering phase, simply remove the bag after the 12hr dark period, and replace when the 12hr day cycle ends.
After 7-14 days, the growth-tip you covered should start showing signs of its sex.
Caution should be taken when closing the bag too tightly around the branch.
A small opening should be left open to allow air exchange and prevent heat buildup. Black materials tend to heat up and the branch may suffer from excess heat, causing wilting.
"There is plenty of air inside the paper baggage because it would hold its own blown up shape...sorta balloned over the branch tip."
This is for people that dont have room for clones or just want to know the sex of there plant without takeing and rooting early cuttings.

Things you need:
1 can of black spray piant
1 box of plastic ziplock baggie (sandwich bag size)

Take the plastic baggie and spraypaint the outside of the baggie, then find one of the lower branches that is furthest from the light (this will insure that light reflection on the black paint isnt too intence for heat buildup)and just simply slip the baggie over the branch for 12 hours of darkness.
If you have painted the whole baggie, then no light will get through to the branch when the lights are on. You will see sex on that one branch in 7 to 10 days in most cases.

LUDACRIS.
;-)
 
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