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How to Sex Marijuana Plants

Marijuana Preflowering

Although generally considered one of the trickiest parts of growing your own marijuana, sexing is quite straightforward and will become easier as you gain more experience. The reason for sexing your plants is so that you can remove male plants before they have a chance to pollinate the females. If this occurs the females will start to develop seeds and this will divert their energy from THC production. Pollinated weed is still smokable, we’ve all had weed with seeds, but the potency will be significantly decreased.

Careful observation of flowering is the only true way to sex your plants, although you may get a clue from their growth patterns. Male plants tend to be leggier than female plants with a longer internodal length. Female plants are squatter with more leaves and a bushier aspect.

Towards the end of the summer, as the hours of daylight decrease, changing light levels will trigger your plants to produce flowers. The appearance of pre-flowers at branch junctions is what you are looking for.

Male pre-flowers should be clearly visible to the eye, although a magnifying glass will make your job easier. Male flowers form at the junctions of the branches and stem and the pollen sacs form little balls.

How to sex marijuana plants

Female pre-flowers will also form at the junction of branches and stem and will normally start to form at the fourth or fifth branches up from the base. They are easily distinguished by the appearance of pairs of tiny white hairs, known as pistils.

Marijuana Preflowering

At this stage your plant is just about to enter the flowering phase of growth and now is the time to remove the males if you wish to.

Flowering

As the plant enters the flowering stage its growth patterns and nutrient requirements will change. The vigorous vegetative growth will slow, stems will elongate and flower formation will begin rapidly at first before slowing. Your plant now needs less nitrogen but more potassium and phosphorous so now is a good time to add some ‘super bloom’ fertilizer. Follow the packet instructions for fruiting or flowering plants.

Flowering

The female flowers will start to form kolas around the branch junctions with a main one at the growing tip of the plants. If you look closely you will see the seed pods and these will swell; either with seeds if your plant has been pollinated or with THC as false pods if you have removed the males.

Kolas

As the flowers become ready for harvest the pistils will darken and the seed pods will be swollen and sticky with resin and THC trichomes.

Ready to harvest

HowtoGrowMarijuana.com has a wealth of information for growers. We hope you now understand how to sex your marijuana plants. It might be worth reading some of the questions and answers made by our visitors below.

 

From the forum

How to Grow Marijuana Forum - Growing Marijuana Indoors & Hydroponics

125 thoughts on “How to Sex Marijuana Plants

  1. Mr.Bruckshot says:

    ok here is my issue and im open to responses from anyone that sees this.. I recently received a plant already grown, the smell is very strong with this one..Its about to 2ft tall.. leaves are thin and long. I see the female hairs that i read about here.. i wouldnt say im growning indoor.. i have a big balcony that gets sunlight from 10a-6p during the summer and about an hour less during the Fall..

  2. Ed says:

    My plants are outside in the backyard.The tallest is about 27 inches.They are on my deck which gets alot of heat. Is that ok? Also what should I use as a fertilizer to produce a great plant. This is my first time growing. Thanks.

  3. jerome says:

    i’m having a hard time determing how to tell the sex. my plants are 5′ tall now and they have littel pods like a male but thet have lots of wite hairs too, can they have both? first time growing. need help in california!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. first timer says:

    its been almost 4 months i just noticed the white hairs i use to keep it outside but its been real hot outside so i keep it inside and sun gets it that way through the window, good or bad. a plant is a male or a female it cant be both on the plant can it. it has a hydro smell found it growing in a planter 6 inches tall now around 5 feet tall, really dont no what im doing

  5. hkultra says:

    i have 3 plants growing outdoors. my wife is worried about detection. they are about 2 1/2 ft now. i have a shed i can grow then in but it gets hot in there during the day. can they live in 95-105 heat? thank you

  6. Dirty D says:

    I am doing purple outside suppose to be ready in november but i started them bout a month in a half ago when is the best time to top them and how long before i can tell the sex of them? Can somebody please give me some advice

  7. mistermak says:

    My plants are 8 weeks old and are outside in my vegetable garden. I plan on bringing them in the house in the next few weeks. I am getting too paranoid. I have topped them twice in an attempt to keep them from growing too tall. But they are about 4ft tall now and starting to bush out. When will I be able to tell the sex of the plants? Also, what is the best time of day to transplant to the house?

    Admin says: Please see this section https://howtogrowmarijuana.com/marijuana-sexing

    • thunderboss says:

      Lst. Pinch and bend makes low plants. Its super cropping. Stunts growth a bit but you get more bid sites

  8. Brun says:

    My plants are 6 to 7 wks. Just added miracle gro liquafeed and just plucked one male. How many times a week should I water???

  9. Dirty D says:

    how old do my plants have to be to tell the sex? And do u have any tips for me for outdoors growing and when is the best time to top the plant

  10. lovebud says:

    so i got these plants from some guy and their sprouted ones about 4″ the others about 2″ and im not sure how to find out what they are or what sex they are can anyone help me out im completly new at this

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