Cuttings & Sexing: How Soon?

[Ravenplume]

The one survior from my first major attempt for the year is doing quite well, happily potted in my room under a sun lamp, and we are planning on planting it outside on 4/20 if the weather forecast is looking good.

But before it is planted, I would like to get it sexed. And instead of stressing it by sexing the main plant itself, I was thinking of taking a couple cuttings, trying to get them to grow, and sexing one of them instead.

Would it be possible to get viable cuttings this early on, and if so, would those two bottom most branches be suitable?

 

[GIjose]

There are some places that sex your plant genetically, all you got to do is clip a leaf and send it in. It usually costs $25.

 

[Ravenplume]

Meh. I prefer to learn to do it myself. That $25 would be better spent on keeping the whiskey or rum supply going (3 bottles of whiskey, or $5 short of a large bottle of Kraken.)

There are quite a few aspects of growing I want to get the hang of, and sexing my plants as well as getting viable cuttings are important tasks for me to learn.

 

[BakedARea]

And instead of stressing it by sexing the main plant itself, I was thinking of taking a couple cuttings, trying to get them to grow, and sexing one of them instead.

Not trying to be sarcastic. I still need to learn myself. Sexing a plant is simply a visual observation. I don't understand why you think that would be stressful. Taking cuttings would be stressful is my thought.

 

[Ravenplume]

I figured switching between 18/6 and 12/12 and back again might put some stress on it was all.

 

[Ogiesel]

Meh. I prefer to learn to do it myself. That $25 would be better spent on keeping the whiskey or rum supply going (3 bottles of whiskey, or $5 short of a large bottle of Kraken.)

There are quite a few aspects of growing I want to get the hang of, and sexing my plants as well as getting viable cuttings are important tasks for me to learn.

Can't get it crackin without the Kraken

 

[BakedARea]

I figured switching between 18/6 and 12/12 and back again might put some stress on it was all.

Ahhhhhh, gotcha. Makes more sense to me now. I'm not sure how long it would take the plant to switch back. I have never thought about doing that to force it to show its sex. I wouldn't think it would be that stressful. Not positive though. I wish I could help. I'm sure someone with A LOT more experience will chime in soon.

 

[BubbleBucketz]

Wrap a dark plastic bag on that lowest branch for a couple days.

 

[BubbleBucketz]

That one there. That will start to flower and rest of the plant will grow. Then you can snip it off if you like.

 

[Ravenplume]

I will definitely give that a try, probably in a couple days when I do my next entry in the video grow journal for this plant and its younger siblings (still in styro foam cups)

Actually, the next video is ready to go already, and scheduled to go live tomorrow afternoon, because I screwed up and stated the date in the video last night as the 4th instead of the 2nd. But the next video after that, or the one after that will cover this little task.

 

[BubbleBucketz]

Good luck.

 

[Ravenplume]

Good luck.

Before I do it though, I presume the branch gets covered up all the way to the stem? And when checking up on it a couple days later, what specifically will I be looking for and where on the branch? I should know this, but can't quite recall.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Plants naturally show their sex when they get mature, which is usually at around 5 - 7 weeks age. Males usually show earlier than females.
They won’t show sex before they are mature no matter what lighting they’re in. The ones under 12-12 lighting are probably going to show their sex as soon as their mature, while if they’re in veg and are being topped and trained and otherwise tortured a lot, it seems to me they take a bit more time to show.

In my grow usually by the time a plant gets old enough to have clone-worthy branches it is pretty close to being mature anyway. Maybe some other people’s plants grow differently but most of mine quite take a long time to get decent lower branches I can use for cuttings.

I’ve tried cloning and sticking the clones in 12/12 to sex, but only once did I get one rooted and showing sec before the main plant did.

Here’s to Kraken!

 

[Ravenplume]

At what point in the plant's life do we start counting those 5-7 weeks? Runt sprouted in early February, like the 5th or 6th, was planted in a cup of dirt on 10-FEB, probably went into the pot about and given its own sun lamp all to itself on my nightstand on the 4th of March.

 

[Weaselcracker]

I count from around the time they come out of the ground. This is one of those situations where the plant is a bit behind, but should show its sex soon.

I can’t tell how big that branch is that BubbleBucketz pointed out (?) It might be ok for a cutting. I’ve had the best luck when they’re about 1/8” thick but have managed to root some skinnier ones.

 

[Bush Doctor 77]

Harden it off before you plant it.

 

[BubbleBucketz]

Harden it off before you plant it.

Oh man....left this one wide open.

 

[Ravenplume]

Ignoring the giggity double meaning there, would that mean having a little stake in the soil next to it and having it tied to that? Did that with the new Runt in the other room to help strengthen it, snapped the ends off a Q-Tip, stuck it in the soil, and used a twisty tie to lash the seedling to the shaft.

 

[Ravenplume]

Oh man....left this one wide open.

I would have said something, but I just finished my lunch toddy to chase down the breakfast toddy I had an hour earlier, so it would have ended up being a quip that sounded better in my brain than on the screen. Now for another sit out on the porch with a cocktail.

 

[Ravenplume]

I did have to move Runt down onto the floor beside the night stand, because the lamp would be too unstable if I added yet another box for it to perch on so Runt doesn't fry its leaves.