When to switch from 24 hours to 18/4?

[SciFi]

When to switch from 24 hours to 18/4?

My plants are 29 days old, not very large, won't stretch for shit, and are not showing sex yet... Is it because of the 24 hour light?

 

[Hightide805]

if you want to show sex you need to go to 12 hours not 18 or 24

 

[SciFi]

They're only 4 weeks old.. I don't want to flower yet, but I was told all plants show sex after 4-5 weeks regardless of light.

 

[Setting Sun]

Nope, they only show sex after you switch them to 12/12, unless they are an autoflowering strain.

 

[Screwnuts33]

SS is correct. Flip to 12/12 to sex them. It may take a few weeks of 12/12 for the sex to show.

 

[PhishyPhil]

if u really want to sex the potential ladies without going in to flowering, you could try covering one set of nodes on each one with a thick garbage bag for 12 hrs a day. theres no guarantee that it will work, but that way your plant stays in veg, and the node you will keep covered should be allowed to show sex.

if your plants arent stretching, maybe you could try raising the lights?

 

[Droopy Dog]

Nope, they only show sex after you switch them to 12/12, unless they are an autoflowering strain.

That is just not so.

Sexually mature plants will show pre flowers and they don't have to be under 12/12 to do so.

However, in my experience, it is usually more like 6-8 weeks rather than 5.

All my mother plants have pre flower pistils and have always been under 18/6.

Even if you put them under 12/12, they will not show sex until the plant reaches sexual maturity. Some strains faster than others.

DD

 

[Droopy Dog]

SS is correct. Flip to 12/12 to sex them. It may take a few weeks of 12/12 for the sex to show.

That 'few weeks' is the plant reaching sexual maturity.

DD

 

[FreakNature]

I've read that the plants won't show preflowers until the nodes are alternating...instead of new leaves growing out one on each side across from each other, first one side will grow a leaf / branch, then there will be a space, and then the alternate side will grow. This indicates sexual maturity.

 

[ilynnboy]

Droopy Dog,
What do you say is sexual maturity?
I used to grow a sea of green, my plantlets were only about 6-10 inches tall at harvest.
I have done this with jamacian,hawaiian, skunk, white widow after rooting the clones then going straight to flowering. I do not see where sexual maturity has anything to do with it. I had a Hawaiian/vermont skunk mother for about 4 years and she did pre-sex, but my clones never did but I still harvested bud!!
ALSO THE jAMACIAN WOULD GROW FOR 9-10 MONTHS AT 12/12 B4 flowering. That is why I rooted at 24 hrs on, and then switched to 12/12.
I just don't believe in that sexual maturity crap!!
I have grown Island style plants Jamaican Lambsbreath,Jamacan Red,Hawaiian Sativas as well as Skunk#1, White widow, Northern Lights,Afghan Hash plants,B.C Chronic,Ice,Dutch treat, just to name a few. While island plants will flower with maturity,most if not all other varieties need a switch in light schedule to flower, except as Setting Sun pointed out the Autoflowering varieties(which flower because of the Ruderalis genetics).
This is not fact, just my personal experiences with growing a lot of different kinds of pot for a number of years.

SciFi do a little research concerning "photoperiod" and you will see what Most people are talking about.
Peace Out!!

Can everyone who wants to grow buy a MJ growers guide??? sheesh!!! already!!!

 

[FreakNature]

Preflowers will occur without a change in photo period.

What are preflowers?

The real flowers won't grow unless the plants are autoflowering varieties, or the light period is switched to 12/12...generally speaking.

 

[Droopy Dog]

Droopy Dog,
What do you say is sexual maturity?
Ok, I'm not going to argue since we are in basic agreement without realizing it. Sexual maturity is that point in growth where you have alternating nodes and the emergence of pre flowers ~2 months+- after sprouting.

I used to grow a sea of green, my plantlets were only about 6-10 inches tall at harvest.
I do this also.
I have done this with jamacian,hawaiian, skunk, white widow after rooting the clones then going straight to flowering. I do not see where sexual maturity has anything to do with it. I had a Hawaiian/vermont skunk mother for about 4 years and she did pre-sex, but my clones never did but I still harvested bud!!
Think about it, clones=mothers in all respects including age. Mom is sexually mature (pre flowers), so are the clones. See the simple beauty of it all?
ALSO THE jAMACIAN WOULD GROW FOR 9-10 MONTHS AT 12/12 B4 flowering. That is why I rooted at 24 hrs on, and then switched to 12/12.
I just don't believe in that sexual maturity crap!!
Not believing it doesn't make it any less so. Compare to humans if it helps, seedlings=babies, veg to alternating nodes, children, alternating nodes/pre flowers, teenagers/adults (sexually mature).

Can everyone who wants to grow buy a MJ growers guide??? sheesh!!! already!!!

That is a very good suggestion along with "Marijuana Botany" by Rob Clarke, my reference along with personal experience.

What most seem to miss, or not take note of is, by the time a plant is big enough to take multiple clones from, say 2 months old or so, it has reached the 'teenager/alternating nodes/sexually mature' age and the clones will be likewise.

Wonder if I should call my YO mother a 'cougar'?

Does any of this help?

DD

 

[ilynnboy]

Nice reply Droopy Dog;
I guess I didn't look at the maturity of my mother plant in relation to sexual maturity of the clones that were rooted for flowering! Always more than one way to skin that cat!
Peace Out!! As you already know the sea of green ROCKS!!

 

[Droopy Dog]

Now, if we could just make it a rule, rule of thumb, or just good advise to grow seedlings out for say 8 weeks BEFORE asking any questions about sex, flipping to 12/12, or a host of other things, so many questions would be answered before they were even asked.

Patience is hard to learn, but necessary to grow. No matter what you are growing.

DD

 

[FreakNature]

That's the beauty of this forum, people come to learn and experienced growers help them.