Why is it important to distinguish the gender of marijuana?
First of all, there are male and female strains of cannabis, and the usage of the two are very different.
Do you want high-quality flower buds for medicinal or recreational purposes?
Then you need the female strain.
Male strains are mainly used to propagate seeds, but if you don't plan to propagate seeds, then they can be a problem for you because they will fertilize the female strain, which will reduce the quality of the female flower buds.
Next, let's take a look at the male and female strains of cannabis, what is the difference?
1. Observe the characteristics of the pre-flowering period
The pre-flowering period usually occurs in the 6th to 8th week of plant growth (depending on the planting conditions and the seed variety). You'll find tiny structures in the nodes (where the leaves and stems meet), and that's what we're looking for.
Male strain: Small ball-like structures grow at the nodes, and these balls slowly grow larger and eventually open into flowers, releasing pollen. If you see these balls, it's a male strain.
Female strain: Small slender white or transparent hairs will grow at the nodes, which is the stigma of the female flower. Seeing these small hairs can confirm that this is a female strain.
2. Observe the growth form of the plant
There are some differences in the overall growth morphology of male and female cannabis plants that can help growers identify sex early.
Male strains: usually taller, with thicker stems and more spaced between branches and leaves. Male plants tend to grow upwards quickly in order to scatter pollen farther.
Female strain: usually shorter, with slender stems and denser foliage. Female plants tend to grow more shoots in order to produce more flower buds.
3. Morphology and number of leaves
Although less pronounced than growth morphology and pre-flowering, the morphology and number of leaves can also provide some clues:
Male strains: may have fewer and more slender leaves.
Female strains: The leaves tend to be wider and more numerous.
Once the male strain has been identified, it should be removed as soon as possible to prevent them from releasing pollen and affecting the flower bud quality of the female strain. Unless you're buying feminized seeds in the first place, this way you can avoid handling male marijuana and make sure all plants are female.
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