# Micro Sexing before taking clones



## Earl (Dec 12, 2007)

Did you know 
that you can determine the sex 
of your plant before you switch the lights to 12/12? 

Well you can.

We call this the pre sex indicator and it appears on the 8th node.

These are the tools you need. The shepards crook is just a bread tie with the plastic burned from the end.






This is the size of the plants that will be sexed. 
It is easier to do after the plant has reached the 10th node, 
and then you can easily see the indicator on the 8th node.






This is the area we will inspect.






A girl






A male






Another male






Be sure and take your clones from obvious females 
with an idicator on the 8th node. 

The male indicator is harder to see 
because their balls are smaller 
and they don't have the pistils sticking out 
which are more obvious.

Check this phenomenon out 
and you will learn to spot the pre-sex indicator every time.


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## lowerlevel (Dec 12, 2007)

very nice.. great job


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## kindprincess (Dec 12, 2007)

your first boy pic is a girl


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## tahoe58 (Dec 12, 2007)

thanks kp....thats what I thought...and ...hmmmm..interesting...


kindprincess said:


> your first boy pic is a girl


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## thenextlevel (Dec 12, 2007)

nice. ill have to check this out


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## VictorVIcious (Feb 21, 2008)

So if all the plants I am seeing in the first pic are the same approximate age, about the time they start to shed the lower leaves?? That makes sense. now if I could see.....lol. VV


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## Earl (Feb 21, 2008)

Thisn is a boy.





Here he is a couple of days later.






A young lady.


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## Astralsearcher (Nov 29, 2008)

is this method legit? it would be great to be able to sex a plant this easily.


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## LongWay2GROW (Dec 2, 2008)

Absolutely works. I haven't switched to 12/12 yet (my plants are only 15-16" tall and 60 days old), and I have 2 confirmed females, so far, just by closely examining the upper nodes. Upon further researching the matter I found out numerous articles explaining how a lot of strains of MJ will show sex early, between 12" and 14" tall, but it's kind of a luck of the draw because some strains will only show sex during 12/12. Check out my journal here:
https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/121787-my-little-garden-weeden.html


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## potpimp (Dec 16, 2008)

Now THIS is what this forum is all about - real information. Thanks Earl.


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## Squarepusher45 (Dec 17, 2008)

I must have missed something, what was the twist tie for?


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## n8wi (Dec 17, 2008)

yeah, HAHA, I don't remember you using the Shepard hook at all!! 
I am not laughing at you, but rather, laughing because I am stoned


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## potpimp (Dec 17, 2008)

The shepherds hook it used to scratch the male plants little balls; you know they itch and there is nobody to scratch them. ...then you kill the male plants - but _only_ after you scratch their little balls.


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## sparkafire (Dec 17, 2008)

potpimp said:


> The shepherds hook it used to scratch the male plants little balls; you know they itch and there is nobody to scratch them. ...then you kill the male plants - but _only_ after you scratch their little balls.





potpimp said:


> Now THIS is what this forum is all about - real information.



Thanks for the tip potpimp!


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## potpimp (Dec 22, 2008)

My babies just reached their 8th node over the weekend. I *think* I have all girls but I'm not sure. I looked at the node with a magnifying glass and I think they are all girls but I'm not absolutely sure. I want to take some clones ASAP! Can you check these out and tell me if they are girls or not? Thanks in advance!


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## greenacres (Dec 22, 2008)

hard to tell give em a day or twoo


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## Torturedzen (Dec 26, 2008)

This 'micro sexing' technique is nothing new. Hasn't any one ever heard of preflowers?


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## dmoose (Jan 3, 2009)

Hey Earl, Im a long time follower, yet 1st time poster on one of your threads. I am so hoping this works for me. My 1 plant is now 19 days old from popping out of the ground. I am at 8.5 inches tall, and the 8th node is now forming on top. I know you said it is easier to tell when the plant in on its 10 node, but when does the earliest signs start to show? I guess I will check everyday until I see something that looks M or F. Either way, I have 3 more 1 week behind her!


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## dmoose (Jan 22, 2009)

Thanks for making this thread! Turns out the oldest plant is male. I have been experimenting, and torturing him. I did LST and loved how it increased the Bud Sites! I may try topping it next to see how that effects it. I want to have the tecniques down before I perform them on the girls! I have learned that from VV practicing his cloning tecniques on the Male plants. It was nice meeting him in Lansing on the 5th. I just confirmed the other 3 are Female! So I am finally working towards a Harvest! Heres a pic of my DIY Portable 2x2x4 Veg Box.


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## "SICC" (Jan 22, 2009)

Nice Thread man, Subscribed


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## potpimp (Jan 22, 2009)

Torturedzen said:


> This 'micro sexing' technique is nothing new. Hasn't any one ever heard of preflowers?


With this method, you can determine the sex about 3 weeks before you see the first preflowers.


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## fdd2blk (Jan 22, 2009)

potpimp said:


> With this method, you can determine the sex about 3 weeks before you see the first preflowers.


no, those ARE the preflowers. this is how you do it. i've been doing this for 15 years. preflowers are flowers that appear prior to flowering. 


they appear at the 8th to 12th nodes. often the 8th node only has them on one side. then the 9th, 10th and 11th nodes usually have nice fully developed flowers. the 12th may or may not have them. you won't see any after the 12th. 

you can pollinate these "preflowers", if you happen to have any pollen around. i did it last year.


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## potpimp (Jan 22, 2009)

Ahhhhhhh, I stand corrected. So solly mastah. kiss-ass


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## XxNinjaxX (Apr 8, 2009)

Nice thread Earl, subscribe & rep.
How do u do this to a plant that has been topped?
I topped 2 of mine (still new & experimenting) so where am i looking for these 'Pre-Flowers'?


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## thinkhigh (Apr 8, 2009)

Yes, nice thread earl. +rep. Thanks for the info. I'm going to check right now.


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## PharaohBud (Apr 11, 2010)

potpimp said:


> With this method, you can determine the sex about 3 weeks before you see the first preflowers.


Really? Tell us if not pre-flowers what exactly we are looking at? Pre-pre-flowers?

When I learned this method those tiny little "micro-flowers" were called pre-flowers and then we just called it sexing the plants, not micro-sexing.


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## potpimp (Apr 14, 2010)

PharaohBud said:


> Really? Tell us if not pre-flowers what exactly we are looking at? Pre-pre-flowers?
> 
> When I learned this method those tiny little "micro-flowers" were called pre-flowers and then we just called it sexing the plants, not micro-sexing.


I posted that I stood corrected. Why don't you read before spouting off your mouth. You have 4 posts and come on here with an attitude like that. I forsee you getting banned very shortly. Instead of being such a smart ass, why don't you contribute something from your infinite wisdom?


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## jeanlee411 (Apr 14, 2010)

Earl said:


> Thisn is a boy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Absolutely works. I haven't switched to 12/12 yet (my plants are only 15-16" tall and 60 days old), and I have 2 confirmed females, so far, just by closely examining the upper nodes. Upon further researching the matter I found out numerous articles explaining how a lot of strains of MJ will show sex early, between 12" and 14" tall, but it's kind of a luck of the draw because some strains will only show sex during 12/12. Check out my journal here:


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## midwestfunkmaster (Nov 30, 2010)

Good uppage, thanks.


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## trailerparkboy (Nov 30, 2010)

would this work on plants that have been topped as well?


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## Exodus434 (Nov 30, 2010)

Flowering my plants now and all of them seem to have the longer pre-flowers its only been about a week some look like hairs but still to early would i DEFINITLY be able to tell a male from a female within the next week or so just curious because if i have any males i would like to put that Hydro set up to better use.


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## ssup (Sep 4, 2011)

Is this a male?


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## gwhunran (Sep 8, 2011)

I can't tell yet. My male showed earlier than my females by a week or more.


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## OpTic420 (May 3, 2012)

Ay was that plant a male?


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## Kittygrower (Nov 16, 2012)

sparkafire said:


> Thanks for the tip potpimp!




LOOOL


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## hiiipower (Apr 24, 2013)

Have to bump this thread!!


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