Good day fellow GC'ers, So I have a small indoor hydro grow underway. Plants are just about a month old and are about a foot in height and width. I just turned the lights off last night for the first time to put them into bloom. I was planning on taking about 10-15 clones from them to veg for a month or 2 that I could then transfer outdoors this summer. However, at the rate they are growing at it would be impossible to keep 15-20 clones for more than a few weeks (they would just be too large at their current growth rate and I don't have the resources or space to do that) My question is: Could I take 1 or 2 clones now and in a month or so when they are big and healthy, take clones from them to get my 15-20 smaller clones that will be more manageable? I'm curious about the sexing process as well. Are the plants predestined to be male or female while still in veg or is it determined just after flipping to flower? The reason for this is obvious for if I am to take 1 or 2 clones now to veg and they are already predestined to be male, then all clones from it will be the same. Any comments, replies, or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone and happy growing. .:shalom:.
Absolutely, the clones you take are all from the same lineage and mother (or father), sexing is determined in flower stage and is predermined as a seed (I think). If you clone a male, you will have male clones, best to sex, kill or remove the males, then clone the females. No worries at all though, your plan will work fine if executed correctly. Cheers, BillyBonzai
Thank you for the reply, So you recommend I flower them as is and then clone one I know which are females, and then revert the clones back to veg? I have read about doing this before, but this is only my 3rd grow so I have yet to try. I would think that reverting them from flower back to veg would stress them out and possibly cause more males. However you think this is the best route? If I clone a female and revert it back to veg can it even turn into a male or hermaph at that point or is it genetically stabilized as a female? Thanks again, .:shalom:.
It'll be ok. They'll take longer to root, and you'll probably have a higher mortality rate, but they shouldn't hermaphrodite. In fact, if you let it go a bit longer, to 21 days flower, then you can take clones off of it that will branch like crazy. But, once again, your mortality rate will be higher. Overall, it's "easier" to start them out by taking cuttings off of the plants on 12/12, and then just culling your males. Just don't drop your tray and mix them all up, like I did the first run through.