How to Tell Pot Plant Male and Female

The difference between male and female pot plants is crucial if you want to cultivate your own cannabis plants. While you may not be interested in producing flowers and buds, female plants produce more THC than males, which means that those who look to use marijuana from a cultivation standpoint usually find that female plants produce better results. Here's what you need to know to tell whether your pot plant is male or female:

Visual Cues

The most obvious way to tell your pot plant apart is to examine its physical appearance. Typically, male cannabis plants are tall and skinny with few foliage-heads. In comparison, female plants have more leaves and a broader frame. Additionally, female plants will have small white pistils that protrude from calyxes that resemble teardrops. Male plants, on the other hand, will feature pollen sacs that dangle from the stem. When the flowers are mature, these sacs will burst open and spread pollen throughout your garden.

Pre-Flowering Stage

It's easier to tell the sex of your pot plant during the pre-flowering stage. Generally, plant growers aim to identify gender early so that they can get rid of male plants and focus on developing the female plants. To check the sex of your plant, you should look at the nodes (where leaves and branches grow out of the stem). If you see small balls or sacs clustered around the nodes, it's most likely a male plant. Female plants, on the other hand, have tiny white hairs or stigma around the nodes. Start checking these areas once your plants are six weeks old as it can be difficult to determine before then.

Use a Magnifying Glass

If the pistils and sacs are too small to observe with a naked eye, use a magnifying glass to examine the preflowers. A magnifying glass can render precise images of the tiny little features that you'll need to observe to distinguish the sex of your plant. Get a magnifying glass with at least 30x magnification so you can observe the features properly.

Order Feminised Seeds

One surefire way to make sure your plant is female is by ordering feminized seeds. Feminised seeds come from female plants that have been given a chemical compound to induce male-female characteristics, reducing the risk of producing male plants significantly. However, be aware that the feminization process can lower the overall quality of the crop.

Conclusion

Knowing whether your pot plant is male or female is vital to your harvest's success. Although male plants are advantageous if you plan to crossbreed or pursue other research operations, female plants produce higher yields and a more potent bud. Therefore, it's essential to identify and eliminate any male plants in your garden as they can pollinate female plants, resulting in lower yields, which no one wants. By using visual cues, examining the pre-flowering stage, using a magnifying glass, and ordering feminized seeds, you can ensure the quality of your cannabis crop.