Over 90% males from seed? Help needed from indoor growers

  • Thread starter Seamaiden
  • Start date
  • Tagged users None
Seamaiden

Seamaiden

Living dead girl
23,596
638
Yesterday afternoon I found that almost all my seed starts were showing sex, so I set about separating out the girls from the boys. When I was finished, I was astonished to see that I got FIVE females, and I lost count of the males (over 30). This has never happened to me before, however, this is also the first time I've ever done seed starts 100% indoors.

So, I see this as a failure on my part. I would like to figure out where my husbandry needs to be improved, because I can't work with a male rate like that.

Some room and media parameters:

Seeds started in February in Eden's Valley Premium Potting Blend, brightly colored beer cups​
Given mostly water and a few teas, a couple of feeds​
Within a week of firing up the indoor room I began seeing fungus gnats, whose populations EXPLODED. Many veggie seeds failed to germinate and I found the hulls in the soil, and I lost a few cannabis seedlings, many after they seemed to be well on their way​
Room parameters are 75*F w/50%-60%RH. The temps were kept stable because I was also starting some very difficult peppers at the same time (most all have germinated!)​
One 400W MH@3,000K​
One 4-light T5 fixture w/6,500K bulbs​
One 2-light T8 fixture w/6,500K bulbs (over the veggies)​
Interrupted photoperiod with MH on for 11hrs/day, fluoro fixtures increasing the daylight to 14hrs, with two interruptions during the dark phase of the photoperiod of 1hr each.​

Everything is growing well now that I seem to have gotten them past the stage where FGs can ruin their day, except for the Purple Cheddar mother I still have in the room. Right now, if it weren't for her, I wouldn't even come close to hitting my cultivation limits as zoned by the county! In fact, if it weren't for her and some stuff that's been gifted as clones, I'd be pretty concerned at this stage.

In all my previous years of growing I have always started my seeds outside. They live through the snow and the rain and the cold, but don't grow very vigorously. So I figured we're on solar, why not get a good head start this year? Well, lemme tell ya, this kind of male rate is NOT a good head start!

I have pix on my phone, will have to upload those later.
 
midwestdensies

midwestdensies

2,886
263
wtf?! id say it was enviro but seems in check to me, weird..
 
Seamaiden

Seamaiden

Living dead girl
23,596
638
It has to be something I've done. I'm running a good bit of Loran's gear, but also popped a lot more from others than I have in a couple of years. The only thing that makes sense is that it's something I've done, not the genetics.
 
bonkia

bonkia

494
93
Seems like two schools of though on this
a, environmental
B, predetermined sex nothing you can do. (Doesnt matter how warm or cold Mommas tummy is, you can't make that girl grow a penis.) followed up with the frightening Rilization of not being able to play tackle football on thanksgiving. Damn...

0.0 squirrel!!
 
Seamaiden

Seamaiden

Living dead girl
23,596
638
At this point, I have to believe it's environmental due to the fact that this is the first time I've done seeds 100% indoors, and also happens to be the first time I've gotten such a high male:female ratio.
 
sealed138

sealed138

First Starfighter
Supporter
794
143
Seems like any stress increases male/ female ratios. Was your soil temp fluctuating? Maybe the gnats could stress them? Maybe they didn't like the color of your beer cups??
 
7

7thson

Guest
I've had 90% female and I've had 90% male. One time I ran like thirty seed plants and I ended up with 1/3 female.This is why I always run more seed then I need.I know you already know this but,I run two thirds more seed then what I need in the end.Next time you'll get the opposite.

I only run seed.
 
waayne

waayne

3,978
263
Personally I would have germinated and vegged them with at least a 18 hour photoperiod
with no interruptions during the 6 hour nite cycle

And yeah I realize the outdoor day length is around 14 hours now.......
But in my experience, indoors is a totally different beast and should be dealt with accordingly

My veg rooms are lit 24/7 and I seldom get less than 50% females from seed runs.....
 
true grit

true grit

6,269
313
Ya gotta agree with Waayne on this one...the only thing that stands out is the 14hr light cycle. I know folks doing the 12/1 or whatever it is veg cycle with success but with seedlings im not too sure. My seedlings (and veg) sit under 24hr light as well.

Other than that environment sounds fine. Knocking out the gnats would make em a bit more comfortable but other than eating seeds i doubt it would effect sex.
 
Seamaiden

Seamaiden

Living dead girl
23,596
638
Seems like any stress increases male/ female ratios. Was your soil temp fluctuating? Maybe the gnats could stress them? Maybe they didn't like the color of your beer cups??
I was wondering about that, but there was a control of just red, and those came out 100% male.
Thanks, I'll read this ASAP.
Personally I would have germinated and vegged them with at least a 18 hour photoperiod
with no interruptions during the 6 hour nite cycle

And yeah I realize the outdoor day length is around 14 hours now.......
But in my experience, indoors is a totally different beast and should be dealt with accordingly

My veg rooms are lit 24/7 and I seldom get less than 50% females from seed runs.....
Thanks! This is something I'm wondering about and information I can work with. Would another variable be the lights themselves? My veg-table is 100% fluoros, and flower room is combination HID+fluoros, and I did them in the flower room, kept everyone there.

Also, the fungus gnats, do you think there's a chance they may have played a role here?

I did it this way because I've got cuts in the same space that I plan to put outdoors and this is how I prevent them from flowering immediately when they're put out.
 
NaturalTherapy

NaturalTherapy

Lighthouse
Supporter
2,043
263
the meat...​
  1. Level of nitrogen and potassium of the seedbed: A heightening of the standard level of nitrogen makes for more female cannabis plants originating from the weed seeds. A lowering of the nitrogen level shows more male cannabis plants. A heightening of the level of potassium tends to show more male marijuana plants, while a lowering of the potassium level shows more female marijuana plants. A combination of a higher nitrogen level for the period of a week or two and a lowering of the potassium level is recommended.
  2. Humidity and moistness of the seedbed: a higher humidity makes for an increase in the number of female cannabis plants from weed seed, a lowering for an increase in male cannabis plants. The same is valid for the moistness of the seedbed.
  3. Level of temperatures: lower temperatures make for a larger number of female marijuana plants, higher temperatures for more male marijuana plants.
  4. Colour of light: more blue light makes for female cannabis plants from seed, more red light makes for more male cannabis plants.
  5. Hours of daylight: few hours of daylight (e.g. 14 hours) makes for more female individuals, a long day (e.g. 18 hours) makes for more male cannabis plants.
 
bonkia

bonkia

494
93
The thing that comes to mind here for me is the old timers.. Ziplock in a window seal.. Even back then they believed 50% females was what to expect. Some springs much hotter then others, some colder cloud cover days ect. 100's of years different enviromental change and yet still expected a ratio of 1 to 1.
 
E

E.T.

1,322
113
with TeX and Wayne on this one...
Indoors, my results have been poor with less then 18 hrs of light for seedlings. Tried going as low as 14hrs and ended up with far too many males...
Not even close to my usual ratio when veg lights are 18 or 24.
Sorry for the setback sea.
Think I'll do another seed run at 14 hrs to look for some males...you could be on to something
 
caveman4.20

caveman4.20

5,969
313
Yesterday afternoon I found that almost all my seed starts were showing sex, so I set about separating out the girls from the boys. When I was finished, I was astonished to see that I got FIVE females, and I lost count of the males (over 30). This has never happened to me before, however, this is also the first time I've ever done seed starts 100% indoors.

So, I see this as a failure on my part. I would like to figure out where my husbandry needs to be improved, because I can't work with a male rate like that.

Some room and media parameters:

Seeds started in February in Eden's Valley Premium Potting Blend, brightly colored beer cups​
Given mostly water and a few teas, a couple of feeds​
Within a week of firing up the indoor room I began seeing fungus gnats, whose populations EXPLODED. Many veggie seeds failed to germinate and I found the hulls in the soil, and I lost a few cannabis seedlings, many after they seemed to be well on their way​
Room parameters are 75*F w/50%-60%RH. The temps were kept stable because I was also starting some very difficult peppers at the same time (most all have germinated!)​
One 400W MH@3,000K​
One 4-light T5 fixture w/6,500K bulbs​
One 2-light T8 fixture w/6,500K bulbs (over the veggies)​
Interrupted photoperiod with MH on for 11hrs/day, fluoro fixtures increasing the daylight to 14hrs, with two interruptions during the dark phase of the photoperiod of 1hr each.​

Everything is growing well now that I seem to have gotten them past the stage where FGs can ruin their day, except for the Purple Cheddar mother I still have in the room. Right now, if it weren't for her, I wouldn't even come close to hitting my cultivation limits as zoned by the county! In fact, if it weren't for her and some stuff that's been gifted as clones, I'd be pretty concerned at this stage.

In all my previous years of growing I have always started my seeds outside. They live through the snow and the rain and the cold, but don't grow very vigorously. So I figured we're on solar, why not get a good head start this year? Well, lemme tell ya, this kind of male rate is NOT a good head start!

I have pix on my phone, will have to upload those later.
Sea as you know I been working that interrupted light schedule and I have change the lights on from twelve one run thirteen in another and fourteen Ina nother all with just one hour interruption PM me if you want exact numbers but ill say that I've ran seeds from a pool of over twenty moms with two common fathers... I have not ever gotten that low of a ratio of females but I will say this for me personally I LoVE that ratio for keepers and mothers... I believe that environment plays some role in gender outcome and the rest is predetermined in MY honest opinion those females you found are persistent females and not much are going to freak them out.... Those few females would be prized in my project and the males I would not like... Vice versa when I look for my fathers I choose from a low male high female ratio and in that scenario I would not use any of the females for breeding
 
caveman4.20

caveman4.20

5,969
313
If you think it's worth or elaboration is needed let me know but that's just my effort to keep it positive and my two cents on the side!
 
homebrew420

homebrew420

2,129
263
My vote is genetic and luck of the draw. I have done 20-30 got 80+% males then did another and ratio was 40/60. 60% female. Same conditions and such. Pop more if you got them.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom