How to Sexify Cannabis Plants

Male plants have thick, stiff stems and fewer leaves. Compared to female plants of the same species, male cannabis plants have thicker stems. That’s because the male plant is taller than the female plant, so it needs a thick trunk to support the weight of the tree. Male plants also have fewer leaves than female plants. ^[1]

Regularly check plants from July to September for sex discrimination. If you let male plants pollinate, they will greatly reduce the yield of female plants. Because after pollination, the female plant will focus on raising seeds instead of producing THC, leading to a decrease in yield. If you are growing indoor plants and tend to them regularly, this check is easy to do.

• You need to examine each plant to determine its sex, as just missing one male plant can ruin the whole harvest.
• In general, male plants show sex before female plants are 7-10 days old (indoors) or 3 weeks old (outdoors).

Look for male flowers in the axils on the stems. The small round seeds that grow on the axillary of the stem (where the branches meet the main stem) are indicative of a male plant. Male flowers release pollen and need to be removed for a better harvest. ^[2]

• If you want to create new varieties or propagate, do not touch those round seeds.
• Female plants also have these round seeds, but the seeds also have long, milky hairs. If you only see 1-2 seeds on the plant, wait to see if the plant produces more seeds before cutting it off.

You should know that there is a hermaphrodite plant and should treat it as a male plant. Cannabis plants can develop both reproductive organs. If you see male flowers, you can cut them off like normal male plants. They will release pollen and spoil the harvest. ^[3]

• In general, you should not leave hermaphrodites, as they can ruin the crop if you’re not careful.

Throw away the male cannabis plant unless you want the seeds. After determining which plants are male, you need to remove them immediately. Don’t try to remove male flowers by hand as just missing a few flowers will result in a significant reduction in the yield of the crop. Although most people will cut off the male plant, some will keep it for breeding purposes. If you keep the male plants, isolate them to a separate room from the female plants, and make sure not to let pollen get into the female plant room through contact with your clothing or hands. ^[4]