Whacking the Males

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
Everyday I hear from a new grower here that is doing his very first DWC Grow and now he has realized his male and female roots are very tangled in his reservoir tank. He has arrived at the time to remove the male plant, and he asks me how is he going to untangle those male and female roots and separate them?
When I tell him how, I later always see him seeking the advice of other growers, doubting me and looking for a much different answer from someone else. Just like I did on my first grow.
You might want to save this post or bookmark it, so you can later share it and the pics with other new growers.
When I did my first grow, I must of spent hours trying to untangle those roots so I could get that male plant out of that tank and not injure the female roots.


Haven't you ever went to a plant nursery, or Lowes or Home Depot's Garden Department and bought a one quart container with 3 or 4 floweres in it? Didn't you take it home and find all 4 plants root-bound, completely filling up the container? Didn't you then tear those 4 plants apart, rip the roots apart into 4 groups, plant them, set them out in the yard or garden spot and see them just thrive the very next day? Did tearing those roots up kill it or put it in shock over one day? Nope.

I've been doing this 5 gallon bucket grow to show new growers it can be done and how to do it and get decent sized plants. I started 3 unfeminized seed in the bucket, knowing I would later get one or two males and one or two females. Lucky me, I got two females this time!
Here you see the bucket after I cut off the top of the male plant, leaving me two 38 to 40 inch tall females.



Look at this tangled root ball of the three plants.



I have one GIANT Female and one medium sized female remaining.
 

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
It took me 15 seconds to cut those roots apart, I did not waste any time trying to separate them. I just cut them apart with some shears.
Here you see them AFTER the whacking.





This is what I removed, all in one clump, about 75% of the total roots.
The pic does not show the size, which is a little larger than a football.
 
man thats awesome :) im glad i dont have to worrie about that this time around. ive got 1 going. if this turns into a male im gonna try a grow like that one
 

polishfalcon420

Well-Known Member
I think the whole removal of males and roots is more stressful to the grower than the actual plants. especially for the first timer.
 

loolagigi

Well-Known Member
roseman, would you suggest doing that to a single females root ball? would it have any benifits to trim roots?
 

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
roseman, would you suggest doing that to a single females root ball? would it have any benifits to trim roots?
There is no great big benefit, but I have found that my water stays more pH balanced and cleaner, and they eat and drink a slightly little less.

When I discover a male, I cut the top of the plant off and I wait to see if I have any more males in the same tank, before I cut the roots. I always take the opportunity to clean the air stones with a brush and metal scrubber and I clean the tank when I remove the males.
 

Dystopia

Active Member
Great post Roseman! I've always been afraid to chop up the roots, if I don't know the sex beforehand I glue plastic "separators" to the top of the lid that extend to the bottom of the res to keep the roots separate.

But what you say makes sense and the proof is in the pudding.

I've got a question for you...I've done three grows with standard seeds where I put four plants into two reservoirs; so that's a total of 6 reservoirs with two plants in each reservoir over those grows. And in each and every reservoir I ended up with one male and one female.

I read somewhere that if you put two seeds into a soil container you'll always end up with one male and one female, something to do with hormone transfer.

What's your experience been with multiple plants in the same container...have you always ended up with at least one male? Or is my experience just coincidence?
 

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
DYSTOPIA,
Wow, my hero asking me a question!

I have completed 7 grows in 3 years with unfeminized seed. EACH AND EVERY TIME, I got 50-50, half and half, male and female plants. EVERYTIME! It is almost unbeleiveable , unless you experience it too.

And on the NEWS today is plants do talk to(communicate with) each other:
http://www.livescience.com/environment/091020-plant-siblings.html


Many, many years ago, I grew outdoors on an island in a very large fresh water lake. About 40 to 60 plants in a dozen different beds or spots in the woods that were open to the sun's rays. I was always absolutely amazed how a female would know when to go hermie, by knowing I pulled up and tossed some males that were out of sight to the females. And we never saw a hermie, until AFTER the males were pulled up and tossed. The females knew.


I can only assume one of two things.
1, the pot plants do communicate with each other, and think and make decisions.
OR
2, they have a LORD or Angel or Spirit that watches over them, wanting them to procreate, telling them what to do, or making them do it.

I do beleive in magic, and mysticism, and para-normal events. And POT is as magical and mystical and para-normal as I can imagine or get close to.
 

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
Ha! Great answer. I sure hope my plants aren't whispering "I need a man" right now!!!
I would be willing to bet you money, that before every bud in that grow of yours gets smoked, 3 to 10 seeds are found, made by a hidden-hermie that realized there were no males around.
 

texashustle

Active Member
Damn to have a grow on the island at my granpas lake house would be so awesome!! Would never happen, but would be sick! How long have you been growing for Roseman?

Also Rose, since youve been doing this so long why dont you take clones and have a female only army instead of growing those huge males only to wack them?
 

Roseman

Elite Rolling Society
Damn to have a grow on the island at my granpas lake house would be so awesome!! Would never happen, but would be sick! How long have you been growing for Roseman?

I started my first indoor grow (posted somewhere on this site) in January 2007. I've completed 7 grows indoors.

Also Rose, since youve been doing this so long why dont you take clones and have a female only army instead of growing those huge males only to wack them?
I do not do but one grow a year, in my house. I have loaned out my equipment many times or done grows at my son's, my x-wifes' ane at friends, for a share of the harvest. I never sell it, buit I do give a lot away.
Doing only one grow a year, and starting with my own seed, I can do a pound harvst of manicured buds for an investment of $60 to $100 now, so I don't buy seeds either. I always allow one hermie branch to make a few seeds, but just a few.
 

shylas

Active Member
I do not do but one grow a year, in my house. I have loaned out my equipment many times or done grows at my son's, my x-wifes' ane at friends, for a share of the harvest. I never sell it, buit I do give a lot away.
Doing only one grow a year, and starting with my own seed, I can do a pound harvst of manicured buds for an investment of $60 to $100 now, so I don't buy seeds either. I always allow one hermie branch to make a few seeds, but just a few.
I like your style man. Give it away don't sell it. I wanna be your neighbor lol.

Also texas I love the avatar
 
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