One of the most dreaded words for a cannabis grower is “pollination.” Anyone who is looking forward to cultivating quality buds will ensure that the male plants are removed to prevent accidental pollination. This is because, once a female cannabis plant is pollinated, it will spend all of its energy in producing seeds and very little energy in producing terpene.
Besides, immature pollination can put all of your time and resources invested in harvesting the plant to waste.
So, in this blog, we will take a closer look at some aspects of pollination and how to avoid it.
How to determine if a female plant is pollinated?
One of the early signs of the pollinated female plant is the swelling of bracts. These small, leaf-like structures that protect the female reproductive system become larger. Bracts are also the place where flowering buds appear.
The best way of checking if the bracts are swollen or not is by opening one of the bracts using tweezers. If you see seeds inside, then that is the clear sign of pollination.
Another way to determine pollination is by checking the pistil hair of a female plant. The previously white pistils will change to darker and soon wither.
How to prevent pollination of the female plant?
For pollination, there should be the presence of males or hermaphrodites (females that also produce pollen). The first way of preventing pollination is by determining the presence of males or hermaphrodites and getting rid of them.
You can check for the males or hermaphrodites during the first three weeks of flowering. If possible, keep inspecting your garden every now and then for a possible male specimen.
Even as a cannabis breeder, you will require carefully removing the males to avoid any premature pollination.
What to do once the female plant is pollinated?
Spotting the male cannabis along with pollinated female plants way ahead of the time can save you a lot of effort and time.
The best thing you can do after possible pollination is to get rid of the pollinated females and male cannabis plant and start a new grow.
How to avoid the pollination issue?
As a home grower, you can totally get rid of the pollination issue by using an innovative variety, feminized seeds. This variety is easily available in a wide variety of new and legendary strains.
If your feminized seeds are the result of a reliable growing method, then your seeds will end up growing only female plants. This means more high-quality, terpene-rich smokable buds.
By investing in feminized seeds, you no longer have to go through the male cannabis plant determination and pruning process.
Now, it is up to you to decide what kind of seeds do you want based on your growing parameters and, of course, your personal goals as a cultivator. You can visit https://homegrowncannabisco.com/feminized-seeds to order your feminized seeds.
Signing off
As a cannabis grower, we know you must have invested a lot of time, money, and energy. Don’t let the process of accidental pollination take away your privilege of harvesting top-quality yields.
Use our blog as a guide to get through the cannabis growing process effectively.
