No worries on the photo quality! This plant is a pain to photograph sometimes. Its also extremely hard to see gender differences in veg, which is why I rely on those genetic tests until we get the plants into flower. That’s when the extra in-depth gender inspections begin in earnest.
I am with Nick on this one. I do not trust the Green Screen Test kit at this point but there is another way to go. Phylos Bio-sciences out of Portland has test kits that you can purchase and send back to them for 100% accurate results. It is a little expensive but definitely worth it. Check them out!
https://phylos.bio/
Interesting. So, it seems like the 3 best points in time to monitor and ensure genetic quality are either 1) before you buy (buy from a trusted seed supplier with tested genetics), 2) pay to test your genetics after purchase/control environmental factors where possible, and 3) after ~8 weeks of growth/around flowering.
Does that sum it up essentially?
Thats a great summary but I would say to inspect at all 3 points for safety, if possible. Most gender specific qualities of this plant are easily visible until the plant begins to flower so just keep a very close eye on the plants as they flip from veg.
This is a really great image reference you found. Often the differences are not as obvious earlier in vegetative growth, but the shape of these premature calyxes can actually be pretty tell-tale. That very bottom picture you posted, for instance, isn’t showing any pistols, but the shape of the calyx itself starts wide and elongates significantly, indicating female. Males will not elongate as much. The second to last picture is a little hard to tell one way or another. Examine your plants thoroughly, because often you’ll find them at varying stages of maturity in what seem like unlikely places. The picture guide Jacob shared is definitely of plants that are already in flowering just FYI. Those pollen sacs will be opening soon. I concur with everything that’s been said though. Good luck to us all!
I have never worked with either of those products, but I do play the Silver Colloidile game with my breedings for feminized seeds.
Everyone is on point about sexing stages. I would like to add on a side note, those hermies… That can be at any point if flower. So when you believe you have a verifiable female, its very important for consistent monitoring of growth, as even 1 nanner can wreak havoc. This is pretty common in large commercial grows, or newly established grows. There is a dialing in period on new grows, where hermie propagation can get… “nuts”!