What To Do With Male Cannabis Plants

WHAT TO DO WITH MALE CANNABIS PLANTS

The Cannabis genus is dioecious, meaning it has both female and male plants. Except in the case of hermaphroditism, male and female plants are needed to produce seeds for another generation of plants. The entire cannabis industry essentially relies on female plants. The numerous compounds present in the resins of the mature female flowers are highly prized by human beings.

Having males present in any garden means females will be exposed to pollen and seeds will develop. Cannabis seeds do have an astonishing amount of uses, but if females are being grown for high-quality psychoactive resins, seeds are bad news.

The much-maligned male is most often identified early and disposed of from the modern marijuana garden. Apart from the the reproductive parts, males and females share similar characteristics in plant performance. They both have vigorous root systems and produce beneficial compounds in the plant itself. They are both excellent at soil rehabilitation, filtering pollutants, and producing oxygen. Truly, the benefits and uses of the cannabis plant are manifold. So what can males be used for?

AN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

When growing cannabis as hemp on an industrial scale, the sexual distribution of the crop is of far less concern than for recreational or medicinal grows. Males are desired and pollination is encouraged as seeds feature predominantly in the industrial role of the cannabis/hemp plant. 80% of the weight of any fertilised industrial cannabis crop is seeds. Products produced from the seeds of cannabis are increasing in demand. Seed uses are many, ranging from food to toiletries and numerous industrial applications.

I LIKE YOUR GENES

Male cannabis plants are needed to produce the next generation. During breeding, a generous selection of males is desired to find the one that has the best characteristics to pass onto the next generation. The best male that represents the best of the desired genotype and the right phenotype needs to be be selected for breeding.

Setting aside a single male from a crop with which to breed doesn’t guarantee that particular male is the best the genotype has to offer. It may be a runt or have developmental problems that are not revealed without brothers to compare it to. The serious breeders have serious male grow spaces. A similar selection process happens with females, so as to produce the highest possible quality of the desired traits.

Females of favourite plants are cloned to produce the same breeding stock. A selection of males are then used to pollinate the pre-flowered females. The results are compared and new strains are created.

Males are also needed for the creation of autoflowering strains. The ruderalis male contributes the autoflowering genetics, while the female contributes the potency, fragrance, and aroma of the target strain.

Breeding is a long process that requires patience. The period between pollination thru seed development and germination to curing to smoking can be months. It is also a very hit and miss affair. The desired transfer of characteristics may not happen, and the final product is a dead end. Of course, it is also possible to discover the next big thing and do a little happy dance.

TRY EXTRACTION AND POLLEN

Remember, sinsemilla ("without seed") is a manipulation of the breeding cycle by humans to produce desired products like marijuana and resins for extracts. Sinsemilla is rare to occur with industrial crops from seed or in the wild. It isn’t surprising to know then that males and females share similar chemical profiles. Males still produce an array of terpenes as well as small amounts of cannabinoids. When processed into hash or when applying any of the extraction methods to dried males, satisfying results can in fact be obtained.

It is also possible to collect pollen and using a pollen press to make compressed pollen hash. Rest assured, a fully flowered male cannabis plant produces A LOT of pollen. The effects are nowhere near that of modern extracts made from 20%+ THC-saturated sinsemilla. However, the pleasant high is extremely functional and there is never any danger of getting too stoned. Ideal for work or being busy with a nice buzz, pollen should really be tried at least once.

GET YOUR FIBRE

During the heady centuries that preceded prohibition, when cannabis could be grown for its multitude of uses, males were prized for their fibres. Both males and females are excellent sources of fibre for a number of industrial uses. However, male fibre is preferred for making textiles. It is considered finer and stronger than fibre obtained from female plants.

Farmers of yore would go to great pains to separate the males from the females. The retting, decorticating, and spinning were all done separately. Male cloth went on to become clothing and other delicate applications. Female cloth was used for more industrial applications like ropes, hessian, and canvasses.

MALES ARE GOOD COMPANIONS

Cannabis has been used in agriculture as a pesticide, fungicide, and predation deterrent since the early ages of plant domestication. Planted as a fallow crop, it rehabilitates soil with its long taproot and dense root mat. Planted as a companion around borders and in irrigation ditches, it repels a number of pests from popular crops like soybeans, cotton, wheat, and potatoes. It also discourages mosquitoes, flies, and other airborne pests.

MALES CAN BE USEFUL

There are many uses for the male cannabis plant. The outdoor grower with a bit of space has a number of advantages when it comes to experimenting with males. When plants are hidden away so that little-to-no pollen can reach females, every aspect of male potential can be discovered. Please consider others when growing males. Cannabis pollen is wind-borne and can ride the breeze for kilometres. Your outdoor-cannabis-growing neighbours will certainly not appreciate the mystery seeds.

The domestic indoor grower with limited space doesn’t have the same luxury. The average hobby grower probably barely has the room to run a minimal breeding operation, let alone experiment. In either case, male cannabis has its uses and there is no need to freak if you get some boys. Unless you are keen to breed, simply make sure that females are not exposed to any pollen.