Can anyone explain alterating nodes?

[gre123123]

I am in my first serious grow ever, besides two weak attempts. Anyway I have been looking in this book and online to find out how long into the outdoor grow should I be able to tell the sex. And I found out sometime shortly after flowering, but not exact. And they say I can tell if they are m/f because either the nodes will be alternating(f) or opposite(m). What does that mean? Because all i know is what the nodes look like not if they alternating or whatever opposite means? THX

[DirtySouth]

Not 2 sure,I kinda thought they alternated inorder to distribute the weight.You know so it doesn't snap?

[phatpharmer]

I don't no about alternating nodes, but I do no I can usually tell 6-7 weeks from seed in if its male or female by the preflowers, its always worked for me! I don't have a pic of what I mean by preflowers but maybe someone else does?

Phatpharmer

Phatpharmer

[ozzydiodude]

Alternating nodes means the plant is reaching puberity and will start showing its true sex soon. seldom will you have preflowers til the sun leaves have started growing on alternating sides of the main stalk.

[umbra]

alternating nodes does not indicate sex. Both sexes do it. It just indicates sexual maturity.

[leafminer]

The plants don't need to go alternating to show sex. My current grow, the sat doms showed female preflowers just at 2 feet tall and by the time the nodes started to alternate they were three feet tall and with pistils already. Once you have done a few grows you will find you can tell the sex really early.

[Six]

http://www.marijuanapassion.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16565

In post #5, Mutt has a nice illustration of aternating nodes...you will see the branches are not growing straight across from eachother...

[HippyInEngland]

Hello Gre123123 :)

:peace:

[Six]

Homerun Hippy...:yeahthat: :goodposting:

[Oregon Bob]

I've tended to notice that as the plant matures (from seed) the nodes go from opposite/paired to alternating/staggered. Does this make sense? They start off one side, with the other side really close, or even directly opposite. This spaces out over the months such that they come out one on one side, some space on the other side, then a node, and vice versa.

Some have written this is related to age/maturity. I've seen both "styles" of growth at varying times, so...?

[HippyInEngland]

Imagine your looking from the top of the plant.

Imagine a clock face.

12 and 6 will produce a node, 3 and 9 will produce a node slightly higher.

This pattern will continue as the plant grows.

When a plant reaches sexual maturity 12 and 6 and 3 and 9 will produce alternating nodes where they are staggered and not even.

:peace:

[Oregon Bob]

Pretty cool... never thought to describe this way... pretty cool.