Tutorial DIY STS Mixing/Using Guide for Feminized Pollen/Seeds R.C.Clarke Method as Base

[marmarb]

That's what I'm cooking with 3x3x5 tent with a 400 I've been working the mosca bx1 for a few yrs got a nice pineapple dome keeper that finishes in 42-45 days. Which cindy are you likeing most ? I have some brothers grim princess haze that's like a bx with ssh that I still have to pop.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Still no sign of reversing but its only day 9 since flip. Not showing many pistils yet either.

Change is in the wind, about a week or so and most strains will be showing.

 

[marmarb]

@Douglas are you ain't whole plant spraying

 

[farm3r]

Follow your recipe.

400ml is the recipe I have. Here it is.
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Making STS feminization foliar spray
You need:
1. Silver nitrate - AgNO3 (only expensive part of STS) –
- Can be found on ebay or in a chem shop,

2. Sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate - Na2S2O3-5H2O
Can be found on ebay or in a chem shop.

3. Distilled or RO water, kitchen or medical gloves, syringes, plastic bottles, spray bottle.



Solution - A
1.7g of AgNO3 (USE GLOVES - AgNO3 will stain your hands black for months).
Add AgNO3 to 100ml of RO water.
- Don’t use metal objects – only plastic or glass!
- Avoid exposing this solution to sunlight.
- Solution A should be stored in a cool dark place or in a dark plastic or glass bottle.



Solution - B
9.92g of Na2S2O3-5H2O (or 6.32g of Na2S2O3)
Add to Na2S2O3-5H2O to 400ml of RO water.
Solution B is not light sensitive but can be stored in a cool dark place or in the dark plastic bottle.


Solution A and B can be stored separately for a long time in a dark place (12+ months).



Solution - STS
- 5ml of Solution A, and
- 20 ml of Solution B
In a glass cup, stirring slowly, add A to B to make STS.
(STS is not as stable as solutions A and B separate and should be used within 6 months or so.)



STS FOLIAR SPRAY
The STS solution must be diluted with water.
- Use 1:2, 1:3 or 1:4 concentrations (STS to Water).

Example
1:2 = 1 part STS and 2 parts water [25ml STS + 50ml water]
1:3 = 1 part STS and 3 parts water [25ml STS + 75ml water]
1:4 = 1 part STS and 4 parts water [25ml STS + 100ml water]
​

Use this final mixture for foliar spraying. It is best to start with a concentration of 1:4 – if nothing happens use 1:2



Use STS sparingly as soon as flowering starts. Spray ONCE, wait two weeks, then ONCE again.
Spray too much and your plant will explode with empty pollen sacs.

Male bananas and sacs from female flowers will give you feminized pollen!

Note: Some strains will not reverse easily, and some not at all, but most will.

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This recipe makes enough to spray a thousand plants. Next time I make it, I'll cut it in 10.





.

@TychoMonolyth, what's your spraying schedule?


I'm also planning to use only one plant, spray just the bottom branches, and when the pollens appear, I pollinate the upper branches of the same plant. I know it's better to use two identical clones but space doesn't allow me to do that.


Once everything works, how long do you have to let the plant grow so that mature seeds would form? It's a 9 weeks flowering plant. Do I have to let it flower for the full 9 weeks?

 

[hellfire]

Seeds take 3 to 5ish weeks to mature. Some will fall out done and brown before the flowers. You can harvest seeds before the plant is done in terms of smoke. Just don't pick through too many buds checking if they're done yet.

$ shot...

Lots of balls, hope I didn't overdo it. Just a test clone but may do less sprays and wait more next time around.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

Seeds take 3 to 5ish weeks to mature. Some will fall out done and brown before the flowers. You can harvest seeds before the plant is done in terms of smoke. Just don't pick through too many buds checking if they're done yet.

$ shot...
View Image

Lots of balls, hope I didn't overdo it. Just a test clone but may do less sprays and wait more next time around.

People don't understand.
It's as hard for a grower to resist not spraying the plant too early and too much, as it is for a crackhead to resist Crack. lol

@TychoMonolyth, what's your spraying schedule?

I'm also planning to use only one plant, spray just the bottom branches, and when the pollens appear, I pollinate the upper branches of the same plant. I know it's better to use two identical clones but space doesn't allow me to do that.

Once everything works, how long do you have to let the plant grow so that mature seeds would form? It's a 9 weeks flowering plant. Do I have to let it flower for the full 9 weeks?

Like Hellfire said, 3 to 5 weeks. I was in a rush last year with one late strain, so I harvested at about 3 weeks. Most seeds were white/pale and some well formed but still pale. I put the whole posse in my germination containers and about 100 of the 350 well shaped seeds popped. So picking them early can save your outdoor season. Then just do another run taking your time for proper seeds.

My spraying schedule is in the recipe.
Spray once, wait two weeks and spray once more.
Then I destroy the lab. I put all my notes, lab supplies and a pound of aluminum powder in a pile and set it ablaze with a plasma torch. If I don't do that, I'll end up spraying it a 3rd time.



We often hear "Know Your Plant". Most of us know at least one plant (personal strain) to a certain extent. I know my NLs pretty well, but how little STS is enough for her to reverse? Not quite sure. I know the GG4 I grew a couple years ago simply would NOT turn, and 2 light applications to my Swazi made it explode. They're all different.

Now would be a good time for me to put on my lab coat, run a half dozen NL plants and do some testing. Actually, should have did that in December (done by March-April), but it's not too late for this season. I think I'm going to switch from "Spraying" to hitting a few nodes with a dropper.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

@Douglas are you ain't whole plant spraying

I use clones in a small flowering box, spray the whole plant, then collect and store the pollen. I have not reversed a branch or single flower yet.

 

[marmarb]

@Douglass that's smart that way you always have pollen on standby

 

[unregistered190]

then collect and store the pollen.

Douglas,

I think you have mentioned rice instead of silica to store pollen? Any other tips or a link to any more advice on storing pollen?

Being able to store it and get it out when needed sure would make life easier for me.

Thanks

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Douglas,

I think you have mentioned rice instead of silica to store pollen? Any other tips or a link to any more advice on storing pollen?

Being able to store it and get it out when needed sure would make life easier for me.

Thanks

The convenience is so great, I'm hoping most growers eventually start keeping pollen. It's amazing how many growers each year have unwanted males, and from selections of amazing genetics. I have several different pools of genetics now, all waiting in the freezer for testing.

A bit more about drying, and the silica/rice thing. The most important factor for long term storage is moisture control. The pollen must be very, very dry before freezing. Silica packs will get the RH down to (if I remember correctly) about 10%. We want our pollen to be as dry as we can possibly get it, so it will last through the greatest number of temp/rh changes.

I may have mentioned it before, but I like to use a the large peanut butter jars the real peanut butter companies use (you know, peanuts and salt are the only ingredients). The jar holds a couple pounds of rice, and I use it to dry a tablespoon or less of pollen. I use the same jar for cooking the moisture out of the rice. I heat it in the oven for 12hrs over night at 170F. By morning it's super dry rice. Close up the lid and let it cool. The tough part is opening it against the vacuum seal which forms. Argh! lol I place a cup shaped piece of foil on top of the dry rice, and then seal it up for a week.

Label your packets well: Use as much 'complete' information as you can. Abbreviations (if not written down) are subject to memory, and who knows how many years it'll be. eh?
A cataloging system, tracked in a notebook or elsewhere may be rather handy.

Make SMALL Packets: If you can 'see' pollen, there are millions of possible seeds there. I try to make my packets less than 1/4 teaspoon in volume. You can always grab more if you need, while extra most often goes to waste. (been there... *sniff* lol)

Use Doubled Foil and a Fine Point Pen for Packets: The packets I made 8 years ago are in pristine condition. Easy to read, easy to open.
- Use two layers of foil for durability, and heavy duty foil is a better choice
- Make what they call a 'bindle' out of the foil, with the top open for filling.
- Use the fine point pen to write on the bindle, creasing the foil when you write.

You'll be able to read the creased foil years from now without issues. Should you need to write more than the bindle size will allow, use notation on the bindles along with a detailed card in the same bag/bottle.

I'm open to suggestions on organization, and any 'speed-removal' thoughts. I'd like to be able to store pollen in a freezer, and be able to get a packet without disturbing other pollen. Currently I have a couple vacuum bottles (thermos) with labeled packets inside. These are kept in a freezer. The vacuum bottles help soften temp changes over the years.

There's a lot of research out there on storing pollen. The basics are, the drier the better and the colder the better. Do a search and see, there's plenty of very interesting reading out there.

 

[marmarb]

I've got some sunset sherbet pollen if anyone interested in a trade ��

 

[LostTribe]

Mine was anhydrous.

I am now at day 6. Sprayed c99 lowers again lightly once last night. Still no definitive sign of male junk coming off this fine lady. She is however just showing a few pistils on the tips.

I am now at day 19 and still nothing but a few pistils. I swapped out the t5 for an HPS set at 300w 2 days ago to get them moving. Its cold so I think this will help them get going.

I also resprayed lowers yesterday at day 18 for a 3rd spray.

 

[brickweeder]

I am now at day 19 and still nothing but a few pistils. I swapped out the t5 for an HPS set at 300w 2 days ago to get them moving. Its cold so I think this will help them get going.

I also resprayed lowers yesterday at day 18 for a 3rd spray.

You can also spray with plain water on the days after STS application (right before lights out) to reconstitute any dried STS on the leaves. I do this because I am extremely impatient by nature and feel the need to do something. Yours should turn soon.

I looked back at some notes and one reversal took 15 days before I saw male flower development (Cannabiogen Destroyer), another 19 days (Ace Panama), and 2 others about a month (Ace China Yunnan and RQS Critical Kush). Patience is a key ingredient. The destroyer (15 days) and yunnan (1 month) were in Sept when ambient temps were hot, and the panama (19 days) and critical kush (1 month) were in dec-feb when temps were cool, so I suspect turn times are more strain dependent than temp dependent.

Also, in one of Mr Soul's interviews on youtube, he said he makes several STS applications 2 days apart (I think it was days 1/3/5/7), then waits/hopes for M flower development. He also said that too much STS results in tight flowers that won't open (which I can confirm is true).

 

[HerbChambers]

I've got some sunset sherbet pollen if anyone interested in a trade ��

I’m interested

 

[CannaRed]

You can also spray with plain water on the days after STS application (right before lights out) to reconstitute any dried STS on the leaves. I do this because I am extremely impatient by nature and feel the need to do something. Yours should turn soon.

I looked back at some notes and one reversal took 15 days before I saw male flower development (Cannabiogen Destroyer), another 19 days (Ace Panama), and 2 others about a month (Ace China Yunnan and RQS Critical Kush). Patience is a key ingredient. The destroyer (15 days) and yunnan (1 month) were in Sept when ambient temps were hot, and the panama (19 days) and critical kush (1 month) were in dec-feb when temps were cool, so I suspect turn times are more strain dependent than temp dependent.

Also, in one of Mr Soul's interviews on youtube, he said he makes several STS applications 2 days apart (I think it was days 1/3/5/7), then waits/hopes for M flower development. He also said that too much STS results in tight flowers that won't open (which I can confirm is true).

Do you happen to have a link of that interview? Or can point me in the right direction?
I don't believe I've seen that one yet.

 

[brickweeder]

Do you happen to have a link of that interview? Or can point me in the right direction?
I don't believe I've seen that one yet.

CannaR, see the following at the 17 min mark...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjyVQLMlMCM

here is another with some slightly different application info...start at about the 2 min mark for the start of the STS discussion, including timing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EzjfRxfeCQ


here are some other good mr soul interviews (long but imo, time well spent)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Mrbn0bHf-A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUHggG7atNs

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

15 days Cannabiogen Destroye
19 days Ace Panama
about a month, Ace China Yunnan and RQS Critical Kush.
---clip---
I suspect turn times are more strain dependent than temp dependent.

This is great information, ty so much. I consider this time variable the strongest argument for reversing a few clones and storing pollen for later. Removes all the stress of timing it with female flower development.

He also said that too much STS results in tight flowers that won't open (which I can confirm is true).

Remember, you can desicate these unopened flowers, then gently crush them on a fine screen to release the pollen. It's not ideal, but can sometimes be useful enough till the next run.

I'm wondering if there's any point in creating an STS & Strain list thread. A basic format for the information would help a lot.
Strain & Heritage:
Seed/Clone:
Basic tmp/rh/light/:
Light schedule:
Amendment/Nutrient, recipe/profile:
Plant size:
Silver Used: Recipe of STS and/or type of CS used
Spray Schedule:
Level of reversal m:f ratio: 0:100 to 100:0
Time till visible male flowers:
Time till full flower development:
Quality/Quantity Report: Tight/loose flowers, no pollen, full pollen, sterile, etc, etc.

Just not sure how useful it would be... *shrug*

 

[brickweeder]

I think a database of STS reversal info by strain wold be great, as least as a planning tool.

just a bit of clarification, those reversal times I provided were on rooted clones (STS application about 3 weeks after the clones took).

I did dessicate the male flowers that didn't open, and screened out the pollen...it worked, but it was a pain in the ask.

 

[Fitzera]

I agree, I think that would be a useful database. But at the same time maybe not useful...and I say that because say you list OG Kush...well not everyone has the same. So the info might no be valid in any way shape or form for the majority. Based on verified cuts/seeds though, I think it's a valuable idea

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Good points