I'm talking smaaaall...I'm using one of those Aerogarden units, and the plant itself probably has about 15" to use for actual growth before I have to start thinking about splicing the wires and getting more supplimental lighting, etc.

I'd like to use the unit without having to do this. So i'm looking to grow very small plants from seed. Can anyone enlighten me on the best way to do this?

I'm looking for a way to stunt the vertical & horizontal growth as much as possible once it starts flowering...but also to not ruin the buds in the process...to create little mini bonzai pot plants that stay small, but not really bushy since I don't have room for a lot of growth horizontally either.

Here is my current plan of attack to achieve this, I would really welcome and appreciate any advice:

1. Let plants grow to about 8-10 inches in vegative growth
2. Chop them all in half (to about 4-5 inches), removing any lower branches and some fan leaves about 3-5 days before flowering, and planning on going with a typical 8(ish) week flowering period.
3. Hoping and praying that the plants stay small enough...and assuming that I will get some males, I will thin those guys out to make more room for any females.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I like your idea. I try to keep the light as close as I can. But not too close where the heat makes them stretch. You will just have to experiment. A lot has to do with the strain too. Sounds like you have it pretty much figured out.

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Great..thanks for the quick reply. I just wanted some confirmation from someone who knows what they are doing. I realize that this is not the ideal setup, and may very well end up being a complete failure at the end, but I like the idea of growing 3-5 small, single bud plants ( maybe 1/8 or 1/4 oz of dried bud from each plant ?) in a little cupboard above my bedroom closet almost completely autonomously.

The strain's i'm using are all unknown, from very stinky nasty bags of chronic that happened to have a few seeds here and there that I've collected and saved.

I like the idea of topping....

For sure next time tho I'm going to try and see if I can get the light closer than it allows in the very begining of the seedlings life and keep it that way and flower at no more than 2 weeks...

But these lights dont put off much heat but put out 1450 lumens each so you dont have to worry about them being too close...

I would'nt wait longer than 2 weeks to flower...

I waited till my plants were 4 weeks and they are now huge! (they are now 7 weeks) I might have to splice it again and longer! lol

More detailed update with pics tomorrow

I wish I didnt wait so long to flower but thats how you learn...

Good luck buddy

Peace
-Tek

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Tek

Hehe...yea...I was thinking about that too: the lights not being close enough and causing the plants to reach for the light. That's why I was just thinking I would let them have their normal veg period, but then I would chop them down pretty brutally just before flowering...and hopefully that will prevent them from becoming too large.

We will just have to work out the kinks, and find a good method to get the most out of this little system. I look forward to what the future holds after we all go through a few trial/error phases and can benefit from each other's different experiences.

Can't wait to see the pics, I bet the tops are starting to get pretty hairy by now.

i'm goin 2 for sure try that i havnt had the light close enough and thats y i keep havin the plant grow 2 big thanks for the ideas

Toke do you have an aerogarden as well?

-Tek

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Tek

Hey CFL Freaks,
Here's a couple thoughts. If you need more light, then add a cfl or 2 down low. I'll bet you'll want to add some more later in flowering anyway.
On keeping the plants small, you want to use clones. That way they can be flowered immediately. The problem with seedlings is that they have one big root, going straight down. If left to grow, it will be as big as the main stem above ground. That can't happen in your setup. Clones have a spread out root system, with big and small roots going all over. That's what you want in an aero system.

HTH

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I hate to potroast but I'm going to have to disagree with you here....

My biggest plant right now had got to be close to 3 ft if not more....

I just changed the resivoir last night, There was no main root stem that was as long as the main stem it is more like a network of roots looking like a web, there is still room for more roots too...

Peace
-Tek

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basically here is wat i did, i put a fan i n my closet and I pulled out the lame ass aerogarden light, threw a metal halide light hangin from my closet shelf ima start the flower stage at about 5 weeks, i have 12 feet of height and 8 feet of width for the tree plant to grow so i figure its gonna get fuckin huge and when it flowers im get around a pound of trees considering its hydro and the light i have is basically "sunlight in my closet" lemme know if i sound really stupid lol
later eryone