Need help controlling my plant and general outdoor growing questions

nic202

New Member


Hey, I need some advice on training this plant pictured above. Have been doing lots of topping and lst in the early stages, however the plant is simply too big to control with lst now ( however please let me know otherwise). So the problem is, we need to keep this plant somewhat low so it does not reach over the fence. Also when it starts to flower , i the plant going to be able to support itself??

I live in south Queensland in Australia ( sub tropical region ) so the plant will continue to grow untill march ( I think?) This is my first outdoor grow so im a bit confused when the plant will begin to bloom, is it when when the days become shorter then 12 hours? or does that rule not necessarily apply to outdoor growing.

also during the spring/autumn/winter we get lots of mid 20 degrees days ( roughly 77 degrees Fahrenheit) so some good growing conditions, but the days will be shorter then 12 hours, so will the plants flower extremely early?

Sorry for all the questions, i really appreciate any help you guys can give :)
 

Space_cadet

Well-Known Member
Yeah it should start to flower late feb early march, maybe even the end of this month if your lucky. It looks sativa dom not much you can do about size (they grow fucking huge in Australia yours is actually a little one lol) maybe next year go an indica or indica dom dtrain maybe a smaller pot. Other than tying it down more or snapping braches (snap and fold dw its not going kill the plant an being a tough sativa its not going to stress it overly much) theres not alot you can do.
 

SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member


Hey, I need some advice on training this plant pictured above. Have been doing lots of topping and lst in the early stages, however the plant is simply too big to control with lst now ( however please let me know otherwise). So the problem is, we need to keep this plant somewhat low so it does not reach over the fence. Also when it starts to flower , i the plant going to be able to support itself??

I live in south Queensland in Australia ( sub tropical region ) so the plant will continue to grow untill march ( I think?) This is my first outdoor grow so im a bit confused when the plant will begin to bloom, is it when when the days become shorter then 12 hours? or does that rule not necessarily apply to outdoor growing.

also during the spring/autumn/winter we get lots of mid 20 degrees days ( roughly 77 degrees Fahrenheit) so some good growing conditions, but the days will be shorter then 12 hours, so will the plants flower extremely early?

Sorry for all the questions, i really appreciate any help you guys can give :)
Indoors 12/12 is the standard to start flowering but outdoors it's a little more complicated. I'm further from the equator than you and I'm not sure how that translates but where I'm at the fall equinox is usually about Sept 22. Most strains start the stretch phase of flowering in the first week or two of August so their around half way or better through flowering by the time the days are actually 12/12.

One thing that's going to really get you is how tall your container is. Next time around plant in an in ground planting bed and you gain what looks like about two and a half feet. As it is you're going to have to be aggressive about pruning. Look at the plant and try to find the level where its widest. Imagine a straight line across that part of the plant and cut off everything above it. If you don't have much experience with this you'll probably get a sick feeling just thinking about it. The idea is to make the plant as flat as you can.

Once you've done that you watch it daily and keep an eye for new growth that starts to pull away from the top of the pot. When you start this early you only ever have to cut a little bit at a time but it's pretty much daily. It will force the plant out wide. Doing this mine were always about 10' wide and 6'-8' tall. I'll post pics later.
 

nic202

New Member
Indoors 12/12 is the standard to start flowering but outdoors it's a little more complicated. I'm further from the equator than you and I'm not sure how that translates but where I'm at the fall equinox is usually about Sept 22. Most strains start the stretch phase of flowering in the first week or two of August so their around half way or better through flowering by the time the days are actually 12/12.

One thing that's going to really get you is how tall your container is. Next time around plant in an in ground planting bed and you gain what looks like about two and a half feet. As it is you're going to have to be aggressive about pruning. Look at the plant and try to find the level where its widest. Imagine a straight line across that part of the plant and cut off everything above it. If you don't have much experience with this you'll probably get a sick feeling just thinking about it. The idea is to make the plant as flat as you can.

Once you've done that you watch it daily and keep an eye for new growth that starts to pull away from the top of the pot. When you start this early you only ever have to cut a little bit at a time but it's pretty much daily. It will force the plant out wide. Doing this mine were always about 10' wide and 6'-8' tall. I'll post pics later.
Yeah definitely chose the wrong pot to plant in. Just chucked a random seed in there and it really took off over summer. Will look into the pruning, thanks for your advice.
 

nic202

New Member
Also one more question. If i am in the middle of summer right now and want to get some more plants growing. Would i get better results off an autoflower right now? or would planting a feminized seed be more beneficial. Or would the hot temperatures most days over 30 degrees or 86 Fahrenheit stunt the growth of little seedlings
 

Space_cadet

Well-Known Member
I would probably just stick to normal photo period seed, you'll wnd up finishing them a little later in the season but get more yeild than an auto, just start them in a shady spot were they will get a little early morning and late evening sun (when its coolest) generally high temps and hot sun is not good for seedlings. Good luck with the pruning
 

Space_cadet

Well-Known Member
I find autos dont like the heat much and stunt a bit (thats just me tho i probably pick finicky auto strains tho). Autos when you get things right there awesomeness when one little thing goes wrong tho your lucky to get a sesh of a plant.
 

SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member
I would probably just stick to normal photo period seed, you'll wnd up finishing them a little later in the season but get more yeild than an auto, just start them in a shady spot were they will get a little early morning and late evening sun (when its coolest) generally high temps and hot sun is not good for seedlings. Good luck with the pruning
Yep, another thing is that the biggest advantage with an auto is that they finish early but if the season is already well underway than you don't have that advantage. As far as the pruning goes there's a few rules. Never take more than 30% at one time, when you do take a lot don't do anymore until the plant has got back to strong growth again, make sure it's just after a heavy watering, do it at a time whenever the plant will have a decent amount of time on relatively cool weather. Each cut is an open wound and during hot, dry weather the plant will exhale a lot of moisture to cool itself but with a heavy pruning it loses internal water pressure and the pruning becomes extremely stressful if not even dangerous. In your case I'd do it in the evening so they have the full night.
 
Last edited:

SchmoeJoe

Well-Known Member
Yeah definitely chose the wrong pot to plant in. Just chucked a random seed in there and it really took off over summer. Will look into the pruning, thanks for your advice.
And yes, the hot weather is tough on a seedling. Mostly because of their nearly non-existent root system.
 

BionicΩChronic

Well-Known Member
If your worried about the stems being too thin to support the buds the put a cage around it. Its a good idead id deff do it in your case. Just use fencing and whilr in veg dont let it grow through the cage, just bend the topa back in each time then it will stretch n be a huge bush with enough support
 

too larry

Well-Known Member
You can always sink that planter. It would be a job of work, but would gain you over 2 feet. And you can also stake the limbs down. I cut the wire stands from roadside signs and make a hook on the end. You can pin them really close to the ground. Let me go over to MIddler's thread and post a link here. He did it to great effect this past year.
 
Top