Stretching in the beginnings of flowering.
- Thread starter Heads Up
- Start date
nugbuckets
Well-Known Member
re-pot the plants in a larger container just as you place them in the flower room, the plants will focus on establishing new roots during the push, thus keeping stretch down....hope this helps.
Heads Up
Well-Known Member
Sounds interesting, have you actually done this yourself? I've read time and again not to transplant at this stage and I am already using two and three gallon containers, waste paper baskets actually. I wanted rectangular containers that were also deep. The more I think about it, that would be a real challenge but it does sound interesting.
VidiotRayM
Active Member
I remove large leaves in veg to keep plants short and node spacing small......but I don't once I move them to bloom......I've just learned what size the veggies need to be to not stretch into the lights on bloom......the first week they spend growing new fan leaves then the second they stretch, stopping about 3 1/2 weeks in..........It might do it less if I keep taking fan leaves a week or two into bloom, then stop......but the debate still rages over whether the fan leaves make the buds or not......... I would say switch to bloom food as soon as you go to 12/12 if not before..........less nitrogen, less stretch...... But basically...it seems almost anything you do to stop the stretch will also take away from your buds.... That is why many folks don't put sativas through a veg stage....just root and bloom to keep them at managable heights........ For me I veg to 8-12", then bloom.....they get 18-24" and I have 3 1/2 feet to work with.....4" rw cubes and 8" for the light leaves me 6-8 inches from the light at harvest......as snug as I can be without baking buds......
If you have several plants....experiment with the leaf removal.....you may be able to find a happy place where you reduce the stretch but still get good production..... Many will scream to never do it, but it's #1 effect is reducing stem growth from the node it's feeding to the next one up the plant...... I won't recommend it after sex shows....but up until then it may be helpful....and has time between sexing and end of stretch to make new fan leaves to feed the tops at least.......... I hope the naysayers can offer another option, but I'm unaware of any.......
If you have several plants....experiment with the leaf removal.....you may be able to find a happy place where you reduce the stretch but still get good production..... Many will scream to never do it, but it's #1 effect is reducing stem growth from the node it's feeding to the next one up the plant...... I won't recommend it after sex shows....but up until then it may be helpful....and has time between sexing and end of stretch to make new fan leaves to feed the tops at least.......... I hope the naysayers can offer another option, but I'm unaware of any.......
Heads Up
Well-Known Member
Do you grow sativas? I did not mention what I was growing because I was hoping someone did this with sativa. I have six beans in rapid rooter plugs and they are all predominately sativa, which is why I asked the question. I would like to keep my plants around four foot or so. My containers are about fourteen inches tall so I'm trying to get an idea of how much they will stretch. Thanks
smacksjack
Member
Hey all,
I am 14 days into flower - one 3rd Dimension sativa and one Dairy Queen sativa hybrid...I have a fairly small grow box and have had some really good success with a couple of methods SO FAR...as this is my first grow with this box, it still remains to be seen how much stretch will actually happen - but so far, so good.
First, I spent the veg period on the clones FIMing and LSTing in a circular pattern...like a spiral staircase...it's made both have low internodal spacing and loads of bud sites. once they got about 14"+ main stem LENGTH (I bent it over at 5", and then again at 12" so its __|-- kind of thing)
Starting about a month into veg, I began lightly pruning fan leaves - a few at first, and then worked my way up all the way to 12/12 taking a good handful every time. This allows light to fully penetrate to all budsites within the spirals.
About a week or two before 12/12 (and after I fully matured the plants using these techniques) I stopped LSTing the plants, and placed a wide-gauge rope net over a frame. Once into 12/12 and the light right against the screen, I let it stretch for about 4 days without any pruning, or LSTing (I also timed that between waters/nutes so it was kinda dry and in the midst of a feeding cycle).
After four days, I again removed a bunch of fan leaves to get light to the other sites - and here I am. 14 days in and they have stretched appx. 3 1/2" +. I am sure there is still more to go, but as they get taller, I can LST to the mesh screen and weave fan leaves in it, as well as weaving the colas up through...this is a gentle and relatively easy way to LST in early flower.
Both have been sexed female (showed really early due to full maturation prior to 12/12). Most likely, in a week or so I will stop LSTing again and fully let the plant do its things. Right now, the new nodes coming off the tops are already showing 3/4" gaps and are shortening each day...so it looks like stretch is slowing down-ish and it's starting to bud up.
Right now, on the Dairy Queen, I have 13+ viable budsites showing and the plant is about 16" around and 2' tall. I will update with pictures once it starts to bud up.
Hope this helps...I think the best method to remember is minimal interferences (FIMs and Pruning), gradual introductions (of lights, nutes, etc.), and a gentle touch (LSTing and a "support screen"). Rather than doing one thing really intensely to curb stretch, I suggest using numerous and various methods, minimally and incrementally. They might not yield pounds, but they look like oncer-sized plants!
Happy growing,
Smacks
I am 14 days into flower - one 3rd Dimension sativa and one Dairy Queen sativa hybrid...I have a fairly small grow box and have had some really good success with a couple of methods SO FAR...as this is my first grow with this box, it still remains to be seen how much stretch will actually happen - but so far, so good.
First, I spent the veg period on the clones FIMing and LSTing in a circular pattern...like a spiral staircase...it's made both have low internodal spacing and loads of bud sites. once they got about 14"+ main stem LENGTH (I bent it over at 5", and then again at 12" so its __|-- kind of thing)
Starting about a month into veg, I began lightly pruning fan leaves - a few at first, and then worked my way up all the way to 12/12 taking a good handful every time. This allows light to fully penetrate to all budsites within the spirals.
About a week or two before 12/12 (and after I fully matured the plants using these techniques) I stopped LSTing the plants, and placed a wide-gauge rope net over a frame. Once into 12/12 and the light right against the screen, I let it stretch for about 4 days without any pruning, or LSTing (I also timed that between waters/nutes so it was kinda dry and in the midst of a feeding cycle).
After four days, I again removed a bunch of fan leaves to get light to the other sites - and here I am. 14 days in and they have stretched appx. 3 1/2" +. I am sure there is still more to go, but as they get taller, I can LST to the mesh screen and weave fan leaves in it, as well as weaving the colas up through...this is a gentle and relatively easy way to LST in early flower.
Both have been sexed female (showed really early due to full maturation prior to 12/12). Most likely, in a week or so I will stop LSTing again and fully let the plant do its things. Right now, the new nodes coming off the tops are already showing 3/4" gaps and are shortening each day...so it looks like stretch is slowing down-ish and it's starting to bud up.
Right now, on the Dairy Queen, I have 13+ viable budsites showing and the plant is about 16" around and 2' tall. I will update with pictures once it starts to bud up.
Hope this helps...I think the best method to remember is minimal interferences (FIMs and Pruning), gradual introductions (of lights, nutes, etc.), and a gentle touch (LSTing and a "support screen"). Rather than doing one thing really intensely to curb stretch, I suggest using numerous and various methods, minimally and incrementally. They might not yield pounds, but they look like oncer-sized plants!
Happy growing,
Smacks
smacksjack
Member
Har-dee har har. Yup - totally realize this thread was three years old.
Turns out we have reactivated it. With our powers combined...
I've wanted to start my own journal but am hesitant - despite me living in WA state haha. Maybe on my next grow - I am dealing with stupid little mites/springhairs - not sure which yet. Either way, I am going scorched earth on those borgs. Any suggestions on that other than the "clean them, keep up with spraying"? They don't look like the traditional mites, they are white, sometimes appear on TOP of the leaves, and can be seen walking around. Nothing in the soil, so I doubt it's thrips. I hope I am not just murdering springhairs, as they can help with nitrogen uptake in the soil.
As for the grow, a week later and I've only added an inch or two of vertical growth. This might reduce my yield over-all, but it is better than lopping off good bud just to make sure it doesn't grow into my light. I still have about half of my box left to fill, so I have completely taken them off of LST (for the exception of a few fast-paced branches), and am just focusing on keeping an even canopy. a couple buds look crazy good and am anticipating a good yield if I can keep the borg at bay.
Since I am using T5HO, and supplemental side lighting, I expect my grow will take longer than normal - that is why with small grow set-ups along with T5's you should tack on a couple xtra weeks to the grow. Things just move a bit more slowly, hence the need to take the clone to full maturity AND LST/FIM early on. Also, keeping up with pruning slows vertical growth down as well.
Use a diverse # of techniques, softly and it should work great. That is, unless you get the borg. Fack.
Peace
Turns out we have reactivated it. With our powers combined...
I've wanted to start my own journal but am hesitant - despite me living in WA state haha. Maybe on my next grow - I am dealing with stupid little mites/springhairs - not sure which yet. Either way, I am going scorched earth on those borgs. Any suggestions on that other than the "clean them, keep up with spraying"? They don't look like the traditional mites, they are white, sometimes appear on TOP of the leaves, and can be seen walking around. Nothing in the soil, so I doubt it's thrips. I hope I am not just murdering springhairs, as they can help with nitrogen uptake in the soil.
As for the grow, a week later and I've only added an inch or two of vertical growth. This might reduce my yield over-all, but it is better than lopping off good bud just to make sure it doesn't grow into my light. I still have about half of my box left to fill, so I have completely taken them off of LST (for the exception of a few fast-paced branches), and am just focusing on keeping an even canopy. a couple buds look crazy good and am anticipating a good yield if I can keep the borg at bay.
Since I am using T5HO, and supplemental side lighting, I expect my grow will take longer than normal - that is why with small grow set-ups along with T5's you should tack on a couple xtra weeks to the grow. Things just move a bit more slowly, hence the need to take the clone to full maturity AND LST/FIM early on. Also, keeping up with pruning slows vertical growth down as well.
Use a diverse # of techniques, softly and it should work great. That is, unless you get the borg. Fack.
Peace