To stretch or not to stretch

Just wondering how people felt about purposefully making an auto stretch? I have seen that people will do this with an auto and not quite sure why.

Neubieauto said:

Just wondering how people felt about purposefully making an auto stretch? I have seen that people will do this with an auto and not quite sure why.

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I'm pretty sure that an auto's "stretch" is predetermined by the particular strains own genetics and that it cannot be manipulated. I might be wrong but I don't think I am. Growing an auto shouldn't require any real manipulation. Just feed it and leave it alone..at least that works for me and I usually get a solid 4 oz from a 3 Bears OG or a Bubba Kush.

If i move my light further away will it not stretch?

McStrats said:

I'm pretty sure that an auto's "stretch" is predetermined by the particular strains own genetics and that it cannot be manipulated. I might be wrong but I don't think I am. Growing an auto shouldn't require any real manipulation. Just feed it and leave it alone..at least that works for me and I usually get a solid 4 oz from a 3 Bears OG or a Bubba Kush.

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Law of diminishing returns will be commensurate with distance and intesity of light.

Outside of not being able to prune or supercrop most autoflowering varieties, the stretch is essentially the same as with photo's. To increase stretch, for whatever reason you may desire taller plants, I guess you would avoid LST'ing and continually raise your light throughout the plant's stretch phase. Though I've not seen anyone actually desire taller plants, I suppose if you're limited on horizontal space and you have to choose between your plant growing upwards and outwards, I could see you opting for upward growth.

Im only going to add what I've seen many say is good. This guy Muddy on AFN says that using zero bloom and only grow up untill pistils show prolongs and extends veg. I myself don't believe you can manipulate autos(they were made to do what they want) but it is very possible it helps.

MATTYMATT726 said:

Im only going to add what I've seen many say is good. This guy Muddy on AFN says that using zero bloom and only grow up untill pistils show prolongs and extends veg. I myself don't believe you can manipulate autos(they were made to do what they want) but it is very possible it helps.

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Yes as far as I know, that is correct! If you're not working on a deadline or aren't tight for time, I'd definitely recommend running grow nutes until stretch is totally over so that the plant's vegetative period goes on as long as possible, as more foliage = larger buds!

^^^^ this .... run veg Nutes up to end of stretch ( about week 2ish of “ actual “ flower ) .
Autos will utilize the nitro for branching and growth , then stop to set buds up.
Some growers “ transition “ their feeds ( 50/50 veg / bloom ) but you can begin bloom feeding around the stretch phase. The stored nitro will be exhausted ( leaf ) as stages move forward.

And if you got a good soil medium .... you won’t need to add much more than a top dress instead.

Budzbuddha said:

^^^^ this .... run veg Nutes up to end of stretch ( about week 2ish of “ actual “ flower ) .
Autos will utilize the nitro for branching and growth , then stop to set buds up.
Some growers “ transition “ their feeds ( 50/50 veg / bloom ) but you can begin bloom feeding around the stretch phase. The stored nitro will be exhausted ( leaf ) as stages move forward.

And if you got a good soil medium .... you won’t need to add much more than a top dress instead.

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I learned this the hard way experimenting.

Here is an auto that stretched as a seedling like crazy and self lolipopped. Could be i have too much red but i added 5000k shop light before flower. Also germed in ga3 soak but thats it.
Once it bushed out it just never stretched and i aint gonna raise the lights just looks too healthy. Its dry here anyways.
Here it is bought month old.
I lsted it a lot lol