How to prevent plants stretching

[indigo990]

I'm growing Top 44 under a 125W fluoro. I know the light isn't very powerful, but it suits my purposes fine when it works well.

But Top 44 are supposed to be Indica dominant producing short bushy plants. I grew Skunk before and the plants grew nice and bushy, but this time, since I put them into flower about 2 weeks ago, they've just stretched and stretched and stretched. The skunk did increase dramatically in size as well, but not to this extent.





I only vegged them for 4 weeks so I didn't expect them to grow this tall. Compare their height to just four days ago




The temperatures are moderate, I've fed them with a low N fertiliser, I don't think they've been overwatered.

I know it's too late to stop them streching this time, but i want to know if I can prevent it the next time.
Any ideas?
Thanks for any help

 

[sproutco]

Low phosphorus and using nitrate nitrogen instead of ammonia or urea nitrogen will prevent stretch. Cool temperatures also will help.

 

[minds_I]

Hello,

Just tie the girl over and be done with it.

I LST myself and have no issues with bending or even breaking a branch because it is to close to the light with no long lasting injury to the plant.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

minds_I

 

[minds_I]

or more light

 

[Dr. Dank]

show those bitches whose the boss, tie em down, show know mercy...and get a hid, imho the yield you will get will not be worth the risk of growing...pick up a 250 hps they are cheap

good luck
doc

 

[Eazyman]

I start my seedlings and clones under flouro light. but I flower the ladies under H.I.D. I've noticed that some sedlings stretch depending on how far away from the light they are. Especially under flourescent light as the discharge and amount of lumens is far less.



Was/is your growshelf adjustable so that you could keep the light no more than a couple of inches away from the top leaves? The greatest advantage of flouros are their cool temps. Young plants will stretch to grab up as much light-energy as they can, as fast as they can.

but I agree with the Doc; Tie em down and if they're ladies clone a few of em, and flower the rest of those mutha's!

 

[Eazyman]

........Oh, and how is that 125 watter performing for you? Have you had it a long time? the reason I'm asking is because i've been told by the man at the growshop that the 125 watt bulb is more sensitive to surges and power outtages. so I stayed with the 95w bulb. Just wondering.
Peace

 

[Maj.PotHead]

looks like your light was way to far above the plants tops lotsa stretch going on there between internodes. i also veg usen cfl's but i adjust the bulbs height to plants tops every day i keep the bulbs about 3 inch from plants tops. when plants are young and ya cant adjust lights height adjust plants height something underneath to raise them, lower as needed i use 1 x 45w warm and 1 x 20w daylight cfl in each fixture i use 280w total

 

[dre86]

What colour temperature (kelvin) has your light?

btw: you can still bruise the stems, like this:

staked (tie it loosely :!:

 

[Mr. Nevermind]

Feed your plants whiskey. It will prevent vertical growth. Pour a shot into 2 gallons of water and feed your plants.








Nevermind

 

[indigo990]

The light being too far away from the plants hasn't been a problem. I've kept the light no more than about 3-4" away from the plants. One day I raised the light to about 3" above the top of the plants and the next day when I got home the tops had grown the full 3" and were back on top of the lamp!

I did tie them down when I put them into flower (you can see a bend towards the base of the plants) but I think next time I'll need to be more agressive and tie them down more each day. But even the lower branches have grown a full 2 feet or 2 and are right up at the top of the plant also.

Has someone got an LST tutorial or step-by step guide that they can give me a link to?

As regards the fluoro, this is the 5th grow that I've used it and have had no problems. I've gotten up to about 1 1/2 oz and per grow and haven't had any problems with variations in power flow or light intensity.

 

[indigo990]

The light is a warm red 2700K (12,000 Lumens)

 

[indigo990]

Oh and another thing? Seriously, does whiskey work? I've never heard that before!!

 

[dre86]

whisky no idea, I would not do it
your light is ok, I think it's just the stretch from the switch to flowering? Sure the plants are not stressed in any way?

LST: http://www.drugs-plaza.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1066879?p=#384080

 

[Mr. Nevermind]

Oh and another thing? Seriously, does whiskey work? I've never heard that before!!

Yup, sure does. I got the tip from a member here . He uses it one sour d to prevent stretch, works like a charm









Nevermind

 

[dre86]

Yup, sure does. I got the tip from a member here . He uses it one sour d to prevent stretch, works like a charm









Nevermind

Damn...Give whiskey to plants..does whiskey contains something that prevents the stretch?

But still I wouldn't do it

 

[moonymonkey]

if u see jerry bakers books,he uses whiskey,beer amonia,soap,all kinds of this stuff.his books are at ever book store.he decribes acupuncure,for over watered plant=coat hangar poked threw the top to bottom.dude always has some new stuff,to try.peace moon/where were all the tacos,in the 1950,s.....south of the border.....lol...

 

[indigo990]

Stress? Don't think so, other than the stress, there's no sign of anything else going wrong, all the leaves are still a healthy green, no discoloration, buds are growing as nicely as can be expected under a 125W light.

Used about 2 parts compost to 1 part perlite for the soil, and have let the soil get nice and dry but not letting the plants droop between waterings. It could be just a variation of the batch of seeds. Can't think of any other they might be stressed.

 

[Dr. Dank]

Stress? Don't think so, other than the stress, there's no sign of anything else going wrong, all the leaves are still a healthy green, no discoloration, buds are growing as nicely as can be expected under a 125W light.

Used about 2 parts compost to 1 part perlite for the soil, and have let the soil get nice and dry but not letting the plants droop between waterings. It could be just a variation of the batch of seeds. Can't think of any other they might be stressed.

im telling ya brother, you need more light....what was the weight of your last harvest...you should be thinking risk vs reward, that light is cool for popping seeds & rooting clones...useless for flowering..i know you had sucessful grows with it but trust me get a hid...1 harvest and it will pay for itself

peace out
doc

 

[Mr. Nevermind]

Damn...Give whiskey to plants..does whiskey contains something that prevents the stretch?

But still I wouldn't do it

Why not? You could end up with plants like in this thread http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=31080

Seems like Whiskey did the trick there just fine. Do it or dont , its up to you. I know i dont have any problems with stretch from my girls nor do i need advice on how to reduce it. Take advice from others, trust me








nevermind