[Pic Intensive] PC Grow from Seed - Beginner

[RudieJ]

Thanks for stopping by, RG! My first plant never made out of veg, so making the 12/12 switch is all new to me. I also would have vegged for a lot longer, but as I've mentioned, I have a poverty of time.

You mentioned screens, which raises a good question... I have a SCROG screen that I plan on using, but I don't know when to begin training the plant into it. For SCROG I feel like the plant should have more vertical growth before I begin.
My tentative plan is to let the plant get height, then bend it under the screen so the budsites on the stem can get more light. If I had vegged longer, this would all probably be a no-brainer. If anyone has tips for SCROG'ing young plants, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Guest]

You can put the screen on anytime even if the plant doesn't reach it yet. The 12/12 will trigger 2 weeks of stretchy growth that you can use to fill the screen. Just tuck everthing under the screen until the buds develop.

 

[Mr~SCROG]

The screen being adjustable like it is on those magnets makes trial and error and lot easier, if say you put it on too soon and a few weeks into flowering you're out of SCROG you can always raise it up ;-)

 

[Sammet]

The whole point of any type of training (SCRoG, LST) is to increase yield obviously. The way to do this is create a canopy of shoots - all the branches need to reach to the same height - like one of those Jewish candles.

I had 11 plants under that scrog (it was set at just about under waist height). I put the screen on them at day 26 veg, and flipped them into flower 10 days later. They filled up the screen nicely and stretched up a little more to about 2 foot. As you don't have much room vertically (my tent is 2M so height isn't a prob) I'd put the screen on now and use it to absorb the stretch.

However SCRoGs are well suited for training lots of plants, but now I'm only flowering 4 girls at a time I prefer to LST.




I reckon for a single plant LST is easier to start with and more controllable but also more portabe allowing better access to your plant. Once the screen is on, it's never coming off!


(hope that helps )

 

[panopticist]

LST is also good for training different strains in the same growroom...

And Sammet is right, there is no removing the screen once the buds start growing through it.

Vertical growth should be minimized, as your plant will stretch during the first few weeks of flower. I have an example...

Good...


Not so good...

 

[Sammet]

^^^ LST expert.

 

[TBug]

High rudi! Those are both execelent exambles of both methods. I could not have said/shown it better. Sam and panop, much respect for your awsome work and effort to help those just starting out. I really wanted to show off some of what Ive done in the past....but whats the point now....lol.
Sammy, I love the parabolic effect you've given your scrog net. Youve sparked my brain into thinking of ways to make that more rigid, as I imagine the plants are able to push that net up after awhile.

Rudi, looks like the plant is doing really well. It does not look like you topped her from the pics. I dont blame you if ya' didnt as I was not able to do it on my first several grows as well.

Thanks to both and keep up the great work Rudi, bugout

 

[Mr~SCROG]

more pic's!!!

 

[RudieJ]

I LST'd the plant to let it bend before I grew it up into the screen. I left for a few days over spring break and asked a friend to keep an eye on the plant for me. When I came back it was dried out like crazy. Every leaf was almost flat to the stem. I was sure it was dead, but I watered it anyway and in an hour it looked totally normal... amazing.

Anyway, this is where I'm at now. I took the strings off now that it has reached up to the screen.



Uh oh... things are starting to happen!

 

[Mr~SCROG]

that last pic looks like it has pistils,.. kick ass ;-)

 

[kidkannabis]

Nice job Rudie J... your gonna like how the plant grows with the ScrOG...its amazing how it does it...keep us updated

 

[Binnacas]

Looking great RudieJ! Damn I just feel like I have to get a PC grow going!

 

[Mr~SCROG]

so whens the gotta move date? I'm just wondering now about dry time...

 

[RudieJ]

Gotta move date is a little after May 3, so I'm definitely cutting it close. Flowering began the last week of Feb, so it should be chopped by the second-to-last week of April (mark your calendars, kids).

Updates:

New growth to be tucked.


Definite pistillage happening.


Question, though. How do you guys feel about cutting fan leaves? I have this one in particular that always presses against the door. I usually get it folded up so that the top still gets light, but I'm thinking I'll have to trim it up anyway.

 

[Guest]

Your plant looks healthy but not very big. I wouldn't trim the fan leaves off, the plant get's it's energy and growth from the fan leaves. I do trim but only off a bushy plant.

The key to getting a good SCROG is to tuck the fan leaves under all the growth shoots. Also you can't let a shoot grow loose above the screen until blooming sets in. Those little growth shoots at the node below the top will develop into cola's if you tuck the main shoot under the screen. I use garbage bag twist ties to hold a shoot in position when they are stubborn.

 

[RudieJ]

I wouldn't cut the whole leaf. Just the part that touches the door. Would that make any difference or is it still a bad idea?

I saw the latest post in your thread about how you tucked the fan leaves to give new shoots priority, so I tucked the growth on top of my screen underneath.

 

[Sammet]

I'd leafit alone if I were you...

(sorry couldn't resist )

But in all seriousness, I'd just let it be, or maybe bend the leaf away so it isn't touching the door. Fan leaves are the power stations of your plant just like Red_Greenery said - Keep them for as long as you can!

 

[Mr~SCROG]

if you weren't in a time pinch I would move that scrog up a few inches and let it grow. as for leaves hitting the case door can you rotate the plant so it doesn't? Id do that first before trimming, especially on such a small plant.

 

[Guest]

Lot's of good ideas to keep the leaves on the plant. These PC grows are tough to do because of the limited space.

 

[ChroniconCouncl]

Thanks for the tips. This is definitely the kind of info I need. I am so worried about getting these seeds to germinate since this is my first time. I once tried to grow basil and the seeds would never sprout for me.
I left the cup in a dark closet shelf at around 75 degrees F, but next time (hopefully not soon) I'll definitely use the paper towel method.

that or a cloth towel as paper towels tend to get dry quick.