SCROG timing

[tat1964]

Hello all, I have a white widow from Nirvana that is on day 15 of flower.
I have strict height limit so SCROG seemed to be the best way to go. It's under a 180W LED and hasn't had any issues at all. I have read that timing is important knowing when to stop training and just let her grow. Since this is my first grow I have no knowledge of the strain so I'm just trying to use my best judgement on when to stop. My question is what are the consequences of training too long? She hasn't quite filled the net but given my inexperience I really didn't expect to get that exactly right. Most of the advice I was seen given says to train for 2-3 weeks. Does training too long hurt the overall yield? thanks in advance.

 

[tat1964]

 

[tat1964]

Maybe a picture will help

Maybe a picture will help

 

[tat1964]

Sorry about it being sideways

 

[mufinman]

EDIT: the stretch is also the time when the plants grow the most vigorously/rapidly. they don't completely stop, especially when one has restricted head room , but growth will be minimal after it is finished. Strain specific, like you said.

the stretch is the period when the plant transitions from vegging to actually blooming. That time is usually 'around' 21 days. I will usually let them go verticle till too close and then crush the stem and bend horizontal, tie. Yes, that timing is good to have but one can always tie down the ones that get too close to the light later too. I didn't do well with LEDs so no comment on the lighting.

EDIT#2: they look very good BTW.

 

[tat1964]

Thanks for the input. I have read quite a bit about stem crushing but being this is my first meaningful grow, I don't want to screw things up. The LED has been good so far and given that I'm growing in a very small space it was really my best choice.

 

[cooterbrown420]

just bend the branches that get to tall down into the net, when you do this you will get smaller shoots to become tops giving you more tops in the end.

 

[tat1964]

I think what I'm really asking is that there is a point at which you shouldn't train and let the plant grow and is there something physical to see that tells you to stop tucking? And if there are negative effects for training too long

 

[Therealzemi]

I think you started flowering too early. A good rule of thumb, is to fill around 75% of the screen, and then swap to 12/12.
You can tug and train all you want, for as long as you want without negative impact on yield.

 

[mufinman]

I think you started flowering too early. A good rule of thumb, is to fill around 75% of the screen, and then swap to 12/12.
You can tug and train all you want, for as long as you want without negative impact on yield.

There is a point 3-4-5 weeks in, strain dependent, where one should stop, ya can but shouldn't tuck all the way to the end. If one tucks longer into bloom, the buds will be many but shorter and smaller, if one stops tucking sooner into bloom, the buds wil be fewer and the buds will be taller and fuller, IMO. Were back to knowing or caring about the specific strain your growing. some want to squeeze every gram out of a plant, I do to but I also have a life and not being commercial, it doesn't matter. some are making a living at it and good luck and bug/mold free growing to them.

EDIT: and agree with your going to bloom too soon before the screen was more filled. I too know about limited headroom.

 

[VerdantGreen]

how long has it been flowering for already?

and how long has it been flowering for in the picture? (the two answers may be the same)

VG

 

[tat1964]

Looking at everything now I see I should have vegged a little longer. Lesson learned. The seeds popped on 10/15 and showed the first pre flower at day 35. I flipped the lights on 12/2. I'm still tucking here and there but the stems are getting more difficult to bend and I don't want to break one at this point. I have 3 more WW seeds to look forward to. This being my first official grow, if things continue to go as well they have, I'll be very happy. I've never smoked anything of this quality before.

 

[tat1964]

I took that picture on day 11 of 12/12.

 

[VerdantGreen]

the plant looks good, particularly for a first grow!

if thats day 11, the plant doesnt look like a big stretcher to me, so will probably be ok to stop training and let the tops grow above the screen, they should 'top out' (as in stop getting taller) a few inches above the screen.

presuming you are growing in soil, i would advise a bigger pot next time, as this will help the plant get bigger more quickly and also increase your yield in the end. if the next seed plant looks similar to this one then i would say flip to 12/12 at around the size it is in the picture.

good luck

VG

 

[VerdantGreen]

if you look at some of the links in my signature, there are lots of scrog grows with different plants and you may get some ideas, scrog is a great way to get high yield from limited spac and height. 1gram per watt is easily achievable

VG

 

[tat1964]

Thanks Verdant, I appreciate all the help I can get. I certainly wouldn't have been able to do what I have without people like you and the experience that comes with you

 

[Therealzemi]

There is a point 3-4-5 weeks in, strain dependent, where one should stop, ya can but shouldn't tuck all the way to the end. If one tucks longer into bloom, the buds will be many but shorter and smaller, if one stops tucking sooner into bloom, the buds wil be fewer and the buds will be taller and fuller, IMO. Were back to knowing or caring about the specific strain your growing. some want to squeeze every gram out of a plant, I do to but I also have a life and not being commercial, it doesn't matter. some are making a living at it and good luck and bug/mold free growing to them.

EDIT: and agree with your going to bloom too soon before the screen was more filled. I too know about limited headroom.

You are right. It's all about knowing the strain you are growing. And some are better for scrog than others. A pure indica can be a pain to have patience to stretch enough before flowering. Others not so much
This is my current grow. 3½ week in to 12/12 (Bubble Kush)

 

[tat1964]

hey zemi it looks like u have the timing down with that kush. i'm definitely still working toward that, not that it seems like work!
i really had only 2 goals with this grow, to not kill it for starters. then if i got to the flip hopefully get an oz out of it. 1 down and 1 to go

 

[Therealzemi]

You have nothing to worry about. Your plant health looks very good, and i'm sure you will get an oz or more out of it, it it stays healthy till the end. The learning experience during the firts few grows one does, is immense. And you are already on a good course

I cheated a bit though. As you can see, i have 16 pots banked against eachother in there (1mx1m). Means less time spend in vegitive stage in the flowering room. And that equals less money spend on electricity. And believe me that matters a lot where i live