Why Grow short?

[Microwido]

Why does it seem everyone grows there plants really short? Even the larger setups, the plants are about 2-3 feet and then you induce budding. I have 7 feet to work with and plan on letting the plants get to 5 feet before budding. Input appreciated.

 

[Dr Dog]

Not to mention the pot size you would need to hold a multitude of 5 foot high plants, you are talking 15 gallon pots, not very helpful inside

 

[Pops]

Actually, i have quite a number of plants in 5 gal. pots that are now about 42" tall. I will be turning them over next week to 12/12. It seems that the longer you veg indoors, the less stretch you will get. I get far more stretch on shorter sativas with less veg time, than I do from 5' sativas vegged for 10 weeks. My 5 ' plants rarely wind up over 6' 5" by the end of flower. I have grown in 2 g,5g and 15g pots. The 15g require a lot of soil(1.5cf) that I have to haul away later on, something that is difficult for an aging man with arthritis. I went organis to be able to reuse my soil, but have gone back to refined nutes, due to smaller harvests from the organics. I just didn't have it dialed in.

 

[Microwido]

I plan on using 5 gal. buckets. In the past for me I haven't noticed much stretching(growth in the bud cycle). Maybe when they get past 2 months veg, stretching decreases? Both my indoors grows where 2.5 months veg, 1.5 to bud. Everything I am reading about stretching seems to happen with short veg cycles. So:

Long veg cycle = less stretching (post 8 weeks)
Short veg cycle = more stretching (pre 6 weeks)


I have 70 inches between the bottom of my light, and the top if the bucket. So that's 5'10" to play with, i will veg to 4'10-5ft or so then bud. If it stretches to much i will bend the stalk alittle, or I will cycle out the tallest plant from directly under the light (2x 400w CMH).

Comments?

 

[Microwido]

Holly crap pops, I was writing my post before you submitted on the exact same theory as me!!! waaa

 

[trybud]

i dont recommend growing them that big w/ 400w's penetration.

 

[Microwido]

i dont recommend growing them that big w/ 400w's penetration.

I plan on augmenting the light with some CFLS on the side, and underneath. So 2x400w CMH, and about 12 CFLs. I also use Mylar blankets a dime a dozen and so I am pretty sure I will get high light penetration all over the plants. I will post some pics in a few weeks.

 

[TGT]

I have a hard time penetrating my canopy with 1000's, so I think it is not a good idea even with flourecents added. Just my opinion, but to each their own. You might have to experience a tree grow with 400 watts and then go from there.

TGT

 

[Guest]

Maybe he has a 400W system that none of us has ever seen or used----------one that penetrates 6 feet of foliage !!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????????????? providing that it IS a 400 to begin with.

A scrog, 2'8"x2'8" with a canopy of 8 to 12 inches would be a good one though. The math doesn't add up on a plant of the height mentioned when grown in the average time frame where 400's are used.

As they say in Missouri___________(fill in the blank!!!!!).

 

[dkmonk]

I dont see pot size as much an issue as, just having a 7ft tall beauty in your closet or room. People grow small because they are usually confined to a small space and want to get the most yield and as many plants in that space as possible and growing your plants to about 1 1/2 - 2ft before switching lets you do that.

 

[Microwido]

I have grown 5 feet before, and when it went to bud it grew maybe a few inches. And it wasnt top heavy at all, it was built like a christmas tree. I guess the strain has alot to do with this, big bud tends to be bulkier. Also that was with CFL's 3 per plant. Also I wrapped the underside of the plant with a Mylar blanket so light was getting everywhere on the plant. I will try to go as tall as i can and I will post my progress. I do take your advice into consideration though.

 

[dkmonk]

You can always also trim off the lower branches/leaves which gives you a kind of SOG method but then at least you don't have to worry about your light not reaching far enough down into the lower branches.

 

[vindiesel]

i thought best height to get them to right before flowering is like 2'....no? i guess it all depends. i plan on growing to about 2'.

 

[dkmonk]

For a closet grow 2ft is perfect to start flowering, your plant should reach around 3.5 - 4ft. Grow about 6 plants and end up with roughly 2-3 females (unless you got lucky like me and get almost all female, i grew 3 seeds and 3 were female lol). Just find the strain that fits your situation, short flowering time, medium yield, and a good strain that will allow you to make mistakes w/o ruining your crop.

From seed mine took around 2 1/2 months for veg to get my plants were i wanted them under 24/7 fluoros, and then 12/12 (i start my 12/12 on the weekday since i didnt have a timer, because i wake up at 6:30am weekdays turn em on around then then off around 7)

 

[chubbynugs]

Yeah one to two feet for me. There is more even light distribution throughout even if you do augment your big plants with cfls. How are you planning on getting light to the inside of the bush? Dont think you can throw a cfl inside of it. Yeah you might get some lumens distributed to lower nodes but none of the inner nodes for sure wont get any light. Sounds like you are gonna have a larfy ass plant to me with good nuggets just on the top. I say grow it big though and post it for all of us to see. Will be a good learning experience for all of us to see.

 

[Pops]

I grow tree style using 1000w verticals. Even with 1000w lights, you are not going to get total penetration. I trim the bottom one foot of the plant and trim all small branches and buds in the interior. Even using vertical 1000w, it is all about light capture. You crowd your plants to try to catch every lumen you can. Fortunately, I have 8'5" in height to work with.

 

[YwouldntI]

i agree with pops i have thre 1000's in my flower room and i still dont get full light penatration.i also trim the lower part of the plant it lets it concentrate on the rest of the buds that are getting light.
2 weeks flower


a couple days ago






peace

 

[chubbynugs]

I grow tree style using 1000w verticals. Even with 1000w lights, you are not going to get total penetration. I trim the bottom one foot of the plant and trim all small branches and buds in the interior. Even using vertical 1000w, it is all about light capture. You crowd your plants to try to catch every lumen you can. Fortunately, I have 8'5" in height to work with.

Yeah pops has the right idea for a big plant. If i was to grow a beast it would be done under vertical bulbs.