Howdy all... I have so many wonderful and abundant White Widow (female) colas that the branches soon will be unable to support the weight! And there are so many colas that a simple stakes won't be enough. I was thinking of making a upper frame with strings ~ much like a marionette, but my T5 lights are in the way? Also, there are large colas at almost every level, so what to do? I do NOT want to harvest early so that is not really a option for me... well it is, but only as a very last resort. From what I see I have at least three more weeks to go, but I KNOW my branches won't support much more weight and I know there will be more weight soon. So please people, any reasonable options will be greatly appreciated! I know it's going to be a awesome harvest... Thank you Jesus! I remain, SOGLAD (and Thankful)
I should also mention that I am using two shop light fixtures on both SIDES of my plants to satisfy the lower leafs and colas. A total of 4 side lamps ~ two *'growlux' and two 'daylight' 4 footers. I used common foil in front of the reflectors, behind the lamps. This arrangement works quite well for me and it's a very low cost approach to OK lighting needs. Hope this helps you! SOGLAD *Growlux Fluorescent Lamp - Wide Spectrum - F40/GRO/AQ/WS/RP \t\t\t
get bamboo stakes,put them next to the main stock. now get a roll of trash bag wire (dunno what they call it but they sell it at the hydroponics stores) then tie up all the branches to the bamboo stick. this works great, ive been doing this for years.
DTM's method works well I've also built a pvc assembly that surrounds my plants and created a grid with dental floss to velco my stalks to. Keeps them up straight and gives the plant a guide.
I want to thank everyone for your great ideas! Thanks to a PM I have resolved to hang tight and allow Mother Nature to do her work! It's wonderful how plants know just what to do when they are given all they need to do their job. Branches should telegraph their needs to the rest of the plant, but the branches are quite laden already and I fear that so many branches requesting more support from within may stress the plants? So at the first sign of a branch actually bending over from weight, I will go for a chicken wire around the plants approach ~ something I never considered!... but hey, that's why we have great Forums like this one. The large T5 panels directly over my plants won't allow for strings from above, as someone else recommended... and besides, there are too many branches with decent sized colas from above and even from within. One more interesting thing, I want to mention... my ladybugs REALLY LIKE my T5 arrays! I mean, they just sort-of 'hang out' on the ends of the lamps? I thought the heat would drive them away, but they seem to love it ~ Not all of them, just some of them. A few are on the ceiling and a few are on the plants on patrol too. As soon as I let them out of their container the ladybugs went right to work. For under $10 they are a great defense! Thank you all again! I will add a final comment to this post at harvest time... I remain, SOGLAD
Thank you! I have a 50' roll of the twisty ties, but the major branches ALL have colas on them and I am a little reluctant to stress them any more with additional weight from other branches? I will give your idea a try on some of the branches anyway and see how it goes? Thank you again... I remain, SOGLAD
go to local hardware garden store and get some bamboo sticks great, cheap and effective this is what i have done in the past. dont worry about how long the sticks are you can break them they snap easily to any height u need. they support the plants and buds great u can put two or three in the pot if needed
and here i am fresh out of sympathy tears...real nice problem to have...too late now but whould have made an awesome scrog
A few things: 1: You have a serious problem, by the sounds of it within a week or two from harvest, there will be several 'friends' that just wont leave, and want to 'help' with trimming or whatnot. These 'friends' will be around until your harvest has been exhausted or you run them off in frustration. 2: dealing with 'droop' seems to be common with indoor growing. I find a preemptive approach is best. I add bamboo sticks, several per plant: a center support and several around the edge tilting outwards, while still in veg and plan on having to support. I then use yarn, seemed non abrasive, and make a basket around the plant with a few wraps of yarn. Also try to deal with droop as soon as you notivce. Ive had friends loose whole or part of a bud by letting it fall. and well T5, or not, or fan or wall, can wreck a bud if it falls and comes to rest on anything. 3:Fans and more fans, the more air movement the stronger the plant.
personally sick of f-ing with twisty tie or string/bamboo etc., im going to switch to tomato cages next grow, guess you just let them grow into it and then no need to f with the string, seen good things but as of now i use bamoo and string, i hate it lol, work smart not hard
Well there were many really good replies here for you to ponder... As I mentioned, I have decided to let Mother Nature have her way; let the branches telegraph their needs to the plant. At the first sign of any branch actually falling over from weight I will enclose my plants in chicken wire and let my girls become full-grown, voluptuous women! There were many good solutions and I like this one best. I remain, SOGLAD
I'm dyin' over here waiting for at least ONE photo of your "terrible" situation. I was quite happy with my T5 grow last year, but I didn't reach your level of success. Please post a photo if you can.