Hi all, Got a couple of girls just starting week 4 of flowering and wondered if I could ask a couple of questions: 1) I've only got two plants in a 1.2m x 1.2m x 2m grow tent. I would say they look the best plants I've ever grown (first grow for about a decade) so really I'm looking for info on my NEXT grow. So, my plants are in 8" square pots sitting in double trays (so only one pot in each double tray) and I'm wondering whether I'm doing the right thing by rotating the pots one quarter each day. The thought is that it means there are no areas of the plant that gets very little light continuously. Basically they'll get great light for 2 out of 4 days, decent, but not great light for 1 day in 4 and tbh, crap light for 1 day of 4 (when they point into the corners). Good idea or waste of time? - If I left them in same position every day, would I get great buds on 2 sides, avg on 1 side and rubbish on the side thats in the corner? 2) When my plants finished their 4 weeks of veg (after 2 weeks of seedling growth) and I switched to 12hrs light, they were both compact and bushy. Unfortunately, the main stem kept growing and, whilst it looks like that main stem will produce the best cola(s), it has forced the light to move up and up until it's probably a good 20" from the main part of the plants. So my question is, would it be better to cut off the main stem so I can drop the lights to be 10" above the main bushy bits? The main stems are probably only 5-6" below the light reflector but as they are slightly off to each side, they're probably 9-10" from the bulb. I also have a 6" non-osc fan pointed directly under the light that is on for 45mins every hour, another 6" osc fan going back and forth across both plants, and an exhaust inline 5" fan sucking the hot air out from the same height as the bulb 24/7 into carbon filter. I have done the 30 second back of hand test even without the 6" fans on and it didn't seem too hot. Also, not seeing any fan leaves at top of stem looking burned. When the 6" osc fan is on, it seems positively cool (I'm not 100% that the osc fans are good enough quality to leave on 24/7 so I give them a 15 min rest every hour). The exhaust fan is a good quality inline fan so leave that on 24/7 (as found the humidity went garrity (85-90%) when lights were OFF if I left the exhaust fan off - with exhaust on 24/7 humidity stays around 50%). Since we're now in a fairly humid period in UK, I've added an intake 5" inline fan that pushes cooler air into bottom of tent but that air comes from next room so is via about 5m of 5" piping and is only on during the lights ON period. Because I have bad knees, the trays are about 2' off the ground on small table(ish)es, which means the light is now on ceiling of tent and can't move up any more. I THINK they've about stopped growing but will have to remove tables if they get any higher. For my next grow, I'll try to keep nipping off the centre stem during veg so hopefully will have 4 stems growing out rather than 1 growing UP. So, if you haven't lost the will to live as I don't half go on (I have a lot to explain), whaddayathink? Keep turning a quarter each day or just leave them? Should I chop the top 9" stems down or just start doing that during veg NEXT grow? Thanks, Oucheeeeee
Use pliers and crush the stem for 6-12 inches where you want the bend. Fold her over and tie it down. The crush acts as strain relief and prevents the killing "Snap" where everything above that dies. I use this to keep lanky Sativa plants below the fence line top. BNW
Thanks BNW, is that meant for next grow or you saying I could do it now to the 2 middle stems that have pushed my lights up by 12" ? If doing now, the stems are covered in buds so (dumb question) would those buds still grow post crush n bend?
Week 4 is a little later than ideal in my opinion, but it is way better than cutting off your buds. I have had to do it with autos that far into flowering more than once to keep them out of my lights. Never had any negative impact. I have seen some folks have a few nanners pop on the branch that they bent over, but it has never happened to me. Buds tipped back up towards the light and kept growing and ripening.
Thx. I'm gonna leave them and hope the 6" Fans will keep them from burning up. They seem to have stopped growing up now. Not seeing any signs they're overheating and the buds are looking better than any I grew in the past. I just don't see how I can crush the stem as it's absolutely covered in buds for the entire top 9" (hopefully forming a 9" cola) and no way I can get enough room to get my pliers into play. I keep doing the 30 second back of hand test and due to the airflow from the fans, doesn't seem to get too hot and haven't seen a single fan leaf turn white. Have to say that the bushy bits underneath also looking pretty good so maybe just turning both plants 1/4 turn every day is helping. But will definately research how to train them properly for the next grow. Thx for talking me off the ledge (Off as in back off the ledge - not plunged off) Ouch