Hi there! I’m a beginner grower, I have two clones of Durban Poison in 45gal smart pots, one of them is doing quite well, doesn’t suffer too much hot weather and lack of water, has developed side branches and the leaves are mostly nice and green. The other one its the opposite, it’s only developing one main stem stretching with no side branches and lower leaves are getting yellow a then dye, this plant is also suffering a lot the hot weather and lack of water, would it be safe to top it to stimulate side branches growth? Or is better to let it grow to avoid to much stress as it seems already stressed? They have been transplanted about 15 days ago. This is my second grow ever, last year I’ve been able to do lst and I was happy with the results, these clones though have quite hard and thick stem and I’m quite afraid of bending it because it seems it could easily snap, is it better to leave them free to grow instead of risk to throw everything away? I’ll attach some pics hoping they might help, the plants are easy to distinguish. Thank you all Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
There is definitely a problem with the soil with that one plant. Not sure what the issue is specifically, but there is a nitrogen lack being generated somewhere. It could be pH or heat, or too much air, or standing water... Even an environmental problem for the nitrogen fixing bacteria... It could be nearly impossible to pin down but not to begin correction. I see that your other plants are in trays. Are these plants in trays or can they drain to waste? If they can drain to waste, without more info, I suggest you do a good 5 gallon clean water flush (RO water, NOT distilled or tap water) of the affected plant, let it dry out again and then continue (or start) a gentle feeding regimen. It is unlikely that the lower leaves will recover, but that isn't a problem. If they cannot drain to waste, get out your knife and stab a bunch of holes around the bottom of those bags so they drain really easily. Then see the above paragraph. If you do have an issue with the soil, a buildup or other contamination, a good flush will do wonders. Be sure to catch a bit of the initial runoff to inspect. If you can measure the pH of the runoff (flush water should be pH 7) and see where it is, that would help pin down the cause. Also, the physical properties of the runoff... Color, odor, turbidity, viscosity... etc. Being that it is a clone, as you said, it should be almost, if not fully identical to the other plant (assuming the clones came from the same mother) if all other factors are equal. They rarely are.
if your going to check your ph dont bother with testing the run off doing a slurry test will be far more accurate i personally would take 2 samples to slurry 1 near main stem and one further away for a real true reading of ph slurry are the most accurate imo not saying yours is a male but it just reminds me how they grow lol good luck buddy
Sorry but I’m not so an expert in testing and managing all these factors. I’m using SoHum living soil (which should the ph balanced) and just adding water regulating the ph, my water is non standard tap water but living in the country side it comes directly from underground, alternatively I use water from dehumidifier. The strange thing is that they are in the same ambient, one is growing very well and one is struggling. I’ve bought the clones in the same place and they are both Durban Poison, so they should react exactly in the same way, strange! Today I was able to do a ph test of the run-of water and was only 5.65! I still don’t understand why one is beautiful and one is struggling. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
Update: I’ve decoro do LST to the stretching and yellowing one. For the yellow leaves probably it was only a matter of time to recover from transplant and heat shock (when they have been transplanted were very hot days), now it’s beautifully green and the branches are pushing upwards making a nice canopy. At the moment I’m very happy with them. Thanks all! Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
You asked about topping. Not sure your location but I'll assume youll start flowering in a couple weeks, so you have plenty of time to top. Id top in a few locations and id combine that with LST. Youll have 2 or 3 more weeks of veg and another 2 or 3 weeks of stretch. Plenty of time and, if they were mine, I'd top immediately. The yellow leaves look like a simple nitrogen deficiency and, as you said, they are underwatered. All of this in my most humble opinion of course. Good luck.
The situation now is like you can see, one is free to grow and with the other one I’m doing LST, didn’t feel like top at the end, I felt it would have been too stressful for them. Now they look quite gorgeous in my opinion. Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum
I've done side by side lst vs topping 3 years in a row outdoor and Everytime lst yielded significantly more.every year on every plant on outdoor I would never top personally the sun has plenty off light for all the plant no need to cut pieces off. Indoor the only way I would do it is to get a specific plant shape
