About to go to 12/12, need some pruning/"plant control" advice

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doyoulikegreen

Well-Known Member
Hey everybody what's up? I'll try to keep this to the point, but I do ramble, be warned lol :)

I've only been growing for about a year or so and in that time I've had 2 harvests and gotten a total of about an ounce. From one of those grows I made some clones and one of those clones is about to go into 12/12.

I'm still learning but I've gotten a much better handle on things since I started.

Anyways, rambling.

This clone has been vegging out since June, and through ups and downs, the growth has come to a stand still at times, but right now everything is great and flourishing. Currently growing in a 16 gallon tote DWC and it has been growing under about 100 - 160watts of CFLs. During flowering, this will be increased to 400+ watts of CFL. (I'm not going HPS, sorry)

plant1.jpgplant2.jpg

My question is, how would you suggest I trim or tame this beast to ensure the best chances at equal light coverage and the best possible yield?

I've read that fan leaves should not be trimmed as they provide the plant fuel and energy. But at the same time, there's a ton of stuff under the canopy the light cannot reach due to the volume of foilage.

The branching is ridiculous lol. This plant has had clones taken from it, it's been bent, and topped. This plant's canopy measures like 1.5x2ft and from top to bottom is just a ton of foilage and branches and stuff. It's all over the place haha.

So what should I do?

Thanks!
 
W

wannaquickee

Well-Known Member
yeah, if you could make a net veg it just a big more bending and training the top through the net youll be gravy
 
sccerfrk26

sccerfrk26

Member
Vegging since June? I hope you have a hole in your roof because I think you are going to have a full blown tree on your hands! The CFLs may help keep it shorter due to less lumens but jeez.
 
zem

zem

Well-Known Member
might wana switch to HPS 400watts, more lumens, buds, same watts... you can cut some lower branches and tie the upper branches down to make even canpy
 
J

jsgamber

Active Member
I wouldn't cut anything because you'd be just cutting away possible bud sites and leaves which provide food and energy to the plant!

Do like mentioned above ScrOG or tie-down. Gently lay a 4ft square screen with 2"x2" holes. Try and get as much of the plant to lay as flat as possible. For those branches that won't bend, then just bring them up through the screen. See if you can get the screen within 8" to 10" from the base. Veg the plant until it's about half of it's final height and then go 12/12.

Just my $.02
 
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doyoulikegreen

Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone for your replies.

The lady has been flattened. Unfortunately during moving things around and positioning the chicken wire a branch got 3/4 snapped off from the stem. :wall:

But I taped it back together and I'm crossing my fingers.

Anyways, it ain't pretty, but it should do.

First pic is of the lights. 514 watts of CFLs. (11x 42w and 2x 26w) Believe me, if my circumstances allowed, I'd go HPS, but I gotta go with what my situation allows ;)

The third pic, shows some the main stem. It also is supposed to show the break, but it was difficult getting in there. :)
plant3.jpgplant4.jpgplant5.jpg
 
J

jsgamber

Active Member
doyoulikegreen said:
Yeah I know the yield won't be as good without HPS, but this is how I gotta do it :)
Click to expand...
Hey bro you have a nice healthy, rather bushy, girl! "Fat Bottomed Girls Make the World Go Around!" :D You can definitely flower with CFL's. Here's a DWC tutorial I've been reading through over and over for the past 3 weeks and he is using CFL's. Feel free to read through the whole thing but here is a link right in to the discussion on lighting and using different spectrum bulbs. Maybe not for this grow but for future?

===> DWC Tutorial - Lighting <===

There's nothing that says you can't add more CFL's as your budget allows and they are real easy to add! Don't forget to use reflectors to get the most out of your bulbs!

When you get a chance stand back and get a full shot, or a couple, of your grow space! The more pics, the more people will stop by and help. ;)
 
J

jsgamber

Active Member
Now using chicken-wire isn't the best alternative for a screen, it will work. Most ScrOG'ers train where and how the plant comes up through the screen giving maximum yield. Maybe think about cutting the wire so that two holes become one hole. Use plant ties to position branches and stems along the wire so that major bud sites have a specific hole to come up through. Remember the purpose of the screen is to help widen the plant out in semi-planned manner. Don't go hog-wild but try a few spots first and see how it goes.

No matter what you do, always make small changes so you have a safe place to come back too!
 
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doyoulikegreen

Well-Known Member
Well ladies and gents, I have found the limit for cold temps in DWC. We had an overnight temp of -34c one night and without my water heaters (they still haven't come in yet! --E-Bay), it doesn't look good.

I went in the morning after and parts of the plant are looking dead and crispy. There's ICE and slush in the res :wall::wall::wall:

I've now gotten the res off the cold floor (on plastic milk crates) and I've been throwing in warm water bottles frequently. I'm crossing my fingers but it doesn't look good. Goddamn it!

Plant looks about 50% toast. Sorry no pics right now.

It's a real piss off that months and months of work can vanish in a day.

Well, it could be worse I guess. I could have the cops bustin in the door...... :fire:
 
zem

zem

Well-Known Member
man at -34c i'm surprised you have a single living branch. get a res heater or quit growing in winter. i have found warming the res much much easier than cooling it. res heaters are much cheaper than chillers...
 
BeaverHuntr

BeaverHuntr

Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear man you should have boiled some water and filled up some plastic water bottles with them .... somethings better than nothing.
 
M

Manimal

Well-Known Member
I would cut away anything that doesn't get direct light. People say don't cut, but I guarantee you 99% have never done it. It will make everything easier to manage, will give you less bud site, but much larger buds and it will make trimming 10 times easier. It doesn't hurt your overall yield. Plus with those CFLs you wont get very good light penetration anyway only compounding the problem
 
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