How to slow down growth without harming plant?

windycheese

Active Member
Hey guys I'm just wondering is there a good way to significantly slow down the growth and development of a vigorous plant without having it run into deficiencies or other health problems? Last year I kept a clone of a plant that I thought I wanted to keep just because it was an awesome vegger (bud quality sucked though so I ended up losing interest in it). I kept the clone in this tiny little tent but it outgrew it several times over. I tried lowering light intensity, which just made it stretch more. I tried less nutes, but that just made it sacrifice older leaves so it would continue with new growth. I tried applying extra cytokinin to encourage more of a stocky growth in place of stretching, and that had minimal effect. The containers were quart sized and it still got big pretty fast. The things I tried didn't do much to keep the clone from growing too quickly. Is there anything could I have done to ensure it stayed small until I was ready to really have it grow, or was I doomed to pruning and recloning it continuously?
 

CaliRootz88

Well-Known Member

Star Dog

Well-Known Member
Taking a clone in flower (aka monster clones) is method that works well for saving the genetics and buying time, lots of time, if you take a clone around the 4/5th week of flower it can take the best part of 3 months to get back on track if you re grow the bud.
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This one was 10 weeks with a good bit to go, you can clone the plant flower it, dry it and taste it before you invest your time effort and money into genetics that suck.
 

windycheese

Active Member
Taking a clone in flower (aka monster clones) is method that works well for saving the genetics and buying time, lots of time, if you take a clone around the 4/5th week of flower it can take the best part of 3 months to get back on track if you re grow the bud.
View attachment 5081121
This one was 10 weeks with a good bit to go, you can clone the plant flower it, dry it and taste it before you invest your time effort and money into genetics that suck.
I always assumed it was too late to clone something in flower but after looking that up it sounds perfect!! I think that's what I'll be trying to do next. Any pro tips from your experience? Is the success rate for this type of cloning lower than veg clones?
 
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windycheese

Active Member
Here's another question: what if I somehow restricted CO2 levels, like shutting off exhaust and intake fans or just putting a dome over the plant? Would that slow down growth significantly?
 

Star Dog

Well-Known Member
I always assumed it was too late to clone something in flower but after looking that up it sounds perfect!! I think that's what I'll be trying to do next. Any pro tips from your experience? Is the success rate for this type of cloning lower than veg clones?
I always assumed it was too late to clone something in flower but after looking that up it sounds perfect!! I think that's what I'll be trying to do next. Any pro tips from your experience? Is the success rate for this type of cloning lower than veg clones?
The success rate is much the same but it can take a bit longer to root ime.

Pro tips, maybe?
Root it on the plant ;-)

Eta I wouldn't mess with co2/ventilation, lowering the temperature would be my 1st choice.

It's an option for time.
 
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mudballs

Well-Known Member
Just drop root zone temps.how big a pot we talking? You lower your root zone temp and it will come to a screeching halt until you warm up rootzone again.
 

windycheese

Active Member
The success rate is much the same but it can take a bit longer to root ime.

Pro tips, maybe?
Root it on the plant ;-)

Eta I wouldn't mess with co2/ventilation, lowering the temperature would be my 1st choice.

It's an option for time.
Whoa...That air layering technique...now that's exciting. Thanks for sharing that!
How did it work out for your 7 week flower White Widow? Did the late flowering bring up complications?

Also, for refrigerating cuttings, does the donor plant being in flower (and how far along in flower it is) make a difference as far as how long I can keep them viable in the fridge?
 

Star Dog

Well-Known Member
Whoa...That air layering technique...now that's exciting. Thanks for sharing that!
How did it work out for your 7 week flower White Widow? Did the late flowering bring up complications?

Also, for refrigerating cuttings, does the donor plant being in flower (and how far along in flower it is) make a difference as far as how long I can keep them viable in the fridge?
The only likely complications I'm aware of is when you re veg it you need to watch for mould, ideally you want to pick a low down green/greener stem with a airy/immature bud to avoid that pitfall.

Fridge clones I've not experimented anymore with them so I'm unsure tbh.

There's little gadgets available for air layering they make the whole process easier/convenient
s-l400 (1).jpgs-l400 (2).jpg

If I can help give me a shout.
 

windycheese

Active Member
The only likely complications I'm aware of is when you re veg it you need to watch for mould, ideally you want to pick a low down green/greener stem with a airy/immature bud to avoid that pitfall.

Fridge clones I've not experimented anymore with them so I'm unsure tbh.

There's little gadgets available for air layering they make the whole process easier/convenient
View attachment 5082240View attachment 5082241

If I can help give me a shout.
Sweet! I might just get one of those gadgets for my next grow.
And I appreciate the offer for help, I'll def keep it in mind.
 
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