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Plants too close to LED, but can't raise lights

S

Smojob1

Member
Hi, this is my first grow with photoperiod plants. Due to some misunderstandings about flower stretch, I'm in a situation where my plant tops will end up at about 6-8 inches from my LEDs. Plants are 2 1/2 weeks into flower now and despite them not showing any signs of stress/issues, I'm well aware that I'm setting myself up for light burn/bleaching later in flower. Unfortunately, I cannot raise the lights anymore whatsoever and moving the plants to a more spacious area isn't an option. I realize I'm probably screwed no matter what, but am open to any suggestions on what I might be able to do to prevent light burn in this situation, aside from topping or FIM'ng since I'm 2 1/2 weeks into flower already (???). For example, I read one suggestion about using a window screen to lower intensity from lights. Note that I am already tieing down tops, but that's only buying me a little extra height.
- Lighting consists of 2 LEDs, one of which is CLW 440W and the other a Viparspectra 600w.
 
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diggs99

diggs99

Well-Known Member
supercrop maybe? 2 1/2 weeks is cutting it close tho,

wait for some more expierenced growers to offer up come advice
 
Thundercat

Thundercat

Well-Known Member
Super cropping might be your best best.

For the record 6-8 inches is not nessecary to close to your light. I've seen lots of led growers get that close. It's only recently I've been seeing people start lifting their lights up to 20+ inches and that seems stupid to me. If I'm burning a light I want my plants absorbing as much as they can.
 
diggs99

diggs99

Well-Known Member
Thundercat said:
Super cropping might be your best best.

For the record 6-8 inches is not nessecary to close to your light. I've seen lots of led growers get that close. It's only recently I've been seeing people start lifting their lights up to 20+ inches and that seems stupid to me. If I'm burning a light I want my plants absorbing as much as they can.
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Hey thundercat, when is the latest one could/should supercrop? i would assume at or near the end of the stretch?
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Thundercat said:
Super cropping might be your best best.

For the record 6-8 inches is not nessecary to close to your light. I've seen lots of led growers get that close. It's only recently I've been seeing people start lifting their lights up to 20+ inches and that seems stupid to me. If I'm burning a light I want my plants absorbing as much as they can.
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Not when the result is severe light burn. Depends how your getting the light intensity. Lots of LED spread out can be really close. A couple of boards close at the same power can burn shit real quick.

Super cropping would be my route, if there is room around the plants to actually bend all branches in two places and lower the whole canopy.
 
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Thundercat

Thundercat

Well-Known Member
diggs99 said:
Hey thundercat, when is the latest one could/should supercrop? i would assume at or near the end of the stretch?
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I've super cropped plants a few weeks in. You gotta do what you gotta do. If you dot have to don't. But if you are out of room and don't have many options I would rather super crop the top 8 inches then have all of them smash into my light.

coreywebster said:
Not when the result is severe light burn. Depends how your getting the light intensity. Lots of LED spread out can be realy close. A couple of boards close at the same power can burn shit real quick.

Super cropping would be my route, if there is room around the plants to actually bend all branches in two places and lower the whole canopy.
Click to expand...
I have yet to see anyone show me plants that were obviously burned by LEDs. I understand the principles that you stated about intensity and spread I've been doing this a while.

I find it hard to believe any of these individual led panels are more intense then my 1k hps 12 inches away.

Obviously 6-8 inches is pretty close so the OP might have an issue which is why I suggested the super crop.

I suppose another option instead of actually super cropping them would be to gently bend the top back downwards and tie them off so they can not grow upwards. This will allow more light down into the plant and help with height.

Or just top them and let the rest of the plant fill in with buds. Your early enough that while it's not ideal it might do what you need. Topping the plant now would cause some stress, but it would force the plant to move it's growth to the other existing bud sites. I have done this as well when in a tight spot. I probably lost some weight but the plants finished to harvest without hitting my lights or anything weird.
 
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macsnax

macsnax

Well-Known Member
Thundercat said:
I've super cropped plants a few weeks in. You gotta do what you gotta do. If you dot have to don't. But if you are out of room and don't have many options I would rather super crop the top 8 inches then have all of them smash into my light.



I have yet to see anyone show me plants that were obviously burned by LEDs. I understand the principles that you stated about intensity and spread I've been doing this a while.

I find it hard to believe any of these individual led panels are more intense then my 1k hps 12 inches away.

Obviously 6-8 inches I pretty close so the OP might have an issue which is why I suggested the supper crop.

I suppose another option instead of actually super cropping them would be to gently bend the top back downwards and tie them off so they can not grow upwards. This will allow more light down into the plant and help with height.

Or just top them and let the rest of the plant fill in with buds. Your early enough that while it's not ideal it might do what you need. Topping the plant now would cause some stress, but it would force the plant to move it's growth to the other existing bud sites. I have done this as well when in a tight spot. I probably lost some weight but the plants finished to harvest without hitting my lights or anything weird.
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I had to top two in flower a while back because they wouldn't stop stretching. They slowed for a minute, but it didn't have too bad of an effect. No hermie action or anything like that. You do end up with a funky top cola, but it's not really a big deal.
 
Lordhooha

Lordhooha

Well-Known Member
Smojob1 said:
Hi, this is my first grow with photoperiod plants. Due to some misunderstandings about flower stretch, I'm in a situation where my plant tops will end up at about 6-8 inches from my LEDs. Plants are 2 1/2 weeks into flower now and despite them not showing any signs of stress/issues, I'm well aware that I'm setting myself up for light burn/bleaching later in flower. Unfortunately, I cannot raise the lights anymore whatsoever and moving the plants to a more spacious area isn't an option. I realize I'm probably screwed no matter what, but am open to any suggestions on what I might be able to do to prevent light burn in this situation, aside from topping or FIM'ng since I'm 2 1/2 weeks into flower already (???). For example, I read one suggestion about using a window screen to lower intensity from lights. Note that I am already tieing down tops, but that's only buying me a little extra height.
- Lighting consists of 2 LEDs, one of which is CLW 440W and the other a Viparspectra 600w.
Click to expand...
That clw will definitely bleach those buds. Topping or anything now isnt advised I’d try to tie them down and hope for the best. I’m betting on albino buds though come harvest time.
 
GBAUTO

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
I have an auto I'm running downstairs at the moment that had a significant stretch after flowering. It made it difficult to keep canopy even so plenty of LST and ties worked great. These girls are plenty tough, so do what needs to be done.,
 
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