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So....This is my first grow diary / first real grow and it is far from perfect but it is happening just as a first grow is anticipated to go. I have topped in the last week and begun to tie the branches with string. I have additionally been gently bending the uppermost shoots down and outwards. I have also tried to use some zip ties and chopsticks to weigh down the second level from the top. Far from perfect, but I am thinking of letting it veg for another week and then flipping to flowering with 12/12. I also considered flipping it now because I have heard that that plant will continue to stretch during flowering, and I do not know what to chop down the top buds because they are hitting the ceiling. I'm also curious if the 2x24W lights from Amazon are really capable of producing anything of quality. Any suggestions?
Should I switch to the flowering stage (12/12) now? or wait till the plant is more developed? I do not want to hit the roof. The pics of my plant (June 19th) are in my most recent diary entry (week 10).
Yes.
If you cannot raise the light any further than what is pictured in your diary, you're going to have a very rough time. Cannabis (especially sativa dominant genetics) will grow two to three times its size in only 4-5 weeks after the flip to 12/12. You're looking at your top buds literally growing into your light.
You'll definitely need to do some heavy training. I suggest that you continue to tie down the branches, even more so than you've done already. I would also suggest you bend the main stem down as far as it can go without snapping and tie it down as well. You could also top the plant again at the main stem a few inches below the top to help control the height.
Your plant looks healthy, although small and stretchy for a 10 week veg time. I'm no expert and don't know the exact specifics of your grow, but If I had to take a guess its probably due to your light. Weak lighting will make your plants grow tall without much foliage. The plant senses that its not getting enough light, so it naturally tries to grow tall to get the light it needs. This makes the stems weak and the plant lanky. I would recommend at minimum a 100W LED for a 2x2 growing space, with 150W+ being ideal.
Your plant will produce buds, however I wouldn't expect anything crazy. For a first grow you're doing pretty good though and you've got the right ideas. I hope this helps and happy growing friend. 😁
Last week (on June 20) As, several others on this website thought that I should switch to a 12/12 light cycle, so I did. The plant showed immediate signs of growth the next day the tips of the branches when from leafy to wispy (similar to hairy) almost overnight. I continued to tighten the tie-downs for the branches throughout the week. This coming week, I think I will defoliate the 'stand alone' leaves that are like sun leaves on the non-bud-yielding branches. This is to get more light to lower branches and open up the space for bud-yielding branches to fill in.
One question I have is whether or not I should include LEDs on the side walls of the grow cabinet. Are there adverse effects to having lighting on the side? My thought would be that it fills out the lower branches and improves the yield on what would be an otherwise partly shaded branch. This would be 50W overhead and 25W on the left and right sides of the plant. 100W in total. Any help is much appreciated!
It is getting tall this week. I am writing this on July 5th, and just I defoliated the sun leaves, tied the branches down more, and tucked the new shoots with budding centers under the lower limbs. I did this because I woke up this morning, and it had touched the top of the box. Still with 50W LEDs, but I think this week I will put two more 25W LEDs, bringing the total to 100W
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