Grow report week 4: The training and the topping
Hello dear growers and groweresses,
it’s time for an update on my grow. My plants have completed the fourth week and have grown further. But they have also experienced some measures that I will tell you about.
The training
This week I continued the low-stress training (LST) and tied the plants further. The LST is a method to gently bend and tie the plants to improve the light distribution and air circulation. The goal is to keep the plants low and wide and promote more side shoots and flower heads.
The topping
In addition to the LST, I also applied the topping to make the plants even bushier. The topping is a method to cut off the top of the plant to interrupt the apical dominance and produce more main shoots. The goal is to branch the plant and produce more flowers.
I performed the topping as follows:
I watered the plants well to reduce the stress.
I cut off the top of the plant above the third or fourth node to create two new shoots.
I observed the plants and looked for signs of stress or shock.
The topping also worked well and the plants recovered quickly. They formed two new main shoots that will later become large colas. They also put more energy into the side branches, which will also carry more flowers.
The fertilization
I also fertilized for the first time this week, although I actually wanted to start late with it. I used the Fish-Mix from BioBizz to give the plants more nitrogen. Fish-Mix is an organic liquid fertilizer that consists of fish parts from the North Sea and organic sugar beet extract. It stimulates the biological activity of the soil and the plant growth.
The Fish-Mix did well for the plants and they showed more growth. They formed more leaves and shoots and became greener and healthier. They also absorbed more nitrogen and produced more proteins.
The outlook
I am very satisfied with the result of the fourth week. My plants have been well trained and topped and have shown great growth. I am very curious about the next week, where I have to activate my setup completely to give the plants their final place and pots. It will be exciting for me to see if my system works as I wished.
I will continue to observe the plants and respond to their needs. I will adjust the light intensity, the fertilization and the training to achieve the best results.
Thanks for stopping by and see you next week! 😊