To pray or not to pray?

thumper60

Well-Known Member
I don't see a point in raising it, that plant looks very happy and healthy. Until the last few months, I had never seen someone say that "praying" leaves was a negative thing. I was taught that it was the sign of a happy plant when they go from sleeping to praying over the course of the day.



I read through most of that link, and didn't see any mention of "praying" leaves or it being a sign of to much light?

I'm not trying to say you guys are wrong, but I am surprised to hear this new train of thought.
growing inside-outside 30 plus yrs never have I heard a praying plant is from stress.all my plants pray in or out??droopy-unhappy leaves pointing up-happy!
 

Thundercat

Well-Known Member
It's not that it's bad or wrong, just stress. You know how we use stress, and you know how stress can be good or bad. Too much of a good thing...
Can you site a source that shows that praying leaves is a stress sign? I've only seen a small handful of people say this, and it has all been in the last few months and only on RIU. Again I've always read/heard the opposite.

If it was a sign of stress how would that be a good thing? I've definitely given plants to much light and they did not "pray" and act happy. They slumped and bleached. I understand you can have too much if a good thing, but how is a healthy plant a sign if that?
 

3rd Monkey

Well-Known Member
Can you site a source that shows that praying leaves is a stress sign? I've only seen a small handful of people say this, and it has all been in the last few months and only on RIU. Again I've always read/heard the opposite.

If it was a sign of stress how would that be a good thing? I've definitely given plants to much light and they did not "pray" and act happy. They slumped and bleached. I understand you can have too much if a good thing, but how is a healthy plant a sign if that?
I don't have a link, I roll by experience. Most research I use the Internet for is more in depth.

So excuse me for citing experience, but that's all I have so I'll try to convey it best I can.

It's not always light, and I didn't say it was. Sometimes it's heat or humidity, though humidity is usually directly affected by the heat.

You stress your plant by training it and it rewards you with doing what you want. If you stress it too much, it's unhappy, hence the bleaching and drooping.

When the leaves push upward like that and start folding, they are trying to pull more humidity, decrease light on surface area, or trying to transpire more from the heat. Like a dog panting, because plants and dogs don't "sweat". Take the sweating part lightly.

Now, if you have them praying and you leave them like that for a few weeks, maybe less, you'll see the stress. Whether bleaching or just "tired" leaves, which you noticed from the slump. The slump means too much to fast. Praying would have been that sign.

Take that for what it's worth, like I said, just my experience, but if you have a praying plant and back the light off a tad, it won't pray anymore. So it must be a sign in my opinion.
 

Bakersfield

Well-Known Member
I think praying leaves are a sign of vigor.
If praying leaves are a bad thing, then why do plants that pray, usually outperform their non praying sisters.
BTW, since when is cannabis stressed in over 90°
temperatures? If they have the water and nutrients needed for optimum growth, then 90 degree temps will increase metabolism.
 

3rd Monkey

Well-Known Member
I think praying leaves are a sign of vigor.
If praying leaves are a bad thing, then why do plants that pray, usually outperform their non praying sisters.
BTW, since when is cannabis stressed in over 90°
temperatures? If they have the water and nutrients needed for optimum growth, then 90 degree temps will increase metabolism.
Optimum being the keyword. Outdoors is never optimum where I live. Try 90+ in a tent. See how they do. If they do fine, that's good. If they do bad, cool them off.
 

3rd Monkey

Well-Known Member
Perfect example. That elephant ear, the plantain looking thing. If I move it close to the light it'll curl inward. Same with heat. If it's too low of humidity it curls backwards, bitch to fix without tearing it.

Just an example but I watch the plants and I come up with my own shit. I could be very wrong but it's in many species that I grow, including vegetables.

image.jpg
 

Thundercat

Well-Known Member
I don't have a link, I roll by experience. Most research I use the Internet for is more in depth.

So excuse me for citing experience, but that's all I have so I'll try to convey it best I can.

It's not always light, and I didn't say it was. Sometimes it's heat or humidity, though humidity is usually directly affected by the heat.

You stress your plant by training it and it rewards you with doing what you want. If you stress it too much, it's unhappy, hence the bleaching and drooping.

When the leaves push upward like that and start folding, they are trying to pull more humidity, decrease light on surface area, or trying to transpire more from the heat. Like a dog panting, because plants and dogs don't "sweat". Take the sweating part lightly.

Now, if you have them praying and you leave them like that for a few weeks, maybe less, you'll see the stress. Whether bleaching or just "tired" leaves, which you noticed from the slump. The slump means too much to fast. Praying would have been that sign.

Take that for what it's worth, like I said, just my experience, but if you have a praying plant and back the light off a tad, it won't pray anymore. So it must be a sign in my opinion.
Right on man. I do appreciate your experience but that's how you should sell it to people. It's just contradictory to mine and most anyone else's I've talked to on the subject so I was hoping actual info would show something definitive one way or the other.

I do agree that leaves curling in on them selves can be caused by to much heat/light radiation. That is a different thing from praying though.

The picture budsbuddha posted on the the first page was a great example of praying leaves. Upward reaching thanking you for the perfect conditions for rapid efficiant transpiration. Maximizing our conditions is about getting the plants growing as fast and efficiant as possible. When you move your light away they slow down and chill out. It's not about stressing them it's about putting them in a happy place :).

The picture the OP posted looked awesome happy and healthy and vigorously growing. Tiny bit of tip burn and strong leaf seration makes me think the nutes are getting pushed a little but it's very minor and wasn't the question so I didn't bother to mention it.
 

Way2-High

Well-Known Member
Thundercat you were spot on about my plant, I’m keeping it right on the edge of the danger zone to grow her as fast as possible.
 

3rd Monkey

Well-Known Member
Right on man. I do appreciate your experience but that's how you should sell it to people. It's just contradictory to mine and most anyone else's I've talked to on the subject so I was hoping actual info would show something definitive one way or the other.

I do agree that leaves curling in on them selves can be caused by to much heat/light radiation. That is a different thing from praying though.

The picture budsbuddha posted on the the first page was a great example of praying leaves. Upward reaching thanking you for the perfect conditions for rapid efficiant transpiration. Maximizing our conditions is about getting the plants growing as fast and efficiant as possible. When you move your light away they slow down and chill out. It's not about stressing them it's about putting them in a happy place :).

The picture the OP posted looked awesome happy and healthy and vigorously growing. Tiny bit of tip burn and strong leaf seration makes me think the nutes are getting pushed a little but it's very minor and wasn't the question so I didn't bother to mention it.
I don't really try to sell it. Everything posted by anyone is a matter of opinion, even science. For one claim, you can find several others that contradict it. Example, I've been looking into polyploids in cannabis. Dozens of articles either way, all with science to back it up.

Personally, I've noticed that extended periods of praying seem to strain the leaves in my grows, doesn't slow growth, but the leaves take a toll.

Anyhow, everyone should do what works for them.
 

ChronicWonders.

Well-Known Member
Perfect example. That elephant ear, the plantain looking thing. If I move it close to the light it'll curl inward. Same with heat. If it's too low of humidity it curls backwards, bitch to fix without tearing it.

Just an example but I watch the plants and I come up with my own shit. I could be very wrong but it's in many species that I grow, including vegetables.

View attachment 4296480
When did you start that elephant ear? I always transplant mine and I’m gonna start them, dahlias, canna and coleus this year indoors before moving them out...

Sorry off topic lol.
 

3rd Monkey

Well-Known Member
When did you start that elephant ear? I always transplant mine and I’m gonna start them, dahlias, canna and coleus this year indoors before moving them out...

Sorry off topic lol.
Feb 10. The bulb was pretty old, so I had to soak it for a few days, but it went in water on the 10th. Started my coleus at the same time, shit they take forever. The watermelon looking variety. I've got a red one I clone the hell out of and its been going for 3 years, forgot how long they take from seed lol.
 
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