Is it too late to top the plant? Northern Lights x Ruderalis Auto

[mushroomcookiedough]

This is my first grow, Northern Lights x Ruderalis (Auto). (Seedsman)
The plant sprouted about 27 days ago, and height-wise it looks like it won't be long until it starts flowering. (Life cycle is about 2 months)
Is it safe to top them still? Or would that be stupid?

 

[TessaMaria]

I grew two plants of that same strain from Seedsman very recently. I topped one of them before it grew any branches and it never grew any branches or showed sex or flowered. The one I didn’t top grew up great! She took about 15 weeks with a staggered harvest. But the first buds were ready around 12 weeks. I did LST on the successful plant and at the end she turned these beautiful colors( hence the name I think).
My recommendation is to do LST and no topping per my experience. Good luck they look great so far!

 

[CapollaLabs]

dude, do not top an auto...

 

[CapollaLabs]

use some LST toppings seriously gonna f up your yield

 

[mushroomcookiedough]

Good luck they look great so far!

Thanks

dude, do not top an auto...

Noted,

use some LST toppings seriously gonna f up your yield

As this is my first grow, I am a bit weary of doing LST, I think I will attempt it next grow!
For the moment, I was going to add some small lights pointing horizontally around the base, so that the hidden leaves get a bit more light.


Thanks for the responses! Very helpful

 

[mushroomcookiedough]

She took about 15 weeks with a staggered harvest. But the first buds were ready around 12 weeks.

15 weeks?! :O
On Seedsman it says that it starts flowering at around 55-60 days. How long did you leave it flowering?

 

[CapollaLabs]

15 weeks?! :O
On Seedsman it says that it starts flowering at around 55-60 days. How long did you leave it flowering?

different autos go for different times man and i dont believe for a second the flowering time breeders put on there beans, ive had plants go 2/3 weeks after the breeders guidlines

 

[TessaMaria]

15 weeks?! :O
On Seedsman it says that it starts flowering at around 55-60 days. How long did you leave it flowering?

Yes it took that long for the all the buds to ripen. The first buds I harvested were ready at about 12 weeks, then I harvest every week or so up to 15 weeks. It was such a pretty plant!
The breeders tend to give the shortest time, this was my first autoflower and indoor(in a long time). But I think the growing conditions were fine, except for the second NL auto that I topped before it grew any branches. There could be a lot of reasons why it never grew branches or showed it’s gender.
but the one that grew for 15 weeks it did very well with LST.
It’s an easy strain to grow it never had any pest or disease problems. It had a bit Of magnesium and calcium deficiency, maybe that’s why it took longer. Other people I have read about harvest after 12 weeks too. There are a few grow journals out there.

 

[jimihendrix1]

Im not much on topping any plant. Id rather Bend them over starting early

But IMHO topping NL is a bad idea.

 

[JoeBlow5823]

I was scurrd to LST my autos first time too. Just try it with one of them. No reason to be scurrd and if you fuck it up completely at least its only one of them. And just a heads up, those pots look a little small.....

 

[jimihendrix1]

Id put em in 10g containers.

 

[twentyeight.threefive]

Id put em in 10g containers.

Why would you put an auto flower in a 10 gallon pot??

 

[jimihendrix1]

Some get big enough to benefit from a good sized pot. Ive seen plenty of AF fill 10 gallons of Promix BX with roots.

 

[JoeBlow5823]

Some get big enough to benefit from a good sized pot. Ive seen plenty of AF fill 10 gallons of Promix BX with roots.

Judging by his pics, 4 10 gallon pots would not fit in that tent. However he could do a single 20 or 30 gallon with all 4 plants in it... could be interesting.

 

[CTGrown203]

Only if ur growing outside would u need a 10 g pot that big and even that’s pushing it