Ways to stop the stretch?

GC_Mospeada

Well-Known Member
I'm currently at the beginning of week 3 flower of my grow on my third grow in a RDWC sustem, which is shown in the first photo. The second photo was from my last grow that saw terrible stretching. They stretched to double what was shown. So far I've kept the lights close, I added my old blurples (just for the blue spectrum) and I'm training the living day lights out of them, this includes super cropping. They are being supplemented with Co2 at the moment but if that adds to stretch, I'll get rid of it. What I really want to avoid is my plants ending up like that last photo.

A lot of this has to do with the fact I used kelp as a foliar and I saw massive lateral growth with short inter nodes. The third photo is the difference I'm talking about. I pretty much want the plant to focus on all the bud sites that have popped up. Is there anything more I can do to keep them like this? Ultimately what I want is super crazy stacking of buds. I've kept a journal of both grows for comparison.

 

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Agronut

Well-Known Member
Try using Ceramic Metal Halide as your primary light source, no kelp after 3 weeks before you begin flowering, and start using Big Bud and Bud Candy earlier than reccommended, like right as you flip to 12/12
 

GC_Mospeada

Well-Known Member
Try using Ceramic Metal Halide as your primary light source, no kelp after 3 weeks before you begin flowering, and start using Big Bud and Bud Candy earlier than reccommended, like right as you flip to 12/12
I don't really have the option to go CMH...would a regular house LED work fine? It's really just for the spectrum and they come in 4k+ easy. I only did my last kelp spray a few days ago, 14 days into flower. I know it's not recommended but it was giving me what I wanted...the lateral growth. However, I'm not going to push my luck anymore and I'm done with kelp as a foliar. In regards to food, what's in those nutrients that would stop the stretch? Apart from Micro I feed mostly raw nutrients that I chelate myself.
 

GC_Mospeada

Well-Known Member
I think adding more blue would help but depends on the practicality. How much blue light is needed to keep inter nodes short? Does it get blasted out by the main drivers if they're not powerful enough? I use the standard 3K 660nm spectrum but I am overdoing it with the lights...1200 watts in a 4 x 8. So I'm guessing I can't just add 12w LED to each side, or can I? Maybe a fluro tube?
 

GC_Mospeada

Well-Known Member
Cut the tops off...
Yeah I've heard of something similar but what I saw was just tipping the tops of the buds when they're in week 7ish. I don't think I'll go for the straight top now that the colas have started but I might have a quick look into it as I only have a few days to decide if I go through with something major like that. Lol nah.
 

Huktonponics

Well-Known Member
Ive had some strains that have had mad amounts of stretch up till week 3, so i keep a bottle of ROX Flower Enhancer around to give them a taste of when I know they still have more fuel in them and want to stop it.

I know I know its got PACLOBUTRAZOL in it, but if you want to use it pre flower or during stretch to initiate Lateral growth and stop stretch, if you use it lightly and just the once, it does the job ( I used it on a particularly stretchy strain of Haze i tried years ago and it nailed it ), and i think if its the 1 and only time you use it, its most likley gonna be gone from the plant if you have a good feeding and flush schedule by harvest. I havnt used it in a long time though as I tend to find researching the strain before hand, or dialling in your enviroment can help more than anything.

Keeping your room temps within 5 degrees Celcius of each other during day / night, having your light at a proper height so they dont reach for it, and trying not to give them anything with Triacantanol in during stretch works for me.

If your using bulbs, use Metal Halide till stretch has stopped, CMH use the 942 bulb or the 10k if you fancy something to finnish them for maximum oil and frostiness or if LED use as much blue as you can get.

Dont jump on me for the PACLOBUTRAZOL, i dont condone this substance, just saying it works if used correctly and not as intended on the bottle.

Also break them bitches necks and train them, bend, break, snap, top, tie them down !
 
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