Anyone ever tried this to reduce stretch in flower??

[psychadelibud]

Ok, so I over vegged BIG TIME! I always seem to have that issue, almost everytime, every run. I got caught up in some things and have just been super busy.

So basically I have some nice thick bushes... Have done multiple topping and LST'ing along the way. They're compact, but very large for my headspace if that makes any sense...

My good buddy, which some of you may know in the breeding industry (AK Bean Brains) gave me some advice which I have never attempted before... But the dude is a true OG, very intelligent and has been growing weed for decades! He said this is a method they used to use way way back in the day when growing in the "trailer parks" in Alaska back when they did not have any headspace... I guess you can vision this, short ceilings in an old ass mobile home. I think he said they had 7ft total. Well, I have 6ft total and have been rocking my new underground grow op for 4 years now.... been growing for 18 and grew in a mobile home previously before I moved and got this new addition. So I am pretty accustomed to working with low ceilings.

Anyway, on to the point... He basically said this saved his ass many of times when it came to the stretch... He says that you can start them for 12-14 days on a (10-ON/14OFF) light cycle and once you get to 12-14 days, switch to 12/12 as normal. He said it would dramatically reduce stretch due to kicking the plants into flower much faster than normal. Anyone ever tried this before??? If so, what was your experience?

I am also thinking about throwing a net over top of them as well...

Also, there are more plants than seen in the photos... I have the other half of the room is partially shown in this pic, but lights are as high as they can go... Concrete ceilings...

 

[Renfro]

He says that you can start them for 12-14 days on a (10-ON/14OFF) light cycle and once you get to 12-14 days, switch to 12/12 as normal.

TBH I have tried it and didn't notice much difference if any. One thing I do believe in, stretch becomes yield. So it's a good thing, just have to run strains that fit and or train them as you mentioned. Just flip them at the right time. Thats the key and it varies per strain as some stretch a lot more than others.

 

[TintEastwood]

Over veg....been there.

I have only read....keeping night temps close to day temps may reduce stretch.

Good luck with the grow.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Having a negative temperature differential helps to limit stretch. So warmer temps during the night than day. Or at least don't have a drastic difference between the light and dark cycle. Cold night temps, and cold water feeds seem to make them stretch. But like Ren said the stretch is a good thing if you have the room, and all strains are different. Listen to that man. He knows a few things.

 

[OldMedUser]

Any tops that are getting too tall I just roll and crush the stem to make it soft and let the cola flop over. Like topping to the lower ones so they start growing bigger. All win, no loss. Can always stuff a bit of foam rubber up in the bend so it doesn't hang straight down.

Sticking to MH light thru the stretch is supposed to help limit it but I never noticed much difference if any.

 

[psychadelibud]

TBH I have tried it and didn't notice much difference if any. One thing I do believe in, stretch becomes yield. So it's a good thing, just have to run strains that fit and or train them as you mentioned. Just flip them at the right time. Thats the key and it varies per strain as some stretch a lot more than others.

I'll just have to work with what I got, and see where it takes me. I've did it before (dealt with over vegging) and I hate it lol. Thanks for the advice...

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Any tops that are getting too tall I just roll and crush the stem to make it soft and let the cola flop over. Like topping to the lower ones so they start growing bigger. All win, no loss. Can always stuff a bit of foam rubber up in the bend so it doesn't hang straight down.

Sticking to MH light thru the stretch is supposed to help limit it but I never noticed much difference if any.

That's supercropping, but I'm sure you know that. You're not new.

 

[psychadelibud]

Over veg....been there.

I have only read....keeping night temps close to day temps may reduce stretch.

Good luck with the grow.

My last run was over vegged a bit also, I kept temps synchronized 75 in the day, 76 in the night... Seemed to help a ton! The only bad thing this time, is I dropped my fucking mini split remote in the reservoir today on accident and my AC is stuck on 75° and for whatever reason, it stays between 74-76 lights on, and drops to 69-72 lights off... that is with the thermostat set on 75°.... I need to go ahead and flip asap, probably in the morning. Have the remote sitting in a bag of rice, hopefully it will help... it always comes thru with phones lol. If not, gonna be a week before I can get another one via USPS.

 

[psychadelibud]

Any tops that are getting too tall I just roll and crush the stem to make it soft and let the cola flop over. Like topping to the lower ones so they start growing bigger. All win, no loss. Can always stuff a bit of foam rubber up in the bend so it doesn't hang straight down.

Sticking to MH light thru the stretch is supposed to help limit it but I never noticed much difference if any.

Yessir, I have used super cropping a ton but rather not while in flower... I have, and it does help but it can also take things south... Especially if you crack the stem, let's too much air inside.

 

[psychadelibud]

That's supercropping, but I'm sure you know that. You're not new.

I have topped before flower before, on the day of. This was last year, it really fucked up the flower production. Won't do that anymore unless an absolute emergency. I know you didn't mention it, but just throwing that out there...

 

[psychadelibud]

I actually planned on doing the temp thing that's always recommended. 78-79 in the dark and 75 or 76 in the light... Can't believe I dropped that damn controller into the reservoir!!

 

[PadawanWarrior]

I have topped before flower before, on the day of. This was last year, it really fucked up the flower production. Won't do that anymore unless and absolute emergency. I know you didn't mention it, but just throwing that out there...

Ya, I never recommended to supercrop during flower. It adds stress, and some strains don't like too much stress or they'll throw nanners. Some can handle it better than others though.

Sunset Sherbert is one of the pickier ones and got angry everytime I did it to her during flower. Golden Goat didn't mind it. So I really think it depends a lot on the strain. Let's wait to hear what Ren says though.

 

[OldMedUser]

That's supercropping, but I'm sure you know that. You're not new.

I call it superflopping but OK.

 

[psychadelibud]

Ya, I never recommended to supercrop during flower. It adds stress, and some strains don't like too much stress or they'll throw nanners. Some can handle it better than others though.

Sunset Sherbert is one of the pickier ones and got angry everytime I did it to her during flower. Golden Goat didn't mind it. So I really think it depends a lot on the strain. Let's wait to hear what Ren says though.

From my experience, I agree with this. Most all of the chem lines don't like it, bubba dont like it (the real pre98 ) and some can handle it no problemo...

 

[Renfro]

I'll just have to work with what I got, and see where it takes me. I've did it before (dealt with over vegging) and I hate it lol. Thanks for the advice...

Any grower that hasn't over vegged is either a really poor grower and their plants are sluggish or they haven't been at it very long. Sometimes a strain stretches way more than you anticipate, that happened to me with the GMO. I knew if needed a few extra weeks of flowering time but I didn't think that would all be in stretch lol. Had a one month stretch and ended up way bigger than I would have imagined. That stretch makes for big old logs though. So when you can manage it you get rewarded.

 

[OldMedUser]

Ya, I never recommended to supercrop during flower. It adds stress, and some strains don't like too much stress or they'll throw nanners. Some can handle it better than others though.

Sunset Sherbert is one of the pickier ones and got angry everytime I did it to her during flower. Golden Goat didn't mind it. So I really think it depends a lot on the strain. Let's wait to hear what Ren says though.

I figure if a strain hermies doing that it's a hermie and it's gonzo. Solid genetics don't hermie no matter what I do to them and I'm a mean SOB. I've done so many nasty things to plants over the last 20 years I'm glad there's no rights groups for them or I'd be in serious trouble! lol

I'm only doing that to branches that shoot up more than others but mostly I'm doing a proper ScroG in veg so it's all tied down anyways.

Buddy gave me 3 different Kush cuttings last year and I culled 2 because they threw balls mid-flower. The Hindu Kush is a keeper tho and goes almost black it gets so purple. All over and the buds bleed red when I'm trimming fresh off the plant. I've never seen that before. Really like the buzz too.

 

[psychadelibud]

Any grower that hasn't over vegged is either a really poor grower and their plants are sluggish or they haven't been at it very long. Sometimes a strain stretches way more than you anticipate, that happened to me with the GMO. I knew if needed a few extra weeks of flowering time but I didn't think that would all be in stretch lol. Had a one month stretch and ended up way bigger than I would have imagined. That stretch makes for big old logs though. So when you can manage it you get rewarded.

GMO is a stretcher! I have ran it. I also had (GMO-G) and it stretched as much if not more... I have several stretchers this run... TKNL5HAZE, Sugar Punch, Silver fields and according to AKBB the CG/PR (Columbian Gold x Panama Red) x TKNL5HAZE is supposed to stretch significantly...

I think I am going to pull out the ole scrog net, I have only ever used it once and said never again.... mostly due to having to crawl way back in there and water those bitches... lol. However, things should be much easier now as I have an automatic irrigation system. I am gonna throw some triacontanol and kelp extract in the mix, those 2 things are supposed to help a bit. All these little things, should add up.

 

[psychadelibud]

I figure if a strain hermies doing that it's a hermie and it's gonzo. Solid genetics don't hermie no matter what I do to them and I'm a mean SOB. I've done so many nasty things to plants over the last 20 years I'm glad there's no rights groups for them or I'd be in serious trouble! lol

I'm only doing that to branches that shoot up more than others but mostly I'm doing a proper ScroG in veg so it's all tied down anyways.

Buddy gave me 3 different Kush cuttings last year and I culled 2 because they threw balls mid-flower. The Hindu Kush is a keeper tho and goes almost black it gets so purple. All over and the buds bleed red when I'm trimming fresh off the plant. I've never seen that before. Really like the buzz too.

The bleeding red is cool! I have seen it before years ago... Don't remember the strain. Bodhis Dragonsblood is a well known red bleeder... He works the line specifically for that reason. I actually had a temple flo cross my last run that bled purplish blue, believe it or not... I swear, everytime you would roll a joint the paper would turn blue... I posted some photos of it on Instagram and had several people say they never seen anything like it. Did not keep a cut though, should have.

I agree with your theory, if it's a hermie prone plant you can weed out the weaklings. I had several do the same thing in the last 18 years... Like you, I am very mean to my girls but mostly my outdoor guerilla crops. They go through hell and back and in the end, settle for heaven...

 

[PadawanWarrior]

I figure if a strain hermies doing that it's a hermie and it's gonzo. Solid genetics don't hermie no matter what I do to them and I'm a mean SOB. I've done so many nasty things to plants over the last 20 years I'm glad there's no rights groups for them or I'd be in serious trouble! lol

I'm only doing that to branches that shoot up more than others but mostly I'm doing a proper ScroG in veg so it's all tied down anyways.

Buddy gave me 3 different Kush cuttings last year and I culled 2 because they threw balls mid-flower. The Hindu Kush is a keeper tho and goes almost black it gets so purple. All over and the buds bleed red when I'm trimming fresh off the plant. I've never seen that before. Really like the buzz too.

Lots of strains are prone to throwing nanners. But some are bomb, and worth the hassle. I'm with ya though that I would rather grow non nanner prone strains, but it's hard for me to give up on Chem 91 and Sunset Sherbert yet.

Oh, and when I see nanners, that's my sign to chop. Sometimes I chop really early, but the wife loves that early shit so it's all good. So do I actually when I want something more energetic.

 

[OldMedUser]

Yessir, I have used super cropping a ton but rather not while in flower... I have, and it does help but it can also take things south... Especially if you crack the stem, let's too much air inside.

Doesn't seem to matter if it cracks in half as long as there's still connective fibers attached. The sides crush up and split and no problem.

If anything I find the colas on those ones to get bigger than ever and a screw up once in a while is no big deal. Maybe had two tops die out of a hundred over the years.

That's what I love about ScroG. Can stretch for miles and just keep tying it down to the screen for a nice even canopy.