Is it possible to be too crowded?

[Relic79]

I've always been worried about buds and branches actually laying on each other, light penetration, air flow, but maybe I'm over thinking?

Does this seem to crowded for a 4x4? It's the largest I've gone, and I feel like I should be thinning out the tops and leaving the big ones to have more space.

How important is it that buds don't touch? What might determine if I'm pushing it a bit too far?

This is the best I think I've ever vegged, so I'm worried about making dumb mistakes.

 

[whelk]

Yeah it's possible. Sometimes having slightly less plants can improve light penetration and airflow

 

[medidedicated]

Auto or photo? I am no leaf calling expert but looks like heavy on the indica / possibly rudi genetics

 

[medidedicated]

I had a recent thread on this, they said no and its very cluttered, 50 plus colas in a 4 square foot space lol scrogging can have some seriously close buds.

If this was my grow I would make more out of habit. 2 nets. Lollipop, 10” bush with popcorn growth and 6-12” tall colas creepin out. You have a bigger space to control humidity, I would be less worried. Most avoid the daunting 2x2.

 

[Jjgrow420]

Packing them in is an art. Removing some leaves where shading is happening is key. Don't remove too much though. You'll learn through experience. There's problems associated with packing then in tight too. Airflow, light penetration, microclimates, etc. You'll learn!

 

[medidedicated]

@Jjgrow420 you don’t use strain info to help determine that? OP asked a good question, it was the only question I ever had. My plants follow breeder height not to shabby. The leaves sometimes too, was always curious how that worked.

 

[Jjgrow420]

@Jjgrow420 you don’t use strain info to help determine that? OP asked a good question, it was the only question I ever had. My plants follow breeder height not to shabby. The leaves sometimes too, was always curious how that worked.

I don't even bother looking at that info as it's diff with each pheno. The only way is to flower it and see for yourself. In a hybrid plant looking at the leaves means nothing. If their smaller and wider all it means is it took that particular trait. It doesn't mean the rest of the plant will follow suit.
Eg:
I grew 2 phenos of frosted fruit cake. One shot up med hight. The other stayed small and compact. The leaves were diff but the buds were similar.

 

[coreywebster]

It is defo a balance but I don't see that particular tent as too packed.

 

[medidedicated]

I don't even bother looking at that info as it's diff with each pheno. The only way is to flower it and see for yourself. In a hybrid plant looking at the leaves means nothing. If their smaller and wider all it means is it took that particular trait. It doesn't mean the rest of the plant will follow suit.
Eg:
I grew 2 phenos of frosted fruit cake. One shot up med hight. The other stayed small and compact. The leaves were diff but the buds were similar.

Nice, yea hard to look and tell but knowing the ratio I found to be helpful. A pinch of sativa really stands out. Lst is easy, but grows tall and airy. I would say bend away because of that.

I grew 6 seeds, same strain and they were consistent in color and thickness. Only one was wonky but yes, pot size will make the size of leaf and plant. To me, it is like blowing glass, it is so custom to what ever you did to it. Potting methods and sizes. Happines of plant can make it grow less blades or more.

I did not mean it like a snob or poser as if I could really tell haha just a cocky way to ask for more info, sativas can lst themselves into a multi-circle spring coil haha. Or poke the top of tent.

But overall, at it’s happiest, maximum colas, I found the height to be within a foot of the breeder estimate. 30/60 ruderalis/indica had rudi looking leaves everywhere. Usually theres a few at the larf section. for example, that plant never gave me an 11 blade leaf like it was more expressed to show 9 maximum but mostly what OP looks like.

 

[Hook Daddy]

From the side view picture you have quite a few tops developing well below the canopy. I would get rid of those now, they will never develop into much. Looks nice though. Great job on getting them all an even height.

 

[Relic79]

Wow thanks for the info! And pics!

Im a little less worried, but with the way your tents are packed, do you remove leaves all throughout flower? Do you keep your humidity super low? Lots of fans?

I can barely fit one fan in there, and when I see branches and budsites growing into and pressing on one another it makes me nervous of micro climates, but maybe buds can press on each other? But then near the end of harvest those parts always seem light green and immature...


The plant on the left in my tent is Barney's Farm Tangerine Dream, and I topped it a LOT to keep it the same height as the plant on the right which is a Purple Lights from a breeder named Zeus Beanz (purple og x Northern lights as I understand it). Both fem photos. I think the topping made it overly spindly and twiggy.....or it's the pheno.

I had only intended to grow the tangerine and fill the tent with single plant i could spread out, but 3 of 4 seeds failed, so I popped the last one and this purple light at the same time, and of course they both took off and are now competing for space and starting to grow into each other.

Looking in some of your pictures above, my anxiety about mould and rot are off the charts!

 

[Relic79]

From the side view picture you have quite a few tops developing well below the canopy. I would get rid of those now, they will never develop into much. Looks nice though. Great job on getting them all an even height.

I'm about 15 days into flower, was planning to wait just little longer before larf removal. Is now the time?

 

[medidedicated]

I was just about to say, speaking of info, what was the age in flower. Depending on what strain, may grow an inch a day for 3 weeks til stretch stops and continue through end of flower, adding about 6”-12” for a lot of short, bushy varieties.

 

[Hook Daddy]

I'm about 15 days into flower, was planning to wait just little longer before larf removal. Is now the time?

I would, but that’s me. I figure if you know you are going to remove them anyways, why let the plant spend energy on them rather than your main colas. I usually remove them just after flipping lights.

 

[medidedicated]

Wow thanks for the info! And pics!

Im a little less worried, but with the way your tents are packed, do you remove leaves all throughout flower? Do you keep your humidity super low? Lots of fans?

I can barely fit one fan in there, and when I see branches and budsites growing into and pressing on one another it makes me nervous of micro climates, but maybe buds can press on each other? But then near the end of harvest those parts always seem light green and immature...


The plant on the left in my tent is Barney's Farm Tangerine Dream, and I topped it a LOT to keep it the same height as the plant on the right which is a Purple Lights from a breeder named Zeus Beanz (purple og x Northern lights as I understand it). Both fem photos. I think the topping made it overly spindly and twiggy.....or it's the pheno.

I had only intended to grow the tangerine and fill the tent with single plant i could spread out, but 3 of 4 seeds failed, so I popped the last one and this purple light at the same time, and of course they both took off and are now competing for space and starting to grow into each other.

Looking in some of your pictures above, my anxiety about mould and rot are off the charts!

Mini clip on fans 6” work great (use a timer to avoid burning out.) what media and lights you using? A good 200$ dehuey will give you full control of it. High energy though.

Also I wait till end of stretch to lollipop as the whole structure grows and what may be pop corn buds now may be just suckers in a couple weeks and vice versa, from your mark in time now. For mid flower, select fan leaf removal if tucking cannot be done. What might be in the way today might not be in a week. Like if to pinch and bend at entry mid flower.

 

[calvin.m16]

I think so, personally I space my plants out in rows. There's a reason farmers have done it for hundreds of years.

Not to say you can't stuff a room, just you need to provide airflow high and low on the canopies somehow using stationary or oscillating fans. Getting to plants is also harder. Size your dehumidifier by how much water you give a day. 8 pints in a gallon.