Howdy Scroggers!
Time for Q&A's with the Woodsmantoker~
First I would like to thank all of the fine help around these parts, you folks have been a great help to the community.
I would also like to say, I have not gotten any "New" questions in quite a while and thus have stayed mostly quiet while others chime in. All new members or new to scrog, I suggest you take some time to skim through the thread. Its long these days I know, but worth the effort I assure you. From the start of this thread up to current date I believe most anything you want to know about scrog is detailed. New information emerges in time and is more spread out through the pages, but basic concepts repeat themselves quite a bit and should not take much time to find. As you will notice, I post from time to time updates for the "image bank" here at ETS/SUPP titled (Scrog Images From Around The Globe). Viewing these can also answer countless questions you may have. Mostly the images consist of finished work, but I also include some work in progress, images that share concepts or ideas in visual form. The more time you spend with these images, the more you gain especially if your a visual learner like many of us are. For those who do well with written descriptions, I urge you to read through some of the more elaborate posts and conversations. If you find something you would like to cross reference, feel free to shoot me your questions, I would be happy to give you my opinion. Others here are great help and may have the answers you are looking for, if not, post your questions for me with a title to that effect and I will catch you up to speed as soon as I am available.
Sorry I have been away so much folks,
I am currently teaching in Michigan (medical cannabis cultivation classes and weekend ScrOG workshops) at local compassion clubs, and have started a new company called Scrog Technologies. Were making portable/adjustable/roll away single plant scrog pods and are just getting on the market with them (special orders only at present time, were backed up) so time has not been something I have much of these days however, I will always make time for my scrog fiends online, and will continue this thread as long as I may.
As for topping/fimming/super cropping/LST and any other training technique you can find or dream up, ALL are contingent upon the particular plant used and its response. Not all plants respond well to various types of stress or any "training" at all for that matter. From Various Genotypes to particular phenotypes each and every variation may exhibit anything from slight to dramatic differences. Some respond with outstanding results and become "Scrog Strains" while others get labeled "stressless preferred" and move into more suitable gardens for that type of plant. While some plants may not respond well to "training" methods, all cannabis plants can be supported via trellising and gain the advantage of protection and support. Where the term "Scrog" is coined as method or technique of which for most means the utilization of training, the bottom line is that trellising has been a tool used by gardeners for a very long time and very good reason. Where training may be slightly limited in cannabis cultivation, the concept of trellising in its self applies well to cultivation of quality
and quantity so as we feel, a screen/net/mesh/fence/web etc., has its place in the ganga garden regardless.
In response to recent questions: I would like to note the importance of flat screening.
Where it is obvious through experimentation and reviewed journals etc. that other variations of trellising cannabis such as "V-scrog, U-scrog, Stadium, Vertical, etc." all typically produce a similar result in relation to flat. The differences are not always as notable to the inexperienced, and often continue to be missed long after a gardener is convinced they are on to something "bigger better badder". Typically these methods are attempting to key in on another control aspect of how we garden such as the shape of the bulbs we use, or the pattern or footprint left by light hoods and reflectors. As we can prove, light is not always cast evenly with these pieces of equipment, and thus it leads us to believe that we can better utilize the energy by adapting to the shape at which the light is cast. The problems with these variations in my opinion is simple; no matter what you gain in changing the shape from flat, you loose via consequent production of bi-product (ie. Stem). When a plant recognizes its relative position to gravitational pull (gravatropism) it positions its self accordingly to bare the burden of weight/force by turning vertically. Through evolution of the stem structure, its design is much like a 2x4 or I beam. Vertically, the amount of pressure it can withstand is immense. When turned horizontally however the amount is dramatically less. During flowering, if the colas position is anything other than vertical, the response is the same as when LSTing (bending branches); Auxins are released and the plant uses energy on stem production in order to accommodate the increasing pressure from flower production and gravitational force. This lends to the theory that to gain the most from low stress training, it must be done during the vegetative cycle. To gain the most uniform and ideal flower structure possible without unusable stem mass production, flowering must be done vertically. "I don't know about you folks, but I don't use the stems for anything other than tea, and the best tea stems are small lush bud stems" (however I have been known to grind stem and press it into a brick that is used in my furnace however, its not my goal... YET)
Does Vertical Scrog have its place somewhere in someone's garden for any reason not previously discussed? Of course, don't limit yourself. To grow as a gardener, you increase your knowledge and add to your "bag of tricks" making your abilities and understanding that much more diverse. If your interested in expanding your knowledge and ability to apply various concepts to meet your own particular needs, explore!
As for weight guessing your crop:
A "good" scrogger will produce around or just over a pound per plant using a 1000watts of light (nearly the same using 600watt digital these days) and a 4'x4' area with most good scrog friendly strains. If your within your first few runs with scrog, I would say 8 ounces or better and your doing well. Its not hard to do well with scrog, typically those who produce less have more issues in the actual gardening aspect rather than being less effective with training or utilization of a screen. If I had to guess T2kallday, you will pull a pound near or around, you will be trimming for a while however (strain dependent) .
SIDE NOTE FROM SCROG TALK: for my less informed scroggers; Given the right conditions, a cannabis plant can re-root during any time of its life cycle given adequate conditions. As others have pointed out, the time period of which it takes to revert back to a normal vegetative pattern, is what varies. This can also vary from strain to strain. Example: Just took a Death Cheese bud that would have been put into a trimmer, and instead dipped its stem in a rooting gel and put it off to the side as a new clone (root cube, set in perlite, in a Dixie cup set in another cup, sandwich baggie over the top and pinched between the two cups to create a mini green house, one corner cut off the bag for air circulation...fyi). A week or so later it had rooted, and after a month, its now a large vegging plant outdoors. (bet the guy who had me helping trim, had no idea I would end up with his cut just from being at his trim party_that's the ropes with re-vegg, tissue culture presents a whole new game when it comes to gathering new genetics...)
If anyone has further questions - ? Feel free...
Woodsmantoker~