broken main stem

Hello ,

Got a bit of a situation here and I need other more experienced growers to give me some advice.

I am growing from seed, it's a Kalashnikov express, in soil ( Plagron bat mix soil) at the moment I am giving only some Plagron power roots mixed with water (pH of 6.2). Temp between 19 C and 23 C. Fan on/off.
Lights - CFL 110w, 6500k, 18h/6h program. In vegetation at the moment about 4-5 weeks

I've started doing some LST, didn't want to cut the main stem. Under CFL I found that it's better to just leave the main stem develop. Anyways...I've over done the LST and broke the main stem about a week ago. It was just hanging in a very tiny skin piece.
After some reading on the forums, I've tried to fix it with some duct tape. But the stem just curled up and does not want to stay "wound on wound".

It's not dying but it's not showing too much healing...and has that black hole into it... Not able to see any improvement or any auxin movement into the secondary branches either.

Also I want to start flowering soon and want to do some SCROG as well

As I see it I have 3 options and here is where I need some expert help ( veteran CFL growers please help) (having in mind that I want to start flowering soon in a week or so) :

1) to just leave it be and see how she goes(what will happen if I'll start flowering next weekend?)
2) to just remove the broken stem, and consider this as a late unfortunate topping
3) to try to cut off the black-ness and rich healthy tissue and try to connect it to the remaining stem, put some duct tape again and hope it will re-attache (but this will prolong the veg period as well, and the question would be...how much longer to still wait?)


Please advice and see attached pics (not the best quality, I will put some more later on)

I'd skip the Scrog u don't do it in flower, seems like u were thinking that the why u was saying

I'd duct tape that ho

wiethe20 said:

I'd skip the Scrog u don't do it in flower, seems like u were thinking that the why u was saying

I'd duct tape that ho

Click to expand...

scrog in the first 2 weeks of flowering just to channel the branches and make the most out of the space

nobody broke the main stem ever?

I have broke several in my overzealous gardening days. I have dropped lights, fans, and a host of other things on my plants over the years. If its not mangled up too bad you could try to fit it back together as good as possible and it will probably be ok. I like to wrap the broken and patched area with electrical tape and only the damaged area. Ive had main stems with holes big enough to fit a pencil eraser through and they fill out and produce nicely. Some sadly cannot be fixed. Cut the dead area out if this is the case and the lower branches may strengthen up and make up for the loss some. Obviously there are many , many variables.

Jimmy Sparkle said:

I have broke several in my overzealous gardening days. I have dropped lights, fans, and a host of other things on my plants over the years. If its not mangled up too bad you could try to fit it back together as good as possible and it will probably be ok. I like to wrap the broken and patched area with electrical tape and only the damaged area. Ive had main stems with holes big enough to fit a pencil eraser through and they fill out and produce nicely. Some sadly cannot be fixed. Cut the dead area out if this is the case and the lower branches may strengthen up and make up for the loss some. Obviously there are many , many variables.

Click to expand...

thanks for the kind advice!
The tip still looks green...I will post some more pics soon. I will just let it be and I'll see what's what. Thinking to give her another week of vegi and after to switch 12/12
new pics soon