First off, let me state Ive never grown in a tent, mainly in large, more open rooms, basements. Smallest space Ive flowered plants in is probably about a 4 x 4 in a huge concrete basement. And a 1000W MH, or a 1000w Hortilux HPS. I did have really really good ventilation though. I used MH when they first came out around 1977-78, and switched to Hortilux HPS 1000w 30 years ago. And Ive never had a problem with stretching to much under a Hortilux 1000w HPS, and as a matter of fact Ive had to raise the HPS before, because the plants are so compact. The Original HPS, with No BLUE I never used. I believe Hortilux was the first in the 90s to add BLUE to their HPS bulbs.
If growing from clones, I of course root the clones.
Most everyone here will be familiar with how I do this as it has been said a million times on hundreds of forums, and books.
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Say this clone is 6 inches tall.
Also one of the strains we grow is a 2006 Willie Nelson. Its 100% Sativa. Highland Nepali x Vietnam Black. 100+ days flowering Stretches 80 days if you give it enough soil. Im using this strain as an example of how we often grow it. Sometimes its started 11/13 from clone. Just depends. But this would be using 1 plant under a 4 x 4.
After clone has a good root ball, of which I will start/root these in an 18oz plastic cup, in Promix BX. Not root Bound. I will transplant this cut into a 5 gallon container/grow bag with Promix BX, so I can cut the bag off of the plant later on.
I will then put the cut into the 5 gallon container.
I will then place the plant under a 1000w Hortilux HPS, or a Gavita DE HPS. Ill veg it a week for the roots to grab into the new doil, and then I will BEND the plant over. How much depends on how flexible it is. I will also train all of the secondary branches to point towards the light. After you train the initial branches, you wont have to mess with doing that anymore.
I also bend the plantabout 80% down,,, and leave the growing tip alone. Also if you want to slow the growth down??? Bend the crap out of the growing tip, this has basically the same affect as topping, but you keep the growing tip. I dont like to mess much with the growing tip, unless to slow its growth.
Ill veg this cut 30 days in 5 gallons.
Then at that point, I will transplant this plant into a 20 gallon container of Promix BX. Usually a plastic tote. Put it back under 1000w, veg 4-7 more days to get the plant settled, and make sure the transplant goes well.
This plant will easily take up the full 4 x 4 area, and can produce up to 24oz. The root-ball will also take up the whole 20 gallon container when done.
This strain stretches more than any Ive ever seen. And the secondary branches get HUGE. I cant grow this one outside here in Ky because its not done until mid-late November. Outside this plant would go 12-15 feet tall. And just as wide. Grown right, it has huge, dense buds for a Sativa.
I found it and someone replied explaining it like this