How soon can I force flowering? What indicates a plant that is mature enough?

I have been searching and browsing through hundreds of posts on this forum and cannot find the answer after hours of research.

My space is limited, therefore; plant size will need to be limited. How long does vegging take before fems are ready? How soon are most strains mature enough to be forced into flowering (indoor grow in Autopot). What visible indicators are present that allow me to know a plant is mature enough?

I will likely be working with a predominately sativa strain, but haven't chosen anything specific yet. Plants will need to finish at about 2 feet tall.

Any answers or links to answering post will be much appreciated.

During normal, healthy, growth, it usually takes 4-5 weeks before a plant from seed, will go through puberty, and ready to be flowered.(or de-flowered ) Seriously though, at that time, the nodes will start alternating, sorta like steps. It looks distinctly different from the arrangement of nodes being directly across from each other, in a 'T' shape, as they look when they are young/immature.

Do you plan to LST?

It will be tough to reel in a 2' sativa. They are generally much taller than an Indica dominant strain. You know the plant is ready to flower or is mature when the plant starts to alternate nodes. The plant starts by growing nodes (branches) side by side. As it matures it starts to alternate branches (nodes) instead of growing side by side.

I prefer sativa because I don't like the couch lock effect of indica, and will look for smaller strains to help with the size issue. I can stretch my space to 3'-3.5' since I haven't even built it yet. I probably will LST, but only have academic knowledge of how to do it since I have no first hand experience. What is the time difference for clones? I might to have 2 varieties of mother plants that I can continuously clone from for variety. Are clones quicker to have ready for flowering than growing from seed?

How soon after I see alternate nodes can I top it then begin to force flowering? Are there a certain number of alternating nodes I need to look for, or is it mature as soon as I see them begin to alternate?

From what I can tell, I am looking at a 3-4 month minimum before any type of harvest. Is that about right if I plan to do things on the early side. I am not looking for huge yields . . . especially the first go around.

Much obliged for the advice.

As long as the mother plant was mature, her clones/cuttings will be mature, because they are both the exact same age, genetically. They can be flowered, as soon as they sprout roots, if you wish. Yes, much quicker than going from seed.

Also, you can top them well before the nodes start to alternate. It's a common practice, and many guys do it. Most wait til their plants have at least 3-4 nodes, before topping, some wait longer, but as long as there's a couple there, go ahead, it'll be fine. There's lots of variables. It'd be a good idea to check out some other grows, and see what works for you.

Hmm.....gimme a couple minutes, and I'll show ya an example of something I juststarted experimenting with, with great results. It's like topping, with a twist....you don't lose the main top. *will be back*

if you get couch lock then you left it to long before cutting it., you can make either or the same high effect to a point. some are just easier to get what we want for a high. being more cbd in indi and cbn in sativas. also forcing them makes a weeker pot and less yields. but i get the size restrictions

Instead of topping, and actually cutting the top off, I've been experimenting with "bending"(IDK if there's an actual name for it), where the top is bent over and tied to the main stem. Then, you leave it tied there, and it forces branching. This is what it looks like....

Then, after about a week, you release the tie, once the side branches have clearly taken off, and are near the top of the plant. The center stem will straighten up, and then join the side shoots, creating many colas.


12 days later....(in the one pic, it's the plant on the far left)

EDIT: Oh yeah, I probably could've kept it tied down a couple days longer, to let the side branches get a little taller. Next time, I hope to get it just right, so that they'll all just about even.

Medi 1 said:

if you get couch lock then you left it to long before cutting it., you can make either or the same high effect to a point. some are just easier to get what we want for a high. being more cbd in indi and cbn in sativas. also forcing them makes a weeker pot and less yields. but i get the size restrictions

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I am not worried about smaller yields since my consumption is fairly low . . . like 1/8th ever 1.5 weeks. I am, however, very concerned with quality. Why would forcing flowering cause weaker results? While growing indoors, isn't all flowering forced by light cycles? The obvious exception to this would be auto-flowering strains.

jawbrodt said:

Instead of topping, and actually cutting the top off, I've been experimenting with "bending"(IDK if there's an actual name for it), where the top is bent over and tied to the main stem. Then, you leave it tied there, and it forces branching. This is what it looks like....

Click to expand...

I like the idea of this method better than topping. Have you completed a batch this way, or is this your first?

it only effects the quantity not the quality .... usually the longer you veg the larger the plant the bigger the yeild

i like that bending method....................is that a diff form of LST??

IMHO I don't think it gets weaker.How about trying 12/12 through the whole cycle

You can technically flower whenever you like. Although when the plant is mature (alternating nodes and pre-flowering) it will produce more buds, that's also cuz it's bigger. On my first grow I flowered mine before I saw alternating nodes and it was 10 inches tall, finished at 2 feet tall.

great technique jawbrodt. \w/

Hi guys, I'm glad you like that technique. And, I'm surprised that I've never seen it here before. It was taught to me by a guy whom I really trust, but I never used it til now,(I took those second pics, last night) even though he always swore by it. Now I know why. It's less stressful than topping, FIMing, and supercropping, and more effective, than them, as well.(IMO) I have a FIMed plant right next to it, that's nice, but not quite as nice. Plus, it's about a week behind. I'm sold guys, I hope you are too?

I plan to use a form(modified for my own grow) of LST during flowering(started 12/12 last night), to keep the canopy nice and even, and can't wait to see how it turns out. Somehow, I have a funny feeling that I won't be topping anymore.lol

An interesting spin off on topping, but i dont think it is as effective at redistubuting the growth hormones and i believe the main stem will out grow your side branches.
Got to give you cudos jawbrodt on your very healthy plants that look like mine! Don't see enough good looking plants on here! Rep to you bro!

^Thanks man, your's look great, as well. Wow, they do look alot similar, don't they? Awesome man, good work.

An interesting spin off on topping, but i dont think it is as effective at redistubuting the growth hormones and i believe the main stem will out grow your side branches.

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I'm going to remain neutral on that one, because i'm not done experimenting yet. If you've seen my edit on page one, I'm not done tweaking. I'm fairly confident that if keep adjusting, keeping them tied down a few days longer, that I'll eventually find the right timing, that'll end up with everything being nice and even(within reason). IDK, time will tell....


Also, I plan to LST the main stem, if it get's very far ahead of the rest. That should do the trick, til I get 'er fine-tuned. At any rate, the faster growth over topping/FIM, makes it all worthwhile. Cola heights can be controlled. Just give me as many as possible, and as fast as possible.lol

thats a good lil technique jawbrodt but i just dont understand why u dont just low stress train the plants, its called low stress training cuz it puts little to no stress on the plant, ur method u have the possibility to break ur main growing tip, and with lst u have much more control of every branch u can make it a perfectly even canopy of growth tips if thats how u want., just my opionion anyways, keep up the good worrk guys

jawbrodt said:

^Thanks man, your's look great, as well. Wow, they do look alot similar, don't they? Awesome man, good work.



I'm going to remain neutral on that one, because i'm not done experimenting yet. If you've seen my edit on page one, I'm not done tweaking. I'm fairly confident that if keep adjusting, keeping them tied down a few days longer, that I'll eventually find the right timing, that'll end up with everything being nice and even(within reason). IDK, time will tell....


Also, I plan to LST the main stem, if it get's very far ahead of the rest. That should do the trick, til I get 'er fine-tuned. At any rate, the faster growth over topping/FIM, makes it all worthwhile. Cola heights can be controlled. Just give me as many as possible, and as fast as possible.lol

Click to expand...