Purple Urkle is an extremely difficult strain. They have huge node spaces, have very weak stalks that typically don't develop well, must be supported throughout their life, and even farting on them too hard can damage the plants. A lot of people will try to say that a deformed Urkle is because you didn't have the right light, not enough circulation, whatever. Bear in mind that a lot of challenges associated with Urkle is exclusive to the strain, and unless someone has really worked with the extra finicky phenotype, won't really know exactly what you're dealing with.
I had an urkle that was under equal light that I was training but for whatever reason two main branches took over. I had to arrange lighting so that the rest of the plant got light and the main branches got very little. This has nothing to do with me, as I have multiple plants of different strains in identical conditions but only the Urkle acts up. The plant would really grow those two branches but hardly anything else despite light levels.
It worked out ok, but because of this the plant has to be placed on the edge of a light. My particular Urkle mother prefers a vertical bulb because of how its growth is. Urkle is very manmade. Such a weak plant would have never developed or thrived in nature alone. The good news is that I'm pretty sure hermaphrodism is next to impossible with Urkles.
Urkle is also a low producer. My advice would be to grow multiple Urkles if you go that route. However, it's very high demand and not readily available. Grand Daddy Purple was made out of the frustrations of growing Urkle.
One of the best phenotypes out there are very lanky (almost more like a vine) plants with purple showing in the first week of flower, even at temps up to 85F. That phenotype will in fact grow on the ground like a vine if you let it. But, that's the phenotype you really want. In the right places and with growing that phenotype to its ultimate potential, I've seen prices of $600/oz where normal ounces were in the $200 range. Bear in mind that's perfect case scenario. The downside is that you will typically have very little trim for hash. I would top, top, top, Urkles again and again. They really love to branch out and topping works better on these than most from a, "bud site" perspective.
Perhaps I'll make a mini grow log with strain and phenotype specifics.
. They just got there first dose of nutrients and I think they are looking very healthy.
