Veg longer to get taller colas? Flipping timing

Cannaprentice

Active Member
Hi! During my last grow, I've been trying my hand at scrogging for the first time but even though the results were amazing,
I still know I could do better.
I had plenty of dense, frosty and potent tops, but they only poked out a bit and only developed "from the waist up" as you can probably see...
1667096_ripper-seeds-zombie-kush-3-grow-journal-by-cannapprentice-growdiariesripper-seedszombi...jpg1771667_ripper-seeds-zombie-kush-3-grow-journal-by-cannapprentice-growdiariesripper-seedszombi...jpg
I know about defoliation and did quite a bit of it already, but I would have to remove almost all fans to get the light through this mess :?

This time around I'm trying to push the vegetative stage longer.
My logic being that longer colas will form and as they should shoot straight up,
light penetration could be better and lead to long stacked but mostly DENSE colas?

this is what they're looking like so far:
90961495_201807447781646_2700798503717699584_n.jpg
and here's the vertical space I have left:
90757369_227564721945697_4373570381542326272_n.jpg
I'm thinking about flipping in about a week, maybe less, but I don't wan't to diminish my yield
What you all think? Am I underestimating the stretch and risk outgrowing my box?
I'm growing two Acid dough by Ripper Seeds. It's a 80% sativa dom but aparently doesn't stretch as much as a haze for example.
I wanna grow bigger, and just don't know what to expect.
Thanks for your help!
 

Grow So High

Well-Known Member
I think you could even go 2 more weeks to fill that space, If you want them to grow more vertically do less scrog and you could even back the light off a bit so they stretch to it. So hard to tell how much they will stretch but just going based on looks I doubt they will stretch more than 2X. Honestly I would be satisfied with your last grow you did Awesome
 

Cannaprentice

Active Member
So the stretch is less of a big deal than what I thought
It's stressing me out because it's the first time I grow a photoperiod Sativa and I don't want 'em to punch a hole in my roof haha
2x should be very manageable but I heard about strains that triple and I can't find this kind of info on this strain (acid dough).

If you think 2weeks should be ok, I'll flip them in one nice long week, maybe a bit more to wait till they fill most of that net nicely.
Last time it was only like half filled before the flip so this should do the trick.

And thanks for the nice words! I'm indeed very satisfied with my last run,
I just want to squeeze as much yield as I can out of my small ass setup.
less than 2.5x1.5ft and 4ft tall not accounting pots and light height.
last time I did 110g, I'm shooting for 150 this time!

Any other opinion is welcomed! :bigjoint:
 

Grow So High

Well-Known Member
I personally haven’t run any strains that stretched 3X but then again I haven’t run any hazes or 100% Sativas. I’m running MMS putang which is about 75% Sativa and it outgrew every other plant in my garden. I had to flip early because I was in a similar situation as you worried that it would outgrow my space. I flipped when it was around 26” and it ended up being around 4 feet tall after stretch. Biggest stretch I’ve gotten but it had a Sativa structure not as bushy as yours and was not scrogged. In my opinion the stretch when you scrog is a little different. Without a scrog the plant just grows straight upwards. With scrog it grows in height and width. Sorry for rambling lol
 

Cookie Rider

Well-Known Member
I'm kinda in the same boat as you apprentice.
I have a double scrog net w sativa hybrids. I find letting them fill the nets and go 6" straight up through once they fill out will give nice taller colas your after.
Just be sure to have room to back off the light/dim it down if light burn occurs as they grow and fill out.
I was expecting 2-3x stretch but under the burps stretch seems to be minimized.
A good thing in my case.
I try for 12" plants below the nets and 6" straight up from the nets then flip. I'm sure I could let them go bigger but w high ish powered led (over 600 actual watts per light) light burn was an issue for myself.
Your last go looked something to be proud of!
Very similar to mine in height.
6" straight up through the screen and flip is what I'm doing next time.
 

Cannaprentice

Active Member
@Grow So High
Don't be sorry! I'm doing just the same haha
Based on what you say, if stretchy sativas typically look spindly in veg, then I'm pretty much covered!

I'm growing an 80% sativa strain, but the structure is indeed very indica like!
My second pheno, in the right of the box, has some of the fattest indica leaves I ever saw on one of my plants and is a pain to LST as everything is so damn compact and close together.
Very curious what the high is gonna be like!


@Cookie Rider
Yeah, 6 to 8" above the net would be absolutely fantastic!
I feel like when scrogging, as you run the branches horizontally,
even if you get all your square feet covered, you end up tangling under the net most of what's grown during the stretch.
And all those bits that stay "in the bush" ends up being popcorn :|
But there shouldn't be anymore light access problem if it grows straight up with room inbetween!

Thanks! It was very satisfactory indeed!
the tops were poking out like 4inches from the bush.
Doubling that would certainly be a substantial difference in yield!

I'm only using a 189 Watt homemade led I assembled with 13watts household leds, it runs pretty cool and even if it's definitely possible to lightburn with those, I feel like the plants can still can get pretty close without burning :grin:

I'm pretty much set on letting them fill up the net before the flip.
It's a matter of a few days as the growth is vigorous
I'm excited to see how they'll perform in flower!
 
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