Would appreciate help with how to go about further training my plant

[Newishgrower]

Hi all,

This is my first post on here. I’ve grown before, but not for a while. I’ve done a LOT of research and feel like I have a pretty good idea regarding many concepts. But I still have plenty of questions for you guys with lots more experience than I have.

My equipment:
-Mars Hydro 27”x27”x63” tent (5 sq/ft)
-AC Infinity 4” fan and carbon scrubber
-6” AC Infinity oscillating fan
-ViparSpectra XS1500 Pro light and XS1500 (previous generation without lenses that I’m currently using for veg.) Both 150W lights. plan to switch over to the newer pro with more even ppfd pretty soon.
- 2 LA Confidential photoperiod plants (from ILGM) that I’m currently growing
-Soil and perlite 75/25 with dynagrow ferts, cal/mag and Cyco Silica (monosilicic acid)
-currently in 1.5g plastic square pots and will transplant to 5 gallon (assuming I go with one plant.)
-My VPD is damn near perfect and plants are growing very fast. Temps 81-84F in the day and 73-76F at night. Humidity is typically 58-70% with lights on and a little lower at night (more fan speed.)

My current situation plants:
I have two plants that I’ve been training using the mainline method. At the moment, they are about 9-11” tall, with 8 main colas. Plant #1 has slightly longer nodes, slightly thinner, but MUCH darker green leaves, and because of that, is spread (trained) a bit wider and taller. This plant can handle MUCH more light. When both plants were under the center of the light, plant #2 was showing light stress issues quickly, whereas #1 simply was not. Using Photone on my iPhone (along with the PPFD maps from a trusted third party review site) I’m getting an average of about 650 PPFD on plant #1 (lighting schedule is 16/8 for veg.) Plant #2 is getting more like an average of 450 PPFD and won’t take a whole lot more before light stress starts. #2 also has tighter nodes, fatter, light green leaves.

My current thinking is to grow out plant #1 because it‘ll be easier and faster to fill the canopy. Also, the different growth pattern and light requirements would make things more difficult to grow both. Also, I’ve read that one plant in my 2.3x2.3ft tent would be better than two plants as far spacing and airflow.

My questions:
should I stick with a single plant? I think I need to. (Plant #1 is the obvious choice)
What’s the best way to train my mainlined plant to fill the entire canopy?
Should I use a trellis, scrog net or what? How can I attach something to my pot so that I can take it in and out of the tent out without ruining my training?
At what point do I flower?
Do I start trimming lower growth now as I get the 8 colas to where I want them and then start allowing lower growth to stay?

I’m sure I forgot some questions, but any help is really appreciated. Thanks!

Pictures show progression of plants. Pic 3 is plant #2 and pic #4 is plant #1.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

My questions:

The answers to your questions are mostly a matter of growing style. I believe it can take several grows to settle on a style. It took me 3 or 4 grows and I still keep changing things.

should I stick with a single plant? I think I need to. (Plant #1 is the obvious choice)

A 27x27 tent is a nice size for one wide plant or maybe several smaller plants. It depends on how long you would keep them in their vegetation stage. Remember to leave room in the tent for fans, a heater and a humidifier.

What’s the best way to train my mainlined plant to fill the entire canopy?

I haven't used this method.

Should I use a trellis, scrog net or what?

This is a matter of growing style. Many growers use a trellis, and many don't. I don't.

How can I attach something to my pot so that I can take it in and out of the tent out without ruining my training?

Lookup low-stress training (LST). You're already doing it.

At what point do I flower?

Another approach is to ask how long to keep the plant in the vegetation stage. Do you want big plants or small plants?

Also determine how much stretch to expect from the strain(s) you're growing. You need to make sure there's enough vertical space because the plants can grow a lot after the lights are flipped to flower.

Do I start trimming lower growth now as I get the 8 colas to where I want them and then start allowing lower growth to stay?

You probably mean defoliating or pruning. (The word "trimming" usually refers to removing buds at harvest.) There are many ways to do it. It's a matter of growing style that can take a few grows to learn. I top plants above the 5th to the 8th node. I defoliate as the plants grow to avoid stressing them. I remove fan leaves and branches from the center of the plant for better airflow and light penetration.

 

[Newishgrower]

The answers to your questions are mostly a matter of growing style. I believe it can take several grows to settle on a style. It took me 3 or 4 grows and I still keep changing things.

Makes sense.

A 27x27 tent is a nice size for one wide plant or maybe several smaller plants. It depends on how long you would keep them in their vegetation stage. Remember to leave room in the tent for fans, a heater and a humidifier.

I think one wide plant is what I want. I have space for the fan accounted for, but no humidifier or heater will be in the tent. Temps/humidity are able to be controlled with my extraction fan, and with the current weather, it’s working out ideally. I won’t be growing this Winter due to it being too cold for my little light.

Lookup low-stress training (LST). You're already doing it.

Yup, I have been and will continue to LST. I understand how to get the main branches where I want them, I’m more concerned with how to keep them in place (don’t know how I can stake them to keep them in their place.)

Another approach is to ask how long to keep the plant in the vegetation stage. Do you want big plants or small plants?

Good thought. I want a plant that will be decently sized and provide as much yield as I can get, given the constraints of the tent size, light and added oscillating fan.

Also determine how much stretch to expect from the strain(s) you're growing. You need to make sure there's enough vertical space because the plants can grow a lot after the lights are flipped to flower.

For sure. It’s supposed to be 80/20 Indica/Sativa, but I’ve never grown it before and the phenotypes I got are different. The plant I prefer (that can handle the light better) is a bit more stretchy, so I could guess they’ll double in size when flowered, but that’s all it is.

You probably mean defoliating or pruning. (The word "trimming" usually refers to removing buds at harvest.) There are many ways to do it. It's a matter of growing style that can take a few grows to learn. I top plants above the 5th to the 8th node. I defoliate as the plants grow to avoid stressing them. I remove fan leaves and branches from the center of the plant for better airflow and light penetration.

Yeah, I mean pruning the growth from the nodes at the bottom of the main colas, as they will end up being tiny branches if I don’t eventually prune them. I figured the sooner I prune them, the better. Once the branches are more in place, then I’ll leave the nodes alone so that they can be solid producing buds. I also defoliate when buds are too shaded.

I guess my main question is, once I’ve LST’d the branches in place, what’s my best bet to keep them growing straight with support? What kind of support system can I use at this point to set me up for success with this?

I appreciate your responses and help.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I understand how to get the main branches where I want them, I’m more concerned with how to keep them in place (don’t know how I can stake them to keep them in their place.)

I'm not sure how to answer. Most folks clip to the side of the pot. I suppose if that's not wide enough, they could be clipped to a wide saucer or riser or maybe hooks in a square piece of wood. I usually don't remove my plants from the tent. I just turn them till they're too big to turn. If you're shaping to the size of the tent, you eventually won't be able to get them through the door.

 

[Newishgrower]

I'm not sure how to answer. Most folks clip to the side of the pot. I suppose if that's not wide enough, they could be clipped to a wide saucer or riser or maybe hooks in a square piece of wood. I usually don't remove my plants from the tent. I just turn them till they're too big to turn. If you're shaping to the size of the tent, you eventually won't be able to get them through the door.

Thanks! Good ideas. Yes, my concern is they will be too wide to clip to the pot. Im definitely shaping to the tent, so knowing I won’t be able to take the entire plant in and out, I can use some different implements to keep them in place. I appreciate the help.

 

[Mothman]

my main question is, once I’ve LST’d the branches in place, what’s my best bet to keep them growing straight with support? What kind of support system can I use at this point to set me up for success with this?

I mainline. I find it tends to suppress vertical growth, but I’m still a novice so I may not be feeding enough for the 8 growth tips.

My last grow I decided to let the lower growth remain. I shouldn’t have. I think taking off at least the bottom third of growth makes yield sense.

My mainlines tend to be a pair of 4-top clusters, like a figure 8. After I make the first cut (so I know where the branching will occur) I put two dowels into the soil all the way to the bottom of the pot. I stay away from the sides—put each about midway between the pot’s edge and the stem.

Later, I use rubber coated gardening wire to anchor tall stems to the dowels.

By the end of the grow I have quite a snake’s wedding of wire running throughout the plant! But at least it can be moved when needed.

Here’s my most recent mainline, it’s a Shiskaberry from Barney’s Farm. I love this strain!

 

[bullfrog13]

Thanks! Good ideas. Yes, my concern is they will be too wide to clip to the pot. Im definitely shaping to the tent, so knowing I won’t be able to take the entire plant in and out, I can use some different implements to keep them in place. I appreciate the help.

yeah basically get creative

 

[bullfrog13]

I mainline. I find it tends to suppress vertical growth, but I’m still a novice so I may not be feeding enough for the 8 growth tips.

My last grow I decided to let the lower growth remain. I shouldn’t have. I think taking off at least the bottom third of growth makes yield sense.

My mainlines tend to be a pair of 4-top clusters, like a figure 8. After I make the first cut (so I know where the branching will occur) I put two dowels into the soil all the way to the bottom of the pot. I stay away from the sides—put each about midway between the pot’s edge and the stem.

Later, I use rubber coated gardening wire to anchor tall stems to the dowels.

By the end of the grow I have quite a snake’s wedding of wire running throughout the plant! But at least it can be moved when needed.

Here’s my most recent mainline, it’s a Shiskaberry from Barney’s Farm. I love this strain!View attachment 2025517

nice work

 

[Newishgrower]

I mainline. I find it tends to suppress vertical growth, but I’m still a novice so I may not be feeding enough for the 8 growth tips.

My last grow I decided to let the lower growth remain. I shouldn’t have. I think taking off at least the bottom third of growth makes yield sense.

My mainlines tend to be a pair of 4-top clusters, like a figure 8. After I make the first cut (so I know where the branching will occur) I put two dowels into the soil all the way to the bottom of the pot. I stay away from the sides—put each about midway between the pot’s edge and the stem.

Later, I use rubber coated gardening wire to anchor tall stems to the dowels.

By the end of the grow I have quite a snake’s wedding of wire running throughout the plant! But at least it can be moved when needed.

Here’s my most recent mainline, it’s a Shiskaberry from Barney’s Farm. I love this strain!View attachment 2025517

Thanks so much! Im absolutely going to use several of your ideas and will start pruning the lowest nodes ASAP as I continue to form my bush. I really appreciate it!

 

[Bdubs]

Looking good!