Customer Assistance Needed in the Weed Growing Area!

[OldSchoolest]

This is my first time growing indoor thanks to new marijuana laws in Maryland, and I could use some help because sooo much has changed and improved over the last 30 years when it comes to growing indoor and im feeling a little left in the dust!!

So i got my 2x4 tent setup with a nice 300w light from Mars Hydro, and all the fans that i need etc etc.
I put two gallon pots filled with about 70% Canna Coco Coir, 10% Earthworm Castings, and 20% perlite inside after starting my seeds in solo cups for about 2 weeks.

Now i am the biggest cheerleader for plant shaping that there is, and have always pinched and pruned my plants to get the most light; HOWEVER: i am not a very good judge of when exactly to turn the lights to a flower timing because ive never had to really worry about how much space i have and how much they stretch…or even when to start flowering for that matter because that was left up to nature ha ha ha!

I have a really great, flat, green canopy that has been vegging for around 5 or so weeks and i need your help on when to change the lights!!

 

[Graham.Bagg]

Are you going to ScroG or stake?

If staking I would let the plant reach the halfway point height wise between the floor and light. So if it is 60” from floor to light, I’d do 30” of plant height then switch.

If scrogging, you can go to about 3/4 height with net, and when you have net filled out, then switch.

I’d go with those guidelines until you know how your particular plant stretches.

 

[PlumberSoCal2]

Whenever you're ready at this point. Look up the strain and see how much they stretch. I've had plants almost double their height after flip. Just depends on the strain but they can be flipped anytime at this size/age

 

[OldSchoolest]

okay

I have always pinched growth tips in the past, but being indoors I cut pretty heavy so they’d stay flat, and as of now each of the plants has 8 main branches and each of them has 2 branches so far. I just want to make sure I’ll have a full canopy in here without outgrowing the space! If I let them grow to half way then they’ll grow into the light and I’ll be vegging another 2 months ha ha ha!

I guess I’m gonna wait another week and then see what happens! Thanks for the help!

 

[Blastfact]

I would definitely air on the side of caution with only 5' to work with. For me I haven't had what I would historically call a big stretching grows since I stopped using HPS style lighting. While I still get a stretch it's more of a continuous growth through flower with my current HLG lighting. While I have friends that still grow with old school lighting. They claim over all they don't get the ballistic stretching they use to get with the fufu hybrid crap strains we have now. BUT if they grow a land strain sativa or indica the stretch still holds true in ballistic fashion. If I grow a land strain now I get more of a stretch than I get with modern weed. But again it's more of a continuous growth. All I learned over decades seems to change or become useless and new disappointments a wait now days with every grow it seems like. I'm sure something will catch me out at some point with a monster stretch. Good Luck!

 

[Zzzax]

Mars Hydro link is cool.

Personally I use my tents to get them started and when they reach a maximum height based on light distance, I move the fifteen gallon pots to the "big room" under HPSs' and CornCob LEDS.
The one time I did flower in the tents it went well.
As stated, flip them when you think you still have room to stretch.
That our modern LED can be adjusted so well means we can keep stretch down. They stretch for two reasons. One to get into the air flow to either send or receive pollen or two: trying to reach better lights before they then put all their energy into reproduction.
As stated, SCROG is one way to have more--better.
Otherwise there is always the lovely green tape.
I actually measured light distance this year and also followed recommended light settings. I have the Mars Hydro 3000 circa 2022. I have good things to say about them.

 

[OldSchoolest]

Just seem too short still since I tipped to aggressively ha ha.

I guess we’ll see what happens!

Gonna flip in two days…

Stay tuned!

 

[OldSchoolest]

Now I’m just trying to decide if I want to keep any of the secondary branches coming off the mains!