First grow, could use help with timeline strategy

[Rama777]

Yo! I’ve got 9 Grimm truffles going here (first grow). I’m on day 13 from sprouting, and day 5 after the first transplant. They’re a cross of Cinderella 99 and White Truffles. I’m in a 3x3 tent with a 400 watt MH, moving to a 600 HPS when appropriate. I’m actually only going to grow 4 of these out in 5 gallon pots of organic soil, which some people definitely do successfully, though I understand plenty of people argue to not do more than 2 in a 3x3 space. In the future I may only do 2, but I’m definitely going to attempt 4 this round.

Anyways, my plan is to top once, SCROG them and hopefully take a cutting from each at some point to start potential mothers (going down to one after I see the results of the grow..).

I’m looking for some advice and tips on what to expect in terms of a pre-flower timeline. Since it will be tight, I imagine I should just too once, probably leaving 3 nodes after doing so, unless someone has any advice for a different topping point for some reason?

I imagine I could do that sometime within the next 7 days?

Next is the question of taking a clone. Do you guys think it’s feasible to get a cutting from each of the 4 plants before switching to flower?

And maybe lastly for the time being, can anyone guess as to a range of time that I can expect between now and when I should flip to flower? I’ll be bending and probably tying things down after topping, hoping to create a good even canopy for the SCROG, but I’m a bit in the dark about knowing what kind of growth I should be looking for before flipping. I’m told these should be about a 2x stretch, but I also don’t know how that works out with the SCROG technique. Is the stretch factor about the same or will it be somewhat reduced by the LST and scrogging.

Okay enough for now, thank you for any advice!!

 

[Dub_City405]

Yes you can clone off those before switching to flower. I suggest taking the cuttings from the bottom before flipping. That's what I do I get like 50 of them every time. Take the bottom 2 or 4 branches from each one. Lollipoppin it sorta. Not to much. But I allow atleast 24 inches before I flip to flower. Sometimes 32. Depending on strain.

 

[Rama777]

Cool. Being a winter grow, I am not concerned about the heat from my air cooled hood. I’m aiming to allow for 20” of space between the hood and the canopy. With the other factors taken into consideration, this will allow for a plant height of 36” from the soil line. If I allow for a 2.5x stretch go be safe (the breeder claims 2x), that would be a touch over 14” tall before the flip. Does that sound about right? Just not sure if the combination of LST and scrogging reduces the stretch factor by any amount?

 

[Imzzaudae]

You need to pick up a 4' led shop light so you have someplace to keep your clones 18-6. I like 2 side buy side.
Mother plants can cover a lot of ground.
This will help you get your mothers.
Or 2 x 4' shop lights side buy side also works very well as your mother gets larger.

 

[Rama777]

I have lots of 4’ T5 ballasts, 4’ LED’s and racks for my vegetable starts. I’m a farmer by trade. Two side by side on 18”x4’ shelves should be good yeah?

 

[JKash]

I definitely feel like your gonna be super crowded...

 

[Rama777]

Yeah that’s what people say about 4 plants in a 3x3, but I’m gonna give it a shot anyways!

 

[JKash]

I do only 4 plants in a 5x5

 

[Imzzaudae]

I have lots of 4’ T5 ballasts, 4’ LED’s and racks for my vegetable starts. I’m a farmer by trade. Two side by side on 18”x4’ shelves should be good yeah?

oh ya

 

[Toohighmyguy]

I'm a stoned dumbass. Did you say, you started 9 plants? Then I see a picture of 8. In a 3x3. And your talking about clones. It looks like you have a good clean setup. But that is a tight setup for 4 nice plants. Unless you're going into flower real soon. You want mother's. You have at least 5 to many for your space. What am I missing? Time to burn another one. Girls look good. Keep growing, growmie

 

[Rama777]

Oh yeah 8 now. I started with 9 and dropped one. I’m going to cull 4 more in another week or so and leave 4 to grow out. Planning to take cuttings from those 4 before flowering to keep a potential mother from the best one. Just not quite sure how big they should be before flipping..

 

[Toohighmyguy]

Why kill 4 to clone? Make no sense unless you're pheno hunting.

 

[Rama777]

Sorry I wasn’t clear enough. I’m taking cuttings from the 4 that I choose to actually grow out.

 

[3cats]

Yeah that’s what people say about 4 plants in a 3x3, but I’m gonna give it a shot anyways!

Hey, I do 4 in a 3x3 without problems & up to 8 in my 5x5 although 6 fits better. Its how you train them that matters. Different strain can fuck you up, Sativa's grow taller in stretch than Indica's do so if you mix strains and flip too late you can easily out grow your space.

6 weeks is a good flip age in the 3x3 any longer you risk cramping. I can go 2 months with 6 girls in my 5x5 and bend them down onto a net if they stretch out too far.

 

[3cats]

Oh yeah 8 now. I started with 9 and dropped one. I’m going to cull 4 more in another week or so and leave 4 to grow out. Planning to take cuttings from those 4 before flowering to keep a potential mother from the best one. Just not quite sure how big they should be before flipping..

I don't keep mothers to continue the strain, I take a cut or 2 off a girl I'm about to flip, flower the donor mother plant and raise her children. 2 months later Mom is ready to harvest and I've 2 month old clones ready to flip. Take cuttings and continue flowering mom and raising the kids and the cycle continues until I tire of the strain and want new genetics.

 

[Rama777]

Nice! That’s not an idea that I’ve thought of. I may do that :)

 

[Rama777]

3Cats, do you have any advice on how many nodes to leave after topping for a 4 plant grow? I’ve been thinking to leave 3, but don’t necessarily have any logic to back that up. I’ve seen a couple of pictures of great 3x3 scrog grows with 4 plants and that’s what I saw on those plants.

 

[3cats]

3Cats, do you have any advice on how many nodes to leave after topping for a 4 plant grow? I’ve been thinking to leave 3, but don’t necessarily have any logic to back that up. I’ve seen a couple of pictures of great 3x3 scrog grows with 4 plants and that’s what I saw on those plants.

I top as needed to keep them short, I don't care where I top just not too early. As plants get bigger they get bigger faster so if you top a small plant it will take longer to recover than topping one that grows an inch or more per day. I depend on your plan to flower as well. If your going to let them veg 2 months then you can top as many times as you want and grow a bush. If you're going to flip at 6 weeks then I'd only top once or twice. I don't like to top within 7 days of flipping, I find I get 2 smaller pine cones where I topped If I wait 7 -10 days after topping they grow branches and stack buds on them