Positioning different sized plants in tent

[Puckhound]

Hello everyone! First time grower and first time on the forum

I've got 4 plants of the same white widow strain, 5 weeks into veg, in my 4x4 tent. It's hard to tell from the picture, but plants #1 and #4 are considerably larger than #2 and #3. My plan is to scrog them, but before doing so wonder if I should change the way they're arranged in the tent.

Once I install the screen (currently building it with PVC pipe etc.), the bigger ones will immediately occupy more space when the tucking begins.

So my question is -- Should I re-position the bigger sisters adjacent to each other, or leave them "kitty corner" to one another as they are now?

Thanks!

 

[BryanOconner]

Looking food . Why not place the smaller plants on some books so on to get equal height .
And keep in mind your plants will stretch double in size in flower . To be sure you have enough room.
And this is growing nicely for you . But in the summer you will have to keep the water cool you will get root rot .

 

[Cannaburg]

I am using a 3 gallon stock pot to raise 1 of my plants....

Also if you have like 4 or 6 inch pvc pipe/tubing.... you can also cut that into different sized risers...

I would not recommend books as they will get wet and create mold

 

[Puckhound]

Looking food . Why not place the smaller plants on some books so on to get equal height .
And keep in mind your plants will stretch double in size in flower . To be sure you have enough room.
And this is growing nicely for you . But in the summer you will have to keep the water cool you will get root rot .

Thanks for responding! I should have mentioned I'm using Autopot self-watering pots and can't raise them more than maybe an inch or risk losing water pressure to the trays. Hence why I'm wondering if a more strategic lateral placement can compensate for vertical growth.

 

[Puckhound]

I am using a 3 gallon stock pot to raise 1 of my plants....

Also if you have like 4 or 6 inch pvc pipe/tubing.... you can also cut that into different sized risers...

I would not recommend books as they will get wet and create mold

Thank you JK! Unfortunately I can't raise the pots because I'm using the Autopot self-watering system that depends on gravity to fill the trays underneath (my bad, I should have mentioned that). I was just wondering if there is a more efficient way I can arrange the plants laterally to account for their different heights. Orrrrr, am I overthinking it??

 

[Natep]

Top it all to one height. Make one even canopy with as many tops as possible

 

[3cats]

Hello everyone! First time grower and first time on the forum

I've got 4 plants of the same white widow strain, 5 weeks into veg, in my 4x4 tent. It's hard to tell from the picture, but plants #1 and #4 are considerably larger than #2 and #3. My plan is to scrog them, but before doing so wonder if I should change the way they're arranged in the tent.

Once I install the screen (currently building it with PVC pipe etc.), the bigger ones will immediately occupy more space when the tucking begins.

So my question is -- Should I re-position the bigger sisters adjacent to each other, or leave them "kitty corner" to one another as they are now?

Thanks!

View attachment 2083552

I'm in auto pots as well and I think it will catch up after flipping them, I lay mine down to match the lowest plant then throw a net over them to support them as they grow

 

[BryanOconner]

Thank you JK! Unfortunately I can't raise the pots because I'm using the Autopot self-watering system that depends on gravity to fill the trays underneath (my bad, I should have mentioned that). I was just wondering if there is a more efficient way I can arrange the plants laterally to account for their different heights. Orrrrr, am I overthinking it??

Top the taller plants so there the same heigh . Another option.
You should not lose any yield. Bottom of the plant will be popcorn buds anyways
Topping you will yield more . Reason all 4 plants same size . Light will be close to all the plants then just the one . The smaller plants will not be getting all the par from the lights costing you yield .
So best option is topping .

 

[Cannaburg]

I'm in auto pots as well and I think it will catch up after flipping them, I lay mine down to match the lowest plant then throw a net over them to support them as they grow

Third option is learning how to Supercrop to keep an even canopy with out having to top anything

 

[3cats]

Third option is learning how to Supercrop to keep an even canopy with out having to top anything

topping lets my lower branches reach the top, spreads out my plants, they stay shorter and lets me take cuttings from the small lower branches faster than letting them grow un topped. I can top, take cuttings and have my next crop ready to flip from the cuttings when I harvest. Topping has many advantages over super cropping

 

[Puckhound]

Thank you everyone for responding and providing me with suggestions. I have decided to lay down a scrog screen with the four plants in their original position, allow the two bigger plants to spread laterally unhindered (they're already poking through the top), and hope the smaller ones can catch up!

P.S. I did top the plants a couple weeks ago -- worked wonders on two of them (the big ones) but may have been too soon for the little ones, resulting in the size gaps I'm dealing with now.

 

[3cats]

Thank you everyone for responding and providing me with suggestions. I have decided to lay down a scrog screen with the four plants in their original position, allow the two bigger plants to spread laterally unhindered (they're already poking through the top), and hope the smaller ones can catch up!

P.S. I did top the plants a couple weeks ago -- worked wonders on two of them (the big ones) but may have been too soon for the little ones, resulting in the size gaps I'm dealing with now.


View attachment 2084464

You should have that air pump outside of the tent, the roots like cooler air than what is in your tent 68f is what is recommended and you should have back flow valves on them to stop water wicking back to the pump. Next run try and find some black hose or use electrical tape on the clear stuff, light shines down those lines like optic cable and is giving unwanted light to your roots

 

[Puckhound]

Great catch! That detail completely slipped through the cracks of my setup. I did follow the best practice of ensuring the pump is higher that the aquavalves to prevent backflow and hence assumed I had that covered, but yes the pump is pushing ~75F daytime air (pump only runs with lights) to the roots via clear tubing.

It's obviously too late to change the tube length and colour, but will look into the possibility of splicing additional tubing onto the clear stuff so I can move it outside.

 

[3cats]

Great catch! That detail completely slipped through the cracks of my setup. I did follow the best practice of ensuring the pump is higher that the aquavalves to prevent backflow and hence assumed I had that covered, but yes the pump is pushing ~75F daytime air (pump only runs with lights) to the roots via clear tubing.

It's obviously too late to change the tube length and colour, but will look into the possibility of splicing additional tubing onto the clear stuff so I can move it outside.

Black electrical tape works well , rip out 3 ft and attach it length way onto the tubing. The back flow check valves are cheap

 

[damo1107]

Hi there.
Your best bet for level height is first get the net finished and installed. Then set it to the tallest plant. The net will absorb the tallest at that height and the smaller will catch up.
I would keep them diagonal with the tallest having slightly more than a 1/4 of space with the smallest slightly less than a 1/4. This is because to start with #2 + #3 will grow vertical and #1+#4 horizontal into the net.
When you flower you may need a second net (buy one) .

To get them level without the net I suggest tying the tallest branches down, spreading the plant out. Super cropping another option.
You say you have topped the tallest so that's a good start

 

[BryanOconner]

You should put that water pump on top of a fan . It will cool the water just a bit

 

[3cats]

You should put that water pump on top of a fan . It will cool the water just a bit

That's an air pump feeding O2 to the roots, for use with an air dome

 

[BryanOconner]

That's an air pump feeding O2 to the roots, for use with an air dome

thought it was flood and drain. Yeah dwc

 

[Puckhound]

It's been a busy weekend in the tent but I've used many of your fine suggestions to "level the playing field", so to speak.

I initially dismissed the suggestion by BryanOconner and JKash idea of raising pots because I'm running Autopots, but changed my mind and stuck 7" totes under the shorter two. This required re-plumbing some of my Autopot lines and raising the reservoir outside the tent a bit higher, but the watering system is working perfectly so far and all four plants are now at the same level. Great call lads!

Thank you damo1107 for confirming the layout... I kept the larger plants diagonal to one another and occupying more than their one-quarter share of the real estate. Then I slapped down my new DIY screen. I built it with 4-way PVC corner fittings so that I can add additional screens as required.

Thank you 3cats for your suggestions regarding the Airdome air pump... I repositioned it closer to the intake fan so it sucks in cooler air (next run will move it outside the tent). Today I will add electrical tape to the clear air lines and will look into the backflow valves.

Also thanks everyone for all the great training options. I had already topped the plants, and with the scrog screen in place I will begin tucking branches that emerge above it.

I feel I've done all I can to even out the canopy and provide a level playing field for all four contenders -- it's now time for the ladies to step up and occupy as many squares as they can.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Cannaburg]

It's been a busy weekend in the tent but I've used many of your fine suggestions to "level the playing field", so to speak.

I initially dismissed the suggestion by BryanOconner and JKash idea of raising pots because I'm running Autopots, but changed my mind and stuck 7" totes under the shorter two. This required re-plumbing some of my Autopot lines and raising the reservoir outside the tent a bit higher, but the watering system is working perfectly so far and all four plants are now at the same level. Great call lads!

Thank you damo1107 for confirming the layout... I kept the larger plants diagonal to one another and occupying more than their one-quarter share of the real estate. Then I slapped down my new DIY screen. I built it with 4-way PVC corner fittings so that I can add additional screens as required.

Thank you 3cats for your suggestions regarding the Airdome air pump... I repositioned it closer to the intake fan so it sucks in cooler air (next run will move it outside the tent). Today I will add electrical tape to the clear air lines and will look into the backflow valves.

Also thanks everyone for all the great training options. I had already topped the plants, and with the scrog screen in place I will begin tucking branches that emerge above it.

I feel I've done all I can to even out the canopy and provide a level playing field for all four contenders -- it's now time for the ladies to step up and occupy as many squares as they can.

Thanks again everyone!


View attachment 2085394View attachment 2085395

View attachment 2085396

Looking really good.... love the kitty too