Hello everyone

[Pappa Sunrise]

Hello everyone, I’m new here and a new grower as well. Recreational cannabis was just legalized in Michigan December 6th and that’s right when I decided to start growing. I currently have 4 plants, 2 Mazar and 2 Power Plant. I’m attempting a SCROG for my first grow, things are going well but perhaps a bit slower than i expected. The first picture is my 2 Power Plant under a 600w Viparspectra LED with just the veg switch on and the second picture is my 2 Mazar under a 300w Viparspectra LED that has both blue and red spectrum on continuiously. Each set of plants is in a 32”x32”x60” tent and the seeds were started 11/22/18 . Thanks for looking!

 

[CookieMonster420]

Everything looks good as far as I can tell from the pictures, especially considering that it's your first grow. As far as how fast things are moving I'd say your probably just anxious expecting something to be wrong since it's your first grow, but like I said it looks like you have a handle on things. Are you planning on flipping to flower soon? You should think about starting a grow journal, that way if you do run into any issues someone will be able to look back at what you have going on and give you better advise. Anyway good luck with your grow and if you do need anything don't be afraid to ask.

 

[Pappa Sunrise]

Everything looks good as far as I can tell from the pictures, especially considering that it's your first grow. As far as how fast things are moving I'd say your probably just anxious expecting something to be wrong since it's your first grow, but like I said it looks like you have a handle on things. Are you planning on flipping to flower soon? You should think about starting a grow journal, that way if you do run into any issues someone will be able to look back at what you have going on and give you better advise. Anyway good luck with your grow and if you do need anything don't be afraid to ask.

I want to flip when the screen is a bit more full, the tops haven’t quite reached the screen yet. I topped all 4 plants at about 3 weeks or so and they have about 8-12 tops each now. The branches are super dense with vegetation so I spread them out further yesterday to capture light more efficiently since LEDs don’t have the intensity of other types to penetrate the canopy. They are just over two months old and I have taken pictures whenever I’ve seen noticeable change. Thank you!

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

I want to flip when the screen is a bit more full, the tops haven’t quite reached the screen yet. I topped all 4 plants at about 3 weeks or so and they have about 8-12 tops each now. The branches are super dense with vegetation so I spread them out further yesterday to capture light more efficiently since LEDs don’t have the intensity of other types to penetrate the canopy. They are just over two months old and I have taken pictures whenever I’ve seen noticeable change. Thank you!

Nice job cuz!!. Personally id give em a little defoliation. Probably help get some more upwards growth to them aswell. Try clicking the light up a notch or 2 every now and then aswell to encourage em upwards

 

[Sctanley007]

Your girls look awesome, especially for your first grow. Looks like you did your reading!!!

Agree with a bit of defoliation if you’re comfortable. I left my plants alone my first run out of fear of killing them. Just go slow and study the plant before cutting. Goal is to get both air and light down into the plant.

I personally cut the larger fan leaves and any leaves “going nowhere” and I thin foliage that’s dense and laying on top of each other. I keep this going throughout veg and early flower allowing smaller fans to grow then trimming further if necessary.

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

Your girls look awesome, especially for your first grow. Looks like you did your reading!!!

Agree with a bit of defoliation if you’re comfortable. I left my plants alone my first run out of fear of killing them. Just go slow and study the plant before cutting. Goal is to get both air and light down into the plant.

I personally cut the larger fan leaves and any leaves “going nowhere” and I thin foliage that’s dense and laying on top of each other. I keep this going throughout veg and early flower allowing smaller fans to grow then trimming further if necessary.

Well broke down mate

 

[Pappa Sunrise]

I have been thinking of defoliating but wasn't sure if it would harm or help at this stage. Should I take fan leaves from the top of the plant first to allow the under growth to get more light?

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

I have been thinking of defoliating but wasn't sure if it would harm or help at this stage. Should I take fan leaves from the top of the plant first to allow the under growth to get more light?

Yes my friend. The biggest from the top first then work down. Only the very biggest for now if you are tentitive

 

[Pappa Sunrise]

Yes my friend. The biggest from the top first then work down. Only the very biggest for now if you are tentitive

I appreciate it. I heard plants can grow up to a few inches per day and I haven’t really seen that in these plants, they sort of got to this size and seemingly stopped growing vertically. I did raise my light a few days ago and I’ll take off some of the top fan leaves. Thank you.

 

[Pappa Sunrise]

I went ahead and removed most of the large fan leaves covering the stems. As you can see the undergrowth is very dense on the branches. I think this is why my plants aren’t gaining much vertical height, is this normal?

 

[CookieMonster420]

I went ahead and removed most of the large fan leaves covering the stems. As you can see the undergrowth is very dense on the branches. I think this is why my plants aren’t gaining much vertical height, is this normal?

Defoliating is one of those things where everyone does it a bit different and in time you will figure out your own style of it. Some people hardly take any and some people hardly leave anything, that being said I think you could take a few more throughout the plant and I would remove whats on the very bottom that will get hardly any light in the long run anyway. This will let light hit more important areas and increase airflow through the plant.

It does look a little thick but I wouldn't say it's not normal. I'd rather have it like that than have it stretched way out with hardly any branches. I think your on the right track it just might take a little longer to get where you want them to be. Your best decision was to get on 420mag and get advise/opinions from a few different people. This site has been probably the most important tool for me as a grower.

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

I appreciate it. I heard plants can grow up to a few inches per day and I haven’t really seen that in these plants, they sort of got to this size and seemingly stopped growing vertically. I did raise my light a few days ago and I’ll take off some of the top fan leaves. Thank you.

Sometimes they get to a certain point and thicken up foliage rather focusing on upward growth. Stripping and training isnt just about opening up the plant its about energy distribution. When you take bits away you force the plant to focus energy on other parts of the plant.

 

[CookieMonster420]

When you take bits away you force the plant to focus energy on other parts of the plant.

I've never really heard it explained that way, so I'm sure you have heard the argument when you Defol fan leaves the plant just has to use energy to replace them. In this case that wouldn't be a bad thing because he wants more activity to move upwards rather than filling in the bottom. Am I understanding what you said right?

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

I've never really heard it explained that way, so I'm sure you have heard the argument when you Defol fan leaves the plant just has to use energy to replace them. In this case that wouldn't be a bad thing because he wants more activity to move upwards rather than filling in the bottom. Am I understanding what you said right?

Kind of but new foliage only develops from the tops of branches so when ya take away a leaf it will focus on pushing out more foliage... from the top as such they will grow taller . It will also force the smaller leaves to get bigger in its place. So then you take those ones when they get too big

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

I've never really heard it explained that way, so I'm sure you have heard the argument when you Defol fan leaves the plant just has to use energy to replace them. In this case that wouldn't be a bad thing because he wants more activity to move upwards rather than filling in the bottom. Am I understanding what you said right?

Oh after reading what you said again. Yes you are precisely right lol

 

[Bilbobudkin420]

Its the same as when people take away branches and budsites in flower. You're taking away a bud yes but its low down and wont amount to much. Take it away and the energy will be focused to the buds up closer to the light and help them reach their full potential.
I would not reccomend this for a novice though just making a point. Its always better practice to get that stuff in order before you go to flower lol

 

[CookieMonster420]

Oh after reading what you said again. Yes you are precisely right lol

Lol I liked the way you explained it. Gave me a bit of a different outlook on defoliating and you said it in a way my wacked out brain could understand haha. Thanks bro

 

[Pappa Sunrise]

thanks for all the replies, ill wait another day or two and then take some more leaves from each plant from the bottom and maybe take some of the small leaves so they aren’t as tightly clustered. Thinking about it that’s probably the best way to redirect growth upwards. I may update in a week or so while reading more from other growers here.

 

[Sctanley007]

There’s a YouTube video where the guy explains his technique and likens it to plumbing in a building. That explanation made perfect sense to me. From roots to top how target which leafs and branches aren’t helping the plants overall growth

 

[Pappa Sunrise]

This is how they look now, definitely starting to fill out. I really believe I was stressing them.