LST'd Myself Into A Tangled Mess

[Pbass]

So this is my first plant (4 weeks old today), I've got more than I can probably keep brewing about 2 weeks behind. Im way more into the journey than the destination, so since I have backup (all feminized) I decided to play a bit of bonzai with it as you can see. I lost (broke) one big top fan leaf this morning, other than that everything but a top (about 4 days ago) is all there.

Now I have a tangled mess! It sure is healthy but this little LA Confidential is stocky! I topped it about 4 days ago, now I have like 9 branches all bunched up in the middle. It looks like alot of fighting for space, but everyone seems healthy.

With that said, my questions are:

1. How/when will I know if I need to be thinning out the herd?
2. Can you have too many potential bud sights too early?
3. When do fan leaves become more a shade problem than a power generation benefit?

Thanks for looking, any advice anyone might be able to give me on my little monster would be much appreciated.

CHeers!

PB

 

[Scrizzly]

She will be fine. Just let it grow. Too many bud sites won’t be a problem. I’m assuming this is Photoperiod correct? Just give it some time to branch out before flipping. Showing some signs of stress by the looks of the leaves but trust me I’ve had worse looking plants turn into monsters!

 

[Pbass]

Thanks @Scrizzly it is photoperiod. There's been a bit of stress...I've had this poor thing staked to the ground all over the place. You're advice is way to simple and logical for my obsessive behavioral problems, but I'm going to give it a try and give her a break from my meddling.

 

[Carcass]

The main stem looks a bit big to bend anymore,so if the goal here is to keep her short,you need to start tying those branches down.
If you're done with LST,then leave her as is,and let her do her own thing-those branches will spread out,and you'll have a plant with 9 tops that will probably not get quite as tall as the others.

In my opinion,there's no such thing as too many potential bud sites

 

[Captain Cannabis]

I agree, let her grow out a little more, and then you'll really see what your options will look like. Plus, it'll give you plenty of thinkin' time! Ha!

 

[Pbass]

I did start a grow journal, but I started the question here so I thought I'd share an update and get your opinion on my tangled mess now...10 days later it's a bigger tangled mess!

Pulling those branches out

Main shoots are super thick!

Am I getting close? This is day 38. She's definitely a low rider, only about 8" from the soil. I have no clue what to expect for vertical growth after I flip, I'd like to keep her under 24" at the end...am I on the right track?

 

[Old Salt]

Am I getting close? This is day 38. She's definitely a low rider, only about 8" from the soil. I have no clue what to expect for vertical growth after I flip, I'd like to keep her under 24" at the end...am I on the right track?

Follow the stem, from the soil to the furthest tip. How long is it? You can expect that to to at least double for an Indica, or triple for a Sativa during the stretch. You can continue to train your plant for the first week or two after you flip to 12/12, to enter the stretch. There are no guarantees as to how tall your plant will get. Knowing this, it's up to you. You can flip any time you want.

 

[Captain Cannabis]

I think you're on the right track with trying to train this beast. Old Salt provided a big tip, as to what you can expect soon. Just keep 'em separated as best you can, and get the light in there.

 

[Pbass]

@Old Salt that is a awesome info, I my brain needed a rough estimate/guidline! thank you for your help as usual. It's about 8-9 inches from dirt to furthest tip, . My younger plants are just shy of 4 weeks old, maybe I should plan on turning them soon after they hit a month old. Would flipping so soon be adviseable or am I going to hurt my yield? Not that I care that much about yield, but I don't want to end up with like a quarter ounce or something!

Would I be lollypopping a plant this low or would I be better off just letting it flip as it is with all the extra growth? I have about 8-9 main stems, various offshoots and lots of leaves. Everyone is in everyone else's way at least a little!

It seems like the starting them up and getting them to thrive part hasn't taken too much talent...seems like this stage where it gets complex and some subjective decisions need to be made. I'm not quite sure of the timing and protocol at this point and my reading and studying hasn't given me a clear vision of what should come next or when!

 

[Carcass]

There does come a time when you've got to "take off the training wheels" and let
her do her own thing,and you're getting close,but I wouldn't do it just yet.
She's not a tangled mess-she looks just like she should at this point.
You know,you can also LST those branches sideways,to get them out of the shade.
You may already be doing this,but hard to tell from the pics

 

[Pbass]

Thanks guys, I'm definitely trying trying to run those arms out laterally, and it's working, you just can't tell...I need bigger stakes, she keeps pulling them up! Oh and here's a cool little oddity I think you guys might get a kick out of...she's got a tat!

 

[Old Salt]

Growing indoors you should get 1/2 oz or more per sq ft of canopy for your first grow, providing the plant gets the light and nutrition it needs. My first harvest was 5/8 oz per sq ft.

During veg I keep all the leaves unless they are shaded or shading other growth. During this period the leaves are the factories that spur the plant's growth. I remove any unwanted side shoots. Other than topping and training that's all I do.

During flowering, I just make sure the bud sites get light, and remove any leaves that have turned color, and droop. During this phase, think of the leaves as warehouses, holding the material needed to fatten the buds. As they empty, they turn color and droop, eventually falling off the plant.

At this point, you need to decide how you will finish growing your plant. Are you going to put it under a screen, and grow it as a ScrOG? Perhaps you'll let it grow taller, and support the stems. How will you support them? Tomato cages? Plant supports? Plant yoyos? When you know this, we can offer advise on how to go from here.

 

[Pbass]

At this point, you need to decide how you will finish growing your plant. Are you going to put it under a screen, and grow it as a ScrOG? Perhaps you'll let it grow taller, and support the stems. How will you support them? Tomato cages? Plant supports? Plant yoyos? When you know this, we can offer advise on how to go from here.

OMG finish growing my plant? Supporting budding stems? Is this like a fairy tale or something? I've barely just wrapped my pea brain around these amazing things actually growing in MY HOUSE! I never even imagined a finished product. Ok, 2 puffs from my onie bat bong then ponderation to commence!

 

[Pbass]

During veg I keep all the leaves unless they are shaded or shading other growth. During this period the leaves are the factories that spur the plant's growth. I remove any unwanted side shoots. Other than topping and training that's all I do.

Ok as I ponder and fuss, I am wondering about some specifics here that Mr Salt is alluding to during the veg period. Are these such leaves that are shaded that should be removed? I count 6 with three fingers or less I think I could part with beneficially:

Are these unwanted shoots? I have many of varying lengths. A couple all the way to the canopy, but they are not getting very good exposure there due to all the other leaves:

If I were to remove those shoots, would their corresponding leaves at those nodes be removed also? There are a bunch of these. I would assume they'd make nice clones!

Thanks again for your help and patience with a new kid! Cheers!