Northern Lights Fem - When to Flip

[Onkruid]

Not so new to growing but new to Northern Lights (Sensi Seeds -feminized) and have absolutely no idea when to go 12/12. They're in week 2 veg in a cabinet with DWC/top drip and are 6" tall. The cabinet ceiling is 32".

The strains I normally grow typically stretch about 3x in flower, but I've read that Northern Lights is a shorter plant and I'm not sure how long I can let it veg. It would be great to gain an idea of how much this strain usually stretches in flower without having to sweat them hitting the roof.

Any experienced advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Onkruid]

Bump... If only because I can't believe no one's familiar with the world's most popular strain.

 

[Papageno]

I read this hours ago and didn't respond because all the info is there. No one will have anything to say because you explained it well. There is nothing to add.

If you know what you are doing and not Scogging you will see it triple in size. You will at least see it double in size. So do the math. look at how high you can set the light. Back off the recommended min distance and measure to you surface and divide by 3. That is how tall you can grow your plant. You appear to know this so no one is replying because there is nothing more to say.

Before you go off assuming we don't understand the question about "the worlds most popular strain" (and Northern lights is no where near the most popular strain...maybe one of the most known but MOST people like white widow way more than NL), you may want to think about the way you phrased it. We are not paid to help and most people on here are not arrogant ego freaks trying to prove they know something. There are tons of questions on here that are messed up and need help and the main people helping can barely keep up with the madness. Your question includes the answer and clearly you need no help so most of the valuable people answering the bulk of the questions are going to move on assuming someone will help you eventually.

 

[Onkruid]

You're pretty much right on there buddy. Looking back at my post it appears that my answer is there, however I didn't know the stretch multiplier with any certainty whatsoever, only the ones of the plants I'm experienced with. Sincere apologies if I wasted any of your time as I do very much appreciate how valuable yours or any grow help is.

With respect to "the world's most popular strain"; of course you're right. I was merely speaking to it's immense popularity, ubiquity, and my disbelief at no one having an answer to a question that I apparently worded poorly with hyperbole.

Your mention of white widow is coincidental with the facts that it's not only one of the strains I'm familiar with growing, but also one that I've enjoyed in the coffee shops of A-Dam for years. My .02 on the matter is this: Both NL and WW are outstanding in their own right... With WW being the day trip and NL being the night.®

I thank you for the priceless info on the stretch. If between 2x and 3x can be considered typical, I'll flip at 18 days.

 

[Papageno]

Well the nice thing about that "rule of thumb" is that it is strain independent. I did not say it will go up 3 feet I said 3x. So if you have a stumpy strain you can grow it longer. If you have a stretchy strain you start it sooner.

Now about 18 days. Cannabis should not be flowered until it is minimum 1 month old. It can be done and of course clones are as old as when the original seed went in the ground. But if you are talking 18 days for the seed you would be better off topping a bit more and letting it get out of its diapers before pushing it through puberty.

 

[Onkruid]

Thanks for the well wishes! Your good and valid points are all appreciated. For brevity I just included the basics and hadn't mentioned that aeroclones with minimum 8" roots that can be flowered nearly immediately are used. This way, when I'm at least moderately familiar with the strains' growth attributes I can pretty much zero in precisely on their height within a couple/few crop cycles. Cuttings have gone 12/12 in as little as 3 days to avoid hitting the ceiling. That early is only the case with a sativa or sativa-dom. Indica and Indica doms have vegged as long as 3 weeks.
All plants are cultivated with an assertive, bastardized AN Connoisseur grand master recipe with a mycorrhizal fungi and CO2. Average yield is 1.2 elbows. The problem set in my growing environment has been painstakingly pared down to a single concern... Plant height, ergo the original post.

The grow cab is a BC Northern Lights Producer, which given it's fixed height is a box with an excess of light for it's volume that allows for pretty tight control once you have a handle on the strain. My personal growing goals are quality, mass, and ease. In that order.

The purpose of my question was to avoid having to deal with tying things down if they get too tall as it's somewhat of a hassle to address in a cab with single-side access.

I had a journal here years ago under a different nom de guerre and was never disappointed by the wealth and breadth of knowledge and the generous nature of the people sharing it. Of all growing resources I consider 420 mag's forum to be the best, hands-down.

Thank you again!

 

[Papageno]

Yeah I have looked into other sites. Too much BS. This is place is full of good people who will help you and not judge you. Well there are jerks everywhere and a ton of trolls but they don't go after the newbs...they go after people like me and I can deal. That is one thing I like here is people are nice to the newbs where as on other sites if you can't prove you already know what you are doing then you get harassed so what's the point? I mean we all have a question from time to time but the bulk of this site is and should be for newbs. And they should be able to ask questions without them feeling ashamed for not having a clue. This place has pretty good community support to kick out the A-holes.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

I thank you for the priceless info on the stretch. If between 2x and 3x can be considered typical, I'll flip at 18 days.

Ye that is about right for the strain even tho i grew the Nirvana version of NL fem...

It should not be a very bushy plant & producing more of a main cola, not the biggest i've had in the past but made up in being dense 'n' tight.

 

[Onkruid]

Great things to hear Fuzzy Duck! It's a luxury to have confirming opinions. I'm sure the apical prominence will form into a more familiar central growth soon, but for now they're short and stout.

Thank you kindly.

 

[Onkruid]

Ending week 1/flower has them more than doubled in height. Very healthy and robust looking with a good appetite and great thirst. Sturdy and lush. It's not hard to see why it's so popular from a growing standpoint. A real pleasure so far.