Woodsman's Northern Light #5 Grow

[Woodsman]

I've done them down to about half way but in veg they are still pliable down to at least that level. When you squeeze it you'll know right away if its pliable. If you have to get the vise grip out to crush it, don't! LOL! I also supercrop a plant more than once it it heads off in an unexpected direction or I screwed up my planning.

Thanks MC, I was just up there before I read your post and checked them just the way you said. LOL. They're pretty hard down where I had planned on pinching them, so I think that I will have to revise my thinking! I will do some of them today in fact, but above the halfway point. I'll take some before and after pics also. Post them later today.

 

[MostlyCrazy]

It will take practice but you get good once you do it a couple of times. Sort of like the finger snap bra trick ( sorry ladies - it's a guy thing). Think before you bend them as to which direction you want them to fall. Have them fall to cover an open space. Once you crack it on the four sides is when you have the option.

 

[Woodsman]

It will take practice but you get good once you do it a couple of times. Sort of like the finger snap bra trick ( sorry ladies - it's a guy thing). Think before you bend them as to which direction you want them to fall. Have them fall to cover an open space. Once you crack it on the four sides is when you have the option.

I get practice by breaking my plants by mistake! I've done it many times. Dropping the pot or carrying the pot from one side of the porch to the other and bumping into something! But never left it that way, I've always just wrapped duct tape a few time around the broken area. later when I harvest, I'd see a huge knot were it broke!

 

[HealingKronic]

hey wood i think you could get away with the bending your talking about if you do it gradually over a couple days. you can tell when your really pushing it and when it might break... if it breaks no worries, it will survive the stress!

 

[Woodsman]

Update @ Three Weeks 'Crimping'

Reason:
To produce more tops, forming an fairly even canopy on each plant. Because I don't have a powerful lighting system, I get poor light penetration into the lower part of the plant. By crimping and bending the upper portion over, I will have more bud sites at the top of the plant rather than one large cola at the top. With the all the budding sites located at, or near the top of the plant, I will be utilizing my limited lighting to it's maximum potential.

This afternoon I took Plants #1 #2 and #3 and did the 'Bend' on them. Plants #4 and #5 are still too small and will be done at a later time.

Up till now I have been slowly encouraging lower growth on the four largest plants (#5 has not). I've done this by tying down the tops of the plants (with kite string) on alternate days.

I had originally thought to crimp and bend the plants over very low down on the main stem. After listening to advise by some of you and reading about it here on 420, I've decided against bending them so low down on the stem. What I've done instead is to pinch the main stem on each of the three plants about 2/3rds of the way up from the ground and bend the tops from there.

Some pics below:

Group Shot (before anything has been done)

Plant #1 (after crimping main stem)

Close up of the crimp of #1 (center of pic)

Plant #2 (prior to crimping)

Plant #2 (after crimping)

Close up of crimp in #2 (center of pic)

Plant #3 (prior to crimping)

Plant #3 (after crimping)

Back in the Tent (lights have been raised for pic)

All Done!
(left front #5, back left #2, center #1, front right #4, back right #3) Lighting: 100w MH in the center, four 26 w daylight CFL's on each side. Notice my beautiful homemade light reflector (LOL) and my extensive use of duct tape! By the way, I use the empty water jug to push back the side of the tent away from the lights.

Comments are more than welcome!

 

[Woodsman]

hey wood i think you could get away with the bending your talking about if you do it gradually over a couple days. you can tell when your really pushing it and when it might break... if it breaks no worries, it will survive the stress!

Hey HK, I didn't see your post till I was done posting the update!

I had no issues with the crimping at all. Everything went very easy. It took longer to load the update! LOL. Perhaps I'll see additional areas that I can crimp as the plant settles.

The smaller two plants, I'll do in a few days or so.

 

[Hypo Hippy]

hey woods ur plants look great,i may have said before i have tried some lst,ing it surprised me how quick they responded.lol--hh

 

[Woodsman]

hey woods ur plants look great,i may have said before i have tried some lst,ing it surprised me how quick they responded.lol--hh

No kidding about them responding quickly. I'll be checking the plants in a few to make sure theyre not growing into the lights!

Saw your question on your thread concerning the correct distance from the canopy for a 400w bulb.. I don't know myself other than place your hand under and judge by how warm it is. Others visiting me here may be able to give you a better answer. Anyone help Hypo Hippy?

 

[Leave Weaver]

hey woods, jus droppin in to see how your ladies are, lookin beautiful i do say, your LST job looks like a success +reps if i can

 

[C5Rftw]

They are growing fast man, good job!

 

[Woodsman]

hey woods, jus droppin in to see how your ladies are, lookin beautiful i do say, your LST job looks like a success +reps if i can

Thanks Leave, I'll be going up to check them out in a few to make sure nothing is growing into the lights.

They are growing fast man, good job!

Thanks C5

 

[MountainHigh]

The girls are looking great bro, keep up the good work training them. they don't seem to mind.

I like the tops building up.

brother. +rep

 

[Woodsman]

The girls are looking great bro, keep up the good work training them. they don't seem to mind.

I like the tops building up.

brother. +rep

Thanks for the love brother, My little girls maybe related to yours. They love being strapped down!

 

[MostlyCrazy]

Great Job! I may try tying mine down for fun! LOL!

On the question of light distance from the canopy, the standard for a 400 is 1'. Max lumens with max effective spread. You can play around with that height a little if you vent the reflector. Should be cool to the touch for that to happen. I've seen them in the 8" range but it narrow the spread so it you have a lot of plants under one light you need to consider that.

 

[Ugwad]

Hey Woodsman, your plants look great! How old are they?

I'm glad you got that FIM tutorial before you got to 12/12. Keep up the good work!

 

[Velodrone]

Woodsman my man, those are looking very nice. Crimping huh, I always thought that was Supper Cropping? Whatever it is they look very nice. Keep it up man. How much longer before you throw them into flower?

 

[Hypo Hippy]

Woodsman....nice job man! Those plants look nice. When you say crimping, does that mean pulling them down with the strings or what? I like it and will definitely be following your grow.

 

[Woodsman]

Great Job! I may try tying mine down for fun! LOL!

On the question of light distance from the canopy, the standard for a 400 is 1'. Max lumens with max effective spread. You can play around with that height a little if you vent the reflector. Should be cool to the touch for that to happen. I've seen them in the 8" range but it narrow the spread so it you have a lot of plants under one light you need to consider that.

MC, come and join the bondage crew! LOL

Hey Woodsman, your plants look great! How old are they?

I'm glad you got that FIM tutorial before you got to 12/12. Keep up the good work!

Ugwad thanks for coming over. the oldest ones are just over three weeks and the younger ones are just under. So three week avg.

Woodsman my man, those are looking very nice. Crimping huh, I always thought that was Supper Cropping? Whatever it is they look very nice. Keep it up man. How much longer before you throw them into flower?

I guess it's part of supercropping. Crimping, like in pinching. Then a bend but only once on the main stem.

I'd say in two weeks I'll go 12/12 give or take a few days. I'm waiting for the two little ones to grow a little more so they also can get 'crimped'

Woodsman....nice job man! Those plants look nice. When you say crimping, does that mean pulling them down with the strings or what? I like it and will definitely be following your grow.

Thanks hypo hippy
Prior to today's work I was pulling the top down with the string, letting light get deeper inside. This gave me some good growth underneath the canopy. Today I crimped the main stem about 2/3rds of the way up and then bent the top part down to the side making the undergrowth part of the canopy. The string is now being used to hold the old top down. Now instead of just one top, I'll have several.

Did you see Mostly Crazy's advise above on the 400w. That's for you my friend.

 

[Woodsman]

Just a post work update.

I went up and checked the plants a couple times since earlier. The first time I had a fan leaf turned into one of the CFL's. No damage but I raised all the CFL's. Second time up the plants looked terrific! Things were literally turning up! I also did a little coaxing of my own with the 'old tops' by pulling them clear of some of the large fan leaves. So they are right alongside of the new tops. Also raised the lights a little more since I'll be asleep when the lights go on again in the morning. Sunday they were all fed (#5 was fed a few days before) so they are experiencing a good growth spurt on top of everything else!

 

[Here To Learn]

Isn't it great to see them growing up?