Before & After: Bud re-arrangement (LST) during flowering week 6 - did I do the right thing?

[danmac0710]

Hello everyone,
Day 51 of an 8-week-flowering indica-dominant strain (Critical Kush). I posted some pictures of the trichomes a few days ago and most people advised me to leave them 2-3 weeks until I harvest. Looking at 1 bud that I did harvest early just to get some decent macro photos of the trichomes, I could see that the top was pretty ripe-looking but as you went down the bud, inch by inch it got greener and less ripe, with more and more white pistils. I am using cheapo Chinese LED units that are very bright & the plants look healthy, but I am worried that perhaps they don't penetrate the canopy as well as HID would. I also probably tried to cram too many bud-sites into my 3x3 SCROG, as I am just a newbie (2nd grow) and still making plenty mistakes!

In Veg I trained all the plants in slightly different ways to experiment. One plant's colas were pretty spread out already with a good >6 inches between them. The other 2 had many colas all bunched together and there was hardly any light hitting the sides, so I decided to dig out my wire again and bend them over slightly towards the edge, to fill out the screen better and get some light to the lower portions. I also tucked LOTS of fan leaves down into the screen. I only cut off 2 leaves that would not tuck, as I think it might stress the plant out at this crucial time...

I only did this yesterday. It went well apart from getting ridiculously sticky fingers! I licked and licked, then washed and washed and they still stunk all day.... the plants seemed okay at the time and 10 hours later. Do you think I did the right thing? If not, what would you have done? Maybe I should have just waited!

Thanks for your input.

 

[Lordhooha]

View attachment 4125115 View attachment 4125117 Hello everyone,
Day 51 of an 8-week-flowering indica-dominant strain (Critical Kush). I posted some pictures of the trichomes a few days ago and most people advised me to leave them 2-3 weeks until I harvest. Looking at 1 bud that I did harvest early just to get some decent macro photos of the trichomes, I could see that the top was pretty ripe-looking but as you went down the bud, inch by inch it got greener and less ripe, with more and more white pistils. I am using cheapo Chinese LED units that are very bright & the plants look healthy, but I am worried that perhaps they don't penetrate the canopy as well as HID would. I also probably tried to cram too many bud-sites into my 3x3 SCROG, as I am just a newbie (2nd grow) and still making plenty mistakes!

In Veg I trained all the plants in slightly different ways to experiment. One plant's colas were pretty spread out already with a good >6 inches between them. The other 2 had many colas all bunched together and there was hardly any light hitting the sides, so I decided to dig out my wire again and bend them over slightly towards the edge, to fill out the screen better and get some light to the lower portions. I also tucked LOTS of fan leaves down into the screen. I only cut off 2 leaves that would not tuck, as I think it might stress the plant out at this crucial time...

I only did this yesterday. It went well apart from getting ridiculously sticky fingers! I licked and licked, then washed and washed and they still stunk all day.... the plants seemed okay at the time and 10 hours later. Do you think I did the right thing? If not, what would you have done? Maybe I should have just waited!

Thanks for your input.

You should start training well before flowering to maximize your end yield.

 

[danmac0710]

Thank you your advice. I trained all the way through veg, but in the post I describe how I did a little 'tweak' at the end to get more air and light to the lower parts of the big buds. I just bent them outwards with wire. I do write long posts, so I can see why you might just skip-read it. Just trying to give good info to get good info back.

 

[Lordhooha]

Thank you your advice. I trained all the way through veg, but in the post I describe how I did a little 'tweak' at the end to get more air and light to the lower parts of the big buds. I just bent them outwards with wire. I do write long posts, so I can see why you might just skip-read it. Just trying to give good info to get good info back.

I was talking about scrogging well before. Most put up their scrog net right before flipping this way it grows into the net tucking and weaving as it goes this way you can minimize the stress.

 

[Lordhooha]

Once I have buds forming my branches are to thick the be bending around after the fact. Hell the stalks on my last plants were so thick I had to cut with bolt cutters and side branching was cut with tin snips lol.

 

[danmac0710]

Wow, that is some thick branches! Do you grow hydro or in soil? You are right: had I trained them better then there would be no need to do this final bending apart. Plenty to learn in this pastime!

 

[Roger A. Shrubber]

you're doing alright, you realize what you did, and recognize you have to change it next time. that puts you miles ahead of some of the people that have been here a long time...

 

[Lordhooha]

Wow, that is some thick branches! Do you grow hydro or in soil? You are right: had I trained them better then there would be no need to do this final bending apart. Plenty to learn in this pastime!

Both I have two rooms one for hydro and one for soil.