Outdoor Stretching. What will be the end result?

[Ndodson79605]

Okay. So here's my deal. I've been growing a couple G13's outdoors for a while now. They're in 5 gallon buckets and looking healthy as can be. My problem is that the branching isn't tight at all. I don't have pics to post yet, so I apologize for those who need them as a reference point. I brought them out a week after I was supposed to for this region, and I was wondering if that could be it. They were under 300w of CFL before and they looked tight. I mean, the one I topped isn't so bad, but my bigger one (it's just over 2 feet), is stretchy. Not too bad, but I was wondering, when they go into flowering (which where I live, the time is pretty much now. I've already spotted the calyxes indicating they're in pre-flower.), will it be a big dramatic loss of overall yield? I am gonna have to probably post pics to help everyone help me, but I was wondering if anyone had any similar issues and could give me some insight. They get fed well, and the stalk on the big one is about as fat as a Dry Erase marker. Just worried I'm gonna have a lot of plant and only a little flower.
Any help would be appreciated, and tomorrow I will try to get a picture or 2 posted. Thanks everyone!

 

[Magic Rabbit]

Ive had a similar problem this year. Im curious myself. Kinda hoping some one will shed the light for us.

 

[Laney]

It's normal for them to stretch quite a bit at the end of veg, beginning of flower. Depends on the strain. They are programmed to do that to catch pollen. I tied down a few that were getting ridiculous (LST). I don't believe it interferes with yield. Just keep an eye on them so you can help with support when they get heavy. Consider switching to your flowering nutes depending on where you are and how your girls are progressing.

 

[FresnoFarmer]

if they have already been stretched through the whole grow then you will have hella skimpy buds......but if they are barely stretching then they will tighten up in a week or two and you will have nice chunky buds(taking into consideration the care you give them and amount of sunlight they receive)

 

[zubey91]

yeah stringy and airy buds. no weight

 

[Laney]

Don't worry about it - last week I had a big stretch but they're already filling in. Just use some high P ferts and you'll be fine. I'm using Indonesian bat guano. LST helps keep the plants busy, so if you are not already doing that, I highly recommend it.

 

[Ndodson79605]

Thanks everyone for the input. Magic Rabbit has a picture that looks like one of my trees. I believe it's number 2 of the set. Mine looks like that. I am still trying to get a picture from my phone, but I can't find the data cable right now. Hopefully in a bit I can find it.

 

[Ndodson79605]

Okay, I've finally managed to get these pics up. The one on the left is the one that I topped a few weeks back, and the one on the right is the bigger of the two. Is that considered stretching for outdoors plants, and is that going to result in a very low yield? Thanks again for all of y'alls help in this.

 

[cindysid]

They look pretty good to me. You probably aren't going to get pounds or anything, but you should have a respectable yield.

 

[Laney]

That second one, in particular, is pretty sparse. You will increase your yield dramatically if you tie them down (LST). It will triple your bud sites.

 

[Ndodson79605]

Okay. So what exactly is LST? Can anyone break it down for me? This is only my 5th grow, and first one outdoors. And my indoor grows needed nothing. Just nutes and light. Thanks again for your help. It's very appreciated.

 

[Ndodson79605]

Okay, so after hours of Googling, I have found out what LST is. It sounds like a great technique, and from what I've gathered, it's a rather simple procedure. But my question now is, would it be okay to do during flowering? Because I'm seeing calyxes now on mine which indicates pre-flower, and I don't want to do anything that will cause too much leaf/bud ratio. From what I know about pruning, is that it's not too great to do during flower, because the plant will focus on leaf generation more than flower development.

 

[FootballFirst]

Okay, so after hours of Googling, I have found out what LST is. It sounds like a great technique, and from what I've gathered, it's a rather simple procedure. But my question now is, would it be okay to do during flowering? Because I'm seeing calyxes now on mine which indicates pre-flower, and I don't want to do anything that will cause too much leaf/bud ratio. From what I know about pruning, is that it's not too great to do during flower, because the plant will focus on leaf generation more than flower development.

yeah, do it. plants may take a day or two to figure out which way to grow. it's harmless.

 

[Ndodson79605]

Thanks. I'm gonna do that tomorrow.

 

[FresnoFarmer]

I HST......fuck LST too much time wasted imo. I could be smoking more weed with all the time I would be spending tying branches down and making adjustments.. but everyone has their own personal preference

 

[Laney]

I HST......fuck LST too much time wasted imo. I could be smoking more weed with all the time I would be spending tying branches down and making adjustments.. but everyone has their own personal preference

It doesn't take that much time (you can really take it as far as you want) and it multiplies the colas like you wouldn't believe. I wish I had known about this years ago. I have several plants where all I did was bend the main stem back and then a week or two later tie back a couple of side branches. A scraggly branch will plump into a bush in one week. I can't get over it!

 

[Laney]

Okay, so after hours of Googling, I have found out what LST is. It sounds like a great technique, and from what I've gathered, it's a rather simple procedure. But my question now is, would it be okay to do during flowering? Because I'm seeing calyxes now on mine which indicates pre-flower, and I don't want to do anything that will cause too much leaf/bud ratio. From what I know about pruning, is that it's not too great to do during flower, because the plant will focus on leaf generation more than flower development.

Just pull the main stem back slowly and any larger side stems. The idea is to make all of the colas at a somewhat level height so there is no main cola hogging all the growth. Don't top during flower.

An easy way to LST (and I did it to several of mine) is to push a tomato cage down on the plant (ideally 2' plamt or less), splaying the branches out. Sort of the opposite of what you would normally do with a tomato cage, lol. I cut down tomato cages to create several rings with the wires coming down. One for each plant. I did this for my ten clones. This was my timesaving shortcut - even FresnoFarmer can spare the 10 or so seconds it takes to install

 

[FresnoFarmer]

It doesn't take that much time (you can really take it as far as you want) and it multiplies the colas like you wouldn't believe. I wish I had known about this years ago. I have several plants where all I did was bend the main stem back and then a week or two later tie back a couple of side branches. A scraggly branch will plump into a bush in one week. I can't get over it!

I prefer snapping stems.....but I'm glad it works for you...keep it up

 

[srh88]

I prefer snapping stems.....but I'm glad it works for you...keep it up

if you find a way that works just stick with it and master it then improvise from there

 

[FresnoFarmer]

if you find a way that works just stick with it and master it then improvise from there

yeah I was accidentally tearing limbs off at first....now it comes more natural.....see a limb tryna escape the canopy.....snap...next lol.