Confused about stretch

Bagmand87

Member
Hi everyone.

In my quest to find out more about stretch and internode spacing, I've got very confused.

When people give advise on how to minimise stretch and encourage a very stout and bushy plant. The first thing is temperature. When the temperature difference between day and night is kept at a minimal, let's say a difference at 5 degrees. The plant should grow more stout with less spacing between the nodes. If you have the correct light setup of course.

Now this is where I get confused.
My setup is a 2x2 closet in my kitchen with a 250 watt hps dual spectrum. In the daytime the temp is about 28-30 Celsius. My window in the kitchen is open at all time, and that results is a nighttime temp at around 18-19 Celsius, and that is a quite big difference.
Despite that. All my plants has grown extremely tight nodes. With 5-8 millimeters between. I'm currently at my 4th grow.

At first I thought is wad bad, but then ofc I learned that it was a good thing.

Im not complaining. I just don't understand why my plants grow so stout, when I hear about other growers who have better setups than me, and still have very stretchy plants.

Bagmand out//
 
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Bagmand87

Member
Genetics! Some stretch very little, some stretch a lot. Also your grow conditions can have affect, light,temps ect.... Sativa Dom plants tend to stretch the most.
Well, I know that lights and temp play a big role. That's pretty much what I described my post if you have read it....?
 

Bagmand87

Member
I just think it's weird. Everybody says the best way is to manage temps. Mine is so far from each other, but still very stout. All my 12 plants has grown this way. Most of them was different strains.

But I can't complain about how they grow ;-)
 

toaster struedel

Well-Known Member
Well, I know that lights and temp play a big role. That's pretty much what I described my post if you have read it....?
Yup I read it and my answer was genetics. I said other factors are to be taken in consideration. 12 plants are a lot under a 250w light. I do 8 under 2 600w hps . How big are they when you start flowering.
 

Machiavelli_719

Active Member
Genetics, genetics and more genetics I've had a kush strain that only stretched about 8 inches and a sour diesel that stretched over double the plants size when I put it into flower. Plus different phenos can grow differently it's almost a crap shoot untill you grow it IMO. If your limited in space your best option is scrog, lst, or more plants and a sog method, untill you know how the strain will react to flower.

-Machiavelli
 

DesertGrow89

Well-Known Member
Y
Hi everyone.

In my quest to find out more about stretch and internode spacing, I've got very confused.

When people give advise on how to minimise stretch and encourage a very stout and bushy plant. The first thing is temperature. When the temperature difference between day and night is kept at a minimal, let's say a difference at 5 degrees. The plant should grow more stout with less spacing between the nodes. If you have the correct light setup of course.

Now this is where I get confused.
My setup is a 2x2 closet in my kitchen with a 250 watt hps dual spectrum. In the daytime the temp is about 28-30 Celsius. My window in the kitchen is open at all time, and that results is a nighttime temp at around 18-19 Celsius, and that is a quite big difference.
Despite that. All my plants has grown extremely tight nodes. With 5-8 millimeters between. I'm currently at my 4th grow.

At first I thought is wad bad, but then ofc I learned that it was a good thing.

Im not complaining. I just don't understand why my plants grow so stout, when I hear about other growers who have better setups than me, and still have very stretchy plants.

Bagmand out//
There are a lot of variables including strain and the height/intensity of your light. Topping slows down vertical growth too.
 

Dumme

Well-Known Member
I use the term, "necking". Think of a bunch of short, fat kids competing over the same peice of cake that's over head, a little out of reach. Each branch is trying to get every ounce of light. I find that, light is the main factor in this, not the genome; although that would play a roll too. If the maximum "PAR" is obtained by each leaf of each branch, necking, or, the growth of the space between nodes, is minimal. I see a lot more necking when the distance between net cups is closer. (I once had a sea of green - 79 plants - all in a 2in ×2in space. No more than 16in tall and yielding 7oz) was my cubic foot per yield record for smallest plants.

...but I'm just a dumme
 
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Bagmand87

Member
Yup I read it and my answer was genetics. I said other factors are to be taken in consideration. 12 plants are a lot under a 250w light. I do 8 under 2 600w hps . How big are they when you start flowering.
I don't have 12 under one light. Only 4 at a time :-) I've grown 4 plants 3 times. I'm on my 4th grow.
But thanks for answering. I guess it's the genetics. But it's fine by me. Then I don't have to worry about stretch :-) I have 210 cm in there, so height shouldn't be a problem. But they will never get that big. They are about 30 cm when I flip.
 

tstick

Well-Known Member
The "first" thing is NOT temperature differential. That may be a small factor -if at all…I have found that plants generally enjoy a differential between light's on and lights off. In this regard, marijuana is quite hearty and suffers very little unless the temps are just way too hot or cold to begin with.

A genetically-bushy-growing plant will be just that…But if you want to make a taller, stretchier strain behave, then the "first thing" you need to consider is some kind of training technique -such as LST, mainlining, fimming, etc.
 

tstick

Well-Known Member
yeah…except that if you put several different strains under that bluer light, then some of the plants will still stretch more than others. It's all relative to the "nature" of the genetics of the plant when all other "nurture" conditions are equal.
 

ZaraBeth420

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone.

In my quest to find out more about stretch and internode spacing, I've got very confused.

When people give advise on how to minimise stretch and encourage a very stout and bushy plant. The first thing is temperature. When the temperature difference between day and night is kept at a minimal, let's say a difference at 5 degrees. The plant should grow more stout with less spacing between the nodes. If you have the correct light setup of course.

Now this is where I get confused.
My setup is a 2x2 closet in my kitchen with a 250 watt hps dual spectrum. In the daytime the temp is about 28-30 Celsius. My window in the kitchen is open at all time, and that results is a nighttime temp at around 18-19 Celsius, and that is a quite big difference.
Despite that. All my plants has grown extremely tight nodes. With 5-8 millimeters between. I'm currently at my 4th grow.

At first I thought is wad bad, but then ofc I learned that it was a good thing.

Im not complaining. I just don't understand why my plants grow so stout, when I hear about other growers who have better setups than me, and still have very stretchy plants.

Bagmand out//
All other things being equal, using a 24/0 veg light schedule will help prevent stretch. But plants will still stretch some when you flip to 12/12.

24/0 plants grow faster as well.
 

DesertGrow89

Well-Known Member
All other things being equal, using a 24/0 veg light schedule will help prevent stretch. But plants will still stretch some when you flip to 12/12.

24/0 plants grow faster as well.
24/0 will prevent stretch? Source? I doubt a plant that grows faster will stretch less.
 

Bagmand87

Member
I like to give my plants a dark period of 6 hours. 24/0 is very unnatural for the plants, and I don't belive it's good for any living being to never get some rest.

My plants has startet stretch a little bit more. It's totally fine though, and really it is what I wanted. I my opinion, a too stout and bushy plant can prevent light pennetration and airflow.
 
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