More plants vs Less plants for LST

MoreThanPot

Member
Yo everyone,

I have a fairly easy question to that I wanted some opinions on.

I am flipping to 12/12 today. Currently I have 5 plants in 7gal pots in a 3’x4’ tent. Grow is great, no problems there. Canopy is completely full utilizing only LST, all top nodes have been kept very even thus far.

My question is if a person could expect better results removing 1 of the 5 plants to be able to LST further and create a little more space between branches? Effectively allowing for more light to make a more complete stacked cola.

Thanks in advance if anyone even responds lol.
 

StareCase

Well-Known Member
... if a person could expect better results removing 1 of the 5 plants to be able to LST further and create a little more space between branches ...
Look further into SCROG (Screen Of Green) method.

SCROG's are form of LST - you spread the vegging branches laterally by weaving them through a mesh to totally cover your grow area. Once your netting is covered in plant material, flip to flower.

SCROG's usually need to veg a bit longer to allow for that lateral growth - but the benefits of a SCROG is that it can give you lots of tops and it can keep the canopy much more even.

You then do a little lollipopping around the middle of Week 4 or even early in Week 5 of flower. Lollipopping clears out the larfy stuff that's not gonna get you much. Weak and/or small branches, that growth below the net ... clean that shit out. The larger branches get a bit more light and the plant doesn't spend time and energy trying to develop that weak stuff.

In a 3 x 4, you could do 4 plants with each one covering an area of 1.5' x 2'
 

MoreThanPot

Member
Hey there,

Yup I have done SCROG in the past, doing just LST now so I can keep the plants mobile. Scrog vs LST is mostly just preference really. You can accomplish the same things, just perhaps a little easier. My canopy is the exact same as when I flower with a screen, minus the fact I can’t rotate or move pots!

SCROG you would hit the same issue really, I’m just wondering peoples thoughts on more light to individual buds vs multiple buds in the same area.
 

StareCase

Well-Known Member
... doing just LST now so I can keep the plants mobile ...
OK ... didn't know you've done a SCROG before. Yes, the downside of using screens is the limited mobility.

Now ... while I can't rotate them, I can move my plants around after they've been woven through the netting. I am able to weave them while they are in my veg area then move the whole shebang into the flower area.
 

MoreThanPot

Member
Your saying you pull them out of the netting to move them??? Seems scary haha!

But yea, SCROG was how I first started growing. Great way to get good results. I play around with my plants a lot now and being able to pull plants out and trim/feed/water & rotate pots is pretty essential in my eyes now.
 

StareCase

Well-Known Member
... Your saying you pull them out of the netting to move them??? ...
Nope. I move the entire thing. The bucket ... the plant ... and the netting still strung into the frame. It all goes as one piece from veg to flower.

By the time you are ready to flip, the woven branches have enough strength to hold the frame and net while they are in transit. I use 3/4" wood trim as my frame which has very little weight. Each plant gets it's own 2' x 2' netting so it is easier to move them independently. If I need to, I can move them around once they are in flower. So far, I haven't needed to.

Notabene - I'll move everything before I water cause dry buckets are easier. It's rather remarkable how much one 5 gallon pail of damp soil weighs.
 

MoreThanPot

Member
Not a bad idea at all give each its own trellis. I’ll remember that idea for sure. Using a tent makes that a bit tricky for now, but pretty soon I’ll be finishing framing out my basement so I’ll be making a dedicated room. Tents are easy, but definitely don’t allow for customization like building your own box or room.

And I guess if you wanted to theoretically you could pull it out and rotate the entire thing since they are 2’x2’. Pretty neat idea in reality.
 

StareCase

Well-Known Member
... Not a bad idea at all give each its own trellis ... And I guess if you wanted to theoretically you could pull it out and rotate the entire thing since they are 2’x2’. Pretty neat idea in reality ...
Thank you. And it's working very well. In small tents, you gotta maximize your grow space so I gotta go from corner to corner. I have not had to move them once they are in the bloom tent ... but I would think that after about Week 6, you might wanna leave them be. Late in flower would be a bit tougher with the weight of the tops.
 

StareCase

Well-Known Member
... Only two plants ...
Exactly why I am a fan of SCROG's. Pretty healthy yields with minimal plants.
... the main one is gonna be a beast gonna let her go for a while ...
Probably not going to be too much longer. She has that "close to finished look" about her. Another 10 - 14 days you figure?
... the second one I kinda pissed off ...
Leaves are definitely more yellowed than the "beast". But I bet you'll still end up with some pretty good bud from her.
 

Gond00s

Well-Known Member
Exactly why I am a fan of SCROG's. Pretty healthy yields with minimal plants.

Probably not going to be too much longer. She has that "close to finished look" about her. Another 10 - 14 days you figure?

Leaves are definitely more yellowed than the "beast". But I bet you'll still end up with some pretty good bud from her.
yeah I see shes finishing up I checked the trichs and they were mostly clear so I think shes got time at this point im letting them just finish what they got in their res I might top it up with another 100 ppm of p/k but their really wanting to eat pk rn surprisingly but after this top up they aint getting no more they go thru a res like atleast once a week if more
 

hillbill

Well-Known Member
I do lots of little plants LSTed to their small pot rims which is fun and obscenely productive for me but it requires lots of seeds so I chuck around some. SOG can definitely work. Flat canopy fan here.
 

StareCase

Well-Known Member
... I do lots of little plants LSTed to their small pot rims which is fun and obscenely productive for me but it requires lots of seeds so I chuck around some. SOG can definitely work. Flat canopy fan here ...
So do you end up with a whole bunch of plants that look like little Saguaro cactii when they are done?
 

T macc

Well-Known Member
You'd get similar yields whether you did all 5 plants or 4. Since your tent is already full, 5 plants will grow a lot of leaves, covering budgies of neighboring plants; lighter, maybe almost popcorn buds. 4 plants would allow the buds to get bigger, since there's light reaching down more
 
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