Need advice with Grape Ape and Purple Kush grow method

I have 2 grape apes on week 8, Both are LST'd and are in soil, 3 gal pots. They stretched about 2x their height in flower, I use chem nutes and they seem to be less nute hungry than my other strain. They don't purp up until about week 8, in 72- 78 degrees F.

I have only done one run with Purple Kush since I only received the cut a few months ago. But from the first run I can tell you I had to remove throughout the grow many fan leaves that shaded the bud sites. I believe if I didn't do this my yield would have suffered drastically. Also I found it beneficial to remove some of the growing shoots from the inside of the plant as she was extremely branchy and I believe this made the canopy buds grow larger. I didn't go crazy, but just a few. She didn't veg very fast so a longer veg time was needed. That sayed, she wasn't terribly slow.

Another thing I read while researching the strain was that this strain in particular needs to be transplanted often as she slows in veg when her roots touch the sides of the pots. This I can't verify from experience but it was a suggestion from a very experience friend so I have no reason to doubt it.

Thats about all I can come up with now, hope it helps and good luck on your grow!

WP

Weeds phobic said:

I had to remove throughout the grow many fan leaves that shaded the bud sites. I believe if I didn't do this my yield would have suffered drastically.

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The fan leaves absorb energy through light to make the plant grow, removing the leaves wouldn't be the best idea if you're concerned about the yield.

natjuicybuds said:

Thanks I have a height limit of 7 1/2-8 feet so I want the plants to veg out so they are thick and large but I don't want them to reach the ceiling like with some of my sativa strains. I want to increase my yield. Does anyone think if I Supercrop or Low stress train a few it will be beneficial?

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LSTing or supercropping would be beneficial for a higher yield with fewer plants. I prefer LST do to less stress on the plant and a faster recovery time.

Running purple kush currently. Don't remove fan leaves. They feed your plant. PK also doesn't get very tall. Here is a pic from last winters grow Two on the left were topped. One on the right left alone. Topped plants outproduced other by a third at harvest.

Removing fan leaves on a plant that is not very leafy is not a good idea, you are right. But in the case of Purple Kush it seems to help out quite a bit. I don't go overboard removing leaves and you should never do that no matter how leafy she is, but a few every few days won't hurt.

The way I see it is the plants grow more leaves than needed because of the fact that there are storms, rain, insects ect. that kill the leaves and the plant is genetically prepared for this. Inside hardly a leaf goes missing so some can be selectively spared. You do need leaves as they transfer the lights energy, but most of the time all are not needed and freeing some buds from shade is great for flower production. I have done side by side grows with the same clone to see what the finish yield would be like. The plant that I removed some of the leaves performed much better. Obviously strain related.

I understand this is a highly controversial subject, but from what I have seen it works for me.

WP

In your earlier post you said you removed many of the fan leaves. Here's one with no fans removed. Probably a 4 or 5 zip plant.

Sorry, I should have not used the word 'many', my bad. I never remove many, just a few during flower every few days. I agree 100 percent some people strip a plant and this is not beneficial. But I do believe some removal to be good. By looking at your picture I can see why you wouldn't want to remove leaves. Yours seemed to stretch some, mine doesn't. Also I had much more dense foliage.

I also find purple kush to be a great yielder. I got six ounces from each plant give or take. Although I am sure we have different phenos.

WP

I agree with pruning lower branches before switch. Concentrating growth to top colas. Here's another that won't fit out of the room anymore. No fans removed. Probably 6 or 7 zips.

Weeds phobic said:

Sorry, I should have not used the word 'many', my bad. I never remove many, just a few during flower every few days. I agree 100 percent some people strip a plant and this is not beneficial. But I do believe some removal to be good. By looking at your picture I can see why you wouldn't want to remove leaves. Yours seemed to stretch some, mine doesn't. Also I had much more dense foliage.

I also find purple kush to be a great yielder. I got six ounces from each plant give or take. Although I am sure we have different phenos.

WP

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Got any pics of those 6 zip plants?

Yes I usually prune the bottom fourth of the plant also, to promote better air circulation and increase cola size. I wish I could post a pic of the crop I did of PK but unfortunately didn't take any. It would better illustrate my reasoning behind leaf removal. I will take pictures this next grow if this thread is still going

I still believe it to be good practise to remove some fan leaves to let light into interior bud sites as this I have experienced to be good for me, but to each their own. I am not saying you are wrong, just we each have our own methods that work for us.

Nice plants! They look similar too mine, but you seem to get stretch. How much do you get when you trigger?

WP

Last run only 6 inches at best. It was winter and cooler temps. Alot warmer now probably why I got more stretch this time. Been fighting high temps fot the last 6 weeks. All under control now. Couple weeks left till harvest. Got 18 zips last run with 8 plants. Expecting same or better this run with only 4 plants. Would love to build another room and grow one beast in a 20gl pot! Just to see.

Yes, a beast PK would be nice. I also have Bubba Kush and I find them very similar and that's one I would also like to veg for like 10 weeks lol. For some reason I don't get any stretch with my PK, but the room was cool so as you say, now that summer is here with the heat I might get more stretch. I hope so because I grow vertical.

Nice civil discussion, I wish more people were like you.

WP

I hear you man. We all have different methods whose to say what's really right or wrong. As long as it works for the individual grower it's all good!

Got a pk getting there outdoors in about 25gls of super soil. Should be interesting.