how do you get short bushy plants? Also lighting question

[shanes76]

I was wandering how you get the short, really bushy plants? I read about topping between the 4th and 5th nodes, does that mean cutting the top of the plant off? ALso, I am thinking of purchasing the 400 MH and HPS lighting system with a digital ballast, will 400 watts be enough to grow 4 plants at a time?

[Michael Oliver]

SIZE of Pot/Container would limit (or not) Size of Plant, if Indoors. Assuming you do have Indoor Grow; 400W Lamp's; MH and SPS are MORE than enough;i.e.;
Grow-Tent of 4X4X 76" with Adjustable Ballast; 50/75/100 percent Switch produces a whole lot of Light and Heat! I use 50% setting and my "Tropical Strain's" are;
doing extremely well; becoming prolific AFTER Ten weeks; Now beginning (11th/12th week) to Flower with excellent Trichomes. Will continue for at least another month;
with Flowering Stage. AS for "Topping/cutting off"! Personally i would NEVER do that; too risky! Let-em-grow however high they want; Tent height is 76"!!

[cannabis-seeds]

Certain strains are naturally shorter & bushier.

Try choosing Indicas over Sativas whenever possible and check the breeder site for maximum height assuming you're buying seeds rather than using bag seed.

[silent leprechaun]

Also I find that the correct light intensity can promote short bushy plants.

Just look in my signature at my second grow log. The plants were extremely short and bushy, 12+ nodes at only 1 foot high.

To get bushy plants you need to keep the node length at 1 inch. A good way to get this is to have the correct light intensity and distance, this stops stretching.

Cannabis-Seeds is very right about strains too, Indica are genetically shorter and bushier than Sativas.

Hope we have helped you out...

Take Care

S.L.

[Michael Oliver]

"shanes76"! Almost forgot (this a.m.) The ROLE of CO2 is extremely important, especially in Your grow tent! Try "The Exhale"; simple and inexspensive fix

[shanes76]

thanx for all the great info, Ill look into the indica strains, I dont have a grow tent, I have a room in my basement, maybe 6x9 that i am going to use, have a table setup for the plants , light hanging from ceiling. The light I am looking at doesnt have an adjustable ballast, do you think a 250 watt would be better? Where is a sfe place to order my seeds, I want to order them online but i need a safe place to order from. Im gonna search for the exhale now

[shanes76]

is the exhale you are talking about the sugar, yeast and water method? do you know how much of each to put in?