plants too tall!!!!

[stankyhippie]

Blessings All,
My lovely ladies are getting too tall for my ceiling!!! They are 4 weeks into a 12 week flowering cycle and I have already raised the lights as high as they go. I gave them bushmaster last week and it slowed the growth but I don't think it has stopped it. What do I do know? Do I absolutely have to top them? How much should I cut off? Just until they are no longer in heat or do I have to cut more to allow them to grow? Should I just determine the maximum height and keep topping as they exceed the limit? Please help.:beatdeadhorse: :what:

stankyhippie Reviewed by stankyhippie on 05-28-2009. plants too tall!!!! Blessings All, My lovely ladies are getting too tall for my ceiling!!! They are 4 weeks into a 12 week flowering cycle and I have already raised the lights as high as they go. I gave them bushmaster last week and it slowed the growth but I don't think it has stopped it. What do I do know? Do I absolutely have to top them? How much should I cut off? Just until they are no longer in heat or do I have to cut more to allow them to grow? Should I just determine the maximum height and keep Rating: 5

[stankyhippie]

What if I were to clone the tops? That way they could still have the time they need to mature. They wouldn't be directly under the proper grow lights but I may b able to stick a couple extra fluorescents above them.

[Rusty Trichome]

Don't know your set-up, so this may not help much...

Can you place the taller plants to the right, and keep the light to the left, and tilted? Would end-up side-lighting the taller ones, but it may buy you enough room to finish without topping 'em, and side lighting still keeps 'em going. (albeit a tad crooked)

I wouldn't keep topping them as needed. The stress could force 'em into hermaphrodism or death. No chance of bending and tying the tops down a bit? At 4 weeks into flower, might be a tad tricky, and the top may snap off. If it does, keeping it as a clone is an option, but it will take longer to revert back to veg cycle and to take root.

Cutting a hole in the ceiling for more headroom isn't an option, huh...?

[headshake]

Cutting a hole in the ceiling for more headroom isn't an option, huh...?

i vote for that!


-shake

[Rusty Trichome]

Was just kidding folks, please don't cut holes in someone else's property. :jointsmile:
(ya never know...)

[DOUGAL25]

I would suggest using LST(bending the tops). Just make sure you water prior to each bending session, as this will make the stalks more flexible (sturdy stalks cause for problems in flowering). Common advice is to unbend the plants at two weeks before harvest.

Any pics would be sweet!
:stoned:

[headshake]

LST a plant should be done two weeks PRIOR TO FLOWER if i'm not mistaken. bending the tops over and tying them is not quite the same thing.

the point of LST is to bend the main cola down so the growth hormone is sent to the other nodes and those nodes then begin growing up and searching for light.

once your plant hits flower it stretches for ~40% of the time and then fattens the last 60%. not that it doesn't grow at all during the fattening phase, it's just minimal.


-shake

[stankyhippie]

I would suggest using LST(bending the tops). Just make sure you water prior to each bending session, as this will make the stalks more flexible (sturdy stalks cause for problems in flowering). Common advice is to unbend the plants at two weeks before harvest.

Any pics would be sweet!
:stoned:

Thank you so much for the suggestion. I don't know why I didn't think of it myself. Much better than hacking the most beautiful flower off. Here are some pics as requested.

[Rusty Trichome]

No chance of bending and tying the tops down a bit? At 4 weeks into flower, might be a tad tricky, and the top may snap off. If it does, keeping it as a clone is an option, but it will take longer to revert back to veg cycle and to take root.

You're welcome.

[killerweed420]

Looks like they're doing well for 4 weeks into flower.