A first-grow micro-grow height question

Veritas629

Active Member
I'm just starting my first grow in a closet using a tent; tent because my closet still needs to store my clothes. Like many people in this sub-forum, this is all the space I've got available and will just have to work with it! My set-up:

GARDEN STYLE: DWC with top feed
GROWING MEDIUM/SOIL STRUCTURE: Hydroton clay pebbles
POT/CONTAINER SIZE: 27L
ROOM SIZE: (Length X Depth X Height): Tent 40x40x120cm (16"x16"x48")
LIGHTING & WATTAGE: HLG 135W V2 LED DIY kit
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY: Dunno...
NUMBER OF PLANTS: 1x photoperiod Northern Lights from a feminized seed
TOTAL FLOWERING TIME: Dunno...
TOTAL YIELD: Heaps, I hope!
NUTRIENT/FEED MIX & FEEDING CYCLES: Mills Vitalize, A + B, Start-R, C-4, Ultimate PK, Marathon P

Height will be my major hassle. From the top of the DWC pot to the HLG LED board I have about 80cm (32") for the lady to grow. I've rigged my pot lid with loops of string from which I can use plant ties to spread her out horizontally. She is sprouted now with the first pair of non-cotyledon leaves forming. I plan on topping her to help keep things short and bushy. So my questions are two:

First, How many times should I top her? I was thinking 2-3x, but maybe more is better? Or maybe more reduces yield....

Second, is when I should flip from 18/6 to 12/12. I've got 80cm/32" to work with here. But I think I need to leave a buffer between the bud tops and the LED panel, right? Right now I have it turned down (50% I think) to be easy on the sprout. I often see suggestions that indicate 2-6wks veg. Is this 2-6weeks from the day I saw the sprout poke up or is there a seedling stage I need to account for? Regardless, I suspect the plant's height is probably more important than her age. So with 80cm/32" overhead, should I flip when I hit about 30cm/12" or ???

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HazednConfused

Well-Known Member
Thats plenty of head room. I have less @ about 16" from cobs to plant tops, and my plants will probably put on another 5-6 inches easily! You could top it once at the third node, strip everything underneath it and mainline it. This will keep it short and stocky, just dont veg for more than a month/or when you get your plant to about half of what you want its final height to be. You'll be fine. 20181109_012950.jpg
 
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