How do you control the flowering stretch?

Sam1510

Well-Known Member
so I'm curious to hear about different people's methods on controlling the 12/12 stretch. I've grown blue cookies the same strain for 3-4 runs indoor and just finishing my first run outdoor.

I've had this genetic stretch so hard where internodes were 4-5 inches apart and I've had it had no stretch at all to where the plant looks exactly like it was before flower but with buds.

From my experience and assumption this is why my plants stretched and not stretched..

I believe it's nutrient related.. When transitioning to flower Lower levels of N = Lower stretching. On my first runs I used to veg and finish flower in the same 3 gallon pots in FFOF soil. I veg and train the plants for 6-7 weeks under t5s, then flower under a 1k hps.

This is When my blue cookie strain didn't stretch!

By the time flowering came all the nutrients in the soil in my 3 gallon pot would be gone and needed to get supplemented (id usually start adding nutes around week 3-4 of veg).

My plants always started flower while they were low on nitrogen. Id only do low doses of boom nutes during the first 2 weeks of transition then I'd go with higher doses. My plants BARELY stretched at all. Internodal distance was tight and I harvested fat colas!

This is When my blue cookie strain stetched!

The last few runs I've been transplanting to 5 gallon pots a week before switching to flower because I felt like some of my other strains started getting rootbound in the 3 gallons. My plants stretched like crazy when I hit flower and I think it's due to the roots having more space and a bunch of new soil that's loaded with nutrients(FFOF).

Especially because one of my plants that was in the center was getting some light burn and light burn = overworked plant using tons of nutes to keep up with the light. It got a little deficient and didn't stretch at all. Every other plant with the same genetic stretched like crazy.

Point period blank if you keep the plant hungry for nitrogen the first 2 weeks of flower it won't stretch as hard. I've heard and tried keeping even day/night temps for the first 2 weeks but I felt like that didn't really help with the stretch.

Same thing with my outdoor blue cookies. I kept it in the same 7 gal pot since 2 months before flower got lazy with nutes the first 2 weeks of flower got a light N def and now there close to finishing and I shit you not the plant did not stretch at all. I got huge 8 inch colas..

Idk if it's the nitrogen or root space or I could be wrong and it could be something else.

I want to hear about your guys experience on controlling the flower stretch.

P.S sorry if my post is unorganized and too long I'm super high right now and just went off on my keyboard lol.
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
what is your;
light supply?
temperatures?
humidity?
c02 ppm?
allowing a vegging plant to mature and report sex
before flowering is key, assuming all of your indoor controls are spot on.
 

Sam1510

Well-Known Member
1000w hortilux SE HPS that's aircooled

75f-80f lights on 75f ish lights off.

40-55 humidity

Co2 ppm is unknown(no meter) I intake air from outside through a filter so I'm assuming co2 levels are ok.

I usually cut clones so all my plants are always sexually mature but what does that have to do with the flower stretch?
what is your;
light supply?
temperatures?
humidity?
c02 ppm?
allowing a vegging plant to mature and report sex
before flowering is key, assuming all of your indoor controls are spot on.
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
1000w hortilux SE HPS that's aircooled

75f-80f lights on 75f ish lights off.

40-55 humidity

Co2 ppm is unknown(no meter) I intake air from outside through a filter so I'm assuming co2 levels are ok.

I usually cut clones so all my plants are always sexually mature but what does that have to do with the flower stretch?
I dont know what it has to do with stretching, only that sexually mature plants stretch less in flower than ones that are not.

our controls sound perfect. other than tying/training your chosen genetics are likely to blame
 

Sam1510

Well-Known Member
I dont know what it has to do with stretching, only that sexually mature plants stretch less in flower than ones that are not.

our controls sound perfect. other than tying/training your chosen genetics are likely to blame
Ahh nice I didn't know that! About stretching harder if it's not sexually mature. I really don't think it's the genetics because I run multiple strains and get the same results
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
Ahh nice I didn't know that! About stretching harder if it's not sexually mature. I really don't think it's the genetics because I run multiple strains and get the same results
I was just looking at some old notes because of you and I cant even say the maturity thing for certain. matter of fact I've seen just the opposite with many. flowered sooner less stretch, less yield too, . so what the hell do I know right.
lower lights, different genetics, different training techniques are your best bet for unruly stretchers.
 

SonsOfAvery

Well-Known Member
There is a method of one hour of cold before the lights come on keeps them stocky. Florists use the technique.
This study states that dropping the temp to 60f for the first 2 hours of light reduced the height and stalk diameter by 9-10%, with no reduction in seed production.
This was done on corn, so more research needed with marijuana, but its an interesting read.
http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2014/Q2/corn-dwarfed-by-temperature-dip-suitable-for-growing-in-caves,-mines.html
 

SPLFreak808

Well-Known Member
Your plants stretched more because you put it in a bigger pot. Yes there are other things that can encourage/reduce stretch however, pot size will definitely do it.

Same thing happens to me, it doesn't matter if i transplant a day before flower. When you flip to flower the roots are still growing/searching in hopes to support its structural weight of the buds later down the line.

If you use a short wide pot then its not going to stretch as much because the plant knows that the roots cant support much vertical growth in such shallow ground, it wants to survive and its doing a good job imo.

Same with a tall skinny pot, it will stretch and grow narrow to prevent gravity from pulling it out sideways.
 

Sam1510

Well-Known Member
Your plants stretched more because you put it in a bigger pot. Yes there are other things that can encourage/reduce stretch however, pot size will definitely do it.

Same thing happens to me, it doesn't matter if i transplant a day before flower. When you flip to flower the roots are still growing/searching in hopes to support its structural weight of the buds later down the line.

If you use a short wide pot then its not going to stretch as much because the plant knows that the roots cant support much vertical growth in such shallow ground, it wants to survive and its doing a good job imo.

Same with a tall skinny pot, it will stretch and grow narrow to prevent gravity from pulling it out sideways.
That explains it thank you!
 
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