My first LST try out!

Turn down your light’s intensity a little bit - it’ll let your plant grow a little more space between her nodes so you have more to work with.

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@Graysin i just went up to 20 dli, shall i set back to 15 ? For another week or so ? Or just for a couple of days? Last week i started their first few hours of light at a lower setting because of this problem, nodes being so close together, like not even a quater inch apart. But because i started to implement less light intensity the node between 3 and fourth was more like an inch apart.

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If 20 DLI was where it had been and was giving you super tight nodes, but 15 DLI is creating a little too much space, I’d scoot it down to maybe 17 DLI and see what the next node spacing looks like.

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Awesome makes perfect sense, thanks!

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I needed to do this on my 2nd grow. It would have allowed my “now” bushes to stretch a little. Haha we live and learn. We need a thread just on nodes and what they mean, what we can do to get perfect buddies.

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I agree. Nodes and node spacing was something I struggled to grasp for quite a long time even though the concept is relatively simple. I know @Nicky covers it to some extent in his DLI thread, but there are nuances that aren’t expanded on (like what ideal spacing even is, or why “too much” space is bad) and could really be helpful especially for newbies.

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I instinctively was implementing the less light intensity to give them more of a stretch but me being impatient i wanted to somewhat stick to this chart which obiously isn’t wise. Live and learn! Patience my little grasshopper!! Lol!!

and thanks, @Graysin for the advice!

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I’m so glad I don’t understand this chart or want to understand it. Oh my brain.

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@GrnyGrows It’s quite simple. The left column is the amount of dli. The colors signify auto or photos. Now lastly acroos the top signifys the weeks. Accotding to how many weeks your plant is, it lets you know how much dli to use. If your plant is 3 weeks old and you have an auto then your dli should be set between 15 and 20. Hope it makes better sense now.

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I just want to say that to my knowledge there is no proof that photos at any time in their lifecycle require more light then an auto.
Autos have genetics from plants that grew under 24hour light, like in northern Russia and Canada. These are then back crossed into photo plants and further bred multiple times to stabilize the genetics at a certain point to allow potent photo genetics while still having enough auto genetics to autoflower.

@Graysin ask and you shall receive, Infact if anyone has a question about anything please tag me if the answer isn’t clear because I would love to say I don’t know and find it to myself learn something new. Or clarify that what I roughly know is correct with other sources and experts on this forum.

Node spacing…
There is no perfect answer, as most things in life variables change the answer to the question.
Plants adapt to their environment, high light levels push cannabis to have tighter nodes and can assist in thicker stems. There is alot of growth going on under the surface, the plant essentially doesn’t need to reach up and get closer to the light trying to try and capture more.
However genetics are a powerful variable and even the highest light levels can not keep some sativa portions of genetics from stretching Durring growing stages of life.

There are down sides to tight nodes though, if nodes are very tight then leafs will be close to the dirty/coco level and early on this can cause leaf damage to some of the main leafs due to watering spashback.
Tigh nodes make it harder to manipulate a plant, LST.
A plant with a very short and stocky structure will grow big dense buds close together, this can be an issue in yeild as the buds will fight over light and ultimately be at higher risk to mold due to lack of airflow.

Nodes that are further apart come with their own challenges, early on plants become lankey and fall over, sometimes multiple times, each risking plant destruction. Indoors our space is limited so this can be one of the most noticeable issues for growers. Wind stress and grower plant training play a big role with plants receiving lower light levels or any other plant with further node spaces, as stems can be thin when plants are lankey due to large node spacing (however not always is this the case). Thick stems and shorter nodes provide bigger nutrient pathways that will ultimately effect plant yeild and quality of yeild.

Larger node spaces can be used to a growers advantage if the grower plans to do alot of plant training and manipulation, as a plant stretches and node space increases growers can reach the desired shape faster… However if this is done to fast with to thin of a plant the nutrient pathway issue becomes a bottleneck to yeild.
This fine balance comes with experience, 1/2" is a good average to aim for until the art/science balance becomes more second nature to the grower.

Hope this has helped, I’m sure I could write more but it is late and I’m sure you will prompt me now or in the future if you have questions.
Freel free to bookmark.
@Graysin

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Ur doing fine let grow for a week or so then go back and lst some more

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Thanks @Nicky :v::100:

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I use PAR for my light settings, not DLI, because I grow autos 24/0 and full spectrum beginning to end. It’s DLI I don’t get yet. I’m studying it though.

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@Nicky You hit the nail right on the head about the water splash when watering, leaves touching soil and having a difficult time doing LST because so many leaves will touch the soil. I am going thru all of this right now. I didn’t come across this topic and if i would have it would have made a huge difference and my plants. Unfortunately my lower nodes are extremely tight. i cant even bend her over without triming so much off of her. And being so new at this its intimidating because i am not 100% sure of what i must leave on and what i can take away without consequence. Not knowing more about the diffence in a sugar leaf and a fan leaf and what to tuck and leave and what you can take off without any regret is also important as well in my opinion.The issues im having now, i could have avoided if i was aware of allowing them to naturally do thier thing and not worry about a schedule until you hit all the marks neccessary to take it up a notch and intensify the light.
Live and learn.

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Dumb question, what are these? Are those the area where the flowers generate from?

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@GrnyGrows Did you say you do 24hr light on your autos?

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@GrnyGrows I knew i seen it, your comment on 24 hr light on your autos. How does that work ? 24 all the way ?? And is it because its better for them or is it because you learned it this way and you haven’t done 18/6 then 12/12 which is the way i was told to do it.

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DAAAAAMN! @GrnyGrows you are killin it ! :exploding_head::call_me_hand::beers:

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She sure is!!! Awesome!!

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@The_Chef how’s it growing brother!? :call_me_hand:

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