I currently have Northern Lights First Photo Grow grow journal going. And wanted to ask these questions separate from the journal. Today is veg. phase day 28. I have 5 plants and three of them are virtually identical. These are of one of the 3.
They are just 3 1/2" a quite compact. I raised the light a couple inches 2 days ago to try to increase spacing.
They have 5 nodes. Img 5-1 has a red line above the 5th node. Img 7-1 has red line above the 4th node.
I plan on having 4 in a 3x3 tent in 5 gal smart pots. Given the size constraints:
Do NL do well with topping? Top and Scrog, one or the other, or simply SOG.
This is what I am thinking of doing:
Give them another day or 2 and top above 5th node.
Give them a couple more days and them transplant to final pots.
Some recovery time then start LST with minor trim on lower leaves. Move to flower tent.
Then see where they are at. Maybe another topping to level them off.
Scrog ? yes / no? or just SOG
I hope I explained this well enough.
Thoughts appreciated.
@Hellraiser @Myfriendis410 @RandomlyRan @MidwestGuy @dbrn32 @AutoMattik @QueenCityB @Bulldognuts @Drinkslinger
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Looks like a happy plant that has been getting plenty of light. I top mine. I’ve not grown a northern lights, but I’ve topped or fimmed virtually every photo I’ve grown. Topping contributes to keeping them compact, so keep that in mind. I’ve grown plants to be too compact before and yield suffered. One of the things I do when I top is be sure to leave a good bit of stump between the node you are cutting above and the cut itself. The more stump you give it the stronger the knuckle that develops at that node will be.
I tried scrogging and abandoned it. I can see where it is useful, but it does make it more difficult to get to your plant or to move it once the scrog is in place. It just wasn’t worth it for me. I grow as you do with plenty of light that gives squat plants. I’ve never had an issue where a scrog was necessary due to the weight of the flowers.
It’s a healthy looking girl you have there.
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I’ve never had a photo that didn’t respond well to topping really. As long as I didn’t take a bunch it tops at once. I would say scrog. I tried digging non clones and digging from seed is…tricky timing wise.
I used a yoyo for that. I don’t scrog anymore either because I’ve had to undo that net one too many times. I’m surprised my NL auto is as big as it is right now figuring NL and lowryder it’d be a squater but it’s at full attention.
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I just got some of those yoyos. I’m using them to spread out a plant that is going crazy on me though. The flowers could end up being heavy, but I’ve been feeding her silica and it usually does the trick.
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@RandomlyRan @MidwestGuy Scrog is a bit of a pain. It is getting harder for me to get back up when you almost have to lay down to reach the back plants. Thanks
I’ll give them a day or 2 and cut above the 5th node.
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I ran northern lights crossed with Hawaiian sativa for a couple years. I topped those a lot. Worked great
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Appreciate that. Will top in a day or 2
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You don’t really have them setup to run single cola plants. Pots too big and not enough of them. Not really sure you need to do a lot of topping either, but you probably can if you want.
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If you have the light I’d vote for a SCROG grow (with 4 separate screens!) but wait until taller. My finished SCROG’ed plants are no more than 30" from the ground at harvest with 12 oz avg yield per plant. I want enough height that I can get under to water. A good FIM is preferable because you can aim all 4 tops into the diagonal corners.
SOG would be better suited to clones from a Mother plant IMO.
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I have a Kind 2 XL 600 here is the spec sheet 
. To that I will be adding a DIY 4 strip Photo Boost fixture that Dbrn32 is helping me with 
. I think the combination will put me at 450w +
for 9ft2
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I’m a big fan of the plc photoboost strips.
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I’ve never tried them but sick and greengenes and a bunch of people use them. They appear to be top notch.
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About the best diy you can do. Cutter might have alternatives, but plc is easy peazy and quick (when in stock).
They were shipped out Friday along with the new PLC heatsinks.
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