help pruning,topping marijuana plants

[tetrahydro grower]

i have 2 plants that are in the vegatative stage, and they are on a 18-6 lighting schedule, and they are both atleast a foot tall, but they are in a cabinent that is about 4 feet tall..i have not pruned, or topped them yet, but i want to, but i am not sure when to do it...one plant has produced about 5 branches off the main stem, but the other plant hasnt produced any extra stems, so i dont know what to do..if you need pictures i can post some, but jus need a lil help,, (this is my first grow)

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[tetrahydro grower]

No one will post on here will they?

 

[Rosebud]

Hi tetra,
So, what kind of soil and light have you got going there?
Tell us more please, and thank you for the pic's.

 

[slowmo77]

ok this is just my opinion. if they were mine i would add more dirt to the pot, up to the first leaf set. i would add a fan to thicken up the stems a bit more. is that aluminum foil on the walls? if so i would remove it and use flat white. the foil can cause hot spot though i've never seen them its what i've read several time. what type of lights are you using? get the light as close as you can without burning the plants. put your hand between the light and plant if its to hot for your hand it to hot for the plants. as far as topping them i would wait till they filled in a the stems are thicker. jmo good luck and hope this helps

 

[tetrahydro grower]

I am using florescent lights, and I do have 2 fans at the top of the cabinent(one pulling air in & one pulling air out) and I put it at the top because I figured heat rises to the top, and I am using dirt out of my garden outside and 1/4 fertilizer...and I am watering it peters prefessional all purpose plant food that is 20-20-20 with micronutrients mixed with water...

 

[slowmo77]

get those floro's about an inch away from the plants that will help. a fan blowing the plants around alittle would help thicken up the stems also. dirt from the garden packs pretty tight i bet when it's watered. i'd go buy a cheap bag of soil to add to the top of the pot. again just my opinon

 

[tetrahydro grower]

Thanks, I will make the changes tomorrow in the morning as soon as the lights turn on in there (don't wanna disturb sleep schedule)...and I also have a couple pictures I'm about to post, and I think you can reconize the sex of the plants, but not sure either, need a little help detecting it.

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[tetrahydro grower]

This is what I smoke on

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[v35b]

Hard to tell. Generally Males will show first...But the first pic might be showing a ball on the top second node...hope not...How long did u veg and how long sice the flip?

 

[tetrahydro grower]

ive been vegging for about 2 and 1/2 monthes, but i didnt change it to 12/12 yet...does it look like it did?

 

[slowmo77]

try looking for signs of sex at the very top nodes. i can't tell anything in the pics you posted..

thats some good looking smoke in that last pic.

 

[tetrahydro grower]

topper nodes

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[Rosebud]

I can't tell either.
Go get the best bagged soil you can get. Carefully repot your plants. They need air in the soil and your clay you have is too compacted. Don't feed for a while and do everything Slowmo said. Good luck.

 

[tetrahydro grower]

i have a pump, and i am thinking about growing hydroponics after this harvest, and i have a bucket hydroponic system, but i dont have any rockwool yet, and the water soaks in really fast, it was mostly rich dirt that was in the garden, not that much clay..

 

[woodydude]

The plants look good, nice & green and coming along good style.
I dont use soil myself so I am not much help with advice there, follow what the guys have suggested and you should be fine.
As for the lights and sleep, have you tried 24/0, theoretically, its 33% more time with the lights on and most here will tell you, light matters! A lot!
You won't be able to sex the plants until you flip them to 12/12 but once you flip them, the top node is where to look. They are showing alternating nodes (pic 2 in your first batch) so are sexually mature.
Are these from seed or are they clones.
Peace
Woody

 

[tetrahydro grower]

i planted them as seeds, and i made the changes yall were talkin about. I added some high quality compost soil to the top of the pots, and i lowered the lights to about 1-2 inches away..here are some pictures of the new changes..anyone have any other tips?

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[The Hemp Goddess]

I also recommend a 24/0 light schedule. Marijuana will grow all the time the lights are on. IMO, a 18/6 light schedule just lengthens veg time and encourages stretch.

Is that foil on the walls? If so remove it and paint the walls flat white. Foil is a poor reflector of light.

 

[tetrahydro grower]

So would do any harm to turn the timer off or should I jus keep it at 18/6? And thanks for the help guys, ill take that foil off asap..and paint it white.