secondascent
Member
Here's what i have left of the SCROG method posted by BigFatJ on OG. Slightly edited for continuity and using pics from a grow implementing his ideas. A very effective method indeed...may it be useful info for those who SCROG
Original O.G. Post by BigFatJ:
When I know my plants are nicely rooted, I top my plants at 6-8" each. I like to have 8 or 9 tops at 12" when I put the screens on. I put my screen on when my girls are at about 12" and the screen height is about 9". I give them a day or two to recuperate, and then I go 12/12. At day 3 to 5 of 12/12 I usually do another training where I'm taking all the shoots that are ahead and bringing them back down to screen level. The plant will produce much more if all the growth tips are on the same level. I top a few weeks pre flower at 6-8" high. I then try to let all my branches grow to 12" before I bend them over so they are all on the same growing plane(8-10" from the top of the pot). You want as many growth shoots to be at the same height as possible for a good ScrOG. When I top my plants I take the top 5". I do this for 2 reasons. I clone the top shoot, and the other is a little more complicated. The theory is that a plant needs X amount of root system to support X amount of foliage. When I take away say 1/4 of the plants foliage the natural response should be to concentrate its energy on replacing canopy and not growing roots. Now when I top the plant the top shoots seem to stall for a few days allowing the rest of the lower shoots to catch up. This is exactly the growth I want just before training to a screen. I wait till day 2 to train so the girls have a day to adjust to new environs and 12/12 HPS cycle. As you can see, their training is quite harsh. The outside bud sites are much taller than the inner ones, so I want to bend all the tall ones over now to let the shorter ones catch up. I try to have the whole screen full when I switch to 12/12, and I do tie down the one or two strays that are growing faster, or too close to one another.
Use up the sturdy twists. If you just tuck stems under the screen they will be back up where you don't want them in an hour or so. Don't be scared or afraid here. You can bend the stems 180 degrees, and sometimes they will crease in spots, but you’re doing the right thing. Aim those shoots where the screen is sparse and it will fill up quick. Too many shoots is the right amount. If I have to cut a few tops back again to let others catch up I do. If you can't bend the fan leaf out of the way, then cut off any fan leaves that are shading bud sites. Your growing buds not leaves, so don't feel bad about it. I usually have the whole screen full when I go into flower.
I used to cut off everything below the screen, but now I leave the leaves, and cut off any shoots before they start to bud. Cut off any shoots that don't look like they are going to make it up to the screen. The left behind leaves become little energy reserves for the canopy, and since I am taking fan leaves from the top whenever they are blocking light, it makes sense to leave the lower leaves on. That big fan leaf got to go. Try first to tuck it under the screen, but if it’s still blocking a bud site then cut it off. The leaf could be a valuable nutrient reserve for your plant down the road, but MJ likes nothing better than bright direct sunlight, and that is what you’re giving it. My girls do love the trimming. I start pruning the shoots that aren’t going to make it to the screen when the girls are still vegging. These shoots just end up being little sucker buds that eventually get no light, and use up energy that could go to the canopy. I do start trimming the lower bud sites during Veg, but don't end up taking them all until I'm into flower. Once you know which ones aren’t going to make it to the screen it gets easier to prune. Allowing your plant to devote more of its nutrients to the top shoots during late veg/early flower will = more bud sites where you want them, and more buds down the road.
Leaves below the screen must be checked every day. Anything that is in the dirt or is about to be must be removed. A leaf left to die in the dirt is an open invitation to mold and mites. You can easily adjust your posts to make a stadium or bowl affect. I had mold on my second grow ever. Let me tell you that losing 3 months work is mighty painful. It was a lesson though. By just keeping an eye out for leaves in your soil, having good air circulation/exchange, and keeping the actual grow space clean, you will beat the enemy.
Original O.G. Post by BigFatJ:
When I know my plants are nicely rooted, I top my plants at 6-8" each. I like to have 8 or 9 tops at 12" when I put the screens on. I put my screen on when my girls are at about 12" and the screen height is about 9". I give them a day or two to recuperate, and then I go 12/12. At day 3 to 5 of 12/12 I usually do another training where I'm taking all the shoots that are ahead and bringing them back down to screen level. The plant will produce much more if all the growth tips are on the same level. I top a few weeks pre flower at 6-8" high. I then try to let all my branches grow to 12" before I bend them over so they are all on the same growing plane(8-10" from the top of the pot). You want as many growth shoots to be at the same height as possible for a good ScrOG. When I top my plants I take the top 5". I do this for 2 reasons. I clone the top shoot, and the other is a little more complicated. The theory is that a plant needs X amount of root system to support X amount of foliage. When I take away say 1/4 of the plants foliage the natural response should be to concentrate its energy on replacing canopy and not growing roots. Now when I top the plant the top shoots seem to stall for a few days allowing the rest of the lower shoots to catch up. This is exactly the growth I want just before training to a screen. I wait till day 2 to train so the girls have a day to adjust to new environs and 12/12 HPS cycle. As you can see, their training is quite harsh. The outside bud sites are much taller than the inner ones, so I want to bend all the tall ones over now to let the shorter ones catch up. I try to have the whole screen full when I switch to 12/12, and I do tie down the one or two strays that are growing faster, or too close to one another.
Use up the sturdy twists. If you just tuck stems under the screen they will be back up where you don't want them in an hour or so. Don't be scared or afraid here. You can bend the stems 180 degrees, and sometimes they will crease in spots, but you’re doing the right thing. Aim those shoots where the screen is sparse and it will fill up quick. Too many shoots is the right amount. If I have to cut a few tops back again to let others catch up I do. If you can't bend the fan leaf out of the way, then cut off any fan leaves that are shading bud sites. Your growing buds not leaves, so don't feel bad about it. I usually have the whole screen full when I go into flower.
I used to cut off everything below the screen, but now I leave the leaves, and cut off any shoots before they start to bud. Cut off any shoots that don't look like they are going to make it up to the screen. The left behind leaves become little energy reserves for the canopy, and since I am taking fan leaves from the top whenever they are blocking light, it makes sense to leave the lower leaves on. That big fan leaf got to go. Try first to tuck it under the screen, but if it’s still blocking a bud site then cut it off. The leaf could be a valuable nutrient reserve for your plant down the road, but MJ likes nothing better than bright direct sunlight, and that is what you’re giving it. My girls do love the trimming. I start pruning the shoots that aren’t going to make it to the screen when the girls are still vegging. These shoots just end up being little sucker buds that eventually get no light, and use up energy that could go to the canopy. I do start trimming the lower bud sites during Veg, but don't end up taking them all until I'm into flower. Once you know which ones aren’t going to make it to the screen it gets easier to prune. Allowing your plant to devote more of its nutrients to the top shoots during late veg/early flower will = more bud sites where you want them, and more buds down the road.
Leaves below the screen must be checked every day. Anything that is in the dirt or is about to be must be removed. A leaf left to die in the dirt is an open invitation to mold and mites. You can easily adjust your posts to make a stadium or bowl affect. I had mold on my second grow ever. Let me tell you that losing 3 months work is mighty painful. It was a lesson though. By just keeping an eye out for leaves in your soil, having good air circulation/exchange, and keeping the actual grow space clean, you will beat the enemy.