Multi-Stage harvest and flushing cuttings?

[simonH]

Hey Guys

 

Didn't really update my grow diary, but my two northern lights clones are going insanely well. I trained and pruned them a fair bit, so each plant has like 7-8 main colas, with a pretty even canopy. I've been trimming most of the lower branches and buds throughout flowering, but it keeps sprouting new branches like crazy.

 

Anyway I'm removed most of the lower flowers, so the the plant concentrates on the main colas. However, there are still a lot of lower buds that don't get as much light, but I don't want to get rid of them.

 

I was thinking of doing a multi-stage harvest, so harvest the tops when they are ready, then the lower ones. 

 

However, the problem I can see with this is flushing. If I flush the plant for two weeks, then chop the upper buds, then give the plants nutes again, will it be ok?

 

My other idea/theory is to cut the upper branchers, then put them all in a bucket of water with an airstone for a week, under 12/12. The idea being that capillary action will mean the plant will still get water, and it will use up the nutes in its leaves, thus flushing it. Then the lower buds in the growing medium attached to the plant, I can flush as usual.

 

Anyone got any suggestions?

[merl1n]

Hey Simon,

I, like you, thought the multi stage harvest sounded excellent and I decided to give it a run. I'm doing a SCROG, or a SCreen Of Green. The crowns or top layer were great, nice, big and solid. The second layer, which wasn't getting a high light intensity didn't bulk up anywhere near as much. After the initial final flush of pH adjusted water for a week and taking the crowns, the light penetrated down to the lower buds and they did harden somewhat, but there were no/very little salts available for any bulking up, which is what I was wanting. The bud in the 2nd layer was what I refer to as popcorn bud.

I have left a grow for 16weeks of flower to allow reuptake of nutes again after the flush and removal of crowns at 12 weeks. I was advised by an oldtimer that the plant requires a couple of weeks after a final flush to again replenish itself before using the salts. There was some positive signs but the popcorn still did not equal anything like the crowns.

For this reason I haven't bothered staggering my harvest. In fact I strip all stalk and stem less then a pencil thickness from under the canopy just before turning 12/12. This allows the plant to push ALL of its goodness into the developing bud and not the pissy popcorn crap underneath. I have one harvest, the crowns. That's it.

 

This is what I do

 

Merl1n

[simonH]

Thanks

 

That was my concern about flushing, that if i give only plain water for two week then strip the tops, the bottoms wont have anything and like you said, it will take ages for it to start again. Thats why i had the idea of flushing in a bubbler so basically :

 

1. Feed normal nutes, or maybe half strength for 2 weeks

2. Strip the tops.

3. Place the tops in water (the stem), and make a slit and scrape, like you would if you were taking clones

4. Leave under the 12/12 for two weeks, and the fan leaves should turn yellow.

5. Place in darkness for 2-3 days if you feel this does anything

6. Dry.

 

Meanwhile, after cutting the tops, revert back to full strength nutes.

 

I guess my question is that about flushing by placing the stalks in water. Is there any reason this wont work? I have a cutting that has been in water, alive for months now. It never rooted, but is still alive.

 

Another option might be to

1. strip all the lower branches with popcorn bud (is it too late now? I've been gradually removing a few every few days).

2. Place these branches in a bubbler with nutrient solution

3. Leave under 12/12. This way these branches with popcorn will be able to absorb nutrients, and should swell up. Some might even develop roots.

 

The trimmings that I have taken so far, I just placed in a jar of water, and they have been fine for about 1-2 weeks now. I figure they had some tiny flowers on them, might be worth keeping for hash/butter?

 

Next time, I'll try what you do, strip everything. But I did do a big trim early on, yet even during flower, new branches were growing like crazy. I think its because these clones were taken when the mother was flowering.

[Naycha]

I would just relax and leave them as they are and harvest once. All the stress and buggering around won't be worth the extra yield if there is any.

 

Don't be greedy just enjoy what you get and improve your technique each grow.

 

Naycha

[Faith]

Hi Simon.  I' agree w/ Merl!n and Naycha,.  I have tried this in a limited capacity with this last grow.  It gave me some room which bought some time but when he top third was gone,the little flowers underneath got a little firmer but pretty much stayed the same size.  A bit xtra light got down there (400W), but for my space its just more work in a confined area that could be considered a waste of my time.  I will try to spread the next one out a little more with bends/tying staking-yes its more of a pain but it seems to work better for me.  In short, I would do it again in the right circumstances but ...meh

 

Peace and good gardening

faith

[simonH]

Cheers Guys

 

Both plants were trained and trimmed so they have multiple main colas of the same height, but like I said, they just kept throwing new branches even during flowering!

[forgetiwashere]

despite the fact the buds seem to get really big really fast in the second half of flower the fact is the buds actually develop mainly in the first half of flower then what has been produced simply swells in the second half of flower so basically if those buds werent getting light during the first most crucial half of flower then giving them extra light at the end isnt going to do much for them.

[simonH]

Thanks mate. Gave them a big trim today. I'll keep those lwoer buds that have been cut off to make butter or something.