New to scrog

[Shanatical]

Hey everyone. So I am about to start my third grow, second in sec, and plan to be my first scrog. I want to do scrog as my last grow which I'm just harvested I could have done a better job in training in order to get more buds direct light. I like how scrog seems to assist in keeping all of the bud sites even.

just for background I am using a Kind l600 in a 2x4x7 grow tent.
I will be creating my scrog screen over the weekend and am just starting to germ my seeds. I plan on just growing one plant this time around in order to simplify and learn.

I have read LBH scrog tutorial and am slightly confused on a couple parts, possibly due to terminology.

1. It states to top once 5th set of leaves begins to pop out. I believe this is talking about the 5th node? Using the term from the manifolding tutorial. Or is this something different? I couldn't tell from the picture as it seemed a lot smaller than my plant when I first topped for manifold down to node 3.

2. When do you actually introduce the screen? Is it introduced as soon as possible? Or only when switching to 12/12? I understand veg length will have to be something I determine for myself based on room/plant ect. But when do I actually start trying to get these branches to grow horizontally with the screen?

Any help is appreciated. I am very excited to do this process and hopefully get a larger yield of bud than I pulledoff this grow.

[gdogfunkly]

Welcome to the GWE forum! I am working on my first indoor grow and first ever scrog, as well. I followed the topping tutorial and only topped a second time once the new tops had some decent growth. I followed the GEW scrog tutorial as closely as possible and did LST for several weeks until the plants started bushing out. I didn't add the screen until the plants had grown for awhile. I also had a height of 6" above the soil and later raised it to the max of 8" above the soil and let the plants grow back up into the screen. The biggest thing I can say about scrogging is you need patience. I'm now in my 9th week from seed and will finally be flipping to 12/12 this weekend. Have a look at my grow for some ideas:

https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum/growing-community/148308-first-indoor-grow-swiss-cheese-amnesia-haze

[Shanatical]

Excellent pictures on that post. I am still trying to figure out how big I am going to make my screen. I was going to do it the full size of my tent except I don't think my humidifier will fit under it. So it will need to be slightly smaller, possibly 2x3.25 just so I can have my humidifier to the side. Maybe I'll also create a grow journal on here so I can keep updated and get questions answered or suggestions along the way. I have been hesitant to post about it up until now haha

[DoctorJohnson]

I have read LBH scrog tutorial and am slightly confused on a couple parts, possibly due to terminology.

1. It states to top once 5th set of leaves begins to pop out. I believe this is talking about the 5th node? Using the term from the manifolding tutorial. Or is this something different? I couldn't tell from the picture as it seemed a lot smaller than my plant when I first topped for manifold down to node 3.

I'm doing my first SCROG as well, and that sentence confused me too, but I think the picture makes it clear. I think he meant when you get to a mature leaf, five-fingers in that case. I don't think the exact node is critical as long as the plant has had a chance to grow a little bit so you're not topping a plant when it's too immature. Node 5, node 6...

2. When do you actually introduce the screen? Is it introduced as soon as possible? Or only when switching to 12/12? I understand veg length will have to be something I determine for myself based on room/plant ect. But when do I actually start trying to get these branches to grow horizontally with the screen?

I'm just quoting my thinking here after reading the same article as you. He says 8" above soil level, so given that and that you don't want to have to go in and start bending stalks after they've gotten stiff, it seems like the best thing would be to get the screen on there early and to start pushing the stalks down right from the start.

[gdogfunkly]

If you LST like the tutorial shows with spiking branches down and spreading the bush out, the plant will not hit that 8" mark for a very long time. That was my experience, so far. I'm sure different lights/strains, etc. make a difference, but they will be low and wide for some time. Good luck with your scrog!

[Shanatical]

Yeah doc. I think I will probably wait until node 5 as it will have been same maturity and my previous grow and the plant did well. I am using dcw which makes anchoring a little difficult however I drilled holes all the way around my lid so I can use twist ties. I'll keep those branches down somehow! I think I was a little scared to bend on the last one so the plant got away from me. That and the stock started to split so it scared me even more.

[DoctorJohnson]

Yeah doc. I think I will probably wait until node 5 as it will have been same maturity and my previous grow and the plant did well. I am using dcw which makes anchoring a little difficult however I drilled holes all the way around my lid so I can use twist ties. I'll keep those branches down somehow! I think I was a little scared to bend on the last one so the plant got away from me. That and the stock started to split so it scared me even more.

I *love* MiracleGro brand rubber-coated training wires (at Amazon). There are other brands that offer the same thing: soft rubber coating over the wire--so much better than twist ties. They're more expensive but reusable. Highly recommended.

Last DWC grow I secured the ties to half-inch mesh "hardware cloth" that I had glued down, but eventually the plant ripped the glue away from the plastic!

[DoctorJohnson]

> If you LST like the tutorial shows with spiking branches down and spreading the bush out, the plant will not hit that 8" mark for a very long time. That was my experience, so far. I'm sure different lights/strains, etc. make a difference, but they will be low and wide for some time. Good luck with your scrog!

I had totally forgotten about his process of securing the branches down with those croquet hoop thingies. Good point. My tent is short and my pot is tall, so the plant staying low is good for me.

[Shanatical]

I *love* MiracleGro brand rubber-coated training wires (at Amazon). There are other brands that offer the same thing: soft rubber coating over the wire--so much better than twist ties. They're more expensive but reusable. Highly recommended.

I also have those soft rubber wires. I might use those for the young plant since it is heavier and else abrasive. Good idea.