LST in real time

[90Gizmo]

Day 15 - I'm starting to train this Bourbon Berry Auto. It's my first grow of BBA but it's parent is Whiskey Zulu which I've grown twice before. The way I trained the last WZ netted me more than a dozen colas so I'm trying to do the same thing here before I forgot what I did. This picture is two weeks (15 days) since I dropped the seed in water. I begin the LST by pushing the plant over in a direction half way between the "x" of the leaf pattern.

[90Gizmo]

Day 18 - the leaves are spread to either side but it is the secondary growth at the nodes that's interesting. Each bit of secondary growth at the nodes will turn into a stalk with a cola on top.

[90Gizmo]

Day 19 - I'm being careful with the tiny growth making sure that my j-hooks are on the bottom of the nodes so that they don't interfere with the new growth. You can see how the nodes and internodes receive direct lighting. I continue to turn the leaves so that every node will have one stalk on each side and none of the will cross. When large enough I will start to pull the secondary stalks to out from the center so that the main stalk continues to get direct light.

[SoOrbudgal]

They are hard to work with these tiny little plants LOL i do the same with mine also. It's hard to separate the main stalk from the node growths there so friggin tiny. My 2 autos are about 1wk behind yours. I used large paper clips cause my bigger wire was thicker than the stalk till they were about a month old LOL

[90Gizmo]

I won't drag on the little stuff until it get's bigger. For now I'm making tiny bends and twists on the main stalk by pulling on the fan leaves to keep everything on the proper sides. I miss stealing paperclips from work. I have a small roll of stainless steel wire that I cut up. Next size up will be kabob sticks.

[AGH]

I'll be running Northern Storm Auto at the end of this year...it'll be my first auto and I'll be copying your technique! Thanks for the 'grow along'!

[90Gizmo]

I wish you luck. I had really good yield last time. Really through I'm hoping to get new ideas from the group too.

[90Gizmo]

A couple months ago - I wasn't trying to keep it "neat" last time but then I saw Nebula and other's manifolding looking so pretty I decided to try harder this time. I picture the end result looking like the keel and ribs of a boat. The main stalk is the keel going mostly horizontal until it curves up at the end and the stalks growing at the nodes will go perpendicular to either side and then curve up like the ribs. The result should be a flat top.

[AGH]

I've done some manifolds and they're awesome! Just remember to keep training the branches to be nice and wide, especially if you have a taller strain. One of my Blue Dream runs I stopped the training too soon and those girls get really tall so I ended up having to keep my light a little dimmer than I wanted because I ran out of room to raise the height of the lights.

Below you can see how great they filled out the tent but the side shot shows how I could have kept them trained out and wide a little bit more so that they weren't so tall. Always learning!

[90Gizmo]

That's a beautiful grow.

[90Gizmo]

Day 20 - I did a little twist on the second node this morning mostly just fidgeting. I can see the fourth node spacing out from the third. It should be ready for a tug downward tomorrow. I read a recent post asking if 5 nodes was too soon to start LST. Definitely not! Might be there's no point starting as soon as I did but I think it helps to get as much light as possible to the lower nodes as soon as possible.

[changeofpace2014]

your on the way now...;;looks good

[Blowdout2269]

Loving the LST pics 90Gizmo! I got some sweet training images to share on my thread soon.
Check it out. 😉
Beautiful grow AGH. 👍

[90Gizmo]

Day 22 - I think this one is going to be a stinky one. There are five nodes and it's starting to grow quickly. I continue to tuck fan leaves away from the center. Lighting is around 30 DIL ... about 60% for 18 hours.

If it were topped at this point there would be an eight stem manifold but I will let the top continue to grow and the plant will have as many nodes as it wants to grow. I think I'll be able to start spreading stalks at the first node RSN.

[AGH]

Nice tight node spacing! Looks like a happy healthy plant!

With it being trained so close to the soil, are you concerned that the leaves will stay too moist after watering or that you'll run into any issues with condensation/moisture?

[90Gizmo]

I'm concerned. Am wondering if that section of stalk will root on the bottom side. I'll prune fan leaves 1-3 once there's enough other green. But now that you mention it I think I'll prop the them up a little bit until then. Node 5 and beyond will angle up in the air to keep them on an even height with the older growth.

[90Gizmo]

Day 24 - Main stalk is getting too thick for wire hooks so I have switched to kabob skewers. I am also starting to spread the secondary stalks. Now at 450 par for 30 dli.

[90Gizmo]

Day 26 (since dropped in water, 22 since sprout) - secondary stalks are getting leafy but are still tender and I'd like them to get taller before I spread them too much. I've added a thicker stick to support the main stalk as it goes up and over the edge of the container.

[SoOrbudgal]

You and Farmbuck with them sticks LOL she doesn't seem to mind it so far.

[changeofpace2014]

you could raise the light a bit and help them stretch to your ideal..then lower the lights back down...I think my lst was helped by the strong light being really close...

[90Gizmo]

changeofpace2014 - thank you. I'm not experienced enough to know what's the best internodal spacing but I understand the instructions to reduce the lighting.

[90Gizmo]

Days 27, 28 - what a difference a day makes. Yesterday I couldn't really get a hold on the new stalks. Today they are tall enough that I can start pushing them away from center. Secondary stems are pretty much sorted to one side or the other. Flower sites are forming. Training the first five nodes will just be gently guiding them away from each other. Training the taller part of the main stalk from here on will be mostly repeating what I did for the lower nodes.
Yesterday.

Today.

I've reduced the light intensity about 10%. As suggested, the DLI was a little bit high. Thanks for the suggestion! People following please remember I'm a newbie. If it sounds like I know what I'm doing that's just words not experience.

[changeofpace2014]

might want to think about thinning them down so air flows around the bottom...Suppose you can wait but at some point it will require some thinning. Looks Good...

[90Gizmo]

changeofpace2014 yes. I'll take first and second true leaves. Do you thing I should take third?

[changeofpace2014]

I would start slow since your girl is still really small....It will be much easier once she starts to stretch....Note: I kept my lights as close as she could take, and I do think this helps prevent vertical growth or slows it down at least. Have a look at my planning a new grow thread...you can see the training and very very short plants. Hands down LST with several plants is a lot of work,,,I miss the 6.5 ft tent manifold grows..

[90Gizmo]

Day 30 - Tucked fan leaves under. Trimmed fan leaves node 1 and 2. Tied main stalk to bigger stick as it's now shooting over the side. Training is just pushing and tucking from here on out. She's getting big. Gave first full (5 gal) bag watering pHed plus SNS 209 (rosemary) bug repellent. Still not one drop of nute. Not one drop of nute... How will she know how much I love her if I don't fertilize her? I found out what I amended the used soil with: Hoffman Purely Organic Potting Soil Conditioner. One part of the conditioner with four parts of old soil.

[Blowdout2269]

I'm loving it bud!
Remember, if it ain't broke don't fix it! That might have been my problem. Nice find with the conditioner.

✌🙂👍

[SoOrbudgal]

She's look excellent Gizmo good for you with just tucking for now. That's so hard for me...cause i just want them off an out of the way.

[90Gizmo]

Squarely in week five. She growing like crazy. A few more weeks will tell if I get a fat cola on top of each of the branches. New grow looks lighter. If that darkens up in a day or two it's just fast growth. If not then it's finally time for some fertilizer. (Already gave some cal-mag.)

[90Gizmo]

Thanks! It's a lot of fussing and I'm not sure it's worth it yeild-wise but it does satisfy my I've-got-to-mess-with-it craving. I'm trying my first photos next grow. I scored some of my favorite smoke Strawberry Cough during our last Seed of Love Fest (thank you sports fan.) Right now I'm thinking to stick to the "basics." But don't know that I'll have the self control for that for long. I read folks going photo to auto saying autos are hard(er). I suspect they're used to more time on veg. Since I've only done autos I suspect I'll flip too soon out of boredom... Ha! This one's barely going and I'm already worrying about the next. I have the patience of a two year old. Toast. I made cannabutter last night now I'm thinking of toast.

[Blowdout2269]

Looks like you've already stripped the inner growth. When'd you do that? Looks good. Gonna be real perdy when she grows up!
🙂👍

[90Gizmo]

Trick of the light? No trimming. I did turn down the light for four days. Looks like it made the branches stretch and I pushed them away from center. (Hollow center for light penetration.)