How I average a pound per plant

[BU2B]

Time to pull out the decoder ring...
I hope this help to answer questions I have gotten regarding flowering tips and defoliation:

I always told my son when he was growing up that communication is more than just talking (or typing). It's not what you intend and actually do say, it's what others perceive that you have said. As the meme goes "I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you", which makes it my job to explain myself and what I am saying in such a way that it CAN be understood. If at any time during the next few weeks you find that I have not explained something in a way that makes it understandable, PLEASE let me know and I will do my best to rectify the oversight. I am sure there are a ton of 'little' details that I habitually do without even giving it a second thought. If you find instances where you are wondering how things got from point A to point B at any section of this journal - I will do my utmost to insure your questions are answered.

That being said - some of you may be wondering if I can actually count. As you can see, there are more than 44 or 46 flowing tops on these plants. If you're wondering how I got to almost 60 flowering tops on the front plant and about 45 on the $100 OG if I used this method (which clearly shows 44 flowering tips to start); then please... keep reading.

Back in Post #60 I stated "The importance of keeping a level canopy with LST during vegetation mode becomes obvious when your girls kick into flower mode. It not only allows top flowering branches to get the most light, it also helps you determine which growth tips just under the canopy are worth keeping, wont block other sites and eventually develop into large bud packets."

Also in Post #60 I said "By the time your plant goes into flower at the end of week 8 you should still be aiming for around 50 flowering bud branches - but as flowering continues, you may find that though the number my stay about the same you may not be putting the same effort into the the same growth tips you were when you started flowering mode."

Please allow me to try and further explain (or decipher) my previous comments along with the following seemingly contradictory statement; "When defoliating your plant, I find it helpful to start at the top of each branch and work your way down. DON'T remove too many leaves and or side branches off of the branch you are defoliating, keeping in mind that your plant will flower as far down as there are nodes IF light can get down that far."

Defoliation is a balancing act. You need to keep your plant open enough to ambient light to allow your undergrowth to grow (a bit), during the vegetation period, yet at the same time, you should also be trying to keep bud sites, or what will become bud sites 'uncovered' all without letting too much light in. The trick is learning to open your plant up enough to allow some undergrowth development and yet at the same time not fully exposed to light so that they don't develop too fully and begin at an early stage of flowering to push multiple side branches out of your main flowering branches. You do want some undergrowth on your plant when they go into flower mode at the end of week 8. It is these additional growth tips just under the canopy that will add to your total number of flowering branches. It is also the reason why, as flowering continues, you may find that though the number my stay about the same (for your growth tips or flowering branches) you may not be putting the same effort into the the same growth tips you were when you started flowering mode. To reiterate a note - "you should ... have over 40 'flowering tips' by week 6 - with more coming all on their own as the branches grow outward and upward until the end of vegetation week 8."

You can have as many growth tips/flowering branches on your plant as you want. As your doing very little High Stress Training your plant will develop at its normal quick pace and it's easy to get carried away, hoping for that truly memorable MONSTER HARVEST. However, keep in mind you are going to eventually run into the same issue with two plants in your tent as you would have with 4, as was pointed out earlier in the journal, if you get too many flowering tips. There is just no way, unless doing a SCROG grow, to effectively open up the plant in flowering to utilize those growth tips to their full potential, and a massive amount of growth tips will only end up hurting your yield or produce many more smaller bud packets that don't increase yield but do increase trim work when your harvest is done. When it all comes out in the wash, I still recommend about 40-50 flowering branches total. In my experience 60 or more flowering branches is pretty darn iffy as to whether you are going to increase your maximum yield over 50 branches.

Both of these plants started out with 44 flowering tips as shown in the diagram in Post #32

 

[BU2B]

NOTICE:
On December 15, 2020 a downloadable PDF of this method will be available to all and posted as the final entry to this journal.

Special thanks to grouchyoldman for volunteering his considerable talent, time and efforts in compiling and editing the journal. I am happy to announce we are collaborating our effort to make the BU2B PPP Method as instructional, informative and easy to follow as possible.

I am also trying to get this method hosted by GWE in its Tutorial section as per requests.

Regardless of the outcome of that endeavor, a link to a complete compiled and edited version of BU2B’s PPP Method will be available shortly.

Happy Pharming
(stay healthy)

 

[Hammer53]

EXCELLANT I can't thank you enough

 

[buds73]

Thanks for your reply. 11oz that's a nice harvest off 1 plant. Think I'll give the 1 plant a go will be interesting to see how much difference it makes for me. What size pot would you recommend for 1 plant? 5 gallon?

 

[BU2B]

buds73 a 5 gallon tub should work just fine. Those in our local growing coalition that grow in coco with this method use a 4 gallon cloth bag and 5 gallon tub or bucket for those growing in hydro.

 

[BU2B]

When is the right time to Harvest?:
There's a lot of debate on the issue, but here are my thoughts on when to know if your plant is done or you're just done growing it. Do you go by the strains general guidelines? Do you wait until trichomes are mostly milky, all milky? With a few amber trichomes or not?

Yes, I think you do need to keep the strains known flowering time in mind; yes you can check your trichomes to help you time harvest, and most important of all It's all up to you!

I'm pretty much an indica guy so you may want to take this information with that in mind. But honestly, It's the same for all photo period cannabis when it comes to harvest time:

• Know your plant strains flowering time or have a good estimate
• When your plant is nearing the end of its known flowering time keep an eye on trichomes for your desired effect. Mostly clear - generally more energy, jumpiness (indica or sativa). Mostly cloudy - ideal for most folks. A few amber trichomes - couch lock is on its way. Mostly amber - CBZzzzzz time.
• To get the added benefit of extra added weight allow your plants flowers to fully mature!

Uh, OKAY... so how do I know when my plants flowers have developed to their fullest?


As your plant nears harvest your flowers are going to look similar to the one shown above. Lots of trichomes, most of them cloudy, maybe 30% amber or more (depending on your preferences) and pistils have changed color; for all practical purposes it looks good to go.

Though I take all of these things into account - here's how I determine if the plant is done or if I'm just done growing it. IF your flowers have developed to their fullest you are going to find that they will give a 'final push' during their last 7-10 days.
Take a look at the following photo's:


Notice the new growth pushing out of the buds? Pistils are lighter as well as the area of your bud where 'final push' growth is occurring. This is your plants final attempt at making sure it doesn't go without progeny. Calyx's are swelling and the plant is doing its best to insure that if there are any boys at all out there they know it's still available. This is also the time that your female plant, which up to this point has shown no indication it has male tendencies or is a hermaphrodite, can produce seeds. IF you keep an eye on your buds, and notice new growth on buds that previously looked finished, this is completely normal.

'Final push' growth is one of the best indicators I have found that your plant is done (or very near done) and should be harvested in 7-10 days to avoid possible seed development. Waiting until this 'final push' can add a substantial jumpstart to the weight yield of your harvest and help make your buds firmer.
You're It!

 

[MeEasy]

Great explanation on when to cut em, don't think I've read better. I just wanted to say this as an add on to the noob.

Flowering doesn't start when you switch to 12s it starts when you see flowers.

 

[oldjarhead100]

I always thought it started counting wise when you flip how else do you know when to do the 3 week defole,

 

[MeEasy]

I'm talking about ripeness and what seed companies list as flower times. You see all over to add two weeks to the flower times the breeders suggest but what it is, is that you don't start counting flower times until you have flowers. Defoliation timing doesn't change you time that by switch or at least I do

 

[BU2B]

oldjarhead100 I don’t think when you start counting is that big of a deal and really a matter of personal choice. But, like MeEasy I do keep note of the day of ‘the switch’ but I don’t start counting flowering time until I actually see flowers - which can be 3-7 days after you switch to 12/12.

 

[SoOrbudgal]

Very good explanation calling it the " final push " i totally agree. Seeing this now in my GSC now they are clones from reveg moms. I've spent so long now on clones and not seeds it's very different to me so many different variance's on growth between clone and seed to me.

 

[bboyfromwayback]

Great tutorial. Very informative. I’ve been using Nebula’s manifold my last few grows and love it. It’s a head scratcher to me when I see GWE members still using a mainline but to each his or her own. I have 2 Bubba Kush and 2 Hindu Kush sprouts in CocoLoco just growing their 4th true nodes. I’m going to manifold one each and BU2B one each just to compare side by side. I left the PPP off bc I won’t have room to grow them out massively but I’ll post side by side pics along the way to compare. Next grow I’m only growing 2 plants using your method in AutoPots with a full 8wk veg. I’m not in hydro so I don’t expect a PPP however I’m averaging 5-6oz per plant using the mainline so I’ll be shooting for a 3/4PPP lol

I’m sure I’ll change my mind a few times before the next round begins but currently I’m leaning towards a Cali Dream and White Widow. Although we’re getting low on GG#4 which is sacrilege around here 😂

Anyways, thanks again for the insight into your method. I’ve been allowing one or two colas to outgrow the others then pull them to the center to fill that (donut hole) you mention earlier and appease my OCD. I like the idea of leaving the upward growth tips much better!

 

[BU2B]

About two weeks to go.

 

[MeEasy]

Nice job on the yoyos I was curious how you would hold up that many tops, that's where my frustration was and I never had that many tops, I have severe vertigo and well that should say it all lol

 

[Cali]

Yup that is a really good job. Not sure how much this is true and not willing to test myself but I heard from a grower that if you let the cola flop to the side without support that cola thinks it’s dying and won’t grow anymore or the plant will set its energy on the others. Have you noticed that on a branch that you may have supported vs one that you didn’t? This was on an outdoor plant inside makes more sense because the light won’t hit it like one standing tall. Just wondering.

 

[BU2B]

I really haven't noticed any significant difference in whether branches are supported or not (unless they snap or fold.) However, I'm not sure that is actually saying much as I use yoyo's when the plants need them to keep branches from snapping or folding over. As I generally use support, I'm probably not a good one to ask as I really have nothing to compare it to. And... as you said, not willing to give it a try and see

 

[Gracey]

Thank you so much for the excellent lessons. I appreciate the 7+transition days from veg to bloom, I'm gonna be doing that. GWE is my go to site for all things grow so I figured the forum would be full of folks who knew their stuff.

I hope you don't mind if I bend your ear and ask a question. I should have taken much more off the middle of this plant a couple of weeks ago and I wonder if I'd do more harm than good if I did it now at week 6 day 4

The situation is, I moved my grow to bloom early to give them a chance to get through the rest of their life before the broad mites had a chance to come back and while they were lush and in good health. One of the monster cropped clones grew so wildly that between being a monster, LST, and losing tips from various blows it ended up looking a bit like yours. The base has 6 main lines and there must be 40 grow tips but it's small, it all fits in about a *24"*18" and 18" tall.
How far into bloom would you take out the lesser grow tips that aren't going to do much so that the larger 40 colas have a better chance of finishing off better?
I just realized, I bet the seeds my husband is growing on 3 or 4 of the stalks is taking a lot of energy from the rest of the buds.

Thoughts are welcome.

 

[BU2B]

Thanks for the post. And more than happy to answer your question. (PLEASE NOTE: This topic will be covered more extensively in the upcoming final PDF of this method.)
I find that the first three weeks of flowering gives you a lot of direction and idea of which undergrowth branches to cull. By that time I’ve pretty much determined which undergrowth branches to nourish and tend to and which to remove. This also falls right into line with the “Schwazzing” timetable mentioned in Post #60

Up until 6 weeks ago (to my shame for not reading the newsletter) I didn’t even know what “Schwazzing” was. Now I find I are one [or something like that]

I really doubt that 4 branches out of 40 will put much, if any strain on your yield. Yes growing seeds takes juice, though not necessarily a significant amount. For practical purposes it’s truly only hurting your flower yield if an ‘unplanned for amount’ of flower weight is replaced by seed weight.

 

[Gracey]

Ah-ha, I used that article on schwaszzing as my defoliation guide at beginning of 12/12 and at week 3.I couldn't remember where I read it was ok to prune small undergrowth not getting light.

But here it is! "No more major defoliation after 3 weeks of 12/12! As the flowering stage progresses, you may still prune away any small growth underneath that doesn’t get light, as well as big fan leaves that block bud sites and can’t be tucked away."

Out of the 4 plants I have going this one I couldn't find the center because of the tangle of stem and leaf in its middle but finally got there a few days ago and I see more that needs to go on the others as well.

Thanks, that's literally exactly what I was looking for.

 

[iwanttoknow]

eagerly waiting on the pdf version!