The secrets of increasing cannabis yields
There are two win-win ways to increase yields: "training" the plants during the growing season and stable bright lighting during flowering. Let's take a closer look at them.
How you can "train" hemp
- LST. The main stem is bent down and fixed on stanchions around the perimeter of the pot. The point is to make the bush grow wide and develop side shoots. This also allows you to control the growth indoors: the plant turns out low, but bushy - with a wide flat crown. This ensures that all branches are equidistant from the light source and, as light is a major factor in the formation of inflorescences, the grower gets a plant full of cones.
- SCROG. A more complicated version: a stretched dense mesh helps to control growth and promote crown growth. You have to bend over the plant every day until the second week of flowering, but afterwards you can enjoy the sight of the shoots sprouting with lush buds on each one.
Quick ways to boost your harvest
If you don't want to bother with training, you can do with pruning:
- after the appearance of the fifth pair of leaves, you can do FIM pruning: the top is cut off almost completely, but leave a fifth part for sprawl;
- later start "pruning" (cut right below the top bud) the top or side shoots if well developed;
- trim the fan leaves a couple of weeks before flowering and three to four weeks after. Not carried out if the plant is only over diseased or looks weakened.
Adjusting the light during flowering.
During this period, it is desirable that all shoots of the plant receive the same amount of light. This is why the previously described ways of training work well - they just create the conditions for even light. But the power of the lamps is just as important! So growing on a windowsill or balcony with natural light may not give the desired results.
Each bulb type has its own guidelines, but if you take the most popular variant - DNAT, then instead of 400W it is better to use 600W or put in a box with the second lamp. The distance from the top to the light source should be about 50 cm, otherwise the plant will fry. Also a great option would be to increase the CO2 level - helps absorb the light. But since the gas itself is extremely dangerous to humans, it can only be used in an isolated room and with all precautions.