growing cannabis outdoors

[hypnotoad]

Hey guys, SWIM I know planted a few seeds a while back, and there is now 4 little babies!!

Now this is his first time growing this herb and swim doesn't really have a lot of space to grow. His going to grow it outdoors but wants to try and keep it as small as possible. Is there a way he can keep the herb small and not let it grow too large? And if he could keep it small how would he?

Thanks!

 

[Vodsel]

You can easily make a cannabis plant more squat and bushy, keeping it from growing too high, by properly pruning it. There are several methods, but the easiest way is waiting until you have four pairs of real leaves (don't count the little cotyledons) and then perform an apical pruning by cutting the next pair of two little leaves peeking in the tip. This will encourage development in the side branches, keeping the plant at a lower height.

However, note that different strains grow in different shapes. Sativa strains tend to be taller, while indicas remain more short and bushy.

Also... if you intend to grow these outdoors, it's a little late in season. Photo period will make them start to flower in late summer, and by then they won't be very tall. For outdoors growing, ideally sow the seeds in late winter or early spring.

 

[hypnotoad]

Okay thanks a lot for the help.

Haha I actually didn't intend for them to grow, it was more a accident that anything else, but swim thought that if you now have it you might as well grow it

 

[Vodsel]

Haha I actually didn't intend for them to grow, it was more a accident that anything else, but swim thought that if you now have it you might as well grow it

Absolutely. Grow them, learn all you can - and whatever the outcome, the next time it will be better.

But beware and remember what they say... consuming cannabis is not addictive, but growing is

 

[hypnotoad]

Yeah I will!

I can imagine!! It must be so much fun. But thanks for the advice!

I heard my friend say that he takes he small plants that are still growing he takes a rope with a small stone and ties it too the top and ties the rock to the string, that makes it grow lower and side ways. Would this work?

 

[Vodsel]

Yes, any type of training works. Cannabis is a very easy plant in that aspect. You only have to think about how do you want it to develop (how is the growing space, limitations you have, etc.) and it can surely be done. I suggested good pruning because it works well and optimizes the plant development no matter what else you do, but you could certainly prune and then train the longer branches. If they have time to grow long enough, that is.

 

[hypnotoad]

Here's how my babies look now! growing really fast! Love them!

Oh how long before I replant them into seperate pots? How big should they be?

 

[Vodsel]

Looking very nice, hypnotoad :thumb_up:

But don't wait much to repot them. Otherwise their roots will grow enough to become entangled and then it's going to be very difficult - and the only reasonable chance might be growing them together, and using a proportionally large recipient for all of them. And that's not ideal because they will mess with each other as they grow, and if one of them gets sick you won't be able to separate or quarantine... not to mention if the seeds are not feminized and you have males and females growing packed. We don't want orgies unless we're raising them for the seed

Ideally you should have had seedlings in different pots (it's always easier to just re-pot them in larger recipients as they become pot bound, than moving them once they are rooting), but if you do it with care at this stage, you will move them just fine. Try to have the soil loose and moist, and collect them gently by digging around until you get to hold them, avoiding pulling too hard so the root is not too ripped, and having previously prepared the new pots with moist soil mix and a proper hole in the middle. If you can, add some perlite to it or use well aired mix. Move the seedling to the hole, push the soil around it gently to cover it (avoid compacting the soil too much) and then make a little bit of a pile holding the seedling, up to an inch or so below the cotyledons. Like a cone of not-too-packed soil around it. Then water a little, not flooding, and maybe avoid excess of sun for a few days. The rooting will continue and the plants will have a room of their own.