Built ScrOG Screen without thinking...Need advice

[SkyDog]

I had some time and some materials the other day and built my first net. After I was done, I started thinking, and that’s where I always get in trouble. I spaced my netting at about 3" x 3". After looking at some others, I am wondering if I should have made it 4" x 4" or some other spacing. It is about 24’ high, and I’m not sure if that is the right height either. My grow area is 4’ x 4’.

Can any of you provide your input, and let me know if you think I made a mistake in my design, OR, if you have any first hand experience you can share with me?

Appreciate your help, as always. This beginner just wants to learn the best methods in any way he can.

Thanks,

SkyDog

[KingGhidora]

Actually I think 3x3in will work quite nicely… my current screen is 4x4in and I am actually thinking I am gonna run 3x3in or possibly 2.5x2.5in next run. My problem with the 4x4in has been that you’ll get growth tips that really need to be moved over a square but aren’t quite tall enough to make it to the next square and so you end up with random squares in the grid that are over crowded. That’s been my experience over the last 2 runs with a net consisting of 4x4in holes. So I think you’ll be just fine!

[SkyDog]

Awesome info @KingGhidora. Sounds like I’m all set to give it a try. Last grow, I ended up with way too much of the proverbial low hanging fruit and it almost wasn’t worth trimming. One less mistake each time and things should shape up. Thanks again!

[KingGhidora]

I would prune back anything that’s not going to make it above the screen to canopy level. It’s like the “The Upside Down” from the show Stranger Things under the canopy… a dark shadowy underworld where nothing is going to really get any bulk due to the lack of light penetration. Check out the pic below… not the best picture but you’ll get the idea I think. Doing this the plant should focus its energy toward the stuff up top that’s actually going to amount to something. Also, it is going to reduce humidity somewhat and allow for improved air flow hopefully keeping mold, mildew, etc… at bay.

Happy growing!

[Tinytuttle]

Looking good @SkyDog if it comes down to needing height adjustment just take those lower legs off and utilize zip ties from your corner poles of the tent and slide it up or down where needed.

[KingGhidora]

Or if you like the legs like I do, then you can get some pvc the next size up or down drill holes all the way through and get some nails, twigs or whatever to make your own ghetto version of these that adjust the height of the crutches, except you will be adjusting the screen height:

Sorry I know I did a horrible job of explaining it but hopefully you get the idea.

[KingGhidora]

Also I just thought of something while perusing a random thread where someone was using a screen attached with zip ties as the tie off points as opposed to hook-eyes or something more permanent… If zip-ties were used as the tie off points for your string then you could have adjustable width columns and rows in your screen by sliding the zip ties along the PVC as needed. Actually I think I may include this design feature on my next round.

[SkyDog]

All excellent ideas @KingGhidora & @Tinytuttle.I especially like the ideas about adjustable height and spacing of screen crossmembers. You guys always teach me something new and interesting. THis is going to be an interesting experiment.

I have learned something new just about every time I get on here. Sometimes it’s just so many different things that I become overwhelmed and forget. Well, I may just forget because of 50+ years of toking, but I like to think that has only helped to enlighten me.

Appreciate the ideas! Here we go…

[SkyDog]

I went down and looked at things today and now I just created more confusion.

Right now the plants are in 1gai containers and I want to move them up to 3gal. I usually do that a little over a week after I go into flower. Thinking out load now, I’m guessing it would be better to wait until they are in their 3gal containers before I put the net in. It would be pretty hard to move into the other containers after they are growing into the net, wouldn’t it.

Also thinking about using FIM to see what that will do for me. That should slow down the stretching, shouldn’t it? Might be time to set up that adjustable height now?

Thanks again for your wisdom my fellow growers!

SkyDog

So many questions, too little knowledge. Sure is fun though.

[KingGhidora]

I would definitely wait until you get them into the 3gal containers to put the screen up. As far as FIM… they are starting to get big from the looks of it… if you are going to do it I would do it now. I generally would start doing any training around nodes 3-5. Just tying down and doing LST should work wonders though when combined with a scrog. Topping should work great too. Like I said though, yours are getting big. If they are still flexible enough I would think about tying those down… Or flopping them.

[SkyDog]

I am still quite the noob. Got real lucky on my first grow and had great grow until just before harvest. Too much humidity caused me to lose all my colas and ended up with 3/4 what I should have. Second grow was clones from the first grow. Went pretty good. Third grow just finished up and was clones from second grow. Had two that grew from seed (Black x Champagne) that I added so I had 6 plants total. The two from seed did really good. Big, 18 inch colas and not many branches but each had some good big bud. Made the mistake of not pruning the other 4 and ended up with a lot of small buds down low. Won’t make that mistake again. This grow started with clones of the two varieties from grow three. Total time, less than 10 months.

During this time i invested in a temp controller, a humidity controller, a small hydrostatic dehumidifier, and a small desktop heater to keep temps from plummeting at night during the colder months. Also got a couple data loggers to monitor temps and humidity.

So this will be my first grow to experiment with. I will FIM and start LST to see if I can do it properly. Not familiar with flopping. If I start to LST, will the netting help to keep the plants down while I train them in a circle? I assume so, but not completely sure. I think I have a good understanding of how to FIM so that shouldn’t be a problem. Since these are clones started at beginning of flowering of their parents, I kept them smaller by giving them less light and keeping them in Solo cups to keep them from getting too big before I had tent space. Now is the time to let them flourish. Figure on a couple more weeks of veg before thinking of flipping. Hopefully I can do a decent job of LST after FIM ing them.

Thanks for the info. I like trying new things.

SkyDog

[SkyDog]

FIMed the plants this morning, They sure weeped a lot of brownish resin at the sites. I’m assuming this is normal?

SkyDog

[KingGhidora]

Yes a little resin is normal. The color of it will even vary from plant to plant.I’ve seen it red and it almost looks like blood. Kinda makes you feel bad.

[Tinytuttle]

I agree I’d plant in final container size, put your adjustable net in place and from the looks of it the 4th plant from the left a little taller than the rest start weaving or super crop that one . Have u started flower yet or about to?

[SkyDog]

I haven’t started flower. I got behind on these. I also changed the veg from 600W MH to 15 x 60W LED bulbs with domes removed to see how plants would react this time. I am surprised how well they have done even with temps averaging around 62 rather than the mid 70’s they get with the MH. I’ve been pruning lower growth every few days to thin because that bit me last grow. My first couple of grows, I flipped them about 10-12 days before re-potting. They have only been in the gallon containers for about 2 weeks now.

[SkyDog]

Got a few minutes to download a couple pics today. FIM’d the girls the other day. Hope I took the right amount off. Photo below. Also started LST and dropped a couple photos here too. Couldn’t find anything right off hand to hold them down, so I improvised and hung a couple Yo Yo’s off them. What do you think. Will take a quick peek at them when I get home before going out to listen to a local Blues band. then decide if I should take some clones or just LITFA this weekend.

Hope everyone has a good one!

SkyDog

[Tinytuttle]

Looks like a good fim cut to me!

[SkyDog]

After making some FIM cuts I’ve also begun some LST. Using some strands of telephone wire attached to a mesh base that used to be a brid cage. Gives me a good place to attach the wires and also allows for some flexibility in movement as I believe I’ll be taking some clones, moving the girls into three gallon containers, and flipping them in the next 10-14 days, if at all possible. Below are a couple pics. I think that once I get them transplanted I’ll put my ScrOG screen in place and cross my fingers. Am I missing anything? Have I mentioned, I’m having fun experimenting with all these variables? Love to learn this stuff!

Grow on!

SkyDog

[SkyDog]

I;m not sure if this is going correctly or not. I have a couple questions.

1. Is it OK to have the main stem bent over to the side like in the photo below here?
2. Is the lighter color of the growth around the FIM cuts OK or do I need to add some extra nutes?
3. Are there any other tips from the experienced growers here that might help me?

As always, thanks for your input and knowledge transfer!

SkyDog

[ATM]

Everything looks fine. Stay the course.