Thicker stems

How do i get thicker stems? Having a problem with the buds weighing down the plant.

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I don’t know how you would get thicker stems, but as for buds weighing down the plant, I would suggest using some supports late in the grow. A few vertical sticks (bamboo or those green coated sticks from HD) around the exterior of the plant with some ties works wonders.

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Fans are a good way to grow bigger stems. The gentle wind forces them to toughen up.

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You crack them, you give the stems a twist which breaks the inner herd and they go on to beef up those sections, typically can start doing so during stretch and into later flower for those more susceptible strains. Look up kushman chiropractics on youtube if you want some examples barring the source.

Also plants that are fighting with their neighbours tend to develop long more flimsy stems as they reach for the light and are supported but their neighbours or walls or whatever, reduction of that also helps with plant strength though some are just bad regardless.

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Definitely wind stress will thicken the stems. Also silica helps to strengthen cell walls.

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If you give them a good shake 1-3 times a day from when they are little, I’ve noticed it helps simulate little wind gusts and helps a bunch in branch strength.

I do it almost every time I look at them. The branches near the edge of the tent find a way to lean on the tent and avoid building strength still. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s good enough

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That’s what I use, in the exterior as you said not to damage roots, completed with Grotek Pro silicate and some light wind making dance the stems as it’s been said … beer3|nullxnull

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Hang a weight on the end of them during veg.

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Silica is included in my dry ammends. Also wind, and structural stress.

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I water my plants with liquid silica added to the nute solution (at least until they start the stretch in flower) and always have multiple fans blowing. I need to look into the Kushman Chiropractic video that @Mr.Sparkle mentioned. I’ve heard it recommended before, and have some Sour Diesel plants that are flopping.

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I noticed recently, that when i mist everyday on the main foliage, that the stems really thicken up. Raw spring water or rainwater is what i use to mist them down with. I noticed the bottoms of my plants; which i wasnt wettinf down quite as much were much, much thinner. I am used to seeing the bottom thicken up more then the top. So I switched it around and started paying special attention to the bottome part of the stems. Also hollow stems i find are more prone to flopping around but its stems are very easy to crack but it is best to figure out early on which plants are hollow stemmed. I tend to top males right away to find the hollow stems, also finding it much harder to clone extremely hollow stems too not sure if its something to do with plant health or air pocket in stem when cloned. (Slerpy-Straw sized hollow stemmed in particular)

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Silicon is the answer, but don’t buy overpriced weed products for it, get the ag stuff repackaged by BAS from fifty pound bags:
https://buildasoil.com/products/agsil16h-potassium-silicate![662242735357576280db3e2a01ec8736_5000x|500x500](upload://kFP2bQfnvDQId6szSzik7sb2GiI.jpeg)

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I agree with the silicon I use DynaGro ProTeKt and a fan to get those girls dancing.

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Some of todays Newer crosses I noticed are a bit floppier especially anything with Runtz in it.Most of my bottom skirt buds got so big they just kinda flopped sideways on this Crasher Toyz Wedding cake Face off Runtz nuglife farms, very good fruity gassy goodness.Smoke is so thick you could chew it and it’s like eating candy…

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See some of the newer crosses bottom branches like the ones I had are hollow but thier stretchy like a fishing pole it’s wierd I had the fan cranking on them and I misted them for clean buds with LABS and had a fan cranking on them and all they did was this wierd side flop thing.I kept expecting them to break for my torture test but nope got more spring in them than a grass hopper and tough as wood pecker lips.

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I haven’t been able to find it north of the border.

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Is this the solution?

My plant has started flowering. It’s outdoor. And I think I need to beef the stems up a little bit so it can hold buds.

Is silica the solution? The grow is 95% organic. What silica solution should I buy, powder or liquid. What brand, what company so on and so forth.

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Agsil 16 works well

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Second thread in 2 days on stronger stems. Check out this thread bud.

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I use Growtek’s GroSilic in everything. :+1:

The application rate is minimal amounts resulting in a big effect:

Application Rate: 1L makes 6667L of solution.

Foliar application: Dilute to 1:500 or greater. Apply at the 3 – 8 leaf stage and once monthly thereafter as required. Soilless/water culture application: For nutrient solutions apply at a rate of 0.15 – 0.30 ml/L (0.6 – 1.2 ml/gal.).