Fellow growers,
I will throw a lot of info and questions, so bare with me
Those of you who have experience with SOG (maximizing yield) will be more helpful, however I'm open to comments from everyone.
HERE WE GO:
I've been growing for some years now, adjusting my method (SOG) along the way, however I can't seem to get more than 0.7oz-0.77 (20-23 gr) per plant on average dry mass. My record is 0.95 (27gr) but I managed to do it once and it was probably luck with genetics and other random factors. I have more than 50 harvests behind my back, running a continuous loop with a harvest every month.
So I am able to make experiments and adjust and test hypothesis all the time. However I reached a limit and I can't figure what to improve next as I feel I am getting average results in terms of yield. (Quality is fine, all dense and crystal buds.) Plants are healthy throughout.
My question is, is this an adequate yield for my conditions? And what could be my limiting factor in terms of yield.
I will post info and images from all stages of my grow to help you get an idea of my setup and what I do.
MY SETUP AND METHOD:
Lights: Custom LED with samsung diodes.
Soil: Lightmix peat based by Plagron with some perlite
Nutrients: Plagron, using the full range of products at about 75% strength. Its a Dutch brand, popular in Europe. Alga - organic line.
These are my total PPMs in Flower weeks 1-8.
This is my light schedule in PPFD: Flower weeks 1-8.
and VPD ranges in flowering (1-8)
Watering schedule flowering (1-8)
I keep my temps at about 80F (78-82F) or about 26-27 degrees and adjust humidity to get the VPD ranges (58-65% in flowering)
Growing 3.5 weeks (25 days) 20/4 from seeds straight into 2 gallon pots start to end. (Did tried a smaller container with a repot with no serious difference.)
Floweringperiod 8 weeks.
Each plant has a little under one square foot of space (30x30 cm.) Or even a bit less
Plants are under LED 300 - 650ppfd start to finish.
In weeks 5-8 of flowering stage plants are watered 1.7L per 4-5 days. Nute with every watring + wormcasting composts. (No flushing)
Seeds: Have tried many, specifically recommended for SOG. Short and bushy. 7-9 weeks flowering period.
SOME THOUGHTS:
1. Extending growing period and/or flowering period with 10-11 weeks seeds will obviously increase the Yield but I need to stick to this specific schedule so lets keep those fixed. 25 Veg from seed.
2. Obviously space per plant is inevitably a limiting factor in SOG, however I have heard of people yielding 1.4oz (40+ grams)+ per plant and their pots seem to have even less space than mine or similar.
3. What about light, experience has showed me that If I go over 700ppfd in flower (weeks 5-8) plants just seems to get stressed and this usually affects the yield negatively. I assume I have other limiting factors that do not allow me to push light above 700 ppfd, meanwhile some people go up to 1500ppfd. Is this related to the short veg and generally small plants?
I also veg with 300-400ppfd ... perhaps I don't get them used to strong light in early-mid veg? Can't understand how to get those plants take 600-700ppfd in veg and 800-900ppfd in flower without issues.
4. Am I being to easy on the light / VPD? Perhaps I play it too safe? Some people grow at 1.2 VPD while others manage to get it up to 1.6. I my experience VPD above 1.4 and temps above 84F, 29 degree in weeks 5-8 have always affected my yield negatively.
5. What about PPMs? Here is another post of mine, a slight deficiency that might relate to underfeeding. What do you think. Could this be pointing to a combination of underfeeding and low light in combination?
Also some of the images below show some burned tips, that might look like underfeeding.
6. Plants training. I usually just clean lower branches and leaves every week until week 3 of flower and then just clean leaves until week 5-6.
I am currently testing a single topping technique that looks promising, some previous tests got me 25 grams, but lets see if I can repeat that. Another thing is leaving more side branches (candles). Still I don't this this will get me too far by itself.
7. High temps 28-29 degrees 84F, is usually the only things that makes plants go crazy, being extremely happy, leaves pointing almost vertical sometimes. I used to grow/flower at these temps and plants looked amazing, however those conditions did not result in some extra yield. Since I grow at lower temps and VPD I basically get the same Yield but much denser and better quality. Plans also look much healthier towards the last 2 weeks.
PICS:
I will throw a lot of info and questions, so bare with me

Those of you who have experience with SOG (maximizing yield) will be more helpful, however I'm open to comments from everyone.
HERE WE GO:
I've been growing for some years now, adjusting my method (SOG) along the way, however I can't seem to get more than 0.7oz-0.77 (20-23 gr) per plant on average dry mass. My record is 0.95 (27gr) but I managed to do it once and it was probably luck with genetics and other random factors. I have more than 50 harvests behind my back, running a continuous loop with a harvest every month.
So I am able to make experiments and adjust and test hypothesis all the time. However I reached a limit and I can't figure what to improve next as I feel I am getting average results in terms of yield. (Quality is fine, all dense and crystal buds.) Plants are healthy throughout.
My question is, is this an adequate yield for my conditions? And what could be my limiting factor in terms of yield.
I will post info and images from all stages of my grow to help you get an idea of my setup and what I do.
MY SETUP AND METHOD:
Lights: Custom LED with samsung diodes.
Soil: Lightmix peat based by Plagron with some perlite
Nutrients: Plagron, using the full range of products at about 75% strength. Its a Dutch brand, popular in Europe. Alga - organic line.
These are my total PPMs in Flower weeks 1-8.
313 | 411 | 570 | 875 | 1032 | 1189 | 1250 | 750 |
This is my light schedule in PPFD: Flower weeks 1-8.
300 | 350 | 450 | 500 | 600 | 650 | 650 | 550 |
and VPD ranges in flowering (1-8)
0.7 - 0.9 | 0.7 - 0.9 | 0.8 - 1.0 | 0.9 - 1.1 | 0.9 - 1.1 | 1.0 - 1.2 | 1.0 - 1.2 | 1.1 - 1.3 |
Watering schedule flowering (1-8)
1 L | 1.2 L | 1.4 L | 1.6 L | 1.6 L | 1.7 L | 1.8 L |
I keep my temps at about 80F (78-82F) or about 26-27 degrees and adjust humidity to get the VPD ranges (58-65% in flowering)
Growing 3.5 weeks (25 days) 20/4 from seeds straight into 2 gallon pots start to end. (Did tried a smaller container with a repot with no serious difference.)
Floweringperiod 8 weeks.
Each plant has a little under one square foot of space (30x30 cm.) Or even a bit less
Plants are under LED 300 - 650ppfd start to finish.
In weeks 5-8 of flowering stage plants are watered 1.7L per 4-5 days. Nute with every watring + wormcasting composts. (No flushing)
Seeds: Have tried many, specifically recommended for SOG. Short and bushy. 7-9 weeks flowering period.
SOME THOUGHTS:
1. Extending growing period and/or flowering period with 10-11 weeks seeds will obviously increase the Yield but I need to stick to this specific schedule so lets keep those fixed. 25 Veg from seed.
2. Obviously space per plant is inevitably a limiting factor in SOG, however I have heard of people yielding 1.4oz (40+ grams)+ per plant and their pots seem to have even less space than mine or similar.
3. What about light, experience has showed me that If I go over 700ppfd in flower (weeks 5-8) plants just seems to get stressed and this usually affects the yield negatively. I assume I have other limiting factors that do not allow me to push light above 700 ppfd, meanwhile some people go up to 1500ppfd. Is this related to the short veg and generally small plants?
I also veg with 300-400ppfd ... perhaps I don't get them used to strong light in early-mid veg? Can't understand how to get those plants take 600-700ppfd in veg and 800-900ppfd in flower without issues.
4. Am I being to easy on the light / VPD? Perhaps I play it too safe? Some people grow at 1.2 VPD while others manage to get it up to 1.6. I my experience VPD above 1.4 and temps above 84F, 29 degree in weeks 5-8 have always affected my yield negatively.
5. What about PPMs? Here is another post of mine, a slight deficiency that might relate to underfeeding. What do you think. Could this be pointing to a combination of underfeeding and low light in combination?
Can anyone identify this symptom on the top leaves?
I have this issue coming up with every grow, usually in week 6 and it affects about 20% of all plants. This has been going on for 4-5 grows and I wonder what is it and should I do something about it. Rest of plants are ok.
www.420magazine.com
6. Plants training. I usually just clean lower branches and leaves every week until week 3 of flower and then just clean leaves until week 5-6.
I am currently testing a single topping technique that looks promising, some previous tests got me 25 grams, but lets see if I can repeat that. Another thing is leaving more side branches (candles). Still I don't this this will get me too far by itself.
7. High temps 28-29 degrees 84F, is usually the only things that makes plants go crazy, being extremely happy, leaves pointing almost vertical sometimes. I used to grow/flower at these temps and plants looked amazing, however those conditions did not result in some extra yield. Since I grow at lower temps and VPD I basically get the same Yield but much denser and better quality. Plans also look much healthier towards the last 2 weeks.
PICS: