What Growing Style Should I Use

[cjohn44]

Ill start off by saying im a novice at growing. Ive grown a few times but only with seeds ive found in bags. I recently purchased some feminized Gran Daddy Purple seeds that should be arriving next week. Im trying to decide what growing style i should use. By the time i receive the seeds and get them germinated it will probably be Aug 1. I live in New England and and growing in my shed. I figure ive got about 14 weeks before it gets too cold for them. Everything ive read says Gran Daddy Purple flowers in 8 weeks. That leaves me with about 6 weeks of veg.

They will be planted in coco coir and ive got all of the necessary nutrients. For each plant ive got a T5 high output 2' 4 bulb grow light (the light will be used for both veg and flower stage. I may get 3000k bulbs for the flowering stage). Ive got about 5 vertical feet to play with and 2-3 feet around each plant. Gran Daddy Purple is supposed to be a shorter bushy plant.

Which growing style should i use.

Option 1:Just let it do its thing. After 6 weeks switch to flowing cycle

Option 2: Top it around the 3rd node so ive got 2 main colas then just let it do its thing

Option 3:Main-line it, topping it 3 times and tying stems down to make 8 equal height colas coming up and secure them around a tomato plant ring

I think option 3 would be the best but ive never topped a plant more than once so im new at that and also by main lining it i would be extending the veg period and i dont know if i could get it to the required size during veg stage and flower within the 14 weeks or so ive got until it gets cold

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

 

[HigherTheHigh]

What is the exact area of your grow space?

You could possibly scrog them and not have to top them, just keep tucking and weaving.

Option 2, You could top at 3rd node, even the canopy out and try for a screen of green.

Im currently mainlining to create 16 colas with the cage support and scrog net, similar situation with veg time, but if i could i would just top at 3rd node and veg for a total of 4 weeks and put the extra 2 weeks to finish them off, you can harvest some at certain stages if you wanted to depending on trichs.

 

[cjohn44]

Its tough to give a total area for the grow space. Vertical height isnt an issue i could go up to 8ft but i would rather keep them short. Its a shed converted into a man cave so each plant will have a corner. That equates to roughly 3ft x 3ft with whatever height is needed.

Biggest issue with putting a screen in is i have nothing to build the screen on. Thats why i was thinking a tomato plant ring for support if i main lined them.

Another option would be topping after the 3rd node and get an oversized tomato ring, make a screen on the top of that, and do kind of a modified scrog method. That way it wouldnt set the plant back in the veg stage like main lining it would