Rusty's Bonsai Downsizing... - Cannabis Forums Message Boards - Medical Marijuana, Cannabis Club, Dispensary, News

Rusty Trichome · #1 (**permalink**) Jan-09-2008, 09:37

Wasn't sure where to post this, but I wouldn't be offended, with it being moved to it's proper place. (as long as it isn't in the trash, lol)
First off...don't try this at home, I'm a trained...um...ok, so I'm not really trained.
But
I saw this in another post, and was wondering if it would work. I had previous experience in growing bonsai, and figured I'd give it a grow...

Reason for doing it...
An incoming crop of plants from the veg room was forcing my hand. The plants in veg were getting too stinky in the house, so had to move them out to the flower room. I had already harvested the other three Diesels, and this one was lagging what looked like a week or so back. Weeks I didn't have...I needed the space and the pot.

So rather than cut-n-toss, I, well...it's easier to show what I did:
Top left pix: Lazy Diesel in 5 gallon pot.
Top center: Just been hacked.
Top right: Removed from pot, cut root ball to size.
Bottom: Plunked into a 1 gallon container.
(all pix in this post taken on 12-22-07)

Rusty Trichome · #2 (**permalink**) Jan-09-2008, 09:48

Up to date pix:

She's been re-vegging for a bit over two weeks. I flushed when first put in for re-veg, regular veg nute routine from then on. No other special treatment.
No signs of stress, no nanners, but already about 3" of new growth.
As now I'm needing the space in the veg room, will soon up-pot (transplant into bigger pot) and throw her back into flower. Sure could use another couple of grow rooms, lol.

Pix on left was taken on 1-04-08
Pix on right taken today 1-09-08

Love2Chief · #3 (**permalink**) Jan-09-2008, 20:45

whats up whith tha plant on the left some of the leaves arent jagged?

Rusty Trichome · #4 (**permalink**) Jan-09-2008, 22:18

Common, early in a re-veg. I'm guessing the plant is simply going..."WTF?"
Will re-pot it tomorrow in a 3 gallon and see if it will still fit in my veg room.

Rusty Trichome · #5 (**permalink**) Jan-11-2008, 09:58

Gee...no insights, no insults, and only one question?
Has anyone here tried this before, and what were the results?

Anyway, I transplanted into a 3 gallon pot and is still in veg room. About 4" of new growth since chopping her. Looking great so far. Will take clones next week, then put her back into the flower room.
If this is a repeatable process, and can be used with other strains, it can save about 3 to 4 weeks of veg time. (or add 3 to 4 weeks to maturity before flowering)
Might be quicker than waiting for seedlings and clones to root/mature, and I don't have to worry about trying to fit my re-grows (in 5 gallon pots) in with my other seedlings and clones.
Will have to see during flowering, what the stresses may have caused, but as I said...looking good so far.

Can't wait to try this with the C-99 x Sweet Tooth I just put into the flowering room.

Picture is from today:
Chopped Diesel (with Swazi clones in the left corner, and a Rusty's Pokerface seedling behind the Diesel)

Dutch Pimp · #6 (**permalink**) Jan-11-2008, 12:07

I have always heard re-veg is more trouble than it's worth...but ..what the hell...

...I'm gonna try it.

But, first I've got to harvest the colas first, then let lower buds mature, (something new for me too). I have pollenated buds on the lower bud sites, at least, I think i do.

Then, I will try re-vegging; but, I'm at least a month behind you on this.

Question?...your cut the root ball down to fit in 1 gallon pot...I would rather just leave them in the 10 inch pot, they are in now, or should I transplant to something smaller? Is this a fresh soil move/idea?

Rusty Trichome · #7 (**permalink**) Jan-11-2008, 12:51

The only reason I originally downsized the pot was to be able to fit it in my veg room, without compromising my other 'veggies' (vegging clones/seedlings)
Being able to give some fresh soil was on my mind, but in actuality there wasn't much room in the 1 gal. pot for more.
It was quicker and easier flushing the smaller pot to help leach-out the flower ferts, tho.

Also, I forgot to mention that immediatelly after I cut the root ball down to size, I sprayed the root ball with ph'd water, and sprinkled some rooting hormone on the roots before re-potting. Not sure it was a good idea, or a bad idea. Pot was immediatelly rootbound which is why I have already transplanted into a 3 gallon pot. (altho no signs of problems, wanted to be sure none showed up)

Nice grow. Is that a bug trap hanging there, or just a tease for the plants?

Dutch Pimp · #8 (**permalink**) Jan-11-2008, 13:06

Quote:

Is that a bug trap hanging there, or just a tease for the plants?

haha...never thought about that...I just put that in there for depth perception...but, I guess a person could put a little canalope juice in there, and trap every dog-dick gnat around....

scagster · #9 (**permalink**) Jan-11-2008, 14:23

Looks good rusty. Sounds like you've got a lot of different strains, have to say I'm jealous.

Rusty Trichome · #10 (**permalink**) Jan-13-2008, 19:46

A few years ago, I was gifted a "research and development" strain from ReeferMan, a couple of med strains thanks to a very kind and generous native american indian, and some hybrids being offered by a breeder learning the trade.
Definatelly was at the right place at the right time. Comes in handy now, tho. Wife and I are on a very fixed income, and simply can't afford the new, designer genetics. (unless we were to win the Powerball jackpot)

Bummer about the pix.

scagster · #11 (**permalink**) Jan-14-2008, 14:18

pix are working now

texas grass · #12 (**permalink**) Jan-14-2008, 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty Trichome

Can't wait to try this with the C-99 x Sweet Tooth I just put into the flowering room.

are you talking about bogs sc99 if so then i have 2 that sprouted and looking decent

i have never tried to bonsai or reveg but sometime this week im goin to bonsai some plants and get some good mothers going.

your reveg looks great for everything the plant went through, but i would think it would be more economical to bonsai the mom and take abunch of clones to flower, can have em ready in almost 3 weeks to be flowered and once the mom is old enough you wont have a problem on getting alot of clones

you can also trim the roots of the mom and keep her in smaller pots with good success

mums
heres the origional poster from og

International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums - ALL ABOUT BONSAI MOMS/MUMS
heres an updated version with alittle more info

Rusty Trichome · #13 (**permalink**) Jan-15-2008, 11:55

Guess this grow log is cancelled...

Everything sucks, nothing else matters...

Texas...Thanks for the links, but been there already. Also...my C-99 x Sweet Toots is from a few years ago, so I kinda doubt it's the same. One of my favorites, tho.

Rusty Trichome · #14 (**permalink**) Jan-29-2008, 14:28

Well, it seems I have two survivors from the cold-room incident. (heater had quit, thought I had lost all plants to the cold)
One survivor was a Swazi, the other is the Diesel I had chopped to downsize for this project.
After cutting off the soggy shoots, I just left them in the flower room. The rest of the plant has perked back up. I check daily for nanners, but have found none yet. Possible stunting, but is normally a short plant anyway, lol.

First pix is the Diesel from the top.
Second pix is of the plants base. It had an unusual one to begin with, just to show it's the same plant.

Rusty Trichome · #15 (**permalink**) Jan-29-2008, 14:53

Here's a couple of shots of the flower room...

First pix...just above the lights. The 2x4 'hangers' are about 3' long, and anchored to the horiz. board along the back wall. The 2x4's pivot freely, and can be un-screwed from the pivot-point, and slide left and right. 7' or so of headroom. Up to 7' wide, if I wanted.

Second pix...the grow area and a few 3 gallon plants waiting to be sexed.

SnSstealth · #16 (**permalink**) Apr-03-2008, 16:32

rusty....i am tryin bonsai moms next crop...same thing you did, you wanna cut root ball after every clone chop, and with some topping, a 18 in bonsai can have 20-30 clones on it...good idea, slightly differant than yours, but keep tweaking, never thought to reveg.....you sadist you....

whiskeytango

essencevfx · #17 (**permalink**) Apr-04-2008, 15:29

I love bonzai art, have done it for a long time, Im definatly going to try this with my mothers

Thanks !

Rusty Trichome · #18 (**permalink**) Apr-04-2008, 16:28

Adds an extra dimension to our hobby.

Rusty Trichome · #19 (**permalink**) Jul-13-2008, 09:04

A quick update...

I have found this method to be quite reliable, and well worth the effort. Had one failure, but that was due to me seeing just how much you can remove from the foliage before it's too much.

As long as there are active internode sites with green leaves, even if very small, it'll grow. But there must be SOMETHING there to convert the sun's energy.

Conversely, I have found that it works best to remove as much of the budsites as possible, prior to re-vegging. My belief is that it's a hormone thing. If you don't remove the budsites, plant takes forever to start vegging again, and she will show signs of freaking-out. (an un-technical term for leaf weird-out syndrome)

Have been asked..."why not just take clones..."?
Well, I guess if you would rather have fresh-cut, unrooted clones, suceptible to stress, needing to be pampered and coddled...go for it. This ain't no sissy technique, lol. Technically, it's an 8" rooted clone from a plant that I've already seen is worthy of re-veg. If at some point I wish to do the clone mother thing, then yes, I do have that option. In abundance.

This Bonsai method:
Like getting the biggest, healthiest clone you've ever seen. Multiple budsites without further topping or fimming.
Plant starts her flowering stretch within a couple of days, not a couple of weeks.
It's an older plant from the word go, and she's dying to pump-out the buds.
No worries about lights too strong, or going overboard with the nutes. Stick with your regular veg schedule.
Were I inclined to SCROG, this is the technique I would definatelly apply.

Oh, BTW...Since starting this project in Jan, no hermies.

SnSstealth · #20 (**permalink**) Jul-13-2008, 09:09

good shit rusty....I am going to be bonsai-ing all my moms now...they are vegging now...few more days Ill start shaping em...thanks for posting your results!!!!
whiskeytango

Rusty Trichome · #21 (**permalink**) Jul-13-2008, 09:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnSstealth

good shit rusty....I am going to be bonsai-ing all my moms now...they are vegging now...few more days Ill start shaping em...thanks for posting your results!!!!
whiskeytango

Thanks SnS. Good luck and please, let me know how you're progressing. Any questions, just holler.
4 out of 6 plants in my flower room right now, are bonsai. The other two are clones from a previous bonsai.
Altho I love this technique, I feel kinda bad throwing all my extra smoke in the compost heap.

I've got some Inca Spirit (indica) x Pokerface (indica dom) I'm trying this on next. When I get some camera batteries I'll post the story here. I'm just about to bury them up to their cotelydons, so it will be a while.

SnSstealth · #22 (**permalink**) Jul-13-2008, 09:38

oooooh, keep me posted!! very curious about pokerface

whiskeytango

NaughtyDreadz · #23 (**permalink**) Jul-13-2008, 14:23

yo man!!!! u da man! I was wonder on how I'm doing this.. I got this one leda-uno phenotype thats flowering and it smells like dirty bathrooms, all the others smell like pineapple hard candy. you've basically showed me wot to do, and for that I am greatful sir!

greenatik · #24 (**permalink**) Jul-13-2008, 18:11

heya rusty,

great thread w/ pics of how to bonsai.. just a few questions.. my next grow I plan on doing 6-7 plants in a very cramped space (30" tall, 14" wide) . Going to start from clone, and bonsai'ing them has crossed my mind. How long after you start seeing new growth can you flip to flower? Once bonsai'd do they tend to not get very tall? For efficiency, my space really encourages single cola plants. What would happen If i just bonsai'd the secondary shoots and left the top alone?

any suggestions are definitely appreciated!

Rusty Trichome · #25 (**permalink**) Jul-14-2008, 09:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenatik

heya rusty, great thread w/ pics of how to bonsai..

Appreciate it, thanks. You too, ND.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenatik

...How long after you start seeing new growth can you flip to flower?

I give 'em a month or so. Generally takes a week to start showing the new growth.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenatik

Once bonsai'd do they tend to not get very tall?

Correct. They still stretch, but not as much as from seed or clone. With my indica's I'll give 'em an extra week or two in re-veg. Seems to cut the PMS (Pre Motherhood Stretch...the stretch that happens when you switch from veg schedule to flower schedule) about in half for both sativa and indica hybrids.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenatik

What would happen If i just bonsai'd the secondary shoots and left the top alone?

I've never left the cola, but from the experience of leaving some of the lesser (insignificant) buds, the flowering hormones that remain in the main cola would freak-out the lady early in the re-veg process. Stressing her out big time, causing slowed growth or plant death. The mature trichomes gurantee your room will stink for the next few weeks tho. Another good reason to remove all of the buds before re-veg.
Regardless, the main cola you were trying to save will make way for new growth by withering up and dying off. No ground gained there, but I like the way you think...nice try.

You can easily train and trim the new growth to fit the growth habit you require.

Good luck. It's a surprisingly easier process than it looks, tho.

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