Limiting size of photoperiod strains by starting late

Outdoor
#1

First time grower here, experimenting with both photoperiod and autos, in the ground and in pots. All are doing well, but my ground-planted photo plant is getting big. If it continues to grow until the equinox, I may have to cut it down to keep it from being visible over my privacy fence. I’m wondering if I can safely limit the plant’s size next year by starting later.

To put some dates to this, I germinated the seed in early April, and planted it outside on May 11, which was the earliest I was confident that our temps would stay above 50 F. So if it switches to flowering at the equinox, it will have had about 19 weeks of vegetative growth outdoors. Next year, if I waited another 6 weeks to start, would the plant be equally happy but a little smaller with 13 weeks of veg? Or would I run into other problems giving it a late start?

#2

Or you could use Training methods to limit the size. Monster crop if need be! Grow indica they tend to be shorter!

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#3

Good point. I have topped it twice, but I probably waited longer for the first topping than I should have. It was already 4.5 to 5 feet tall then.

#4

For the last 2 years I have been doing just that…starting later.
Since it is legal to grow here, I wasn’t limiting size, my problem is the heat!
I germinate on Solstice, sprouts into 4" then into 1gal when the right size.
Which puts us here now; I have got 1gal gals just flourishing and we haven’t been south of 90º for 2 weeks with a forecast for another month of this…(110º in the greenhouse).
This method has eliminated the re-veg and size appropriates for container volume.
I have had some monsters in 40gal bags so I have settled on 15gal in and out of the greenhouse.
I transplanted 4 Wednesday but the 1gal root ball needs a couple more days
They have been maturing with the weather on the photoperiods when it starts to get cold.
Good Luck!

#5

Get a couple of screw in ground anchors or weights and tie the branches down so that they grow horizontal instead of vertical for this grow or future grows. If height is a concern grow 2 sets of autos next time.

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