SCROG ideas

[Lizzielover]

After reading an article about SCROG on another site, I want to bring some new thoughts to the front of the TY grow community. This article claimed that the SCROG method was not very good because the 'top' of each bud has crystals but the 'bottom' does not. I've been growing with SCROG for a long time and early on found a solution to the 'good side/bad side' problem.
I have a grow room of about 3' x 4' and 7' tall. I run 'Bubblers' (DWC) and have a screen at 10" above the buckets. 400 watt HPS is the main 'overhead light'. I have cut a sheet of 1/4" plastic to lay over the buckets with holes cut out for the plants to grow through. One the top side, this plastic is covered with mylar as are the ceiling and walls of the grow.
After the plants 'meet the screen', I start trimming leaves from 'under the screen'. Once the plants have started their 'horizontal journey' across the screen, I place 3- 4 foot Fluorescent Lamps UNDER the canopy to 'light the under side'. I must warn anyone trying this that it requires a lot of maintenence in keeping the growth down on the underside of the canopy, but for my time I'm rewarded with very 'sticky buds' on both sides. I've done 'taste tests' and no one can tell the 'top' from the 'bottom'.
You comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[leroy]

Nice method. I'll bet you get great yeilds. How many plants in there?

[green girl]

Your plants will use the light you give them! Somewhere there is a point of dimishing returns, but it sounds like your plants are still using every bit you give them LizzieL. I like to use the surround with light technique too! Also by using floro in combination with your HPS you are giving the plants different lumens and spectrums. I have always tried to find all the bulbs I can with decent lumen output to give the plants the broadest spectrum possible during flowering. I think the plants respond really well to that too.

[Lizzielover]

When growing for myself, I grow only 4 plants at a time so I can watch them very closely. For me, being 'in tune' with the herb in the growing state makes the grow much better. I'm able to make minor, yet required, changes in diet from day to day. When I'm growing for quantity, it has to be an 'average system' because of differences in seed or clones, 'hot spots', oxygen, exhaust, etc.

[Lizzielover]

Green girl, You're right about the variety of light. Some times, I'll put up some 2' x 2', 5,000k on each end during flowering just to 'punch it up' a little. Everytime I increase the lumens, my yield go up, but that could be because of the nutrients as well. Getting everything involved in a grow working together in sync. is a beautiful sight to see. I just think everyone gets better with every grow. Everyone feels more confident with new ideas to try out.