Rock Stem Stress

[MedResearcher]

An old timer told me that when he was traveling in and around Thailand in the 70's that he noticed some hash farmers were splitting the trunk of the plant and inserting a stone in it.


Personally I have only tried this once a long time ago, without the ability to compare it to a grow without using this technique. It seems to me that the technique would be sort of like super cropping, where you gently crush the inside of a branch, so the plant pushes harder to repair itself eventually ending up with a large knot on the branch and a stronger larger branch. Although if you were to insert a rock into the trunk of the plant, the same theory would be involved but instead of affecting 1 branch at a time it would effect the entire tree.


My point, I am going to begin to try and test this technique thoroughly while observing and noting if it actually increases yield and or quality.

My main problem is I don't know at what point in the plants life cycle when I should split the trunk and insert the stone. During Veg, at the end of Veg, at the start of flower, or once flowers start to set in.


Im hoping someone else here has heard rumor or has possible used this technique and could chime in some info. Even if you haven't and just want to put your two cents in, please do.

All posts are appreciated and welcome.

Thanks,
MR^^

 

[Dave_the_stoner]

I've heard old Mexicans talk about hammering a nail into the base of a plant. That just popped into my head while reading your post, there could be something to it. Possibly to strengthen the plants main stalk early in growth, or possibly to stress it into possibly producing more resin before harvest.

 

[stoopid]

I've heard old Mexicans talk about hammering a nail into the base of a plant. That just popped into my head while reading your post, there could be something to it. Possibly to strengthen the plants main stalk early in growth, or possibly to stress it into possibly producing more resin before harvest.

I'm pretty sure that the nail in stem technique is used in late flowering to enhance bud or resin poroduction. It's done like a week before harvest, the rationalization being that plant thinks it's nearing the end of it's lifecycle or something like that, and will therefore give everything it's got to put out one last push of bud if that helps you imagine it better. SO HIGH>

 

[FirstTracks]

ifthere was a benefit to it, it seems that one would need to do it in veg, with at least 2-4 weeks before flowering was started. 2 weeks would be needed for a full recovery (depending on the size of the rock) and any closer to flowering would just dramatically increase the chances of hermaphrodism due to stress. 4 weeks would be better since it would allow the plant to recover and then actually benefit (if there was a benefit) from the process, having time to grow stronger before flowering.

 

[MDT]

I'm pretty sure that the nail in stem technique is used in late flowering to enhance bud or resin poroduction. It's done like a week before harvest, the rationalization being that plant thinks it's nearing the end of it's lifecycle or something like that, and will therefore give everything it's got to put out one last push of bud if that helps you imagine it better. SO HIGH>

I see this theory being pass around alot but it's always hearsay. So I tried it and guess what? Doesn't work! Waste of time (IMO) and unnecessary stress to the plants.

 

[Bush Grower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by stoopid
I'm pretty sure that the nail in stem technique is used in late flowering to enhance bud or resin poroduction. It's done like a week before harvest, the rationalization being that plant thinks it's nearing the end of it's lifecycle or something like that, and will therefore give everything it's got to put out one last push of bud if that helps you imagine it better. SO HIGH>


I see this theory being pass around alot but it's always hearsay. So I tried it and guess what? Doesn't work! Waste of time (IMO) and unnecessary stress to the plants.

I don't know about the effects of this method done in Veg, but in flowering it is not a good idea. It would cause a largely reduced yield and possibly a hermaphrodite. It is definately not useful if you wait until two weeks within havest to produce more trichs, because all of the trics that are going to be on the buds have already formed and are maturing.

 

[One Love]

I think this would be a bad idea. try low stress training for a slightly better yield. but putting a rock inside your stem is only going to restrict the flow of h2o/nutrients up the main stalk. maybe i'm picturing it wrong in my head, but i don't see how this would benefit. with that said, i have yet to try this method, so i hope you get a response from some more who have tried this.
cheers!

 

[FirstTracks]

I think this would be a bad idea. try low stress training for a slightly better yield. but putting a rock inside your stem is only going to restrict the flow of h2o/nutrients up the main stalk. maybe i'm picturing it wrong in my head, but i don't see how this would benefit. with that said, i have yet to try this method, so i hope you get a response from some more who have tried this.
cheers!

Maybe you hit the nail on the head there 'one love'.

follow me here

.cannabis doesn't like to be overwatered

.many areas in thailand probably have a lot of groundwater

.by restricting water uptake through damaging the stem, farmers might be able to prevent the plant from becoming overwatered

.this would allow the plants to finish without dying


just a thought....

 

[MedResearcher]

I think its more along the line of supercropping. There was an article in high times years ago called supercropping 2. The branchs were intentionally gently broken/crushed on the inside in an attempt to increase yields and or control height.


If you have ever used this technique or even broken a branch on accident, you will notice once it heals there is a huge knot and the branch is alot stronger then before. You could even argue that the branch's growth is faster once healed.

If you split the trunk on a healthy plant and place a rock in it, it will heal very fast forming a huge knot around the trunk. The growth is surely slowed while it heals, but after it has healed theoretically the entire plant would be stronger.


Ill try to dig up some info, or maybe someone else can chime in that has some experience with supercropping.

 

[CDM]

In my humble opinion, your better off without it.. I LST, and have split a branch or two by accident and that plant is usually slows down a little while it heals..

 

[One Love]

irishsoco: interesting thought there. Sounds realistic to me. I want to see a pic of the main shoot of a plant that has had this done. I imagine it would be all kinds of gnarly and knotted up. Anyone have any pics of this?