Marquis de Sod
Member
this is what my local fert store operator swears by. is he nuts??? says he tops the plants same day he turns lights on 12/12.
pinch top off plant at START of BLOOM?
- Thread starter Marquis de Sod
- Start date
no for most plants that will not do well. Certain few strains will and do benefit from this, but is usually just done to avoid some stretch.
To make sure there is hardy and vigorous growth without the plant freaking out about too many things at once, I top and wait a week or two before flowering. This allows the plant to get situated with its new main colas as the hormones to do most of the work will be allocated to the next set down of 2-4 branches.
I swear by topping and lst, even a hardy indica strain is worth it. Imagine 3 cola branches near the light instead of 1.
This way you're more insured that 'no branch gets left behind' and even your lowest branches are finding significant light.
I swear by topping and lst, even a hardy indica strain is worth it. Imagine 3 cola branches near the light instead of 1.
This way you're more insured that 'no branch gets left behind' and even your lowest branches are finding significant light.
Marquis de Sod
Member
thanks, but would like more opinions please.
Pipe Dream
Member
The green guy in the I grow green videos (you can find on youtube if your unfamiliar with it) advocates this. It's really just personal preferance.
My bad it's called I grow chronic.
My bad it's called I grow chronic.
M
Mr.Howie
Just like PK said, it's all strain dependant. For example, my 4sd stretches about 3x during the first three weeks of 12/12 and topping the main colas just before going into 12/12 helps the lower branches catch up and makes a more even canopy. That being said, I would never top a sour bubble or any kush without letting it veg at least a week or two to let it recover before going into 12/12, because they just don't stretch that much.
I've been hearing about this more lately, I think just because I thought about doing it before flowering my current grow. I believe it helps the rest of the branches catch up to the top of the plant as it redistributes growth hormones to the next-tallest branches and scrambles to make more suitable growth tips (suitable = higher up towards the light.)
I'm interested in pics of this. I think the plant would look like a menorah.
I'm interested in pics of this. I think the plant would look like a menorah.
If you want a bushy plant topping is great, but do it two weeks prior to flipping to 12:12 so the plant doesnt have to deal with too much stress at once.
Also, in terms of yields, Ive never noticed an increase in yield by topping. When Ive done side by side comparisons of the same strain from clone, topped vs not topped they both yielded about the same. Only difference was instead of one large main cola I had 2 or 3 smaller colas on a smaller plant.
LST on the other hand has always worked well for me to get more light to the lower branches.
Also, in terms of yields, Ive never noticed an increase in yield by topping. When Ive done side by side comparisons of the same strain from clone, topped vs not topped they both yielded about the same. Only difference was instead of one large main cola I had 2 or 3 smaller colas on a smaller plant.
LST on the other hand has always worked well for me to get more light to the lower branches.
Hybrid Whooa
New member
This is exactly what I have done with my current grow. I vegged for two weeks , topped and fipped. I have heard from others that this will delay flowering by about a week. I have height restraints so I do this method as well a very light lst or super crop during stretch. I know some say not to do this but I have found it is a great way to control the height. As for the buds now their is bud along almost the entire stem of each plant. I have found this works really good at getting those stretchy strains into small spaces, also after the stem has recovered it is so strong and really packs on the bud.
C
Cheeb
Dont TOP it.. TIE it!
I've never took the time to TOP my plants, but have FIMed them back in my day where you would top the plant directly in the middle of its top node..just a little higher then what you would do if you were normally topping a plant. Could results in 2 - 8 dominant colas.
I prefer to tie the top down so that it is no longer the main top. All of the other branches will stretch up and try to be tops themselves. I pair it with a heavy lower stripping to get this result.
You can see here where I tied over the main top..it allowed the others to stretch up and create an even canopy. I then prune to define my now several main tops. I'll sometimes untie the once original main top if its still too low in the new canopy and wont get good light.
Here is an example which led to my largest colas yet. No lower bullshit to add to the hash pile.
From this:
To this:
I've never took the time to TOP my plants, but have FIMed them back in my day where you would top the plant directly in the middle of its top node..just a little higher then what you would do if you were normally topping a plant. Could results in 2 - 8 dominant colas.
I prefer to tie the top down so that it is no longer the main top. All of the other branches will stretch up and try to be tops themselves. I pair it with a heavy lower stripping to get this result.
You can see here where I tied over the main top..it allowed the others to stretch up and create an even canopy. I then prune to define my now several main tops. I'll sometimes untie the once original main top if its still too low in the new canopy and wont get good light.
Here is an example which led to my largest colas yet. No lower bullshit to add to the hash pile.
From this:
To this:
Pipe Dream
Member
Dont TOP it.. TIE it!
I've never took the time to TOP my plants, but have FIMed them back in my day where you would top the plant directly in the middle of its top node..just a little higher then what you would do if you were normally topping a plant. Could results in 2 - 8 dominant colas.
I prefer to tie the top down so that it is no longer the main top. All of the other branches will stretch up and try to be tops themselves. I pair it with a heavy lower stripping to get this result.
You can see here where I tied over the main top..it allowed the others to stretch up and create an even canopy. I then prune to define my now several main tops. I'll sometimes untie the once original main top if its still too low in the new canopy and wont get good light.
Here is an example which led to my largest colas yet. No lower bullshit to add to the hash pile.
From this:
To this:
Incredible! +rep
That's a beautiful canopy Cheeb. +cheers
LST is good and definitely helps with yield but it's far too cumbersome with more than a handful of plants. But that's why we scrog right..
It's romantic to think of the plant as your little friend and as stress being always "bad." but "stress" is used as a very vague term to justify one's opinion for/against almost any training technique. I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong, but until we get this legalized and have scientific studies in controlled settings, the best way to increase your own yield is to try things out for yourself.
LST is good and definitely helps with yield but it's far too cumbersome with more than a handful of plants. But that's why we scrog right..
It's romantic to think of the plant as your little friend and as stress being always "bad." but "stress" is used as a very vague term to justify one's opinion for/against almost any training technique. I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong, but until we get this legalized and have scientific studies in controlled settings, the best way to increase your own yield is to try things out for yourself.
C
Cheeb
Those were 600w.
Believe it or not that garden actually didn't yield that well but that may have been contributed to having to harvest it early. The entire garden started to topple in its final weeks because I got lazy and didn't trellis it. It was like the domino effect.
That being said my more recent gardens did not look as good nor did they have as gigantic sized colas. I'll be tying from now on to promote multiple dominant tops.
I know a guy who grows 1 plant per square foot who gets excellent results topping twice. He'll do 32 plants on 4x8 table and top each plant twice so that it was 4 tops. He'll prune off everything but those 4 tops which will result in 128 fat colas to trim come harvest - nothing else!
If each cola weighs a half OZ he's hitting 2lb per light - no popcorn. 32 2oz plants.
Believe it or not that garden actually didn't yield that well but that may have been contributed to having to harvest it early. The entire garden started to topple in its final weeks because I got lazy and didn't trellis it. It was like the domino effect.
That being said my more recent gardens did not look as good nor did they have as gigantic sized colas. I'll be tying from now on to promote multiple dominant tops.
I know a guy who grows 1 plant per square foot who gets excellent results topping twice. He'll do 32 plants on 4x8 table and top each plant twice so that it was 4 tops. He'll prune off everything but those 4 tops which will result in 128 fat colas to trim come harvest - nothing else!
If each cola weighs a half OZ he's hitting 2lb per light - no popcorn. 32 2oz plants.
do not do this, i have and it is not good.
it creates a baseball on top of the main bud and damn near no branching that would other wise happen, yield will decrease drastically.......
top a week before flowering for best results......
I'm most certain that will not work very well, unless we're talking about micro grow or some other extreme situation where it is live or die situation.
other than that, I recommend looking into monster cropping technique maybe :
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=115377
other than that, I recommend looking into monster cropping technique maybe :
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=115377
Pompey_Monkey
Member
Dont TOP it.. TIE it!
I've never took the time to TOP my plants, but have FIMed them back in my day where you would top the plant directly in the middle of its top node..just a little higher then what you would do if you were normally topping a plant. Could results in 2 - 8 dominant colas.
I prefer to tie the top down so that it is no longer the main top. All of the other branches will stretch up and try to be tops themselves. I pair it with a heavy lower stripping to get this result.
You can see here where I tied over the main top..it allowed the others to stretch up and create an even canopy. I then prune to define my now several main tops. I'll sometimes untie the once original main top if its still too low in the new canopy and wont get good light.
Here is an example which led to my largest colas yet. No lower bullshit to add to the hash pile.
From this:
To this:
Cheeb - that's awsome!
How much longer did you leave the LST'd and defoliated plants before going into flower?
I like to supercrop roughly a week or 2 before flip. Break the main colas neck, let the other colas catch up, and then in that 2 weeks before flip the main cola should heal itself and you're left with a straight arena/globe of headies. I did some tying too but I had real good success with the super cropping on a cotton candy.
