I could use some good advice on pinch pruning...

[Bud Green]

I'm doing like every year and getting a few started indoors to be placed outside in the ground in May, for my own stash..
I'm experienced with growing and with my dirt, but here's my question..
I seen pictures on here of plants which have been pinched along the stalk and the stems, to produce HUGE narly stalks and produced MANY big stems, making the full grown plant look more like a bushy bush, with lots of colas as opposed to one main stalk with normal side branches..
Years ago the method was to cut the growing top and get two main stalks, but obviously the techniques have improved greatly.
Anyone with experience care to share with me the correct method of growing these wide bushes? Any good advice here would be appreciated....Bud G.

 

[ponobegone]

hey Bud you can tie down the top and get that same bush you are looking for. check out my dawgystyle thread in the outdoor forum, I like big asses bushy plants too.

 

[Bud Green]

Pono, thanks man, I checked out your thread and the pics. you certainly know your shit...
Did you get that bushiness just from tying down and using the 6X6 plastic netting?
No pinching of the stems? Picture on post #134 has the narly stem I was asking about.
I dont use the jumbo smart pots, but my holes this year are about 80 gallon in the ground and I know my soil is good. I make it myself and put it in the holes.
I know genetics and your larger beds has a lot to do with it..
What is that plastic screen normally used for so I can find a place to buy it?
If you can answer these questions for me I will sure appreciate it...
Thanks again, your harvest is an inspiration to me....Bud G.

 

[HyDroid]

Getting fat buds at different locations on the plant is all about hormone control.

You can control hormones by blocking them from dominant producers (pinching below leading shoots, i.e. main stem) or by promoting them at subordinate sites (bending the plant over to expose young shoots to light, thereby encouraging them to grow).

Like Pono, I prefer to tie down, as it is less destructive and less risky.

That being said, you can crush the crap out of a fatly budded stem and have it regenerate successfully, especially with some sort of band-aid to seal in moisture. I've broken woody stems by accident to the point where I could see through the fibers, duct taped them at a RIGHT ANGLE with minimal support, and had them heal up fine in < 2 weeks with a bulge of repaired vascular tissue at the fracture site. Seemed like it healed functionally, too. So, if you ever mess up and break a heavily budded stem, there is hope to save it.

 

[Bud Green]

Thanks HyDroid,
I am familiar with fixing accidently broken branches by tying them back in position. They have always healed for me...The Important thing I'm seeing here from you, is that you, like Pono, prefer bending and tying.. I have done minor tying down in the past, but I guess I never tried it to it's full potential..I'm gonna get busy because I have 4 potential monsters right now that I started more than a month earlier than I usually do...They are about 12 inches tall, but are 14 inches wide and the lower branches are trying damn hard to catch up to the main growth stalk...

 

[HyDroid]

Something to consider when tying down with plastic netting or otherwise is to avoid smashing leaves together or against a restrictive object. Transpiration can accumulate at points of contact and invite infection, i.e. mold.

 

[RonSmooth]

I tie, pinch, bend, defoliate, top and prune my plants throughout their life.

Heres one from my last run:

Dont be afraid to hurt the plant, they can handle it.

 

[TheRealHash]

F.I.M.

F.I.M.

I'm doing like every year and getting a few started indoors to be placed outside in the ground in May, for my own stash..
I'm experienced with growing and with my dirt, but here's my question..
I seen pictures on here of plants which have been pinched along the stalk and the stems, to produce HUGE narly stalks and produced MANY big stems, making the full grown plant look more like a bushy bush, with lots of colas as opposed to one main stalk with normal side branches..
Years ago the method was to cut the growing top and get two main stalks, but obviously the techniques have improved greatly.
Anyone with experience care to share with me the correct method of growing these wide bushes? Any good advice here would be appreciated....Bud G.

FIM stands for fuck I missed lol

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[Asslover]

The Purple Diesel on the left is untouched, the one on the right has been topped several times...

 

[Asslover]

Flash on shot...

 

[Dropped Cat]

Good to see some comparison shots of with and without.

 

[unregistered190]

Definately see the differnece Ass!

 

[Bud Green]

Lots of good advice here man.. Thanks to all of you for your suggestions.
I started bending yesterday.. I also cut off a few HUGE fan leaves that were really in the way.. That made me a little nervous on such young, small plants, but they are all handling the stress well and the lower side branches are already showing growth, like they are trying to catch up to the main, center stalk. Just what I wanted. Should I wait a couple days before I do anymore bending and fan leave removal, so as to let them recover completely first? Can doing too much, too fast, turn a plant into a runt? Or will a plant that was destined to do well with no pruning, always recover with just a need for more time in the veg. state? I still have plenty of time before these girls will be able to go outside into the ground...