Harvesting slowly: TOP to BOTTOM?

hybridtek · Nov 23, 2015

Fellow travelers,

I was wondering if anyone has experience in harvesting from the top buds first, then letting the mid/lower growth get more light and develop more, then harvesting again.

Here is my current grow:

The LED's penetrate the tops and they are much more developed and will finish first, but the mid to low growth needs more time.

I am doing DWC so the growth is insane, but I've never done this approach before.

It looks like the steps would be:

Cut the 40-50 tops six inches or so from the top.
Wait a week (or two?) and cut down the rest.

Anyone have experience? Threads or pics are very welcome!
thanks

Phaeton · Nov 23, 2015

I tried it more than once on several different strains. Too good an idea to waste.

Alas, the shock of taking the top buds off stresses the the plants to the point they quit growing the lower buds.

I then started using side lights and upping the power until it was 50/50 overhead and side.
That fattened up the lower buds just fine.
I have room to do that, it takes almost a six foot circle to enclose side lights all around a plant.

hybridtek · Nov 23, 2015

So, waste of time? Should I just chop her down completely?

Baron Greenback · Nov 23, 2015

My mentor used to swear by doing exactly that, tops off, lights dropped to encourage lower flower swelling.
Personally, I just veg longer and train them a bit, try to remove some of the lower stuff pre triggering, that sort of thing.
If you have the space, try it on one plant perhaps.
Good luck.

cough_cough_eer · Nov 23, 2015

I started harvesting that way My hash has improved

I started harvesting that way My hash has improved

Ive harvested a few that way and saw no notable swelling of the lower buds. It has made me a little lazy though, the lowers usually don't get trimmed but I end up with more hash material. Works out good for me :dance013:

St. Phatty · Nov 23, 2015

I've been harvesting top buds for about 20 years.

Yes, it works. As long as the lower buds are building pistil structures - and white (growing) pistils are present, it is putting on weight.

The top buds often do say, "Whoa, I'm done" - their appearance says it.

However I think it's a method that works best for small-scale/ med growers, because there is more to manage.

chronosync · Nov 23, 2015

obviously trichomes will continue to mature on buds left on the plant, so if you want to mellow out the bottom more if its not too amber yet, when the top is perfect, that sounds good. maybe they will fatten up a bit. ive never done it, perhaps i will this harvest, if i cant decide when to chop.

RustyShcklfrd · Nov 23, 2015

I cant really see how "picking the fruit will hurt the vine", but like St. Phatty said, its definately a small scale option, which doesnt mean its not potentally better, just not really manageable large scale. DJ used to say FLO was ment to be harvested that way, but i havent heard that for a few years, and havent really heard of any of the 6 billion people in colorado growing FLO harvesting it that way, but who knows, if it works for you and your situation, then its the right thing to do.

chronosync · Nov 23, 2015

id say do it. update the thread and let us know!

Sandnut · Nov 23, 2015

I did just that once, and from my personal experience I can say that it was a real success. I harvested all of the top buds and let the rest of the buds thrive for 1.5-2 weeks under the lights. By that time they had increased in size substantially but most importantly, all of the popcorn sidebranches were alot more compact, not at all like your typical fluffy buds.

I only did this to increase my yield as that particular grow was the last, and I did not have anything else waiting to be flowered. Goodluck.

hybridtek · Nov 24, 2015

St. Phatty said:
I've been harvesting top buds for about 20 years.

Yes, it works. As long as the lower buds are building pistil structures - and white (growing) pistils are present, it is putting on weight.

The top buds often do say, "Whoa, I'm done" - their appearance says it.

However I think it's a method that works best for small-scale/ med growers, because there is more to manage.

Yes, they are. I am gonna try it out.

Zarezhu · Nov 24, 2015

It's actually pretty stupid to chop the entire plant unless you got your veg room on point and you're cutting and flipping a whole new room every 60 days.

It's all about cherry picking. You could take 2" or 3" tops, and within 3 days, the "new" top will have grown a substantial amount; you get waaay higher yield per plant when you cherry pick, just takes longer in the flower room.

LostTribe · Nov 28, 2015

harvest tops first will allow lowers to mature...

Guy Brush · Nov 29, 2015

I think its strain- or plant-dependant.

Obsidian · Nov 29, 2015

actually it works the other way around, especially with outdoor, indoor not so often, nugs ripen all at once.
the nugs on the lower branches ripen faster than the upper due to age.
I'm experiencing this on a Fractal Genetics Strawberry Diesel IX pheno that leans heavily towards sativa. It's maddening, the slow process of growth going on with this monster. I just cut 6 branches of dank meds. buds on top fresh new growth looking about 45 days, and the bottom branches looking like 80 days, interesting spectrum happening.

ChaosCatalunya · Nov 29, 2015

Yes it works and is a good idea, immature bud is the No1 cause of schwag

But, also have a think about your productive canopy depth. You are already lolipopping, do some carefully documented experiments with how many nodes of growth on each plant you put into flower, vary it a bit and tag the plants. Less may be more.

Your double cropping will maximise yield and quality on that one crop, but it is unlikely to be the long term annual total winning plan vs one crop and immediate replanting

dread · Nov 29, 2015

for outdoor growers that is the only way to harvest,in my opinion....

Zarezhu · Nov 29, 2015

ChaosCatalunya said:
Your double cropping will maximise yield and quality on that one crop, but it is unlikely to be the long term annual total winning plan vs one crop and immediate replanting

^ that

And sorry Obsidian, but you're completely incorrect.
Indoors, the nugs DO NOT ripen all at once unless you have way too little space filled in your canopy, which is a terrible waste. They lower buds will almost always be SOFTER/FLUFFIER unless you chop the tops and let the mids/lowers finish another 3-7 days.

And while the side buds on outdoor plants USUALLY finish faster than the top buds, it's only because of the unusual shading you get from the sun. You can't compare that to indoor as your indoor HIDS are always at 12oclock don't start out at 3 oclock and end up at 9oclock. Your light source stays in the same place the entire time, so shading only happens if you have too deep a canopy, or an uneven canopy. The top buds get way more sunlight than any of the side buds (if you have large plants). Top buds will look nicer for their reason, and take longer to finish. And ESPECIALLY in an outdoor situation, you're an IDIOT if you're taking whole plants and large branches at once, whether theyre from the tops or the sides. Of course this isn't true if you needa chop your entire garden cuz code enforcement leaves a note, lol.

hybridtek · Dec 5, 2015

Staggered Harvest #1

Staggered Harvest #1

Updated here: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=7243762#post7243762

hybridtek · Dec 5, 2015

Staggered Harvest #1

Staggered Harvest #1

Day 60: Chopped off the crowns, and letting the mid-buds swell and mature.

Before

After

Hanging 50 tops.

New canopy of mid-buds.

Smelling like sweet citrusy fruit.

Harvesting slowly: TOP to BOTTOM?

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