I need pruning advice for my first grow

[vspin]

I have four plants:



I want to get them pruned like the gentlemen in this post, but I didn't want to hijack his post with my questions:

I'm 16 days into the 12/12 light cycle. Accepting that light is important for quality buds, how do I determine which branches and leaves to remove?

Also, when I remove a branch or leaf, how close do I cut to the stem or branch?


Thank you all.

 

[vspin]

In case it's important, my plants are 26" tall under a 1000w HPS. Should I research lollipopping? I'm wondering if that's the method he's using..

 

[Tonygreen]

Well I am sure you could PM him and ask, most people are cool and friendly here man.

Just at a glance I'd say your girls could be cleaned up on the bottom a lot. See what everyone else says too but I'd say chop off everything in the bottom 3rd of your plant, all side branches and fingers and little shoots, just strip em to the main stem. If you don't I'd guess you will see them yellow up and shrivel on the bottom as the plant does the same thing apparently.

A lot of that on the bottom isnt going to get good light for you and is wasting energy the plant can use to blow up the top colas.

Looks like you are doing a great job btw! Were those revegged flowering clones?

 

[vspin]

Well I am sure you could PM him and ask, most people are cool and friendly here man.

I will do that.

Just at a glance I'd say your girls could be cleaned up on the bottom a lot. See what everyone else says too but I'd say chop off everything in the bottom 3rd of your plant, all side branches and fingers and little shoots, just strip em to the main stem. If you don't I'd guess you will see them yellow up and shrivel on the bottom as the plant does the same thing apparently.

A lot of that on the bottom isnt going to get good light for you and is wasting energy the plant can use to blow up the top colas.

Thank you for the help and direction.

Looks like you are doing a great job btw! Were those revegged flowering clones?

Thank you. Boy, you know your stuff. You're correct. I planned on getting veg clones and do some topping, LSTing, Supercropping, etc., however, after I topped my plants one time, I learned I didn't need to since they turned out to be revegged flowering clones (aka Monster Cropping?). I read that these clones produce popcorn buds, so I'm hoping to do as you directed to lessen the blow..

 

[Tonygreen]

Yeah no need to top those. The popcorn bud rumor probably is from all the competition for light I'd suspect. Clean up those bottoms good and post some more pics, I bet you'll see a world of difference in a day or two. Start there. If you can post some pics after you do we can see if you need further pruning. Yer gonna prolly feel like yer rapin yer girls but if you get the bottom cleaned up then re post they will be in much better shape in my opinion. Looks like a lot to take off down there. A good time to get more clones.

Also what kind of light are you using bro?

 

[vspin]

Thank you, I'll do that and post the results of my raping. I'm a little nervous.

The bulb is a cheap 1000w IPower Super High Pressure Sodium, the hood is air cooled, and I usually have the light about 18" to 24" away from the plants.

 

[Tonygreen]

Nice, yer gonna yield just fine! Look forward to seein those girls cleaned up.

 

[chameleonsc]

lollipop them! take off bottom third, at least...if you can, take the tops and branches up to the top 3-4 nodes (try to stay near 30% total though, you might not be able to accomplish this much of a prune this late in the game)..chop anything that's not getting light..shoot for a 10-14" thick canopy...anything that has a small stem on it now will have a small stem on it at harvest...spaghetti won't fatten into pencils at this point...

 

[bad gas]

If you look at the stickies at the top of the forums, there is "A Complete Guide To Topping and Pruning". It's the second one down in the indoor grows-soil forum.

This is the bible.

Have a nice day. bg

 

[vspin]

Done

Done

Okay, I did it.



I left some branches a little less than pencil thickness, and I tied up some long thick branches towards the top. While I was removing a branch, I accidentally pulled on it while skin was left on a thicker branch and went too far. I had to remove the thick because I pulled the skin back way to far where it was tangling.

Please let me know how I did. Did I do enough, not enough, or too much?

Once again, thank you all. I used everyone's advice and will certainly mark all your posts and rep when I have enough replies to do so (for whatever it's worth).

 

[chameleonsc]

looks great...you could maybe think about pulling off some of those lower fans...but there are folks on both sides of the fence on that debate

 

[wildgrow]

Start by removing only as much as youre comfortable with removing. Compare to the pics from the other thread and decide if you want to remove more.

After you get through a couple of cycles youll figure out for yourself how much should be removed.

Good luck

 

[Tonygreen]

Looks good man, trim any new shoots that pop up and just sit back and watch them ladies blow up. Now just need patience.

 

[vspin]

looks great...you could maybe think about pulling off some of those lower fans...but there are folks on both sides of the fence on that debate

Thank you. I wanted to remove them (and a few others to let more light in). I was also wondering if I'd be going too far stress-wise at this point in my grow..?

Start by removing only as much as youre comfortable with removing. Compare to the pics from the other thread and decide if you want to remove more.

After you get through a couple of cycles youll figure out for yourself how much should be removed.

Good luck

Thank you. Great advice. I'm already looking forward to removing more, but as you said, experience will tell what's best for me.

Looks good man, trim any new shoots that pop up and just sit back and watch them ladies blow up. Now just need patience.

Thank you. I sure will, and I sure hope so. I do love them cleaned up.


You guys are awesome!

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Personally?

I never leave more than the top three nodes on any branch. Period. I make oil from trim and nugs... not larf. I don't have any. Single best info I've ever run across for upping yield in any garden.

Be prepared to support the nugs though... ALL the bottom weight will be in the top nugs. Don't worry about so-called 'wasted' light that will be going down through the canopy after removing all that... within a week the bud leaves will have sucked up those spaces and closed the holes.

Stay Safe!

 

[bad gas]

Thanks for the advice, Hydro-Soil. I, also, am ready to prune in prep for flower.

Have a nice day. bg

 

[bad gas]

Thanks for the advice, Hydro-Soil. I, also, am ready to prune in prep for flower.

Have a nice day. bg

 

[Tonygreen]

Keep us posted I'm looking forward to see the end shots!

 

[vspin]

Personally?

I never leave more than the top three nodes on any branch. Period. I make oil from trim and nugs... not larf. I don't have any. Single best info I've ever run across for upping yield in any garden.

Be prepared to support the nugs though... ALL the bottom weight will be in the top nugs. Don't worry about so-called 'wasted' light that will be going down through the canopy after removing all that... within a week the bud leaves will have sucked up those spaces and closed the holes.

Stay Safe!

Thank you. I have a hard time counting nodes. How do I count nodes when my branching is not symmetrical? I'm not sure if they all count.

Keep us posted I'm looking forward to see the end shots!

Absolutely!

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Just count each 'puff' of growth or 'node'.

Top is one, first one down is 2 and so on... if they were symmetrical it wouldn't be the right time to flip to flowering.

That will get you the top structures that look like the photo you linked.

Stay Safe!

p.s. I DID mention bud-support will be needed... right? lol