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View Full Version : FIM technique: past experiences?



xblackdogx
12-27-2006, 03:00 AM
Thinking about doing the FIM technique on a smaller plant. I hope to 1. create more colas, instead of one main cola (on icmag they were saying you can get 8 colas there). The second thing i'm hoping is to slow down the main cola growth, and allowing the lower nodes (which are immature) to catch up. As I understand, the plant will take about 1-2 weeks to continue growth at the top, but in the meantime focuses on the lower nodes... is this correct? anybody do this technique before?

Weedhound
12-27-2006, 06:15 AM
I have---and do do it on all my plants but I'm afraid I can't tell you the mechanics of it.....mine have always done well being topped and I feel it improves the yield significantly but have heard that some strains don't handle it well although I couldn't say which ones. The plants don't grow as tall either; more bush-like so it helps to have good side lighting.

xblackdogx
12-27-2006, 03:26 PM
yeah, i have lst... so if 4 colas appeared instead of one, would i be able to lst it? it's an immature plant and theres so much room for more lst if 4 tops appear...

anyone have a pick after the FIM technique?

Weedhound
12-27-2006, 04:16 PM
Yes I did both on mine....I'll see if I can dig up a pic or two...

Weedhound
12-27-2006, 06:51 PM
Ok the first pic is the six I started with and all have been topped twice by this pic..three of them ended up being males. The one on the right front ends up being the plant in pic 2 (with the crappy yellow lighting). That one I topped but did not lst. The last pic is the 2 plants way in the back in pic one....topped twice and then lst'd after being put into flower.

xblackdogx
12-28-2006, 04:09 AM
sweet, thanks man!

there's so many branches i can't see where the top split up !! how many colas at the top did you end up w/ after the topping? I heard the FIM can produce up to 8 "main" instead" just the one, but don't know if i believe it

Weedhound
12-28-2006, 06:13 AM
Well depending on the strain you can top quite a bit but there are drawbacks.....everytime you do it you are stressing your plant of course which I have not really had a problem with but maybe others have. The other is that the more you top the more time you have to give the plant to grow new foliage in which extends your vegging time depending upon how many times you do it. The plant in pic 2 ended up with four main colas and don't know how many side ones...I top everything on the plant I can; not just the main stem. Make sure you have a strain that responds well to topping or it could result in a much poorer yield all around.

xblackdogx
12-28-2006, 06:28 AM
ic, well i don't plan on topping alot of the plant. Just the very top (where you leave 1/3 of the top bud, and then after 1-2 weeks it splits... i would be leaving the rest as is. it would be done in flowering too.. it's an immature plant.

Weedhound
12-28-2006, 05:09 PM
If you top your plant during the flowering stage you will take off the very nodes that your plant needs to grow the bud. During flowering the plant is concentrating on budding and then croaking. It will NOT grow any new branches during this time. That's why it is important not to top your plant unless you leave enough veg time for the plant to regrow. All you would be doing at that point is cutting down the plant and the very growth it needs to flower with. Topping must be done during the vegging period.

Legalizdahurb
12-29-2006, 11:07 PM
Does every1 know toping and F.I.M.ing are differant.
In fimming you take off half of the growing tip.
I have done this several times and 1 of a few things happen either it tops the plant as normal. It acts like topping but the top bit grows back so you have a bushy plant with a main cola, or several grow back at the top so you get a bushy multi cola plant. Then you can do a bit of lst and make it what ever you want.

Legalizdahurb
12-30-2006, 04:48 AM
Also have a quick look @ this thread
http://boards.cannabis.com/showthread.php?p=1162619#post1162619

Weedhound
12-31-2006, 07:00 PM
LH you are quite right and I completely went off in the wrong direction! Thanks for clarifying.

Legalizdahurb
12-31-2006, 11:39 PM
Np. Glad to help.

MadHatter79
05-02-2007, 05:31 AM
I used the FIM, supercrop, and lst techniques to get mine to bush. I'm also going to try some humbolt county bushmaster if it tries to stretch to much. You are going to have to add another bending/training technique to maximize the new growing potential of the plant.

evertking
05-02-2007, 02:11 PM
Grow Marijuana FAQ, Cannabis cultivation - marijuana growing tips & photos (http://www.drugs-forum.com/growfaq/768.htm)

NICE PLANTS WEEDHOUND!
instead of cutting the whole tip... move up a little... it will look funny.. but in no time you will see the new growth... and maybe some chopped in half leafs.

oldsanclem
05-02-2007, 02:51 PM
I think the bottom line is the total effect
How much light you have , how much room you have, how much time
Now with the fim you want to maximize all the light.
Each time the main stalk is doubled so are the bud sites. Done at the right time you can maximize the total area expossed to the light.
I have used both ways, fim and hedge shears. But admit fim the first two times make sure you have max effect. One = Two,two =4 and if I have time 4= 8 stalks , after that fim its the hedge shears.
I use a stick and trim all tops to that heigth.
Pot is like a whore if it does no put out its gone.

Chronic Chrissy
05-04-2007, 02:44 PM
I've.tried.FIMming.again.and.again..The.most.I've. seen.is...
1.the.next.branch.takes.over.as.lead
2.topping.which.I.do.now.with.lst'ing
3.chopped.leaves.that.grow.as.normal
I'm.happy.FIMming.doesn't.work..I.like.the.bushy.u ndergrowth.using.the.space.instead.or.just.a.bushy .top..

oh.I've.been.trying.to.Fim.Northerns.and.Afghanis. btw.....

Dr. Bloor
08-24-2007, 10:59 PM
I just fimed an afghan clone that is 22 days old. See what happens

Dr. Bloor
08-27-2007, 04:04 AM
Afghan hopefully fim!

Dr. Bloor
08-29-2007, 07:59 AM
Maybe a better picture of another plant

revolutionary
08-29-2007, 12:44 PM
Make sure you press the branch where you cut together.

I learned this the hard way, had one plant die.

I use those black clips for papers now and after I cut use that to seal the wound as much as possible.

good luck

Dr. Bloor
09-02-2007, 02:28 AM
Here are some new pictures from, hopefully fim'ed plants

Dr. Bloor
09-02-2007, 02:30 AM
Hopes this helps!

Dr. Bloor
09-02-2007, 03:02 AM
It does slow down the growing.

Dr. Bloor
09-02-2007, 08:53 AM
Hopefully some real experts will step in here and offer their advice. I am just so much an amateur. Better than being an armature I suppose!

Chronisseur
09-03-2007, 05:07 PM
I recently played with the F.I.M (Fuck, I missed!) method. Unfortunately, my test subjects were two males and one hermie, but I did infact convince 6 shoots to fight for the top.
I highly recommend this method but only for early-mid veg, and I believe the biggest difference(from topping) may lie in the shape of the cut, ie. the V as opposed to a straight or angled.
Good luck cussin' n' missin'!:thumbsup:

1stimegrower
09-04-2007, 01:24 AM
i just read about that fim shit,its too late for me now
ive alreadt started flowering. But next year im doin that shit
multiple colas!!! Fuck yea thats better than multiple orgasms!!

Yeeeeeeehhhhhhaaaaaa!! Im down!!!

Opie Yutts
09-06-2007, 11:52 PM
FIMing is very difficult to do correctly. Most people who say they are FIMing are only topping. Not only is the placement of the cut critical, but also the shape. It is supposed to be a "U" shape, done with a bent razor blade or something. I have tried it several times, and haven't noticed anything other than topping results. Some people swear by it, but hell, how do you do it correctly?

Dr. Bloor
09-07-2007, 06:32 AM
Maybe fim!

Dr. Bloor
09-07-2007, 06:33 AM
I am still working on it. Here are some pics. These are flowering clones that I tried it on.

Dr. Bloor
09-07-2007, 06:36 AM
Afghan and Juicy Fruit FIM ?

Dr. Bloor
09-07-2007, 08:36 AM
Afghan clones. Fimed? Maybe

Dr. Bloor
09-07-2007, 08:38 AM
Juicy fruit clones hopefully fim! I have no idea!

Dr. Bloor
09-07-2007, 08:40 AM
Juicy fruit clones hopefully fim! I have no idea! Mother plant also.

Dr. Bloor
09-07-2007, 08:41 AM
I think the first picture shows it best!

Dr. Bloor
09-07-2007, 08:43 AM
We will see! Never tried the fim thin on clones in flowering.

Opie Yutts
09-08-2007, 01:16 AM
I don't think you are supposed to fim during flowering. Like LST and topping, it's supposed to (I think) make more branches, a bushier plant, and more colas. Also those plants don't really look FIMed to me. There should be more branches than normal. (A bushier plant with more colas.)

Which is better? One huge cola totaling 2 oz, or 10 smaller colas totalling 2 oz?

oldsanclem
09-09-2007, 01:18 AM
The whole thing is to maximize the size of the plant, to the area.
Light on the floor does not produce bud.
In a small grow you do not have the option to grow a plant 4 ft hight and 4 feet square.
By fim and trimming the plant so it fill up all the growing space and miximizing the light output.
Done right you have all big buds , because you use ALL the light.
The SCROG system works best for the big single bud. But if you get caught with over 99 plants its a federal offence in the U.S.
NOW the real effective way to tell what you have done is the old Grams/Watts/months.
By prying outer leafs and exposing the center and cliping or pinching out the center groth. This is only good for the 1-4 branching of the plant.
At the point of where the branches are long enough. I add chlose pins to the branches to weigh them over.
You can not see the floor, thats when you have a full light use.

Dr. Bloor
09-09-2007, 03:03 AM
Opie: I do not think they are fimed either. I have no idea. These are plants that were cloned when the mother were in flower. I just thought I would try it. There growth did slow down. Then started again. Do you think I should just top them off?

Dr. Bloor
09-09-2007, 03:10 AM
The whole thing is to maximize the size of the plant, to the area.
Light on the floor does not produce bud.
In a small grow you do not have the option to grow a plant 4 ft hight and 4 feet square.
By fim and trimming the plant so it fill up all the growing space and miximizing the light output.
Done right you have all big buds , because you use ALL the light.
The SCROG system works best for the big single bud. But if you get caught with over 99 plants its a federal offence in the U.S.
NOW the real effective way to tell what you have done is the old Grams/Watts/months.
By prying outer leafs and exposing the center and cliping or pinching out the center groth. This is only good for the 1-4 branching of the plant.
At the point of where the branches are long enough. I add chlose pins to the branches to weigh them over.
You can not see the floor, thats when you have a full light use.

I am growing outdoors, well in a greenhouse.

Dr. Bloor
09-09-2007, 03:13 AM
I have been happy with the plants have cloned. They stay much smaller and seem to producing well. The mother to the Sativia was going out the roof of the greenhouse. The clone is a nice bush. Lots of nice buds. Same with the Afghan.

Dr. Bloor
09-09-2007, 03:30 AM
I was just wondering about the FIM on the juicy fruit clone. The afghan also seems to be happy.

Dr. Bloor
09-09-2007, 03:37 AM
FIMing is very difficult to do correctly. Most people who say they are FIMing are only topping. Not only is the placement of the cut critical, but also the shape. It is supposed to be a "U" shape, done with a bent razor blade or something. I have tried it several times, and haven't noticed anything other than topping results. Some people swear by it, but hell, how do you do it correctly?

I tried the u shape cut on these girls. Hell I just used some cuticle scissors. They have a u shape to them. I suppose I will just keep cloning away until it works out!

Dr. Bloor
09-09-2007, 05:24 AM
Hmmm well Juicy fruit today.

Dr. Bloor
09-09-2007, 05:26 AM
The clone maybe fim?

Dr. Bloor
09-16-2007, 05:28 AM
This one I tried the FIM on. Juicy Fruit clone.

Opie Yutts
09-16-2007, 09:39 PM
Opie: I do not think they are fimed either. I have no idea. These are plants that were cloned when the mother were in flower. I just thought I would try it. There growth did slow down. Then started again. Do you think I should just top them off?

Since the plants are flowering, I would wait until ready, then cut off about 65% for consumption, then reveg while utilizing topping or lst to keep them lower. I'm just assuming this is what you want.

metalirock
09-25-2007, 06:00 PM
my attempt at fim'ing

Opie Yutts
09-26-2007, 05:54 AM
I'm not really sure what you removed. 90% of what exactly? Is it 90% of a new shoot? It was my understanding you remove part of the new shoot before it starts turning into a node. I hope I'm not sounding like too much of an idiot here, but I always get freaked out when it comes to fiming. It's like I'm in the twilight zone every time I try to understand it. Perhaps it would help if I tried to understand it some time when I'm sober.

Opie Yutts
09-26-2007, 06:10 AM
By the way thanks for taking the time to post a picture and explaination.

metalirock
09-27-2007, 09:10 AM
...... well usually when u fim its when the plant has just begun new plant growth, so that is what was removed.

sublbc
10-13-2007, 01:16 AM
FIMing is very difficult to do correctly. Most people who say they are FIMing are only topping. Not only is the placement of the cut critical, but also the shape. It is supposed to be a "U" shape, done with a bent razor blade or something. I have tried it several times, and haven't noticed anything other than topping results. Some people swear by it, but hell, how do you do it correctly?

I love the FIM and do it to all of my plants. Unloike most, I like to do it at about 2 weeks into flower or right when the small budding nodes begin to form.

Yes the placement of the cut is essential. It is important to cut right through the bud node while also clipping off the smaller leaves right around it. i like to just grab the tip of the bud and cut through the leaves and the node. It does cause the cola to grow out a lot causing it to get much bigger while getting a 2 or 3 headed cola at the tip.

Opie Yutts
10-13-2007, 10:14 PM
You make it sound so easy. Maybe I'll try again.

c of green
11-05-2007, 03:27 PM
trimming 90% is too much imo.same as special scissors.i wash my hands and use my thumb nail to take the top 75% of the new tip(unopened leaves at the end of a branch)i have never gotten 8 mains and sometimes it doesn't work at all but F it topping is good so if it dont work it still isn,t a bad thing

Mrs. Greenjeans
11-05-2007, 03:59 PM
trimming 90% is too much imo.same as special scissors.i wash my hands and use my thumb nail to take the top 75% of the new tip(unopened leaves at the end of a branch)i have never gotten 8 mains and sometimes it doesn't work at all but F it topping is good so if it dont work it still isn,t a bad thing

I'm with you.
FIM isn't rocket science folks. Use your clean hands and pinch that fucker. Haven't any of you grown roses or tomatoes? It's the same principle. Find the brand new light/bright green growing tip. Then pinch off 3/4 of it with your fingernails. If you don't have nails use a pair of sterilized nail clippers.

Some strains will respond with a lot of tops, some won't. I have one strain that will give me lots of tops, but I sacrifice big colas. I have another strain that will give me lots of tops AND big colas. Other strains will just divide once and call it a day.

stinkyattic
11-05-2007, 04:12 PM
Long, clean fingernails. Pinch. Walk away for 2 weeks. Return to cloneable shoots. KISS.

JackHerer
11-06-2007, 01:51 PM
"I have one strain that will give me lots of tops, but I sacrifice big colas. I have another strain that will give me lots of tops AND big colas. Other strains will just divide once and call it a day."

Good to know that Mrs GreenJeans. I have just had pretty good success with FIM on my skunk clones. Ended up with 20 main branch cola's from four plants, but they weren't as dense or fat as the cola's from my first grow. Overall the dried weight was much the same per plant. Actually the best plant from the first time had more weight from a single cola than the largest of the FIM'd ones. I would say other things may have a factor such as light spread over the canopy.

Next time I'm thinking of trying the pinching where you don't actually top the main cola just stun it to allow the branches to catch up as an experiment on one.

Mrs. Greenjeans
11-06-2007, 02:45 PM
I would say other things may have a factor such as light spread over the canopy.


That would be my guess too. One of my strains I pinch for a reason. It has incredibly tight node formation, so I pinch to encourage branching so that I can tie those branches down/open for better light penetration to the sides of the branches/bud sites.

Gundari
11-10-2007, 07:22 PM
Well i feel a bit more informed now, im thinking on my 2nd grow im going to try and combine FIM with some LST.

Shovelhandle
11-10-2007, 07:36 PM
My recent grow log shows the results of FIM. My last grow also had successful FIMed plants.

sorry, my link didn't work

Shov

StemSeed
11-12-2007, 08:57 PM
My recent grow log shows the results of FIM. My last grow also had successful FIMed plants.

sorry, my link didn't work

Shov

shov i wunna see ur grow log :/