fimming?

[sweetbaby1]

I just heard about this new topping technique called "fimming or FIM.

Apparently it's just a simple matter of topping the plant in the middle of the node instead of below it but, i've never heard of anyone who's done. If anyone out there has any experience with the FIM technique could you please let me know how it worked out for you.


Thanxs in advance
Sweet

[smokinbomb]

i have used that technique several times with good success up to seven tops a couple of times and it has the same effect as topping you will end up with a shorter bushyer plant if thats what your goin for then give it a try it works great


good luck-Bomb

[kindprincess]

if you're going to top, fim.

[sweetbaby1]

does it matter what node it's done to? For example should it be done to the very top one or should it done lower on the plant?
Will doing it at different nodes have a different effect on them at all?
And finally, what stage/size should it be done to them?

Thanxs
sweet

[latewood]

not worth it...extra budsites, but smaller buds.

[smokinbomb]

1.the verry top of the plant
2.no just the top
3.i'm not sure i have never tryed it on lower branches
4.the size is up to you it can be done at any time durring the veg stage but make sure that if you fim the top you give the plant enough time to recover

good luck-Bomb

[Abattoir Dream]

does anyone have a GOOD guide of how to do it properly? i havent found one so far...

[Splifted]

Abbatoir, here is a decent one:
http://www.drugs-forum.com/growfaq/727.htm

[liberiamom]

I just FIM'd the triplets- I've done that technique before, but never with the good fortune of a female plant, so I'm hoping I get lucky this time.

[latewood]

Abbatoir, here is a decent one:
http://www.drugs-forum.com/growfaq/727.htm
this is a perfect example of FIM technique.

[Abattoir Dream]

yeh man, thanks for that, its still a little hard to understand, but i think i got it, i mite give it a go on one of my bubblegums :) -thnx again

[kindprincess]

ad, try clipping 3/4 of the leaf bud a way, this should give you more tops. it's kind of a balance, too much, two branches, too little, two branches, just righ? 3-8!

love, kp

ps fingernail clippers is what i use...

[Abattoir Dream]

ah okay, thats helpfull, at least i know i can exactly fuck it up really... thnx kp ;)

[Weedhound]

I always thought FIM and topping were the same--now I can see they are not. I didn't see anywhere on latewood's link why this technique is supposed to be better--the author mentioned 8 tops but only a vague reference as to why. Can someone explain the theory better?

[kindprincess]

the top is not removed, and so it heals, and puts out, but it takes some time... meanwhile, the sides underneath grow into new tops. voila!;)

love, kp:p

[latewood]

1st...It wasn't my link...

What you do; instead of removing entire top...you just cupout the top bud...like in the pik. you leave the bottom portion of the bud...It is not rocket science; Just cutoff 85-90% of the top bud...leaving the closest portion near the node

[Splifted]

Here's an example of a FIM'd top that was only given 1 week to recover before flowering. See how its a bunch of things growing up instead of only two?

[Weedhound]

Yes now I see the difference between that and topping...thanks for the photo Splifted. Now given enough time for the plant to regrow can you do both? And would it be worth it to do both on the same plant?

[Abattoir Dream]

i fimmed one of my plants last nite, and i think i got it right, it looks alot like that pic, i should have taken one of it actually...

[kindprincess]

wh, you can do both, but remember... some strains have a limited yeild potential, so more sites means more buds, but much smaller ones. so it's strain dependent. i used to top my outdoor plants, then top the tops, then top those tops... so it's something that can be done, but for indoors, i do what splifted does, top and lst. i pull between two and four ounces per plant.

ab, i'd love to see some pix:)

love, kp:p

[Weedhound]

So kp for indoors you don't fim but rather top? I lst'd a set of plants from my last grow and was really amazed with the results--little christmas trees growing everywhere along the branch so I'm definitely sold on that now. AD, yes pix please if you can.

[kindprincess]

i top at ten+ nodes, then lst the devil out of 'em! up to 5 ounces per plant!

love, kp:p

[Weedhound]

I'll risk going off-thread and ask what everyone ties their branches to when lst'ing?

[Splifted]

I'll risk going off-thread and ask what everyone ties their branches to when lst'ing?

I make holes in the edge of the pot. Then you feed the string through the hole, loop one end of the string around the branch you want to tie, then tie the two ends together the way you'd tie your shoes in a bow. You can bend the branch more by tying the knot tighter (like you'd tighten your shoes w/ a bow)

[Abattoir Dream]

lol fishing wire and sellotape... its that simple...

yeh, ill go take a few pics n then ill post one up soon

peace..

[Abattoir Dream]

Yeh, i tried.... i dont think i did it quite right, my scissors were too big to get in there properly, but even if it doesnt work, i dont mind, its all part of learnin i guess.. anyways heres the pics....:)

[attachment=o109959]

[attachment=o109960]

[attachment=o109961]

[attachment=o109962]

[attachment=o109963]

[Abattoir Dream]

wow... those pics are pretty good for my shitty camera :)

[mc-blaze21]

i think i'll try this on my next grow wont be for awhile tho lol laters all happy new year!

[kindprincess]

hey ab, fuck! i think you missed...

good job babe, that's what it's sposed to look like:thumbsup: leave just a tad bit more next time.

love, kp:p

[Abattoir Dream]

FUCK....:(

lol i thought i got it wrong, the leaves that i cut accidentally carried on growing, but there were no new sprouts...

so i topped it normally.....what a dumbass:o

[kindprincess]

If you push the leaves apart at the very top of the plant you should see a small bud (not flowering bud but an actually leaf bud). Use a pair of nail clippers to pinch off about 3/4 of the bud. This should result in more than two top colas being developed. In a single FIM clipping you can produce up to eight new top colas.
The origins of this technique are humorous. As the story goes, FIM was discovered accidentally when a grower messed up a topping exercise. FIM stands for: "Fuck I Missed".

Another method of topping is called Super Cropping. By taking a branch between your forefinger and thumb you can gently crush the branch, causing it to develop multiple branches above the crushed area. You must crush it on the correct side or risk breaking the branch. Just squeeze lightly until you feel the branch give, then let go. If it gives easily then you have crushed it on the correct side. If it is hard to crush and the branch splits then you have chosen the wrong side. Practice makes perfect with Super Cropping.

Super Cropping should be carried out during the second or third week of vegetative growth and does stunt the plant. You should also note that plants that are Super Cropped can remain in the vegetative growth stage for twice as long as normal but the end result is a very bushy plant with multiple node regions that should all produce bud. Many growers have thrown Super Cropped plants away because they believed that the plants were not flowering in time. If you Super Crop your plants make sure that you have the patience to wait until the process is finished which is usually about four to six more weeks of vegetative growth.

[Hagbard Celiene]

not to throw the thread off topic again, but regarding the LST bow tie... if i might suggest the sheepshank...
http://orex.hp.infoseek.co.jp/rope14.jpg

it is designed to do exactly what you need it to...

[canuck grower]

Right on, I'll have to try that knot. I don't know any good knots, never thought I would really need to either. :)

[Hagbard Celiene]

rope can be LOTS of fun, but i digress, that is a topic for another forum...

[Abattoir Dream]

yeh, i know the basic idea of fimming, it was just hard to get the scissors in the right place, one of my bubblegums is gettin fimmed....properly...

[Volker]

I've been reading up on FIM, and I like it. So I'm gonna try it. I used a pair of nailclippers, and here's my end result. I think I got it right on the button...

Updates as they happen.

[Volker]

Looking close on day 3, I think I'm going to get 5? outta this.

[Volker]

Here are some pics of the top as we go along, up to 1.11

[Volker]

And up to today.

[stinkyattic]

I've been fimming the moms with my fingernails. I wouldn't do it on a plant that is supposed to go into flower that month because of the recovery time, but it seems effective for getting the most possible cloneable shoots off one growing tip.

[Volker]

I've been fimming the moms with my fingernails. I wouldn't do it on a plant that is supposed to go into flower that month because of the recovery time, but it seems effective for getting the most possible cloneable shoots off one growing tip.This plant isn't scheduled to go into the flowering room till Jan 19th, so there will have been a 2 week recovery time between FIM & budding start.

EDIT: looking close, I may have cut too much. The 2 nodes below the fim are growing, but I see very little growth on the FIM cut itself. I may hold off on the bud another week.