FIM technique: past experiences?

...... well usually when u fim its when the plant has just begun new plant growth, so that is what was removed.

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Originally Posted by Opie Yutts

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?

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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.

You make it sound so easy. Maybe I'll try again.

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

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Originally Posted by c of green

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

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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.

Long, clean fingernails. Pinch. Walk away for 2 weeks. Return to cloneable shoots. KISS.

"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.

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Originally Posted by JackHerer

I would say other things may have a factor such as light spread over the canopy.

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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.

Well i feel a bit more informed now, im thinking on my 2nd grow im going to try and combine FIM with some LST.

My recent grow log shows the results of FIM. My last grow also had successful FIMed plants.

sorry, my link didn't work

Shov