Seems there's some discussion about topping vs lolly-popping.
some know I like a big budAttachment 294265 But I did try some topping created George Bush (there's a thousand points to light)Attachment 294266
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Seems there's some discussion about topping vs lolly-popping.
some know I like a big budAttachment 294265 But I did try some topping created George Bush (there's a thousand points to light)Attachment 294266
strain selection is everything for a lollypop plant. Some strains do it naturally, some are Christmas trees. I top my indoor plants because I have a low ceiling and only use 400 watt lamps. Bubblegum is one strain I could get to lollypop but it still gets too tall for my grow area (it's not even seven feet tall).
Your very correct, neither plant required much trimming just doing there thing
That is one BIG bud :jointsmile: :greenthumb:
With the stain I'm growing, topping it made it too "airy".. I would've rather had a thick "christmas tree" instead of a big wide bush.
When left un-topped it seems to feed each cola more equally, and they have less popcorn nugs.
From now on, I'm just going to let the plants do their own thing :)
I've been researching what topping is but regardless of topping or no topping I believe the plants yield would be the same. Correct me if I am wrong but yield depends a lot on lumens/wattage as well as spectrum nutrients etc... but in general you get the idea.
Yes you are correct. They tend to yield the same amount.. BUT, the way they yield is the big difference...
When you top, FIM, or LST, you're forcing the plant to increase the amount of branches and bud points.
This causes the plant to produce more buds in quantity, but not size or quality!!
Let me explain..
All of the energy/nutrition that would have gone to 1 branch/cola, is now separated between 2-3 colas, because you forced it to do so.
Now, it takes 2-3 branches to produce the same amount that 1 branch could've produced before!
So the buds will be 2-3x smaller, not as dense, and not as potent!
It all depends on the appearance you want, and what you want to harvest..
For example..
If you want a taller plant, with 50 large, dense, potent buds, leave it untopped.
If you want a shorter/wider plant, with 150 small, airy, less potent buds, top it.
:thumbsup:
topping does not make less potent bud.
Maybe for amateurs diddling around with some seeds and a light but pro growers grow awesome trees and trimming and cropping is part of the book.
ps I"m not refering to you as an amature, Mr Grow Big, I've seen your plants, very fine.
Maybe its how it looks on the screen, I should've explained that better..
I didn't mean that topping is going to drastically change the potency of the flowers. I meant you are gonna have 2-3x the under growth, pop corn nugs, etc. And those nugs are mostly useless, unless you plan on making concentrates.
Now we are on the lollipop topic.. :jointsmile:
If you were to top your plant, and completely clean out all of the small foliage, lower branches, etc., right before flowering, you will be left with a bunch of colas.
To me that's the best way to do it, and doing it that way would probably yield the most smokeable flowers.
It honestly depends on the stain like you said early. Ive only grown very lengthy stains that don't do better when topped.
I'm definitely not trying to rule out topping, fimming, and lst.. But there are some disadvantages if you don't do it correctly.
:smokebong:Kinda surprised me that we're talking about potency, first page in my book, if it don't bubble-in ain't worth the trouble. In other words, potency IS job one.
Then throw it the old school, what don't kill you makes you stronger, stress I have found makes em stronger. Plus the mamas tested close to thirty when tested at cup.:jointsmile:
I was goin to talk about yield, trimmers on tour all salivate over the big buds, but by the time you break in down especially for mold reasons and bagging the nugs look very similar. Now I do like to keep the ends if clean and dry, this way they can get the twelve inches they want so bad. During those special times!!
But will say the other plant, if it holds to form, I hope will produce a couple of Turkey bags full of golf balls, that some really like. It's a green banana-black banana thing.
This is typical of my earlier experiences in FIMing. I have plenty later manorah looking buds grown under a single 400w HID and topping (and lower trimming).
Attachment 294477
Shovel handle, you have the prettiest pictures
Those are some gorgeous flowers.
:jointsmile:
What strain?
Blueberry from Dutch Passion. The photo is a bit rough, I lost my original photo, that was copied from High Times magazine. I was fortunate enough for them to select two of my submissions for print in their rag.
Yes! And from a girly P.O.V., preeety colors!Quote:
Originally Posted by tlranger
I let many things dictate pruning, topping, lollipoping. LOCATION being #1. This is for camouflage purposes. I grow them to a shape that closely resembles the surrounding native plants/weeds. As far as variety? Well I choose that according to which variety does best with the type of pruning/not pruning needed for the chosen location. As far as camo goes, well I have two flowers I always plant near my ladies. One is spider flowers (cleome), & ladies around these flowers get the short lollipop treatment. Leaves look the same& dito for plant shape. When I'm growing to a natural christmas tree, I plant cardinal vines all around, mostly on upright structures, or even dead trees. Beautiful vine, leaves are similar, & the flowers are shaped like very small morning glories & are deep cardinal red. I NEVER clear TOO much native vegetation, & always keep in mind its natural formation. The flowers I mentioned just add to the camo. I'm not worried about 'the man' finding them, just the thieves. Unfortunately, the thieves who get mine are guys I taught my camo techniques to years ago. :-(
Love the first part, then the part that trips my trigger- why is it always so one close?????Quote:
Originally Posted by catbuds
A celebrity:jumphappy: just don't get:abduct:Quote:
Originally Posted by Shovelhandle
That's funny, everything I've read so far says that topping/fimming you get 20-30% more harvest weight. Not true? So it mostly spreads a plant out and keeps it shorter?
Would growing natural give you stronger limbs to hold those buds? I had some scrawny weak branches on my white widow.
Does anyone have an actual list - never top/fim XXX plant? With names of those plants that don't like topping/fimming?
Curious minds want to know. :P
P.S. Hi catbuds! Nice to see another girl here!
Does anyone have an actual list - never top/fim XXX plant? With names of those plants that don't like topping/fimming?
it's a little more than that. it also has to do with how each strain is best grown. longer veg, or a plant that does well with a shorter veg, how much lighting, how much watering, ideal temperatures, nutrition. different strains each have their own preferences.
To answer your questions a few people would have to grow out that strain under different conditions. For an example, I understand that Trainwreck is particular about many things, including topping. However, I've not grown it and I have no idea what it likes.
Oh! I guess I was thinking you wise old yogi growers would have done some of that research/testing already. So many strains, and not enough info on how best to raise them. Not even on the seed sellers' sites. I'm a bit disappointed in that. I'm getting ready for crop #2 and was wondering if I should stop topping. I'm going to try cannatonic, chocolope, and tangerine dream.
There is more than one way to skin a cat. Whether you top or not is not a big deal. Lot more important things to take care of and to make sure you do it right.
That's right, so many strains... I've not grown any of those strains even once so I'd dare not suggest one method over another. However, if you want somebody to suggest how to grow them you've come to the right place. Lots of folks here with very little experience ready to give out tons of suggestions. Holiday Inn Express Syndrome. :)
Best of luck with the grow either way.
I don't know TL. Thought I was doing a good thing teaching others, but as it turned out, I was teaching them how to steal everyone else's plants instead of growing their own. Disappointed. :'(Quote:
Originally Posted by tlranger
Giggletwig, I tried to respond to your post, but this cell ph is about to fry itself & wouldn't let me. A lot of us old heads (& honey, I mean old as dirt, I'll be 60 in 5 months) stick with our favorite strains for years. Each yr there are more new varities than the yr before. It boggles the mind. I try new varities after someone else tries it first & tells me of their experience. If I like what I hear, then I try it. I'm not out at the farm with miles of woods behind me anymore, so space is limited, but if Cannabis Seeds is reading, I'm sure she'll be able to point you in the right direction. After all, she's my 'go to girl!'
TLRanger!!!! Is that your greenhouse!?!?!? I'm so jealous I'm green with envy! ( well maybe it's chlorophyll hehehe!) Mine can be seen from the road, so that leaves me out. Am I too old to be adopted?
Just to clarify, I said the above with a wry smile and in good fun, not picking on anyone or anything. It's just a little confusing to someone new to growing. I don't really know how many new strains come out in a year or how long a strain will stick around. With so much free advice floating around (Holiday Inn Express syndrome indeed-lol), it's hard to know what's what.
Catbuds, don't feel old - I'm 57 myself. I wasn't sure if people stayed with a strain a long time like you said or not. But it makes sense, I know I'll be keeping my favorites. But my room is also very limited.
Thanks everyone for an interesting discussion so far....
:D
You women make me feel super old now. :(
Being old and living in a rural area I don't have the opportunities to smoke all kinds of different pot (Just my own, really). Maybe about six years ago I began to buy seeds from Europe once in a while to try some new genetics. Other people I know that grow bum seeds or cuttings from me so again, not much diversity. But I've found some I like! I switch around indica dominant and sativa dominant grows. Next indoor run while be Mr Nice Seeds genetics. I just bought a fresh pack of Mango Haze (Shantibaba's favorite strain). I'll be also running some of my mixes I've done with my bubblegum and afghani strains with their Neville's Haze and Super Silver Haze. I'm going to try a short two week from seed veg before I put them to 12/12. Some may still flower for 12 weeks plus after they start to show sex.
[quote=Shovelhandle]You women make me feel super old now. :(
Being old :joint1:
Ok, none of youse youngsters can go there on my thread, did I say that right.
CB- sorry to say not really mine, but handing it for a very close friend. Co-op grow for California patients, lawyers wanted half as many plants, so we cut it down more and said bigger is better, it is kinda a hippie hangout, makes some money to keep all happy, first time I showed up heard who's the OH? Thought maybe Bigfoot had talked of my super organic tendencies, but no they ment "Old Guy" and I got two say both places this summer kinda tiring
But you can't believe how much I want a place there
[quote=tlranger]What!?!? You called me a youngster!?!?! You're just trying to make me smile! (Check out my post on the sugestions thingie. I think you'll like it.).Quote:
Originally Posted by Shovelhandle
The greenhouse thing. I applaud you for for doing that. Very humanitarian. Wish I could go with you.
Humanitarian, that actually got a laugh here.
Pruning- topping -thinning Remember one time taking a clone and accidentally cutting whole plant down, that's the only time I've regretted making the cut, it always seems to turn out well.
So big bud Attachment 294535 actually got cut more, she lost six bottom branches because she was so heavy in preflower I wanted to clone her, I think it kicked her into high gear.
The Bush got cut once to keep it short. Why someone wanted it short where the roof was the highest remains a mystery
We have been having some issues with our flower room and just got it figured out last night. Apparently during our last big lightning storm our power when out and it apparently reset or froze our timers so 2/3 or our lights were triggered to stay on 24 hours. this caused our plants to sprout up and grow like a jungle. Well, about 3-4 weeks of this going on without our knowledge we finally got the lights reset. But now our plants are 5-6 feet tall with no buds. Is cropping or prunning an option in this situation? We grow using hydro and we only have about 8-10 feet to the ceiling but the tubs sit about 2 feet off the ground. Will this light mishap have ruined our plants? They seem healthy....just growing and growing. Now that they are HUGE we need to cut them back to make room for the flowering phase. What is a good suggestion on cropping these tall ladies? (if they are replenishable). I think they will flower just fine now with no problems we just need the room for the budding to start. Thanks so much for any and all I help I can get :jointsmile:
Checking the clocks has was become one of my first things, have had it happen to ones in full bud, causes bolt and leaves.
quessing yours weren't that far along, so should go ahead and bloom ok, size you could cut back, you could tie down, you can lay them down, if of time matches the outdoors(is it light inside while it's light outside) move some out and let nature help
They were only about 1-2 weeks into flower when it happened. Thanks for the advice. Ill be able to do some manicuring and touch-ups this evening. Our lights are opposite of the sun (saves on electricity). Thanks again :rasta:
Figure your balancing your electric usage, still uses the same right. Was it stuck on 24 on, if so you could still try one outside just for sites and grins
Damned that was a heart breaking set back. 1-2 wks seems like a long time when you're doing the waiting. I'm so sorry. But yeah, do what Ranger says. He won't steer you wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~PEACE!~~~~~~~~~~
You can bend them over and tie them down that way the lower branches will grow towards the light and you will have a bush of buds. Keep the tip below the branches until they catch up with the tip.
Thanks....we will try to put one outside but the temp is dropping and it is getting quite windy out during the day. thanks for your advice and suggestions.
Thanks....it was definitely a set back for sure but at least it happened at the beginning of the flower cycle. Thanks again :-)
Despite the fact that this was a set back, it does have one advantage. More plant means more bud. As much as you said they shot up, maybe a LOT more bud. Thinking along that line should raise your spirits some!:-D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PEACE!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just a note the lollipop plant (big bud), cut and trimmed and dried, weight just over three pounds.