First off how far into flower are you and what strain? Are you sure it's time to harvest the tops? To answer your question yes you can do a gradual harvest and take just the tops, it will shock the plant and it will think something is trying to kill it(which you are) so it will recover as fast as it can and dump all it's resources into those bottom buds as a last ditch effort to try to get pollinated(which it won't with out a male) I do gradual harvests when nessessary and find that it does make a difference and seems to fill out the bottom buds more than they were, but they will never be huge like the tops. Only leave them an extra week or two and don't take more than half the plant. And don't forget to move the light closer to the plant after, and that the last two weeks of flower you flush and only give ph'd water.
Chronic Chrissy Reviewed by Chronic Chrissy on . Quick Harvest Question The tops of my plants are filling in beautifully due to the direct light in top and around them, while the other lower portions which do not recieve direct light like the tops do are very minimal in bud growth. How would the plant be affacted if I harvest the tops which seem ready to go, and afterward continue to let the rest of the plant fill out? Rating: 5