FIM technique: past experiences?

[xblackdogx]

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?

xblackdogx Reviewed by xblackdogx on 12-27-2006. FIM technique: past experiences? 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? Rating: 5

[Weedhound]

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]

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]

Yes I did both on mine....I'll see if I can dig up a pic or two...

[Weedhound]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.