Topped, Please clarify for a newbie

[Chronic Chrissy]

I think I get the basic concept. You take off the top of the main stalk and usually two grow in it's place. But tell me more about it. When do you do it? How much do you take off? Is it a good idea to take off enough for a clone? And what about yeild? I've read that when multiple branchs bloom it doesn't mean you get more bud you just get 2 buds half the size. I'm also wondering if the secondary branches that are coming out will form little buds alongside the big one(making one big fat bud), or if they just suck from the main bud and form little ones? Height really isn't an issue for me persay with about 6ft floor to ceiling, I just want to know a little more about this.

Chronic Chrissy Reviewed by Chronic Chrissy on 01-05-2007. Topped, Please clarify for a newbie I think I get the basic concept. You take off the top of the main stalk and usually two grow in it's place. But tell me more about it. When do you do it? How much do you take off? Is it a good idea to take off enough for a clone? And what about yeild? I've read that when multiple branchs bloom it doesn't mean you get more bud you just get 2 buds half the size. I'm also wondering if the secondary branches that are coming out will form little buds alongside the big one(making one big fat bud), or Rating: 5

[dutch.lover]

hmm well a lot of your questions can be answered by searching on the net or by searching these forums, but i will answer what i know off the top of my head.

you can top a plant whenever you want, it all depends when you want the plant to start bushing out, basically. when a plant is young, it will generally just grow upwards with no sideways branching for quite awhile, so if you want to start branching earlier, you can top it sooner.

you can take off as much as you want; you can either just pinch off the very top of the growth tip, or you can cut off down as many nodes as you want...doesn't really matter. i think where you top it (like if it's done at the 6th node or the 10th node) affects how many sidebranches will form, but im not sure. it is a GREAT idea to use the cut off part of the plant to use as a clone. it would be a waste just throwing it out.

i think your point about yield is currently debated among growers. i think the benefit of topping when it comes to yield would be from getting the growth tips more light=bigger buds.

hope that helps a bit- but the more you research about this the more you will find out. these boards are invaluable.

[Weedhound]

I love topping my plants....I do it on all of them. While there are strains that do not respond very well to topping most of the ones I have seen do great with it.....I'm sure there are others that know better which strains don't top well. As for when to do it....it must be done before flowering and I usually leave a week (in hydro) for the growth to regenerate before I put them in 12/12 ...if you don't let the budsites grow back they won't be growing you any buds. I try to wait until the top node has about 1/2 inch stem then snip it right in the middle...too close to the bottom and you may clip off some future needed foliage. i'm sure there a folks here that have photos or diagrams posted on how to do it....I personally found that topping my plants increased the yield by a huge amount (using a strain that likes topping of course) KP mentioned on another thread "topping the tops" and that is basically what I do....makes for longer tiime in veg but happy days in flower

[doco]

Both of the answers above are excellent but I personally tend to lean in Weedhounds direction and only take the very top growth tip...I just hate to clip off too much of what I have lovingly watched grow! But like Dutch said, if you top off a few nodes you have a wonderful clone prospect.

[kindprincess]

Pruning is the action of manipulating the number of node regions (potential bud sites) that your plant creates and has nothing to do with the thinning process. Cutting a plant at the stem will automatically result in Hopping'. For this reason, plants that are thinned via cutting will end up growing more than one top cola.

Indica plants tend to be smaller than Sativas. If you learn to prune your plant properly you can produce small bushy Sativa plants that grow in tiny spaces. Without pruning, a Sativa plant can stretch to five feet or more.

Keep in mind that there is a limit to how much you can prune a marijuana plant. If you prune the stem, it will split in two. You can prune both of these new stems and end up with four stems. You can try to prune each of these four stems to create eight stems, but results will depend on the strain and its genetically predetermined branching limit. You might be able to prune some of the lateral branches, but again, if the plant has reached its threshold it will not produce more branches. All strains are different in this respect.

Keep in mind that there is a limit to how much you can prune a marijuana plant. If you prune the stem, it will split in two. You can prune both of these new stems and end up with four stems. You can try to prune each of these four stems to create eight stems, but results will depend on the strain and its genetically predetermined branching limit. You might be able to prune some of the lateral branches, but again, if the plant has reached its threshold it will not produce more branches. All strains are different in this respect.

Depending on the strain and the growing environment, the 'topped' plant may produce two small top colas instead of two big ones. Also, each strain has a threshold for bud production that cannot be improved upon because it is a genetically predetermined factor. On the other hand, some plants when fully grown without topping do not reach their threshold. The strain Blueberry is a good example of this. If you grow Blueberry without topping you won't achieve maximum bud production from that plant, but if you top the Blueberry, you will. Other strains aren't so flexible and the two top colas will simply share the same volume of bud that a single cola would have produced on the same strain.

Plants are generally pruned three to four weeks into their vegetative cycle, but can be pruned sooner or later or more than once.

Pruning during flowering is not advised as the plant will be forced to divert its energy from bud production into branch and leaf production. This results in a slower rate of bud growth. For optimal growth finish your pruning well before flowering.

[Weedhound]

KP YOU GO GIRL!!!

[kindprincess]

thanx babe!

[kindprincess]

There is a topping method known as the FIM technique. 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.

[Chronic Chrissy]

KP I think I love you.
while all of you were replying I was searching the forum and found a world of info about this amazing topping techniqueand my eyes have been opened. Tommorrow is I'm flushing, increasing the P in my nute solution(figured out I had a deficiency today) and it looks like we will be topping and cloning. I'm so excited

[kindprincess]

glad to help sweetie

kp