Uncle Ben's Topping Technique to Get 2 or 4 Main Colas

[Stoned Drifter]

ok so I tried this on a gsc clone. nodes are not 100% opposing. but close. I got 2 main stems, so I topped again one stem had 100% opposing nodes and the other stem are way off. im wondering what this is gonna result in.

 

[Stoned Drifter]

View attachment 2791929here is where I cut my og kush. this is my 1st time trying this method out. but 3 hours before that I had cut right above the 4th leaf node. is this gonna mess with the hormones from not working correctly? this is where I first cut. right above 4th node.View attachment 2791932View attachment 2791937

oh and heres how my og is doing. I ran into a ph problem but the plants bouncing back.

 

[Guitar Man]

5 days after last photo. Buds are fattening up nicely and daily. 3+weeks to go. Picture on left taken 5 days ago.

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[ProdigalSun]

Is there any reason to WANT big colas to begin with? When I'm harvesting the buds, I always trim them out to be convenient, bowl sized nugs anyways, so I don't see the point in a cola at all. It seems that a bush would be what everyone here would be trying to make.

 

[a mongo frog]

Is there any reason to WANT big colas to begin with? When I'm harvesting the buds, I always trim them out to be convenient, bowl sized nugs anyways, so I don't see the point in a cola at all. It seems that a bush would be what everyone here would be trying to make.

Yes there is a reason to want big colas. Pretty sure it's part of the passion of growing cannabiss. And most of the time we can not control how the colas are going to grow. Although, I have been bending the tops at a 90 for height reasons and that's turning out really cool.

 

[ProdigalSun]

I'm not talking about passion, or showing off, I certainly understand that, I'm interested in potency and yield.

 

[Guitar Man]

I'm not talking about passion, or showing off, I certainly understand that, I'm interested in potency and yield.

Do you think I'll be disappointed with a half pound from this Lady? I find that a satisfactory yield for my grow. Potency? Not sure what you mean about that. I've grown this strain 3 separate times now, and the finished product would kick anyones ass. I've taken my MJ to breeders/growers who do very large grows and who have been in the industry for 30 years to test my product; not 1 complaint or criticism regarding affect, taste, and smoothness. BTW, big colas are BAD ASS!

Oh, and don't forget about the buds down below. You can't see them very well in these pictures, but the bud activity on the lower branches is coming along nicely.

 

[ProdigalSun]

It isn't all about you dude. I'm just asking if a plant is grown for a cola or 2 or 4, or whether the same plant grown as a popcorn bush, would it be weaker, stronger, the same potency, and secondly, would it yield more or less.

 

[Guitar Man]

It isn't all about you dude. I'm just asking if a plant is grown for a cola or 2 or 4, or whether the same plant grown as a popcorn bush, would it be weaker, stronger, the same potency, and secondly, would it yield more or less.

Never said this was about me. I'm just clarifying what you didn't clarify about potency and yield. A solid, finished product is what we all want, and that is what I'm getting. I think we all like to experiment, but experimentation has its limits because we only have so much time in the day or space in our grow rooms.

Do you think UB has done this enough times to listen to his advice? How about all of the others who have tried this topping technique?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but IMO, potency and yield is about strain/genetics, light, and proper feeding/soil. I don't think it matters whether a person grows colas or a person grows a bush, as long as the plant is healthy. In outside grows, shit, I've seen plants 6-8 feet tall where the entire thing was nothing but colas via professional topping.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but IMO, potency and yield is about strain/genetics, light, and proper feeding/soil. I don't think it matters whether a person grows colas or a person grows a bush, as long as the plant is healthy. In outside grows, shit, I've seen plants 6-8 feet tall where the entire thing was nothing but colas via professional topping.

Agreed, after genetics which pretty much drives potency it's the sum of the parts. U. of Miss as reported by Mel Frank showed that buds at the bottom of the plant can and many times are more potent than at the top.

 

[Guitar Man]

Here's another update on my plant. 1st pic is 10 days ago. 2nd pic is 5 days ago. Next 7 pics are from this morning. She is a Sour Diesel, standing about 55" at the top towers. This is my 2nd time doing UB's Advanced Cut/Top to obtain 4 main colas. 2-3 weeks left till chop chop.

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[jagga]

thanks to uncle ben for an amazing and very informative thread ...I have been reading every page and days later im at page 220

heres 4 dinafem moby dick ,2 ugorg killer skunk and one dinafem critical cheese at day 19 from seed and all at 5/6 nodes

grown under 400w metal halide with very tight node distance , the plants are about 6 inches high and the medium used is fytocell in hempy pots.


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[jagga]

all topped at 2nd node except the autoflowering dinafem critical cheese in the middle

 

[ProdigalSun]

What's the opinion on those white discs? They are there I'm sure to reflect light, but will it cause too much moisture or unwanted fungal growth under the cover?

 

[jagga]

What's the opinion on those white discs? They are there I'm sure to reflect light, but will it cause too much moisture or unwanted fungal growth under the cover?

without the discs the fytocell will have algae growing on the top, the disc blocks light and stops algae growing.

 

[ProdigalSun]

You shouldn't have algae growth, sounds like your humidity might be too high?

 

[jagga]

You shouldn't have algae growth, sounds like your humidity might be too high?

humidity is very low, algae will grow on fytocell if its not covered and it is harmless, because it stays wet, it is susceptible to green algae on the top. Algae uses photosynthesis to grow.

 

[jagga]

2 days later and no signs of growth on the first node on 5 out of 6 plants....is this normal?

 

[Uncle Ben]

2 days later and no signs of growth on the first node on 5 out of 6 plants....is this normal?

Unless you are having vigor issues, it should pop soon. My seedlings are so vigorous that many times they are already pushing foliage from the petiole's axis.

 

[jagga]

thanks for the quick reply UB. the 2nd node are growing at a decent rate so I don't think its a vigour issue . The first node branches are thin when compared to the second node I think I need to be patient . there was a little growth already there on the first petiole axis on all the plants.